Week Commencing 28th September 2015

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

 

Pupil Premium

 

Have you heard of Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)? It’s funding from the Government that providers can use to do even more to support children aged 3 and 4 years old. To find out if your child is eligible please see the attached document or visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/eypp

 

Photographer

 

This Thursday 1^st October 2015

 

A reminder that the nursery photographer will come in this Thursday to take photos of the children. She can do family photos and siblings too so if you want to bring the whole family you are more than welcome. They make great presents! The open session will run from 3.45-4.45pm for children and families who aren’t in on Thursday, it will be a first come first served basis.

 

Lost Clothes

 

The baby room are missing a red muddy puddles nursery waterproof suit and a top with a purse on and some navy blue leggings. If these have accidently gone home with anyone please let us know.

 

Interactive Learning Diary

 

Don’t forget to check out all the exciting things your child has done this week, on their ILD profile.

 

We aim to put at least one observation up per week.

 

Follow the link below: http://www.interactivelearningdiary.co.uk/

 

 

Policy of the week

 

We will be displaying a different policy every week at the bottom of this newsletter.

 

If you would like to see this or any of our policies please ask Jess.

 

 

Our Policy this week is: Admissions and applications policy

 

 

Useful websites:

 

Here are the links for the Surrey Family Information Service, Free Early Education (the 15 hours funding) and Free Early Education for Two year olds.

 

www.surreycc.gov.uk/fis
www.surreycc.gov.uk/fee
www.surreycc.gov.uk/feet

 

 

Menus

 

There are no planned changes to this week’s menu.

 

See attached document for the weekly menu. If you would like to see a copy of our allergens menu at any time please ask!

 

 

 

This week’s activities

 

Each key person will be responsible for designing an activity based on their key children’s needs; however, all children who are in on that day will have the opportunity to access the activity too.

 

If the key person is on holiday or off, another staff member will be able to lead the activity in their place so that the children do not miss out.

 

For more information on the Early Years Foundation stage, the guidance we use to support our planning and practice, please visit:

 

http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/ 

 

This week’s planned activities are also on the ILD’S.

 

 

Buttercups

 

Monday – Mel’s group are investigating textures while using their feet and paint to make marks on paper

 

Tuesday – Charlotte’s group is singing rhymes together encouraging listening and language skills

 

Wednesday– Hannah’s group will be playing cooperatively together while playing ball games

 

Thursday – Mel’s group are playing on the toddle boxes promoting stability and strength

 

Friday – Charlotte’s group will be reading favourite stories supporting early literacy skills

 

 

Charlotte is off Wednesday, Hannah is off Friday, Mel is off Tuesday and Nilem is off Monday

 

 

Bluebells

 

Monday – Megan’s group is playing ‘Simon Says’ with friends to promote listening and attention skills

 

Tuesday – Chloe’s group are using the chalkboards and chalks supporting the children to distinguish between marks they make

 

Wednesday – Donna’s group are using the jungle animals to encourage the children to recognise the difference in sizes

 

Thursday – Almu’s group will be exploring marks they make while printing animal prints

 

Friday – Chloe’s group are building their knowledge of occupations while colouring templates

 

 

Donna is off Monday and Tuesday, Chloe is off Thursday, Almu is on holiday all week and Megan is in all week

 

 

Sunflowers

 

The Sunflowers have one detailed weekly focused activity to ensure all the children have the opportunity to take part in it.

 

This will work alongside their weekly planned activity list which you can see in the room and on the ILD’S.

 

This week’s activity is: completing an obstacle course in the garden

 

The children will be taking part in an obstacle course in the garden. They will be using the wooden blocks, hoops and balls. The children will be supported to walk over the blocks to build their confidence. They will be encouraged to balance, crawl and jump at times. All children’s gross motor skills and stability will be promoted. Additionally, the children will be supported to listen and respond to instructions throughout.

 

The letter of the week is: T

 

 

The children will be:

 

Playing ‘I Spy with my little eye something beginning with T’

 

Linking words to the letter T

 

Finding animals starting with the letter T

 

Finding words that begin with T from our letter of the soup cans

 

Writing the letter T

 

Talking about the ‘triceratops’ dinosaur

 

Setting up the easel with T stencils

 

Thinking about names that begin with T

 

 

Leanne is off Monday, Hector is off Thursday and Becci is in all week

 

 

Admissions and applications policy

 

Aim of policy

 

The aim of this policy is to clarify how we at Castle Daycare and Preschool process new children in to our settings.

