Newsletter — September 2021

By September 30, 2021Nursery News

September Weekend

Nursery will be closed on Friday 24th and Monday 27th of September for the bank holiday.  Have fun if you’re heading off anywhere.

October Week

We’re also closed for the October week from Monday 11th till Friday 15th of October inclusive for the weeks holiday, and we’re also closed on Monday 18th for an in service day.  Again, have fun!!

Depute Manager

Suzanne Whiting has joined the team in capacity of Depute Manager.  Suzanne joins us with 15 years’ worth of childcare experience and I’m sure she’ll bring lots of ideas to the setting.  I know you’ll make her feel very welcome.  You can reach Suzanne on depute@clarkstonnursery.co.uk

Snack

During a question and answer session with the Care Inspectorate last week, they said we can return to the rolling snack format we used to have with children serving themselves, buttering their own crackers etc.  I’m delighted!  We’ve had so many missed learning opportunities the last 18 months, it’s great to see this wee step back towards normality coming about.  Do ask the wee ones about it – it will be back up and running by next week.

Outward Bound

Our first rotation of our Outward Bound initiative will be starting shortly.  A group of children will be accompanied to the park one morning per week for den building, picnics, tree climbing etc.  If your child is involved you’ll receive a permission slip soon.  Watch this space!

Photos

Andy Stark, our photographer will be in nursery on Monday 25th of October to take individual pictures of the children.  This means they’ll be back in plenty of time if you want to give them as a Xmas gift to the extended family.  If your child doesn’t usually come in on a Monday but you’d like to have their photograph taken, we’ll arrange for you to drop in first thing, Andy will take the pic and you can get on with your day.  Let me know if you’d like to do this.

Fundraising. 

As you know fundraising has been a real challenge for us over the last 18 months.  A massive thanks to Katie and Marie-Claire who have been busy coming up with ideas!  So our first activity is going to be the ‘Smartie Challenge!’  Next week, each child will be given a tube of smarties to enjoy.  Once finished, the challenge is to fill the tube with 20p pieces and return it to nursery.  Should be fun!  If you’ve taken part in any fun fundraisers you think we could replicate here, let me know and I’ll pass your ideas onto the girls.

Halloween

On the morning of Friday 29th of October, we’ll have a wee Halloween party for the children in nursery.  Costumes can be worn, we’ll have party games, dancing – great fun!  If your child doesn’t usually attend on a Friday but you’d like them to come, that should be fine, just let me know in advance so I can keep an eye on the adult: child ratio.

Outdoors

As the weather changes, remember we aim to spend time outdoors every day, so please dress your wee one accordingly.  Hoods for drizzly days, sun cream for sunny days – you know what I mean!  The team and I really appreciate this.  If it’s ‘welly weather’ please pop your childs name inside each boot – we do sometimes get wee ones with the same wellies and it can lead to confusion!

Hot lunches

Tara continues to try different permutations of her menu as we work out what the wee ones like – and don’t like!  If you’d like to make any suggestions, Tara can be contacted on tara@clarkstonnursery.co.uk   Any info on allergies should still come via my own email, please.  

As you know, we’re starting to give our packed lunch children a wee taster of the hot lunch each day.  If you’d like your child to have the hot lunch but want to send a packed lunch as a backup, can I suggest you don’t tell them it’s there??  That might sound odd, but sometimes, if the child knows the packed lunch is there, they just decide that’s what they’re having and won’t even try the hot lunch.  I know it sounds sneaky, but it just might encourage them to give the hot lunch a try.

Some of you will already know, if we have a child for lunch who won’t be coaxed to eat anything, I do send a wee email to parents suggesting they might bring a wee snack bar at home time, especially if you’re heading out straight from nursery.  Another benefit of our lovely small numbers here – I don’t imagine I’d be able to do that if it was a 120 place setting!!