Stepping Stones Newsletter
March 2016
Sent Via Email and Stepping Stones Mobile App
Dear Parents / Carers
Where does the time go? It doesn’t seem five minutes ago that Christmas was upon us and now Easter is fast approaching. During the last month children have been enjoying a wide range of activities based on various celebrations. The pancake racing and tossing proved to be very popular as well as creating the Chinese dragon for the Chinese New Year.
Spring is now arriving into the nursery with Snowdrops, Daffodils, and Crocus’s. Tilly kindly brought in some Frogspawn, which we will be watching in anticipation as they develop into frogs. For more information about what goes on within your child’s group don’t forget to look at our weekly learning experiences…
Weekly Learning experiences and home learning can be found on
our website or live on the App published weekly. www.ssdn.info
The App has proved a great success if you have not yet got the app its a great and simple way of informing us if your are not in, requesting extra sessions and also keeping up with news and learning experiences that are published every week.
Easter Dates
The nursery will be closed on Friday the 25th March (Good Friday) and Monday the 29th March (Easter Monday).
If you are Term Time only, the children will break up from Nursery on Friday the 24th March. All children will be due back to Nursery on Monday the 11th of April 2016.
Thrive
Over the past six months I have been training to become a Thrive practitioner. It is a programme that focus’s on social and emotional development, demonstrating how it can impact on all other areas of learning. For more information please click here, to visit the Thrive website or feel free to speak to myself, we also have some info in the lobby.
We aim to implement this wonderful practice into all areas of the nursery setting to ensure that all children will benefit from the tools and resources.
Tapestry Winner
Thank you to all the parents that posted some lovely observations over the Christmas period it looks like you had a fabulous time and both staff and children have enjoyed looking at their journals with the children talking about their experiences with the aid of the photos from home. The lucky winner is Liz Walker who has won 4 hours worth of Child care vouchers.
Due to the success of this competition, we have decided that we will be running this competition monthly. It is a great help to us if you do add observations as it helps us to build an overall picture of your child’s development. Every parent who adds an observation during each calendar month will be entered into the draw to win four hours of free child care.
The extra childcare sessions equivalent to £25 can be taken at any time during the half term holiday dates or as a free session to suit parents. If you are the lucky winner it will be published monthly on the App.
Tapestry Reviews
We are now offering Parent reviews of your child’s development for the Bumblebees and the Caterpillar groups. If you would like an appointment please speak to your child’s key person. The Butterflies will be offering their reviews in March, but please feel free to book now.
Okehampton Primary School
The Primary school have asked us to let parents know that they have some limited spaces for 3 year old children on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
These sessions would suit parents who would like to help build their confidence before starting full time in September.
Stock of Spare Clothes
Please, can you check your supplies to see if you have any of our clothing. We are particularly short of trousers, socks and pants for three years and up.
It would be very helpful if all children brought with them a bag of spare clothes in case of accidents and messy play.
September Sessions
We are conscious of how sessions are filling for September and would like to ensure all current children have first choice, if you would like extra sessions for September PLEASE PLEASE speak to the team leaders so we can get you on the list.
Read and Return Books
The children and some adults love the read and return book library, please do feel free to help yourself. Likewise if you have books at home that are surplus they we would love to add them to our library ?
Doors
We have had some very close near misses with older siblings opening doors on the way out. Please Please do not allow any children to operate the doors, even if they can reach. Like wise the main gate is only to be operated by adults.
Phone Numbers
We have now have the facility for parents to call the individual groups as well as
01837 55111 which will ring all groups on the BT fixed line. al
Please take a moment to add this number to your contacts 01837 500 515
Option 1 for the Bumble Bees Option 2 for the Caterpillars Option 3 for the Butterflies
Option 0 for the Office NB these lines are all separate if the main 55111 is engaged you should be able to call on the 01837 500 515 and choose the group you wish to contact direct.
Comments and Ideas
As a nursery we are always trying to improve our services and provision. If you have any wonderful ideas or suggestions, we would love to hear from you.
Thank for your continuous support and we would like to wish you in advance a wonderful Easter Break.
Best Wishes
Clare, Chris, Bertie and the Team