October 2021 Newsletter
12th October 2021It was very sad to see them go, but we wish all the children starting primary school all the very best as they continue their learning journeys. To paraphrase the words of Pearl Jam, “I hope everyday you’ll have a beautiful life, I know you’ll be a star…” Ditto Ms Walker: sad emoji, star emoji etc. Mrs Trevallion has taken the giant leap for one so small into the main hall.
And for those just starting their learning journeys … the fun has just begun!
Wendy Perkins (Manager)
Term dates
Monday 25th to Friday 29th October – half-term break
Monday 1st November – Pre-school re-opens
Thursday 9th December – last day of Autumn term
Tuesday 4th January 2022– Spring term begins – pm session only – no am session or lunch club
Wednesday 5th January – am sessions and lunch club resume
Monday 14th to Friday 18th February – half-term break
Monday 21st February – Pre-School re-opens
Friday 1st April – Spring term ends
Tuesday 19th April – Summer term begins – pm session only – no am session or lunch club
Wednesday 20th April – am sessions and lunch club resume
Monday 2nd May – Pre-school closed
Monday 30th May – Friday 3rd June – half-term break
Monday 6th June – Pre-school re-opens
Thursday 14th July – last day of Summer term
Dates for your diaries
Tuesday 19th October – school photos (individual and sibling) and committee meeting
Friday 12th November – Children in Need Day
Tuesday 30th November – Dress rehearsal (am children)
Saturday 4th December – Breakfast with Santa
Wednesday 8th December – Xmas Play (am children)
Thursday 9th December – Xmas party (all children) and end of term.
Friday 10th December – staff only
Tuesday 22nd March 2022 – Dress rehearsal
Tuesday 29th March – Spring Play (am children)
June – Sports Day – date tbc – am children
Thursday 7th July – Pre-school trip to Kent Life
Thursday 14th July – Teddy Bear’s Picnic and end of term.
Friday 15th July – stock take – staff only
NB All the planned ‘events’ are subject to change – not just the dates, but the formats. For example, the Christmas play will still be performed and made available on Facebook, Santa may be cancelled, etc.
Summer developments
Despite the restrictions last year finished with a number of great events, including the Teddy Bears’ Picnic & Graduation, which completed another fantastic year of fundraising, enabling us to purchase an indoor climbing frame, kitchenware for the role-play & mud-kitchens, books, artificial grass for the garden, soft play toys & lots more! Every penny raised goes towards the education and care of the children. See Committee item that follows.
Committee Meeting Tuesday 19th Oct 9.30am
Thank you to all those that attended the AGM & offered their advice, support, time … the pre-school cannot run without you & all your time & effort is invaluable: any help contributed to support our events ultimately, & most importantly, benefits each & every child at pre-school. Congratulations to our newly elected Chair, Amy Wright, & thank you again to all those who have offered to support her.
YOUR PRE-SCHOOL NEEDS YOU. NO COMMITTEE = NO PRE-SCHOOL.
Parent Consultations
If you have any concerns about your child or wish to discuss their progress, please speak to the member of staff at the door or contact us by email or phone, to arrange an appointment with your child’s key worker.
‘Show-and-tell’ Fridays
The children are invited to bring in something (toy, book, photo, object …) beginning with that week’s letter/phonic. This week the letter is ‘C.’
Helper of the day
Each day a different child will have the opportunity to count the children in the circle at registration time, to help plate the snacks …
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 (based on advice from the HSE)
Foods to never give your child -Never give a child under the age of 5:
- nuts (including peanuts)
- marshmallows
- popcorn
- chewing gum
- boiled and hard sweets
These can choke your child.
Foods you need to prepare safely – grapes, olives. cherry tomatoes and other similar-sized food can choke your child – please ensure they are cut in half lengthways; food skins are difficult to chew and can completely seal children’s airways, so please remove or peel skins and cut lengthways into small pieces no bigger than your child’s small fingernail cocktail sausages, apples, tomatoes and (finely chop) lettuce.
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 @ www.nhs.uk/change4life website. ” TOO MUCH SALT CAN PUT OUR KIDS AT RISK OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE & HEART DISEASE LATER IN LIFE.” ONE 25g PEPERAMI STICK CONTAINS ONE THIRD OF THE MAXIMUM DAILY AMOUNT OF SALT FOR A 4-6 YEAR OLD! Join Change4Life to order your Change 4Life snack pack, with money-off vouchers for healthier snacks & stickers for your snack smart kids. Millions of families have already made healthier changes — you can, too!
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, cardigans (as well as fleeces and drawstring bags, all of which can be personalised with your child’s initials) 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.
Please supply a pair of plimsolls or equivalent for your child to change into
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!
Car park entrance/exit – this is for cars. For your safety & that of your child, please use the pedestrian entrance when walking or wheeling your child to & from pre-school.
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 answerphone 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 head 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 2022?
If your child is born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018, they are due to start school in Year R (Reception) in September 2022.
School admission applications are open now
School applications close 5pm, Sat 15th Jan 2022.
School offer day 18th Apr 2022
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.
