week commencing 25th August

Dear Parents

 

Apologises to parents whose children receive Early Years Funding. The first invoice you were sent for September was incorrect, due to a funding error. New invoices have been sent to you today. I apologise for the inconvenience.

 

Early Years Free Entitlement

As the start of term rolls closer, several parents have been asking about Early Years Free Entitlement and how this works.

The Early Years Free Entitlement is a Government scheme where any parent can access funding. The nursery can claim on behalf of the parents for up to 15 hours per week.  

The Free Entitlement is available for children the term after their third birthday.

 

Parents are able to access 15 hours of Early Years free entitlement per week during school term times. This means during school holidays the regular fees will apply. The chart below shows the school holidays for 2014/2015 school year:

 

There will be no Early Years Free Entitlement on:

Term starts 2nd September 2014

W/C: 27^th October 2014

W/C: 22^nd December 2014

W/C: 29^th December 2014

W/C: 16^th February 2015

W/C: 30^th March 2015

W/C: 6^th April 2015

4^th  May 2015

W/C: 25^th May 2015

Term ends on 21^st July 2015

 

The way we offer funding is, you can claim up to three hours of funding in one session (morning or afternoon.) If your child does a full day (8-6) they can claim up to six hours per day with four hours being charged.

You can split your funding with us and another setting as long as you do not claim more than fifteen hours per week between the two.

 

At the start of each term you will be asked to complete a form stating you are still happy for the nursery to claim on your behalf and to ensure you are still receiving your full entitlement.

If this is the first term your child has received funding please can you bring their passport to nursery so we can verify their eligible age.

 

Because of the way the funding is allocated your fees will now be different every month depending on how many funded hours your child has received that month.

 

When you receive your funded bills they will look a little different than what you are used too.

If the sessions have ** beside them they were eligible for funding and this has been claimed on your behalf. Sessions that were not eligible for funding as they fall in school holidays are not marked.

 

The invoice will state how many funded hours your child received that month and because these hours are free they are shown as:

27 hours of Free Entitlement                          £0.00

 

 

 

Invoicing

If you would like to receive your invoices via email or set up a direct debit please let me know.

The direct debit can be used alongside vouchers. If you have any questions or would like a form, just ask!

 

Family photos

Please can all the Bluebell and Baby room parents email in a family photo.

We are creating family displays to further promote our home/ nursery bond.

 

Natalie, Our operations manager is putting me forward for Manager of the year award (which is flattering and embarrassing at the same time!)

As part of the nomination she needs parents statements on why I should win (cringe) if you would like to do this please email her at Natalie@daycare.co.uk by Wednesday 27^th.

 

Menus

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

 

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/   

 

Buttercups

Tuesday -  Nilem’s group are dancing to the tumble tots cd

Wednesday – Julia’s group is exploring the treasure basket together

Thursday – Charlotte’s group will be investigating water as they play with bottles and cups in the water tray

Friday – Magda’s group is building dens and tunnels to crawl through.

Charlotte is off Tuesday, Magda is off Tuesday, Julia is off Thursday and Friday and Nilem is off Friday

 

Bluebells

Tuesday – Rose’s group are getting creative as the choose what they want to draw and discuss their pictures

Wednesday – Donna’s group will be developing language as they play with the toy jungle animals together

Thursday – Rose’s and Leanne’s group are reading stories and saying what might happen next

Friday – Chloe’s group is developing fine motor skills and independence skills as they put on their own shoes and clothes.

Donna is off Friday, Leanne is off Wednesday, Chloe is off Thursday and Rose is in all week

 

Sunflowers

18^th – 25^th August – My Mum is Great by Marks and Spencer

1^st – 8^th September – Dilly Duckling by Claire Freedman

15^th – 22^nd September – Always and  Forever by Debi Gliari and Alan Durant

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.

 

This week’s activity is:

To organise different objects into groups, matching colours, shapes and categories.

 

Our learning intentions are:

Recognising shapes and colours

To develop counting skills

To follow instructions

To be able to categorize

 

Our letter of the week is: P

Our letter of the week activities are:

Pegs and boards

Postman Pat game

Creating paper penguins

ABC puzzles

Linking P words

Purple paint on the easel

 

 

Jess is off Wednesday, Sophie is off all week and Becci is off Friday