Newsletter October 2020

Dear parents,

What a busy month it has been! The children never cease to surprise us with their energy, skill and enthusiasm: nowhere better displayed than completing 10 laps of indoor and outdoor obstacle courses and still having the energy to show off some dance moves to Abba and more recently Bhangra! The children have been travelling all around the world: to Italy (making pizzas), to China and India (meeting Shere Khan) and to Nigeria (making necklaces). They learned about different occupations, including firefighters (learning to Stop Drop and Roll and to ring 999 in an emergency). They made slime and created works of art with their bubble-wrapped feet and brush flicking. They ‘Write Danced’ (practising their gross motor skills to develop their writing skills), walked around the neighbourhood looking out for familiar signs as well as numbers and letters. All this and lots, lots more, all the while developing friendships, learning how to take turns and share.

A few reminders: to please arrive on time and queue in an orderly, socially distanced manner outside the building; please supply a pair of plimsolls or equivalent for your child to change into; if your child is going to be late or absent, please do not leave a message on Facebook but do please contact the pre-school on 01634 819809; if you have not yet returned your pre-school photo order and/or your sponsor money, please do so asap; please  do check your child’s bag each day for their colouring, painting and creations and any letters or information from the pre-school; and please do sign and comment on your child’s Term 1 Report on Tapestry.

Among other highlights, please find below, Dates for your diary (Children In Need goodies are on sale from Monday) and with winter approaching, a reminder about our Bad Weather Policy.

Thank you for your continued support.

Wendy Perkins (Manager)

Covid-19

The pre-school can continue to operate as normal in line with our Covid secure guidelines. We must however, remind all members of the pre-school community that they should continue to monitor for any new Covid like symptoms they may develop.  If your child or anyone in their household does develop symptoms, please do not send your child to pre-school: please follow the national guidance, both with regards to when to get tested and also when households need to isolate themselves due to a family member having symptoms or waiting for a test result.

Children in Need day

On Friday 13th, 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 from Monday, children can buy Pudsey ears (suggested donation £2.50), wristbands &/or pens (suggested donation £1) from pre- school. Many thanks for your anticipated support.

Virtual balloon race

As this was a lot of fun last time, we have entered the pre-school in another virtual balloon race via ecoracing.co Details will be sent out shortly.

Christmas Play

It’s on! The children will be performing the traditional Nativity Play. As we will not be able to use the church with parents and other family members in attendance, the performance will be recorded and made available on the usual channels.

Term dates

Thursday 10th December – last day of Autumn term

Monday 4th January 2021– Spring term begins – pm children only (Tues 5th all)

Tuesday 5th January – term begins for am children

Monday 15th to Friday 19th February – half-term break

Monday 22nd February – Pre-School re-opens

Thursday 1st April – Spring term ends

Monday 19th April 2021– Summer term begins – all children

Monday 3rd May – Pre-school closed

Monday 31st May – Friday 4th June – half-term break

Monday 7th June – Pre-school re-opens

Thursday 15th July – last day of Summer term

Dates for your diaries

Friday 13th November – Children in Need Day

Thursday 10th December – Xmas party (all children) tbc and end of term.

Friday 11th December – staff only

Tuesday 24th March – Dress rehearsal – date tbc

Tuesday 30th March – Spring Play – date tbc

Sunday 30th May – Dragon Boat Race

June – Sports Day – date tbc – am children

July –date tbc – Pre-school trip to Kent Life

Thursday 15th July – Teddy Bear’s Picnic and end of term.

Friday 16th July – stock take – staff only

NB All the planned ‘events’ are subject to change – not just the dates, but the formats.

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 should be 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

Children’s belongings

Please ensure children do not wear their best clothing to pre-school: painting overalls are provided but accidents can still happen. The pre-school has its own design of sweatshirts & t-shirts for sale.

Please label all your child’s belongings to avoid any confusion. This includes their lunch bags/boxes, drink bottles, plimsolls etc.
Children should not bring sweets or wear jewellery to pre-school.

Health & Safety

Handrails – Please do not allow your child to climb the yellow disability handrails, whilst waiting to enter the pre-school or upon exiting the pre-school. There is only concrete to fall on!

Christmas shopping

Many of you, particularly at the moment do much of your on-line shopping through Amazon. What you may not know is that there is an equivalent site www.smile.amazon.co.uk This site is run by amazon, works identically to it and has all of the same products. The only difference is that if you shop on the amazon smile site, 0.5% of the value of the purchase is made as a donation to your chosen charity. We have recently registered the pre-school – St Lukes Pre-School (Rochester) – with amazon smile. The first time that you log in to this (with the same details as your main amazon account) you will be asked to identify the charity you want to support.

Some of you may already be using Amazon Smile. However, if you are not, but are an amazon customer, please set this up in favour of  St Lukes Pre-School (Rochester) It costs nothing and just means that as long as you shop through amazon smile then we receive 0.5% of the value of your purchases.

Thank you for your support.

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.

Absence, arriving & collecting

Please make sure you arrive & collect your child on time as lateness affects both the running of the pre-school & your child’s routine. If you know you are going to be late, please contact the pre-school on 01634 819809 during session times.

If your child is unwell & will not be attending, please telephone the pre-school before 9.30 on the same day. Calls can be made out of hours to the answer-phone attached to this line. We also need to know the reason why your child is absent, in case there is a contagious illness circulating, so we can inform other parents. Please do not leave a message on Facebook. Messages left on Facebook page may not reach staff  members. Tell us if you know you are going to be away ahead of time: just let the staff know when you see them or leave a message on the answerphone

Children must not be left on the premises without a parent/carer before or after the session times as the pre-school’s insurance would be invalidated.  If children are on the premises at any other time, the pre-school cannot assume any responsibility for their care & safety & the parents/carers are solely responsible for them.

Please arrive at your allotted time and queue in an orderly, socially distanced manner outside the building.

Place your child’s lunch bag and drink bottle on the blue trolley.

Hand your child’s coat & bag to your child.

If someone other than yourself or the regular carer will be collecting your child, please advise the teacher on the door. This is a very important detail as your child’s security is compromised if staff are unaware when there is a change in the person collecting your child.

Starting Primary School in Sept 2021?
If your child is born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017, they are due to start school in Year R (Reception) in September 2021.

School admission applications are open
School applications close 5pm, Fri 15th Jan 2021.
School offer day 16th Apr 2021

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.