Friday 29 June 2018

Week Commencing 2nd July


Dear Parents and Carers,


Nursery News:

 

New Management System

Just to let you all know we are in the transition of transferring our management system over to join up with our ILD account. Over the next few weeks we will be trialling this system, so any accident or medication forms we will ask you to sign our current paper form and our new online system too. From the week of the 2nd July we will be asking you to sign your children in and out on the system using our ipads. It is essential you do remember to sign your children in and out. There will be two ipads in each room and a communal iPad at the entrance hall. Any questions please let Jamie or I know.

 

Hot weather

Due to the hot weather we are having at the moment please can we ask for weather appropriate clothing to be provided in your child’s bag and a spare change of clothes/swimming wear for water play.

 

Dates for your diaries

13th July – Funding finishes

23rd July – Term ends

26th July – Sunflowers Graduation

4th September – Term starts

 

Photos from this week

 

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This weeks activities and events

 

In2 Sports –  In Sports this week we built our tennis skills further, we had lots of fun running with our rackets whilst balancing balls and beanbags, pretending they were pancakes.

 

Forest School –  At Forest School this week the children made their own charcoal pencils using sticks. They then created their own picture and had lots of fun climbing.

 

Nature Club –  During this week’s nature club the children found a elderflower tree and made their own elderflower drink.

 

French –    This week the children returned to numbers and practiced the 1,2,3 song. The children then reinforced their body parts by playing a fun game.

 

Theatre bugs –



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Next weeks 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 

 

Topic of the month: Summer

 

Monday –Jamie’s group will be using their listening skills to identify different objects and put them in baskets.

Tuesday – Sammy’s group will be exploring water and sea animals, building on their animal knowledge .  

Wednesday – Hannah’s group are building their number awareness while building towers with blocks.

Thursday – Leanne’s group are building on their Math skills by counting, building and categorising with blocks, cars and animals.

Friday – Sammy’s group are playing peek a boo with the pop up tunnel, to build on our turn taking with our peers and playing alongside others.

Jamie is off Monday, Sammy and Hannah are in all week. Leanne is on holiday all week.

 

Bluebells

 

Topic of the month:

 

Monday – Megan’s group are exploring the light up box and people while talking about their own family members. 

Tuesday – Ruby’s group will be setting up a painting station creating a picture of their choice exploring media and materials. 

Wednesday – Chloe’s group is making their own fruit salad building their understanding and attention skills.

Thursday –  Donna’s group are building an interest in making marks while creating their own picture.

Friday – Maria’s group will be playing musical statues with shape! When they music is playing they need to find shapes around the room, when it stops they need to freeze!

Donna is off Friday, Chloe is off Monday and Tuesday, Megan is off Thursday and Friday, Maria and Ruby are in all week.

 

Sunflowers

 

In the Sunflower room each Key Person plans and implements their own Key Group activity, but the room works on the same area and aspect to ensure the activity is individual to each Key Group and therefore meets the specific Key Group’s individual needs.

 

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

 

The Pre-school room will be exploring media and material while creating their own hats. The School leavers will be making their own graduation hats with the other children making their own choice for their hat.

 

Topic of the month:

 

The letter of the week is: E e

 

The children will be:

Writing the word Eleven

Writing the letter E with paint and our fingers

Making Elephant masks

Finding objects in the environment beginning with E

 

The Number of the week is: Three 3

 

The children will be:

Counting to 3

Making the number 3 with playdough

Playing in groups of three

Writing the number 3 in sand

 

The shape of the week is:  Rectangle

 

The children will be:

Counting how many sides a Rectangle has

Drawing rectangles on white boards

Building with Rectangle blocks

Becci is off Wednesday and Friday, Almu is off Wednesday and Thursday and Ines is off Tuesday. Almu’s last day is Friday.

 

Jenni and Ottilia are in all week.

I am in every day 7.30 – 4.00. So I will get to see you all in the morning, If you have any queries in the evening please speak to your child’s Room Leader or Jamie.

 

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: www.interactivelearningdiary.co.uk

 

Facebook

Castle Nursery and Preschool Facebook page promotes the company, engages with parents and team members across our nurseries.

