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Nursery News 12.10.2020

NURSERY NEWS

12th October 2020 – Edition 203

Find out About:

A: Catkins Refunds due to Lockdown March 2020.

B. Parent Consultations.

C. Catkins spaces

D. What the children are learning this week.

A: Catkins Refunds Due to Lockdown March 2020

Catkins class closed during the Summer term 2020 due to the covid pandemic. Any parent who had paid fees for the summer term was sent a refund cheque through the post. Some of these cheques have not yet been cashed. Please, if you have one of these cheques present it to your bank as soon as possible. Generally, banks will only cash cheques within six months of the issue date.

B. Parent Consultations.

We offer parent consultations once a term to all children in the 3+ age group.

As parents are unable to come into school at the moment due to the covid pandemic, we are following government guidelines and offering parent consultations on the telephone. Parents will have the opportunity to have a 5 minute phone consultation with their child’s keyworker.

We ask you to telephone the school office to make an appointment for your child.

Staff with have a list of times available. You may select an available time. Staff will ask you for some details: your name, your childs name, and the phone number you would like us to call you on for the consultation.

We have only one phone line at school so the consultations will be at the following times:

Green Group, Speaking with Mrs Patterson.

Tuesday 3rd November 2020. Appointments available from 3:00pm to 5:10pm

Red Group, Speaking with Miss Skai

Wednesday 4th November. Appointments available from 3:00pm to 5:10pm

Yellow Group, Speaking with Miss Howe.

Thursday 5th November. Appointments available from 3:00pm to 5:15pm

C. Catkins Spaces.

We still have some morning spaces available in Catkins. At the moment we still have morning spaces available on Wednesdays Thursdays and Fridays. Get in touch with the office if your child attends Catkins and you would like an additional session.

Encourage friends and family to call if they are thinking of enrolling their two year old in a setting, we’d love to see some new faces.

D. What the children are learning this week.

We use our newsletter to share information about what the children are learning at school. We do this so you can take an interest in current topics and maybe support this learning at home.

This week though, I’d like to talk about the whole class grouptimes that we are teaching at the moment.

In the Main Nursery, (Green Red and Yellow Groups) we plan to teach the children five grouptimes across the week. Children attend in different patterns: some do 5 mornings, some do 2 ½ days M-W, some do 2 ½ days W-F and some do 5 full days. We arrange children into groups across the week to ensure they all experience the 5 different grouptimes.

Children have free choice to move around the school both inside and outside during the majority of the session time. In the morning we stop and come together at 11:00am and split children into 3 groups for grouptime. Grouptime is 25 minutes long. These are our current groups.

Music- The children will experience 10 music sessions that are carefully planned to build on what they have learnt in previous sessions. The staff had training from the De Capo music organisation. We use De Capo materials , music, songs, picture cards, beat cards, etc. to teach children through singing, movement, using instruments and playing rhythm games.

Oxford Reading Tree- Oxford University Press publish a reading scheme to help early reading. We have a set of picture cards to introduce the main characters in the storybooks. The children discuss the detail in the pictures. The staff tell a story about each picture. Staff write a caption under the pictures for the children and staff to read together. We have some whole class size books for early readers which the staff read with the children. (We have a number of Oxford Reading Tree books in our library that the children can re-visit by themselves.)

Theraplay Sunshine circles- sunshine circles are planned activities to encourage children to listen carefully, take turns and join in with co-operative activities. These activities help children’s wellbeing.

Big Books- We have a good selection of children’s storybooks (such as The Hungry Caterpillar and Elmer the Elephant) that are big enough for the whole class to share at the same time. Staff read the stories to the children, discuss the text, look at the pictures, and play some rhyming games with the children.

Listening with Lola- Lola is a little soft toy Leopard. Each week Lola introduces a new listening game.

Catkins also have a grouptime at the end of each morning session. However, the attention span in Catkins class is much shorter, and we aim for grouptime to last for about 8-10 minutes. Some children are not ready for grouptime when they first begin in Catkins. This is fine, these children stay with play with staff in the main classroom. So in Catkins the grouptime sessions are:

Lola – Lola first appears in Catkins, with some very simple listening activities.

Lift off to language- A program of activities to encourage Two year olds to become more confident using language. The sessions are planned to give all children the opportunity to speak and be listened to.

