Newsletter Term 1 Autumn 2008

 

WELCOME

 

Welcome to a new year at White Tree Pre-school! We hope everyone has had some fun and relaxation over the summer. This academic year we have a developing and expanded staff team to lead our busy programme of activities and lots of new children will be joining us. We extend a very warm welcome to all of you who are new.

 

Children who will be joining us this September:

 Welcome to Arthur, Camila, Charlie, Harry, Hannah H, Hannah R, Emma, Iwan, Nevaeh, Roman, Summer, Timmy and William. We hope you will all enjoy your time with us and settle quickly making lots of new friends and exploring all the resources we have on offer. Welcome to all your families as well. We look forward to getting to know you too.

 

Staff team:

We have three new members of staff, all of who are familiar with the setting: 

  • Debbie T, mother of Jamie, who is with us at preschool and Callum who left us this summer to go to school;
  • Debbie Y who has been working at preschool as supply staff and has three children, Adam, Elinor and Lilian who all came to White Tree.
  • Victoria who has also been providing us with supply cover and has a son William who also came to White Tree.

 

Alwyn continues leading our staff team as Manager.

Julia and Sue will share the Deputy role and continue as keyworkers.

Valerie remains as a keyworker and has special responsibility for the under 3’s activities.  Jean will also stay as a keyworker and is our special educational needs coordinator.

The team is completed by Carron who works on Fridays.

 

Groups and keyworkers;

The small group work introduced last year was very popular and will continue. All of the children will be allocated a keyworker and a small group which enables people to get to know each other well. As there have been lots of new people and we want the groups to be balanced some children have been placed in different colour groups. Lists of the keyworkers and the groups are up on the notice board. Only a small part of the morning is spent in groups and each child will have contact with all of the staff and be able to mix freely with all of the children. There are two of three members of staff with each group so if your child’s keyworker is not in there is someone else who knows them well.

 

‘Special this week’:

To help us get to know each child well we ask for your help! We send home forms asking about your child’s special interests, toys, likes and dislikes , recent achievements and asking if there is anything you would like us to encourage. We then use this information to plan in activities during that week that are tailored to your child’s interests.

 

Show and Tell:

We love children bringing in things for show and tell and this happens in group time. This year we want to encourage children to bring in things linking with our themes and interests and the groups will put notes on the board on the window sill to tell you what the groups are looking at.

We will have a colour, shape or number each week that everyone is invited to explore and these will be posted on the board as well.

 

Cooking and gardening:

We lots of potential cooks and gardeners among the children who showed great enthusiasm for developing their skills last year. Naturally we like to encourage this budding talent and if any adults share this interest and are able to volunteer some help we would love to hear from you.

 

Our Routine! Just a few things to note……

  • At 9.15am please come upstairs and help your child find their peg in the small room to hang up their coat and bag.
  • Your child then will be registered and hang up their name apple on the tree.
  • Every day we choose a special helper as soon as we have registered everyone and all the children take a turn. The special helper’s job starts at Apple Tree Time so they need to arrive by 9.25am to make sure they get their turn!
  • If you have any special information for us please tell the adult at the door so it can be entered in the diary. The adult registering the children does need to concentrate on them
  • Collection policy: Please tell us, preferably in writing, if anyone different will be collecting your child and provide us with contact details.
  • Leaving early: we need to sign your child out when they leave if that is before the end of the session so please let us know if you are going early.
  • Staying and leaving!: you are able to leave your child as soon as they are registered but if you want to stay you are welcome. Lots of parents stay until Apple Tree Time which forms a natural break for leaving when all the children are gathered together. If you want to stay for a morning you can and volunteers are always welcome.

 

Emergency contact details: please make sure we have up to date details and inform us of any changes ASAP.

 

Story Box:

Emma Langley, our Ecumenical Parish Minister  will be leading a ‘Story Box’ story once a month on Tuesdays for 15 minutes at 11.30am for toddlers and 11.45am for preschool. Parents and carers are invited to come as well. We always love these stories. Dates this term are: Tuesday 9th September, 14th October, 11th November and 9th  December.

 

Social Evenings:

Very important of course! The first sounds a bit strange but is always huge fun and is very necessary and important. Playdough Night will take place at Sue’s house on  Thursday 25th September at 8pm.  Dough making requires lots of wine and nibbles, a willingness to stir and kneed dough and a provides great opportunity to get to know each other. Many friendships have started in this way!

 

Funding forms:

If your child was 3 years old before 1st September you are eligible for up to 12.5 hours funding.  There are forms to complete if this is the first time or to sign and date if you have claimed previously. We also need to see and keep a copy of your child’s birth certificate.

If fees are due you will receive your bill shortly. Note that fees have increased to £8 per session from September.

 

Wanted:

Does anyone have any wellies their child has outgrown. We would like to build up a stock for those days that take us by surprise.

 

Are you upgrading your computer? Please think about donating your old one to White Tree.

 

Does anyone have any window boxes or similar we can put round the edge of the fire escape landing – and soil and plants to fill them.

 

Term Dates for 2008/9

 

This year all our terms start on Mondays and finish on Fridays!

Term 1: Monday 8th September to Friday 24th October

Term 2:               10th November to              19th December

Term 3:               5th Jan 2009     to              13th February

Term 4:               23rd February to               3rd April

Term 5:               20th April          to              22nd May

Term 6:               1st June             to              24th July