Spring Term Newsletter 2018

Happy New Year and welcome to the Spring Term at The Psalter Lane Nursery.
The weather is very wet, cold and windy at the moment and we would like to remind you to bring your child’s coat, hat and gloves to nursery as well as a change of shoes as they will be exploring the outdoors in both morning and afternoon sessions. Please remember to label your child’s clothes with their name.
We would like to welcome back Mrs. Millis, she will be returning to The Psalter Lane Nursery after her maternity leave at the end of January 2018.
Parents should have applied for their child’s school place by 15th January 2018 (if their child’s birthday is between 1st September 2013 and 31st August 2014) and if their child is starting school in September 2018.
This is a big transition in a child’s life and we would like to support you and your child as much as possible. We would like to offer you an opportunity to attend a transition meeting at The Psalter Lane Nursery in February (date to be confirmed) where a teacher from Hunter’s Bar will attend to help inform you of what to expect when your child starts school and how to support them. As a nursery we will offer advice on how to help your child be “school ready”. We hope this is something that will be supportive to you.

Parent’s Evening
Parent’s evening will be on Tuesday 6th February – 4.00pm to 6.00pm. Please arrange a suitable time with your child’s key person. We ask for your children not to attend the Parent’s Evening as children know when you are discussing them.
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is 16th February this year and it is the Year of the Dog. We would like you to bring in any photographs of dogs in your child’s family that they can share with their friends. The children will explore this festival through stories, music, dance, decorations. We welcome any parents that would like to share their Chinese New Year traditions with us.

World Book Day
To celebrate World Book Day on Thursday 1st March the staff will be dressing up as characters from a book and we invite the children to dress up as their favourite character and bring their favourite book in to share with their friends. Books are an important part of a child’s life and sharing stories can support the learning and development in all areas.

Library Books
In the porch we are offering a small library service where your child can borrow a book for you to share with them at home. All you need to do is encourage your child to choose a book and sign it out. You can keep it for as long as your child enjoys it, just remember to sign it back when you return it – Reading is fun!

Term Dates
The new term dates for 2018 are available on our website – www.thepsalterlanenursery.co.uk

Scrapbooks
These are an important part of your child’s development and learning. They give both nursery and home a chance to share the child’s interests and skills and experiences, as well as developing language and communication skills. Please remember to bring them into nursery so they can share them with their friends.

Star Moments
In the porch we have some star moment forms that you can complete with your child for something they have achieved, done well, done for the first time, remembered; anything to celebrate your child’s development. These will be displayed in classrooms for the week and shared with the class. Teachers will also be looking for those star moments whilst at nursery to share with parents.

Parking
Before Christmas we had a few incidents regarding parking outside the nursery. Can we please remind parents that there is no parking in the cul-de-sac outside of nursery, it has double yellow lines and it is an offence to park on them as well as being a danger to the parents and children coming in and out of nursery.
The neighbours near the nursery have the right to contact the Police if anyone parks across or blocks their driveway.

First Day Absence Calls
Can we please remind parents and carers that we have adopted the first day absence call procedure as set out in a new code of practice from the Council. We must now ask that all parents call nursery when your child is absent in order for us to update our attendance records. Please note: children attending under the funded learning scheme have their attendance monitored. Irregular attendance may result in funding being withdrawn.

Adverse Weather Conditions
Whilst we will always try to remain open in adverse weather conditions, we may have to close the nursery at short notice or delay the start time.
Notification of this will be posted as soon as possible on our Website and Facebook page.
All schools and nurseries throughout the city will be affected by different weather conditions and ask you to bear in mind that the conditions around Nursery may well be different from those as you leave your home.
Holiday Club
Due to maintenance within the Nursery there will be no Holiday Club in the February Half Term.

19th – 23rd March Sports Relief
We will be taking part in Sports Relief this year to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and the world’s poorest countries. We will be encouraging the children to take part in various physical and sporting activities at nursery and can be sponsored by family and friends. We hope you can support them.

Summary of dates for your Diary
Parent’s Evening – 6th February 4.00pm – 6.00pm
Transition Meeting for Parents – February (date to be confirmed)
Chinese New Year – 16th February
World Book Day – 1st March
Sports Relief – 19th March – 23rd March