Signing- We teach the children some basic sign language, so they can make their needs known if they are reluctant to speak. The signs we teach cover words to make their basic needs known such as being hungry or thirsty. We also teach signs for emotions so that they can express their feelings, such as feeling happy or sad. We teach the program using a scheme developed by Luton Council. There are books and stories which involve two little characters, and we have two soft rag dolls representing the characters, that the children meet at storytime.

Music time: Children learn nursery rhymes and songs, they play along with basic instruments such as shakers and bells, and they dance to different kinds of music.

Nursery News 5.10.2020

NURSERY NEWS

5th October 2020 – Edition 202

Find out About:

A: Starting Lower/Primary School in September 2021

B. Forest School Program

C. Catkins Class: 3+enrolment.

A: Starting Lower/Primary School in September 2021

Apply for a lower or primary school place in Central Bedfordshire

When to apply for starting school in 2021

Children born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017 are due to start school in September 2021.

You need to apply before 15 January 2021.

YOU MUST APPLY FOR A SCHOOL PLACE through your home Local Authority. For information or to apply online please look at the following website: https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/info/5/school_admissions

We have three schools in this East Dunstable area, and there are many other schools within a few miles of here. Schools usually offer visits to prospective parents, but the Covid-19 pandemic may be effecting schools normal open events. I have taken the following information from our most local schools websites.

Hadrian Academy

We want you to be confident that Hadrian Academy is the right choice for both you and your family.

If your child is due to start school in September 2021 and you would like to have a look around our academy, then please contact the school office on 01582 618400 or email office@hadrianacademy.co.uk where our staff will be happy to take details and arrange a school visit.

Vale Academy

If your child is due to start school in September 2021 and you would like to have a look around our academy, we will shortly be arranging after school hours appointments.

School Address: The Vale Academy and Vale Nursery Wilbury Drive, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 4QP

Phone Number: – 01582 211150 vale@thesharedlearningtrust.org.uk

St Christophers Academy

Gorham Way Dunstable LU5 4NJ

Tel: 01582 500960 Email: SCA-admin@bestacademies.org.uk

B. Forest School Program

Mrs Brinkley spent a year studying to become a Level 3 Forest School Practitioner in 2017 . In order to support her work in school, all other school staff studied to become Level 1 Forest School Practitioners during the 2018 school year.

What is a Forest School? -this is a quote which outlines what a Forest School is and the ethos of them:

‘An inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults regular opportunities to achieve, develop confidence and self-esteem through hands on learning experiences in a local woodland environment’ (Forest School (England) network 2002)

Whilst we have some trees and shrubs, we acknowledge that we do not have a ‘Forest’, but Forest School teaching and learning is all about participating in activities in the outdoors, learning new skills, building strong relationships and thinking creatively. Mrs Brinkley has planned 8 activity sessions that Main Nursery children will take part in during their final year at nursery. Mrs Brinkley will work with a small group once a week for 8 weeks. We aim to have worked with Green Red and Yellow group children by Easter 2021.

So, for your information, these are the eight activities the children will be participating

in:

1.Fairy/ Gnome Dens. Children will use natural materials that they find in the garden to build a small den for an imaginary fairy or gnome.

2. Making Fairies or small people. Children will be shown how to make a fairy using twigs and clay. Children will be encouraged to make their own character, using their imagination to add hair, wings or other accessories.

3.Larger Dens. Working as part of a small group children will build a den from tarpaulins and ropes. Children will then join Mrs Brinkley inside the den for a story together.

4. Clay Faces. Children will mould a flat circular clay shape onto a tree trunk. Children will then add natural objects to the clay to create a face. Children will be shown how to make marks in the clay using sticks found in the garden. Children will compare their own features with those of their friends. Children will discuss similarities and differences.

5.Bug Hunt. Children will look around the garden areas, trying to find bugs to put into their bug collecting pot. They will tip their collections out onto a white paper surface, then use a magnifying glass to look carefully at the bugs. We will be teaching them about being careful with the wildlife and to look after nature.

6. Mud Kitchens, Mud Potions and Mixtures. Children will be provided with pots and spoons. They will have the opportunity to mix soil with sand and water to make liquid mud. Children will then be able to add leaves and grass, and anything else that they find in the garden, into their mixture.

7. Making Woodland Medals. Children will be shown how to use a hand drill to drill a hole in a small disc of wood in order to make a medal. Children will decorate their medals using felt tip pens

8. Using a Kelly Kettle to make a warm chocolate drink. Children will observe Mrs Brinkley using a Kelly Kettle to create heat. (Wood is used to create a small fire inside the kettle, which then heats the liquid above.) Children will enjoy warm chocolate to drink with a snack.