 

Points to consider

 

It is the policy of Castle Daycare and Preschool that we provide a prioritised day care and education service for the children of working families or those accessing further education/training. With our commitment to families with these parent/carers we have the following criteria in place to admit children into our programmes.

We encourage all families to have looked around our setting before registering their child/ren with us.

 

Castle Daycare and Preschool aims to do this by:

 

• Applications received are immediately dated and put directly onto the waiting list in order of priority and receipt. 

 

• Placing priority applications in the following order:

 

 

Ø  Working parents/carers requiring full time care

Ø  Siblings of children already attending who require full time care

Ø  Full time placements

Ø  Siblings of children already attending part time

Ø  Part time full day places

Ø  Session care

Ø  Free Entitlement stand-alone sessions.

 

 

 

Government funded places

 

The first term after your child turns three: parents/carers are entitled to up to 15 flexible hours per week of free government education. This is dependent on sessions attended.

Fees for sessions at Castle Daycare and Preschool nurseries are charged for periods outside of the government funded sessions, including school holidays that are not funded by the government. Charges may also be made for meals. Please see a current fee schedule for further information of charges.

 

Some eligible families will be able to claim FEET funding for their two year old. Eligible children will be able to claim up to 15 funded hours per week.

 

For more information on funding or eligibility please see the Surrey County Council’s current website:

 

www.surreycc.gov.uk

 

http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/learning/early-years-and-childcare-service/early-years-practitioners-and-providers/providing-free-early-education

 

This policy will be reviewed annually with Local Authorities to ensure that any regulatory or policy changes are included.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Jess Smith

Manager, SENCO

Week Commencing 21st September 2015

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

Login Details

If anyone has lost or forgotten their details for the Interactive Learning Diaries please let me know and I can send out a new password to you.

 

Interactive Learning Diary

Don’t forget to check out all the exciting things your child has done this week, on their ILD profile.

We aim to put at least one observation up per week.

Follow the link below: http://www.interactivelearningdiary.co.uk/

 

Policy of the week

We will be displaying a different policy every week at the bottom of this newsletter.

If you would like to see this or any of our policies please ask Jess.

 

Our Policy this week is: Equality and diversity policy

Useful websites:

Here are the links for the Surrey Family Information Service, Free Early Education (the 15 hours funding) and Free Early Education for Two year olds.

www.surreycc.gov.uk/fis
www.surreycc.gov.uk/fee
www.surreycc.gov.uk/feet

 

Menus

There are no planned changes to this week’s menu.

See attached document for the weekly menu. If you would like to see a copy of our allergens menu at any time please ask!

 

This week’s activities

Each key person will be responsible for designing an activity based on their key children’s needs; however, all children who are in on that day will have the opportunity to access the activity too.

If the key person is on holiday or off, another staff member will be able to lead the activity in their place so that the children do not miss out.

For more information on the Early Years Foundation stage, the guidance we use to support our planning and practice, please visit:

http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/ 

This week’s planned activities are also on the ILD’S.

 

Buttercups

Monday – Hannah’s group are looking at family and people who are special to us while exploring the small world dolls

Tuesday – Charlotte’s group is building towers with the soft blocks and cylinders encouraging co-ordination

Wednesday– Mel’s group will be playing alongside friends while playing bubble games

Thursday – Charlotte’s group are investigating media during cornflour gloop play

Friday – Hannah’s group will be moving and dancing while listening to music

 

Charlotte is off Monday, Hannah is in all week, Mel is off Tuesday and Nilem is off Monday

 

Bluebells

Monday – Donna’s group will be using the car garage to encourage turn taking skills

Tuesday – Donna’s group are exploring the role play equipment to promote imaginative play

Wednesday – Almu’s group will be singing nursery rhymes to support listening skills 

Thursday – Megan’s group is using a shape sorter to develop sorting skills and shape recognition

Friday – Chloe’s group are reading favourite stories encouraging their interest in stories

 

Donna is off Friday, Chloe is off Thursday, Almu is on holiday all week and Megan is in all week

 

Sunflowers

The Sunflowers have one detailed weekly focused activity to ensure all the children have the opportunity to take part in it.

