Nov 2019 Newsletter

Dear parents,

To paraphrase Robert Plant, ‘the big bright sun might have gone away/ but tomorrow brings us a brand new day.’ So it is that, Maria has left (she’ll be back every now & then (please!)) but the pleasure & privilege of educating & caring for your children continues.

You too can come in & join in the fun on the Parent Rota: come in and share your child’s favourite book, share your hobby or a fun family experience … please see a member of staff if you haven’t got your letter yet or see the list on the door.

Mrs Cox is no more. She shall henceforth be known as Miss Walker & amongst her other duties, she takes over the role of SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) from Miss Hill, who steps up to Deputy Manager.

Amongst other highlights, please find below, Dates for your diary (with actions required for Parents Consultations and the Christmas Shop) and with winter approaching, a reminder about our Bad Weather Policy.

Lastly, a huge thank you to everyone for all the donations for Medway FoodBank during the Seasonal Dress Up week.

Thank you for your continued support.

Wendy Perkins (Manager)

Dates for your diary

Tues 5th Nov – School photographs – We will be taking individual & sibling photos. Please let us know in advance if you would like your child’s photo taken with their younger sibling/s. This is open to all pre-school children (am & pm). If your child does not usually attend on a Tues but you would still like their photo taken, please speak to Vicky in the office for an appointment time.

Thurs 7th Nov – staff training – pre-school closed

Thurs 14th Nov – last day for orders from Christmas shop – see below.

Thurs 14th Nov, 12 noon to 2pm – Parent Consultations – If you haven’t yet booked an appointment with your child’s keyworker, please do so asap. NB There will be the usual morning session ending at 11.45 but no lunch club.

Fri 15th Nov – Children in Need day – we will be supporting the Children in Need national fundraising event. Our donations will support small and large organisations in the UK and every penny we give makes a difference. Children and staff are invited to wear something spotty for a £1 donation and children can buy Pudsey ears (suggested donation £2.50), wristbands &/or pens (suggested donation £1) from pre- school. Many thanks for your anticipated support.

Mon 25th Nov (during am and pm session) and Fri 29th Nov (am only) – Christmas Shop –.you should have received a letter with all the details but a reminder that the last day to hand in Children’s Christmas shop orders & money is by 2pm Thursday 14th Nov.

Tues 26th Nov – Xmas Play dress rehearsal – all morning children to attend – photos will be taken of the children in their costumes – the photos will be available to purchase on the day of the play, Tues 10th. The staff will dress the children on this day & the play day – parents/carers should not stay to dress their child as other children will be getting changed, & for the same reason please do not take any photos of your child in the main hall/pre-school room as you drop them off.

Sat 7th Dec – Breakfast with Santa

Tues 10th Dec – Xmas Play (am children) – afternoon children are encouraged to attend & watch but must be accompanied by parents/carers – please bring children in for usual start time of 9.15 – the play will start when they are ready at around 9.45 & finish when it finishes (around 11.15) – biscuit or cake donations needed please on the day to sell as refreshments during interval & raffle tickets (details of the fabulous prizes to be won, coming soon!) Christmas hampers) will be on sale too. Parents/carers may take take photographs &/or videos in the church of the performance but should remember that these are for private retention & use only & are not to be sold or published in any manner by putting them on the web/internet (including use on personal & social websites such as Facebook). There will be no lunch club on this day. There will be no afternoon session on this day

Thurs 12th Dec – Xmas party (am & pm children) & end of term. NB the Church will be open to the public as a Polling Station but having carried out a risk assessment, it has been decided to proceed with the party. Please be extra vigilant of cars coming in and out of the car park.

Fri 13th December – staff only

Mon 6th Jan 2020 – Spring term begins – pm children only

Tues 7th Jan – am children return

Last month
We learnt about Bonfire Night (firework safety, making firework pictures), & Diwali, with mendi hands, clay divas, Indian dancing (using scarves to interpret Bollywood music & then reggae & salsa!) & a visit to the local Sikh Temple; we came to pre-school in our Autumn dress-up (Halloween & superhero costumes); we scooped out pumpkins; played with coloured rice (exploring texture, making patterns, learning about quantity as we poured the rice from one container to another); read, coloured, drew, made lunch in the kitchen and had lots, & lots of fun!

Christmas shopping with Easyfundraising
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Help out when you check out – it doesn’t cost you a penny extra. You can make a big difference on everything from groceries to getaways. For example, get up to half price off in the Debenhams Autumn sale and raise up to a 3% donation when you do so … raise a donation of 2.5% when you shop with John Lewis & Partners. THANK YOU.

Water bottles
As part of our Healthy Eating ethos we sell water bottles for the children printed with the St. Luke’s teddy logo. These cost just £1.50 each. All bottles are marked with the child’s name & children are encouraged to take a drink at any time. Bottles are refilled when running low. The bottles need to be collected at the end of each session, washed at home & returned to pre-school at the beginning of the next session. Lastly, a reminder that the bottles should be filled with water only please (no squash).

Lunchbox rules
Please ensure grapes & cocktail sausages are cut in half, as they can be a choking hazard in children under 5 & please no products containing nuts (INCLUDING NUTELLA, NAKD BARS, ETC) due to allergies: although your child may not be affected by nuts, some of those that they interact with may be.
To be healthy it’s very important to eat a balanced diet: more details & some ideas about what to put in your child’s lunchbox, in the booklets & boards in the lobby & @ NHS Change4Life website

Bad Weather – Policy on Pre-School opening
In the event of adverse weather, the pre-school will endeavour to remain open during normal pre-school hours.

However, it will be left to the discretion of parents to decide if it is safe for them to make the journey into pre-school or not.

If it is necessary to close the pre-school, for health and safety reasons, a message will be posted on www.kentschoolclosures.co.uk from approximately 7am letting you know if the pre-school is closed. Additionally you can: check on our website www.stlukespre-school.co.uk check www.bbc.co.uk/radiokent (listen on 96.7 & 104.2FM) or www.heart.co.uk/kent (listen on 103.1 & 104.2FM); telephone the pre-school on 01634 819809 (Mrs Perkins will try to update the pre-school’s telephone message if she can safely make it to pre-school); check on Facebook.

If the weather becomes adverse during the pre-school day, parents may contact the pre-school for further information or may decide to pick up their children early for safety reasons. If the pre-school has to close early, you will be telephoned.

Keep in touch
tel: 01634 819809
email :office@stlukespre-school.co.uk
Website www.stlukespre-school.co.uk – The ‘Calendar’ feature is now activated; it has the ‘Dates for your diary’ & if you click on the event date, all the details (when, where & what) about the event.