Dear
Parents and Carers
Staff
news
Sadly
Hannah and Alison will be leaving us during November. Hannah will be leaving us
on the 12th November. She has worked in childcare since she was 16
and has decided to have a career change, she is becoming a receptionist at a
Doctors Surgery.
Alison
has been with us since 2007 and a job opportunity has arisen in a local school,
where she is off to be a TA. I am sure you will join us in wishing them both
all the best.
Shula
has been a floating member of staff since last November and she will be
stepping into babies to become a full time baby member of staff.
We
are currently recruiting for a new floating member of staff but until we find
the right person we will be having staff cover from our Markenfield Road
nursery.
We
will also be using our own bank staff, Alba; most
of you will have met her over the summer period. Alba has previously worked
both here and at our Markenfield Road nursery.
I
will keep you updated on our recruitment process.
Peppa Pig at G Live
A reminder that the Sunflower’s will be going to
see the 1pm performance of Peppa Pig at G Live this Thursday!
Illness
There
has been no further cases of vomiting or diarrhoea however, we are still
having children with high temperatures.
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.
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: Supporting children and families with English as an additional
language (EAL)
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.
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:
This week’s planned activities are also on the
ILD’S.
Buttercups
Monday – Hannah’s group are using simple language
while creating playdough shapes
Tuesday – Charlotte’s group are making poppy shaped
biscuits alongside friends
Wednesday– Mel’s group will be investigating colour
while splatter painting.
Thursday – Charlotte’s group is playing peek a boo
games with the soft toy animals and blankets
Friday – Mel’s group will be colouring in
firework themed pictures supporting fine motor skills
Charlotte is off Wednesday, Mel is off Tuesday,
Hannah is in all week and Nilem is on holiday all week
Bluebells
Monday – Donna’s group are making poppy biscuits
for Remembrance Day encouraging language throughout
Tuesday – Megan’s group will be practicing their
counting skills while counting petals on poppies
Wednesday – Megan’s group is looking at their
family board seeing who they can recognise
Thursday – Almu’s group will be encouraged to put
their coats on by themselves supporting independence
Friday – Chloe’s group are investigating different
materials and colours while creating firework pictures
Donna is off Friday, Chloe is off Thursday, Almu
and Megan are 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: Discussing Remembrance Day
and creating pictures of poppies.
The children will be talking about Remembrance Day
to encourage their knowledge. The children will create a picture of a poppy and
be encouraged to hold the pencil correctly. The activity will be extended by
supporting the children to write their name at the top.
The letter of the week is: Y
The children will be:
Using yellow paint
Linking words to the letter Y
Making the letter Y using playdough
Setting the easel up with Y stencils
Drawing Yo Yo’s
Junk modelling with yoghurt pots
Leanne is off Monday, Hector is off Wednesday and
Becci is in all week
Supporting children and families with English as an additional
language (EAL)
Aim
of policy
At
Castle we welcome everyone into our settings. This includes children who speak
languages other than English. To speak a language other than English will be
celebrated and not seen as a disadvantage or deficit for the children or
family. Our strategy to support these children will be implemented by all staff
members. Staff members will be given support and information to enable them to
promote these strategies. It is the responsibility of the staff to be flexible
and creative to ensure that effective communication takes place.
Points
to consider
It
is important to identify the child’s first language before they start at the
setting, and to establish whether the parents are able to converse in English
or if they will need alternative support to understand the routines and
learning environment their child will experience.
Children
from different cultures may find our setting unfamiliar, it is important that
we include pictures, in the environment, with which the children can identify.
They may include a variety of houses, landscapes, families or children playing.
See
the Inclusion policies.
Castle
Daycare and Preschool aims to achieve this by:
The
nursery environment strives to be multicultural with a variety of multi
cultural books and resources. The displays around the settings also reflect
multiculturalism.
Steps
to support children with EAL
- On
the settling in sessions, we ask parents for key words in the child’s
first language to enable us to use these to communicate with the child.
- We
will keep language simple and literal initially so the child has the best
opportunity to understand.
- We
will give instructions to the child individually and with eye contact as
we understand generalised instructions may be hard to follow.
- We
will give the child time to respond as we recognise it takes time to
translate.
- We
will have key words relevant to the child on display with pictures around
the room, to help staff communicate with the child and for the child to
tell us what they want.
- We
will encourage the child and their family to teach children and staff the
names of objects in their own language.
- We
will model correct sentences, without correcting the child, when they have
tried to communicate.
Working
with parents
Parents
from other countries may have no personal experience of nursery as we know it.
It is important that sufficient time is given to explain to them the key
principles of our system and the routines their child will experience.
When
completing the registration form we will take down the details of the country
of origin, the religion, the language and key cultural needs of the child,
these may include dietary restrictions which will be shared with all staff and
our chef to ensure no misunderstandings.
All
parents are encouraged to contribute to the learning of their child by
visiting, sharing significant events/festivals and doing activities.
Race
and Ethnic Minority Achievement
REMA
offers a Consultation Service to any non-maintained (private, voluntary and
independent) EYFS Preschool Provider. This service is currently funded on
an annual basis as part of Surrey’s Early Years Development and Childcare Plan.
The
purpose of these visits is to help providers develop strategies to meet an
individual child, or group of children whose first language is not English and
may have additional language needs.
If a consultation is required for an individual child, parental permission will
need to be gained. General strategies can also be given that will help
support a group of children whose first language is not English. It is
expected that staff will have already tried to support the child’s/children’s
additional language needs in collaboration with the parents and Early Years and
Childcare Service.
All
Surrey preschool providers are circulated with the information about this
service (through the Early Years and Childcare Service). The visits take
place on a first come, first served basis.
Consultation
involves the following:
-
at
least 30 minutes to one hour to observe the child/children in a preschool
setting
-
discussion
with the key person for 45 minutes to one hour
-
parents
may need to be consulted and invited to take part in the consultation
-
the
key person needs to be prepared to spend some time in the following weeks
working with the child/children on agreed strategies
-
a
follow up meeting with the key person and parents, (where appropriate) usually
within three months, to review the child’s/children’s progress.
Kind regards,
Jess Smith
Manager, SENCO
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