This will work alongside their weekly planned activity list which you can see in the room and on the ILD’S.

This week’s activity is: having a picnic with the emotion dolls

 

The children will be talking about the different emotions on the dolls, while having a pretend picnic. They will be having group discussions about how they may feel throughout the day. The activity will be extended and the children will be asked what actions could make their emotions change.

 

The letter of the week is: S

 

The children will be:

Drawing pictures of the sun

Linking words to the letter S

Putting our shoes and socks on

Singing songs together

Writing the letter S

Playing shops

Setting up the easel with S stencils

Collecting sticks in the garden

Painting sunflowers

 

Leanne is off Wednesday, Hector is off Thursday and Becci is on holiday all week

 

Equality and diversity policy

 

Aim of policy

 

Castle Daycare and Preschool’s equality and diversity policy recognises that all people have a right to their distinctive and diverse identities and that all people are different and must be treated as individuals. 

 

Points to consider

 

We provide a supportive, open environment where all children and employees have the opportunity to reach their full potential.  Castle Daycare and Preschool will manage the provision of and access to high quality affordable childcare.  We will promote equality and diversity through our relationships with children, parents, families and carers.

 

Castle Daycare and Preschool aim to achieve this by:

 

·             Ensuring all children can be included.

        

·             Providing children with activities and learning opportunities to acknowledge, promote and respect diversity in local communities.

 

·             Providing positive images and role models which illustrate non-stereotypical roles, racial, cultural and religious diversity and disability in a way that has real meaning to the children and their families.

 

·             Encouraging an understanding of spiritual development by reflecting all faiths and encouraging the tolerance of all faiths including the promotion and celebration of religious festivals and their meaning.  Each individual Castle Daycare and Preschool will aim to enjoy and celebrate religious events personal/relevant to the community they serve.

 

·             Having in place policy and/or procedures to deal with inappropriate practices and attitudes, action to be taken should discrimination occur.

 

·             Inviting parents in the reviewing of our policies.

 

·             Ensuring all our publicity will demonstrate an understanding of equality and diversity.

 

·             Using language which is easily understood.

 

·             Wherever there is a widely shared specific need or where individuals have common needs, Castle Daycare and Preschool will address these through a specific strategy.

 

·             Recognising the need to monitor and review our policies and welcome challenges from, and the involvement of, our employees and customers in this process.

 

·             Actively consulting with different individuals and communities to ensure that the services which are provided are responsive and reflect the diversity of needs.

 

·             Valuing the diversity of all communities, and making our services, facilities and resources accessible and useful to every individual.

 

·             Recognising that our ability to meet these diverse needs is improved by having a diverse workforce which generally reflects local populations and which has the skill and understanding to achieve our service objectives.

 

·             Committing to valuing diversity in our workforce and to developing and training our employees to improve their ability to meet our goals; within an overall framework of equality.

 

 

Castle Daycare and Preschool:

 

·             Believe that our employees have an important part to play in making this happen.

 

·             Require every employee to recognise and discharge their own responsibility.

 

·             Undertake to listen to our customers and to involve them in the development of services which recognise and value their diversity.

 

To ensure that we meet this policy at all times each nursery has dedicated Equality Officers who support all members of staff by:

 

• Ensuring their team, room and garden area are promoting equal opportunities in their practice and environment.
• Ensuring cultures and festivals are equally celebrated and promoted.
• Ensuring the team has a good understanding of cultures and festivals and therefore can promote them correctly.
• Attending training on equal opportunities, promoting inclusion, and cascade this back to the rest of the team.
• Working together with the other Equality Officers and manager to create:

o   A nursery that ensures every child is given the same opportunities regardless of their abilities.

o   A nursery that positively promotes equality through the genders and cultures.

o   A nursery that gives every child an open and accepting knowledge of the world around them. 

 

The Equality Officers for this nursery are:

Becci Stone, Hannah Griggs and Donna Sewell

 

Kind regards,

 

Jess Smith

Manager, SENCO