Mrs Brinkley’s Thoughts….

I am really excited to be now teaching our children ‘The Forest School Way’. The

children are enjoying the new experience and their ideas are extending learning further. Forest School learning has so many benefits to the child’s learning and covers all areas to support the overall well being of the children.

Welcome to Forest School learning Willow!

C. Catkins Class: 3+enrolment.

We are beginning the enrolment process for Catkins children who will be eligible for 15 hours funded education in January 2021 (Blue Group) and April 2021 (Orange Group). Children in Blue Group and Orange Group, in Catkins Class, have all received an important letter last week. Please complete the Options Form in the pack and return to Mrs Davies by Friday 9th October. Option requests are considered in the order that they are returned. I will then confirm in writing,the option choice your child has been allocated.

Nursery News 28.9.2020

NURSERY NEWS

28th September 2020 – Edition 201

Find out About:

A: Use of Face Coverings.

B. Keeping Children Safe.

C. Milk and Fruit time.

D. Early Years Pupil Premium

A: Use of Face Coverings

The government is not recommending universal use of face coverings in early years education and care settings. We have guidelines regarding using the ‘system of controls’ to provide additional mitigating measures. There is a concern that misuse of face masks may inadvertently increase the risk of transmission. Safe wearing of face coverings requires cleaning of hands before and after touching – including to remove or put them on – and the safe storage of them in individual, sealable plastic bags between use. Nursery age children could not competently put on and take off masks in a safe way. Pupils at Willow Nursery School should not wear face masks.

Current government advice is that face coverings are not necessary when Nursery staff are interacting with children, as face coverings may have a negative impact on interactions between staff and children. Face coverings should not be used in classrooms as it effects the teaching and learning that takes place.

We would, however, advise parents to consider the use of face masks when waiting outside school, as we know maintaining a social distance of 2 metres is very difficult.

B. Keeping Children Safe.

Parents entrust their children into our care. There are rigorous procedures in place outlined by the government to keep all children safe from harm. I think it is important to let you know about some of the procedures that may affect you and your family whilst being part of our School Community, and I will try to explain the reasons for having these procedures.

We need to know where children are if they are absent from school. If for any reason you decide to keep your child at home, on a day when your child should be at school please telephone in to school as soon as possible and let us know. When registers are completed at the beginning of the session we have to put codes in the registers regarding the reasons for a child’s absence. If we do not hear from you, you will receive a call from one of the office staff or the headteacher asking about the whereabouts of your child.

If you know in advance that you will be absent, for example for a medical appointment, please let staff know and the appropriate code can be entered in the

register.

If you plan to go on holiday in term time, please fill in a holiday form (available from the office staff) which again will let us know the dates that you will be absent. Unexplained absences have to be followed up. If a child is absent for any length of time and we have not heard from their parents as to the reasons for their absence, the child become a ‘Missing Child’. In this circumstance we are compelled to contact the Police and Social Care.

We need to record all injuries. If your child has a fall or receives a bump in school that we are aware of, we will fill in an accident letter to tell you about the incident. This letter will be passed on to you outside, by a member of staff. There is another copy kept in school.

Please inform your child’s Keyworker if your child comes into school with an existing injury that has occurred outside of school time. This can be done by emailing or telephoning the school office. Staff must make a note of any existing injuries a child has. Our children at Willow are young. They are sometimes unable to tell us how they have hurt themselves. Please tell us if you know of any marks/cuts etc as it will save staff trying to work out what has happened.

Teach your child to use the toilet. Guidelines say that we should offer as little assistance in the bathroom as possible. With the Main Nursery children we prefer to give children verbal assistance from outside their cubicle, only offering physical assistance if absolutely necessary. If an adult is needed to help a child in the bathroom another member of staff will always be aware, and support if necessary.

C. Milk and Fruit time.

The government provides all children at Nursery with a carton of milk. We ask all parents to donate fruit or vegetables, so we can share these at the snack table alongside the milk we provide. We ask parents to donate a bag of fruit such as apples, satsumas, pears or bananas, or vegetables such as peppers or carrot sticks. If every parent was to donate a bag of fruit every half term we will have lots to share.

D. Early Years Pupil Premium

What is Early Years Pupil Premium?

This information has been taken from Central Bedfordshire’s Website.

The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) is designed to narrow the attainment gap between young children from low-income families and their peers by improving the facilities, equipment and learning experiences to benefit the growth and development of eligible children.