If you would be interested in following this page, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/Castle-Nursery-and-Preschool-790319011138020/. We will be regularly adding events and photos to the page.

 

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!

 

Useful websites

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

 



 

Our Policy of the Week

 

Personal social networking policy

 

Aim of the policy

To give clear guidance to staff (service providers) and parents (clients) about how personal social networking is expected to be used whilst there is a service provider and client relationship in place through any Childcare and Learning Group settings.

 

Points to consider

 

Social networking is a part of many people’s, as well as businesses, everyday lives.

It can be difficult to understand where professional and personal lines are to be drawn. This policy aims to clarify these lines.

 

The term social networking applies to sites such as, but not exclusive to: Facebook, Twitter, Linked in.  This policy works alongside the confidentiality policy, mobile phone policy, Settings and Group Provided Social Media policy and the using images policy.

 

Childcare and Learning Group aim to achieve this by:

 

•          Asking every staff member to maintain confidentiality when using their own social networking sites.

 

•          Under no circumstances are staff allowed to discuss the setting/ wrap around club life on their personal social networking media.

 

•          Asking all current parents and staff to maintain professional boundaries and not make links (friends) on social networking media whilst there is a service provider and client relationship.

 

•          Staff may not use social networking sites during work time unless on breaks, with the exception of Setting related social media sites.

 

Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action

 

Kind Regards,

 

Jess, Jamie and the South Hill Team

Friday 22 June 2018

Week commencing 25th June


Dear Parents and Carers,

 

Nursery News:

 

New Management System

Just to let you all know we are in the transition of transferring our management system over to join up with our ILD account. Over the next few weeks we will be trialling this system, so any accident or medication form we will ask you to sign our current paper form and our new online system too. Any questions please let Jamie or I know.

 

Door policy

Please can we remind all parents to always ask to be let out of the nursery front door and never just let yourself out, this is for obvious safety and safeguarding reasons. Please can we also ask you speak to anyone who may pick up your child too. Thank You.

 

Staff News

Sadly Almu will be leaving us in July, she has decided to move her career in a different direction and will be moving on to be an adult support worker. I am sure you will join us in wishing her all the best.

We are currently recruiting for her position and as soon as it has been filled we will let you know. Jenni will be supporting the Pre-School room in the meantime.

 

Dates for your diaries

13th July – Funding finishes

23rd July – Term ends

26th July – Sunflowers Graduation

4th September – Term starts


 

This weeks activities and events

 

In2 Sports –  In Sports this week we built our tennis skills further, we had lots of fun bouncing the balls on our rackets. We then had a fun game of monsters where we walked around the garden in different ways.

 

Forest School –  At Forest School this week the children collected flowers, leaves and sticks (for paintbrushes) which they used to collect pigments from, helping them to make their own natural paints. The children then had fun using their imaginations to pretend the trees were boats and they were the pirates.

 

Nature Club –  During this week’s nature club the children discovered muddy paint and created their own special picture!

 

Next weeks 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 

 

Topic of the month: Shapes

 

Monday – Hannah’s group are building their number awareness while building towers with blocks.

Tuesday – Jamie’s group will be developing their confidence while getting ready for transition times.  

Wednesday – Jamie’s group is creating different shapes out of ice supporting early shape awareness.

Thursday – Leanne’s group are discovering cornflour gloop by making tracks with toy animals and cars.  

Friday – Sammy’s group is exploring the mark making mirrors in the garden developing an interest in making marks.

Jamie is off Monday, Sammy and Hannah are in all week. Leanne is on holiday all week.

 

Bluebells

 

Topic of the month: Arts and Crafts

 

Monday – Megan’s group is building their independence skills, so they will be helping to get ready for meal times and different routine parts of the day.

Tuesday – Donna’s group are exploring ICT equipment supporting a developing interest in technology.

Wednesday – Ruby’s group will be making their own breakfast in the role play area building their imaginative skills.

Thursday –  Donna and Chloe’s group are counting a variety of different objects they can find in the room support number awareness.

Friday – Maria’s group is creating their own creations using stickle bricks being supported to maintain their attention and build their language skills. 

Donna is off Friday, Chloe is off Monday and Tuesday, Megan is off Thursday and Friday, Maria and Ruby are in all week.