All children aged 3 and 4 who meet the eligibility criteria will benefit from the funding. It will be paid to early years providers on an hourly rate basis, linked to claimed hours for eligible children. The annual value for a 15 hour place over a full year will be just over £300, or 53p per hour.

Any provider registered to offer funded early years places will receive the EYPP if they have entitled children. All parents will be asked to supply details to allow a

check to be run by the local authority, eligible parents will trigger a payment direct to the childcare setting.

Eligibility criteria

Children will be eligible if:

· they are 3 or 4 years old and receiving government-funded Free Entitlement in any OFSTED registered childcare provider and their parents are in receipt of one or more of the benefits used to access eligibility for free school meals

· parents receive Universal Credit

· parents receive Income Support

· parents receive Income-based Jobseekers Allowance

· parents receive Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

· parents receive support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

· parents receive the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

· parents receive Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)

· parents receive Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credits

or if they have been:

· looked after by the local authority for at least one day

· have been adopted from care in the local authority

· have left care through special guardianship; and subject to a child arrangement order setting out with whom the child is to live (formerly known as residence orders) in Central Bedfordshire

If any parent has considered the eligibility criteria and believes their child is eligible please telephone or email the school office and together we can make a claim.

Nursery News 21.9.2020

NURSERY NEWS

21st September 2020 – Edition 200

Find out About:

A: Electronic Newsletters
B: School Term Dates
C: Nursery Organisation
D: Labelling belongings
E: A Good Start
F. Covid-19 Update
G. Willow Vulnerability
H. Contacting Us/ Contacting You.

A: Electronic Newsletters
We write a weekly Newsletter to parents to help keep parents up to date with
everything going on in Nursery. Up until now, we have always sent home paper
copies. Due to the Covid 19 situation, the government recommends that schools and
nurseries should communicate with parents by electronic means wherever possible.
This weekly newsletter will be emailed to all families on Mondays.
Copies of this newsletter will also be placed on our website willownursery.co.uk in
our ‘Latest News’ section.
Please do read the weekly newsletter as we share important dates, including parent
consultations, school photographer etc

B: School Term Dates
The Local Authority, Central Bedfordshire, publishes details of term dates and school
holidays on their website: Centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Type: ‘School term and holiday dates in Central Bedfordshire’ into your search
engine to find the correct page.
Be aware that sometimes the Local Authority adjusts school holiday dates. I would
recommend you check the holiday dates on their website before booking a holiday.

C: Nursery Organisation
Please look at our website, at the ‘Latest News’ section at the update dated 13th July
2020. There is a lot of information here regarding dropping off and collecting
children, and includes information on the ‘System of Controls to reduce the
transmission of Coronavirus’. All parents should read this information.

D: Labelling belongings
Label all lunchboxes clearly with your childs name, on the top, so staff can see the
name when the box is on the trolley. Label all drinks bottles and containers.
Label all coats and shoes, and any other items that children can take offcardigans/jumpers/ fleeces. It is much easier to return items to owners when things
are labelled.

E: A Good Start!
I would like to thank all parents for your patience and co-operation as we refine our
drop off and collection routines. We have to find a balance between:
1) working swiftly to admit all children as quickly as possible and
2) allowing keyworkers to have the opportunity to pass on/ or receive, verbal
information with parents.
The line will move quickly if parents are ready to put water bottles and lunch boxes
on trolleys, and are ready to send children in with their change of clothes bag.
In the last few days, all children have been admitted by 8:55am. This is good going!

F. Covid-19 Update
Central Bedfordshire Authority, our Local Authority has been publishing data since
the beginning of August on their website regarding the number of Covid-19 cases in
Central Bedfordshire. I have been monitoring this information. Up until now ,
Dunstable has not had any cases of Covid-19 reported on the website. The data only
shows the number of cases when a council ward has had two or more confirmed
cases of Covid-19. In the most recent week (week ending up to 16th September,
2020) there have been 7 confirmed cases in Dunstable:
Dunstable Watling council ward had 4 cases
Dunstable Northfields council ward had 3 cases.
This means that it is very likely that Covid-19 will begin to spread through our local
community.
The staff have been coaching parents and children through our drop off and pick up
procedures. I will now ask classroom staff to stay inside the nursery grounds to
maintain a social distance from parents wherever possible. Office staff may still
approach you to sign paperwork, as the government requires us to gain signatures
on some items.
Staff may choose to wear visors or face masks when outside with parents.