Sunflowers

 

In the Sunflower room each Key Person plans and implements their own Key Group activity, but the room works on the same area and aspect to ensure the activity is individual to each Key Group and therefore meets the specific Key Group’s individual needs.

 

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

 

Becci’s activity: Becci’s group is using the toy cameras to take photos of their friends they will then discuss their similarities and differences.

 

Ines activity: Ines’s group are developing their ICT skills while operating a simple programme on the computer extending the children’s skills. 

 

Almu’s activity: Almu’s group will be exploring the ipads by taking pictures of themselves, they will then create a self-portrait.

 

Topic of the month: Mini Beasts

 

The letter of the week is: D

 

The children will be:

Writing the letter D

Barking like dogs

Writing the letter D in the sand tray

Exploring dinosaurs

Finding the letter D on alphabet puzzles

 

The Number of the week is: 2

 

The children will be:

Counting to 2

Clapping two times

Holding up 2 fingers

Writing the number 2 in the air

 

The shape of the week is:  pentagon

 

The children will be:

Counting how many sides a pentagon has

Tracing a pentagon

Stamping with a pentagon

Becci is off Wednesday, Almu is off Thursday and Ines is off Tuesday.

 

Jenni and Ottilia are in all week.

I am in every day 7.30 – 4.00. So I will get to see you all in the morning, If you have any queries in the evening please speak to your child’s Room Leader or Jamie.

 

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: www.interactivelearningdiary.co.uk

 

Facebook

Castle Nursery and Preschool Facebook page promotes the company, engages with parents and team members across our nurseries.

If you would be interested in following this page, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/Castle-Nursery-and-Preschool-790319011138020/. We will be regularly adding events and photos to the page.

 

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!

 

Useful websites

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

 



 

Our Policy of the Week

 

Suitable people and safer recruitment procedure

 

When potential staff apply for a position at the setting, they are sent an application form, which clearly states that they will be required to disclose any criminal convictions and if successful in securing the position will be subject to a Disclosure and Baring Service Enhanced Disclosure DBS.

 

New staff who have not yet obtained their Enhanced DBS will under no circumstances be left unattended with the children or be allowed to give intimate care such as toileting or changing children’s clothing, until their DBS has come through as expected.

 

DBS’s will not be kept by the setting in accordance to Data protection, however DBS reference numbers and the dates the DBS’s were made will be recorded for each staff member.

 

Any person living on the premises, working directly with the children or who works on the premises when the children are present (such as regular maintenance workers) will also need to hold a DBS.

 

Students and volunteers may not need to apply for a DBS as they will under no circumstances be left unattended with the children or be allowed to give intimate care such as toileting or changing children’s clothing. This will be made clear to them during their induction.

 

All staff will be asked at each supervision and/ or appraisal to certify that they have received no cautions, convictions or anything else that may change their DBS check.

 

All staff are, also asked to inform their manager if they feel anything may affect their DBS, including living in the same household as another person who has been disqualified from looking after children.

 

Childcare and Learning Group follows the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework with regards to contacting Ofsted and other relevant bodies such as the Disclosure and Barring Service when a member of staff is dismissed due to a safeguarding issue.

 

If a person becomes disqualified their employment at South Hill  will be terminated and Ofsted will be informed as soon as possible and within 14 days. The setting will give Ofsted the following details:

 

Details of any order, determination, conviction or other ground for disqualification from registration under regulations made under section 75 of the Childcare Act 2006:

·        The date of the order, determination or conviction or the date when the other ground for disqualification arose:

·        The body or court which made the order, determination or conviction and the sentence (if any ) imposed and:

·        A certified copy of the relevant order (in relation to any order or conviction)

 


 

If a staff member fails to disclose a conviction or caution disciplinary procedures will follow and their employment may be terminated.

 

So as to minimise the risk of employing or engaging an individual who poses a predictable risk to them, the Setting should consider, with respect to candidates who will be working with children (either in a paid or unpaid capacity) a safer recruitment process.

 

This is done by advertising in relevant and suitable places, applying techniques that are helpful in identifying unsuitable people and analysing information and whenever possible verifying through references, the information is correct.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Jess, Jamie and the South Hill Team