G. Willow Vulnerability
As an organisation, we are very vulnerable to temporary closure during the covid-19
pandemic.
In most schools teachers stand at the front of the class and maintain a 2m distance
from their pupils.
In Nurseries and other childcare settings we have no social distancing from our
pupils. All staff in school, including myself, the headteacher, and the office staff have
direct contact with children throughout the working day. If one of our pupils or staff
members had a confirmed Covid-19 case, test track and trace would likely close the
yeargroup. If that yeargroup was Main Nursery, it would likely close the school as the
Senior Leaders, Mrs Davies and Miss Howe both teach these children, so would be
isolating for 14 days, and the school would be unable to open.
One of our pupils has been asked to isolate by the track and trace system as
they have had contact with a confirmed covid-19 case.
This child is at home. They are not showing symptoms. This child will only access a
test should they show symptoms. If the child takes a test and is found to be positive
we contact a Department for Education Helpline and they advise us regarding who
should self- isolate.
My concern is that if this scenario was to happen in our school, rules about isolation
and/or school closure would be enforced rapidly.

H. Contacting Us/ Contacting You.
Contacting Us.
Staff will be trying to socially distance from parents. We would like communication
between staff and parents to continue. Should you wish to communicate to your
child’s keyworker in school please send an email to office@willownursery.co.uk and
we will pass on the message to the staff member. Staff are very busy all day when
the children are here, but we may email back if necessary, or the staff member may
be able to call you at the end of the day.
Please telephone the office if you have a query, and the office staff will do their best
to help you, but again it is unlikely you will be able to talk to a class teacher as they
are busy in the classrooms.
Contacting You.
We will send a weekly newsletter to you by email.
We have a system called ‘Groupcall’ which allows us to send a text message to all
families of our pupils. We tend to use this in an emergency. Sometimes we will send
you a text alert telling you to look on our website. willownursery.co.uk
We can post information on our website, in the ‘Latest news’ section. We used the
website to update parents during the spring lockdown. If there is a further lockdown
we will use our website to communicate to parents. Please familiarise yourself with
our website.
Please ensure all our contact details for you are up to date, otherwise we will send
out messages and you will not receive them.

Update 13th July 2020 Plans for September 2020

Update 13^th July 2020 Plans for September 2020

On the 2^nd July the Government updated: ‘Actions for Early Years and Childcare providers during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.’ –This document details measures we must put in place to reduce coronavirus transmission. The guidance sets out the public health advice that early years settings must follow.

These measures make up a ‘system of controls’, which we must follow and these are as follows:

System of controls

This is the set of actions early years settings must take.

Prevention:

1) minimise contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that those who have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, or who have someone in their household who does, do not attend settings

2) clean hands thoroughly more often than usual

3) ensure good respiratory hygiene by promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach

4) introduce enhanced cleaning, including cleaning frequently touched surfaces often using standard products, such as detergents and bleach

5) minimise contact between groups where possible

6) where necessary, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)

Numbers 1 to 4 must be in place in all settings, all the time.

Number 5 must be properly considered and settings must put in place measures that suit their particular circumstances.

Number 6 applies in all specific circumstances.

Response to any infection:

7) engage with the NHS Track and Trace process

8) manage confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) amongst the setting community

9) contain any outbreak by following local health protection team advice

Numbers 7 to 9 must be followed in every case where they are relevant.

Organisation within the Nursery

The new guidelines:

From 20^th July, early years settings will no longer be required to keep children in small, consistent groups. Restrictions on group sizes in early years will be lifted. For us, this means children will not be required to be in just one room. We can return to our normal ‘Open plan’ layout which allows children to choose from a variety of activities in both inside and outdoor areas.

However, Nurseries should consider how they can minimise mixing within settings, for example when they use different rooms for different age groups, keeping those groups, and their staff, apart as much as possible.

We are encouraged to avoid visitors entering the Nursery as much as possible.

Parents and carers should not be allowed into the setting. Children should be dropped off and collected at the door/gate.

Children should not use water fountains to drink water. Children should bring a named water bottle into school for use during the school day.

What impact will these guidelines have?

We are a large Nursery. I have decided that we will split the school into two halves.

Catkins class will gain the use of Room 3. This will give Catkins Class access to more sinks, to help with handwashing. They will also have more space to use. Miss Gaffney will join the existing Catkins team, working alongside Miss Tyler, Mrs Brinkley, and Mrs McGrath.

Usually children move from Catkins into the Main Nursery when they reach the age of 3 and are entitled to 15 hours of funding for 3 year olds. This academic year, until July 2021, all children in Catkins Class will remain in Catkins Class. We will in fact operate two year groups.

Children leaving Willow Nursery in July 2021 will attend the Main Nursery. We will create a year group, that no other children will join during the year. This will create a very stable environment. This year group will be staffed by: Miss Howe, Mrs Patterson, Miss Skai, Mrs McGowan, Mrs Evans and myself, Mrs Davies. This age group will use Room 1, Room 2 Room 5 and Outside. This floor space allocation meets the space requirements advised by Ofsted.

Children leaving Willow Nursery in July 2022 or 2023 will attend in Catkins Class. We will ensure the teaching and assessment reflects the ages of the children in the group. Miss Tyler and Mrs McGrath will focus on the developmental needs of the youngest children, whilst Mrs Brinkley and Miss Gaffney will support the older children to help them work towards age related expectations. All Catkins children will use the bigger classroom space, but we will ensure every child has appropriate support and care, suited to their age.

Arrival and Departure

Parents are not allowed into the Nursery.

We will have a very structured drop off and collection at the front gate.

Arrival:

Parents will be asked to queue outside the school at the appropriate drop off and collection times. Staff will be outside to assist parents to follow our arrival and departure routines. Children in Catkins class should arrive promptly at 8.45am. We will have a designated point outside on the pavement where Catkins parents and children should wait. Main Nursery Children should arrive for 8:50am. There will be three colour groups of Main Nursery Children Green, Red and Yellow, grouped together by their age. We will ask these parents and children to queue in specific places outside on the pavement along our fence to cluster children from the same colour group together. My hope is that Nursery staff will be available for 5 mins outside to talk to parents should parents wish to share information.

Please queue with your child, holding their hand and try to maintain social distancing between you and the next family. Only one adult should assist your child to arrive at school, and where possible we ask that this adult is the same each day.

At 8:45am Catkins staff will arrive just inside our front gate to take children to Catkins Class.

A staff member will open the front gate. The parent and child at the front of the queue should step forward towards the gate. The child should then leave their parent, walk through the front garden to the right, towards our side gate, where staff will assist children to their classroom entrance. The child’s parent will then place the child’s water bottle/ and or lunch box on the trolley at the gate. Parent should then leave. Children and parents waiting outside in the queue should move forwards, trying to maintain some social distancing. Once Catkins are admitted we will then begin taking the main Nursery children in to school.

At 8:50am we will invite Green Group children to enter through the front gate, one at a time as described above. Once Green Group are in we will admit Red Group, and finally Yellow Group. Children will be admitted in this order, so we can place them with the correct teacher in the correct room for registration.

If parents work with us this admission process will be very quick.

Departure

Please arrive at your child’s departure time and wait socially distanced along the path outside the front entrance. Your child’s group will arrive at the side gate in the nursery garden. As individual parents step up to the gate we will call their child to come out to the front gate. Parents should then hold their child by the hand and move off together.

Office staff

Office staff will be available outside at the start of the day to assist parents with: Making Payments, Letting us know if someone different will be collecting your child, filling in medication forms, filling in change of address or telephone number forms. Again parents will not be able to come into the school office. We have a covered area in our front garden with two benches which will be used as our ‘outdoor office’.

Communication with parents:

I have written an individual letter to the parent of every child who will be in Main Nursery in September. This letter explains which colour group your child will be in, the name of their Keyworker, their attendance patterns and the date for their first day at Willow Nursery. This letter will be posted to you this week, but I fear it will not reach your homes until the school is closed. If you have any questions, queries or anxieties, try not to worry, most things can be solved in September. Our school office reopens on 7^th September 2020.

Settling In

Coronavirus has had a great impact on our setting. Our April intake of Red Group did not occur due to lockdown. So this September we have to induct both Red and Yellow children at the beginning of term. We want to get all children into Nursery as quickly as possible. We have decided to have this induction plan:

Monday 7^th September:

Catkins class opens. Catkins parents have been advised by telephone of their child’s start date.

Induction visits for all Main Nursery children who are new to Willow Nursery School.

Tuesday 8^th September and Wednesday 9^th September:

Main Nursery children, who were attending Catkins Class or Main Nursery before Lockdown  begin this week. Start dates are staggered depending upon your child’s attendance pattern.

Monday 14th September and Wednesday 16^th September:

Main Nursery children, who have not attended Willow Nursery School before, begin this week. Again with staggered start dates due to their attendance pattern.