Goldstone Crescent
Dunstable
Beds
LU5 4QU
Phone: 01582 662600
Email: office@willownursery.co.uk
Nursery News 9th January 2023
NURSERY NEWS
9th January 2023 – Edition 283- First Newsletter of 2023
Find out About
A. Welcome back after the Christmas Break.
B. School Term Dates
C. Labelling belongings
D Government Advice regarding ‘People with Symptoms of a respiratory infection including Covid 19.’
E. What the children are learning about this week?
F. Job Vacancy- Finance Officer.
A. Welcome back after the Christmas Break.
We hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas Break. We are welcoming 8 new children from our wait list to join Blue Group in Little Nursery. Our pupil numbers grow each term as the academic year progresses, so please try to arrive on time, so we can take everyone safely inside in an organised way as swiftly as possible.
So, as a reminder, Little Nursery Should arrive for 8:45 and Big Nursery should arrive for 8:50. If you arrive late, please be patient, we will admit all those children who arrive on time first, and then come back to admit latecomers. We do understand that parents cannot be in two places at once if you have to drop off older brothers and sisters at other schools.
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.
For this term:
Half term is from Monday 13th February 2023 to Friday 17th February 2023, when Willow Nursery School will be closed.
The last day of the Spring term will be Thursday 30th March 2023. School will reopen after the Spring Break on Monday 17th April 2023.
C: Labelling belongings
Label all lunchboxes clearly with your child’s 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 off-cardigans/jumpers/ fleeces. It is much easier to return items to owners when things are labelled.
D Government Advice regarding ‘People with Symptoms of a respiratory infection including Covid 19.’
I have had an enquiry from a parent regarding our position on children’s attendance with regard to Covid 19. The Government has produced this document, which is available on their website at Gov.uk should anyone wish to read the full document which relates to adults as well as children.
I have included excerpts from the guidance that apply to children.
There are two ways to proceed, depending upon whether your child has symptoms, or has had a positive Covid 19 test result.
We will promote this view, as our view at Willow. We must be careful not to spread the infection to staff, as we will have to partially close if we have too many staff off unwell. We have to maintain strict government adult to child ratio’s at all times.
Guidance
People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19
Guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19, or a positive test result for COVID-19.
Updated June 2022
Children and young people (aged 18 years and under) who have symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19
Respiratory infections are common in children and young people, particularly during the winter months. Symptoms can be caused by several respiratory infections including the common cold, COVID-19 and RSV.
For most children and young people, these illnesses will not be serious, and they will soon recover following rest and plenty of fluids.
Very few children and young people with respiratory infections become seriously unwell. This is also true for children and young people with long-term conditions. Some children under 2, especially those born prematurely or with a heart condition, can be more seriously unwell from RSV.
Attending education is hugely important for children and young people’s health and their future.
When children and young people with symptoms should stay at home and when they can return to education
Children and young people with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education setting.
Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can. They can go back to school, college or childcare, and resume normal activities when they no longer have a high temperature and they are well enough to attend.
All children and young people with respiratory symptoms should be encouraged to cover their mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when coughing and/or sneezing and to wash their hands after using or disposing of tissues.
It can be difficult to know when to seek help if your child is unwell. If you are worried about your child, especially if they are aged under 2 years old, then you should seek medical help.
Children and young people aged 18 years and under who have a positive test result
It is not recommended that children and young people are tested for COVID-19 unless directed to by a health professional.
If a child or young person has a positive COVID-19 test result they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day they took the test, if they can. After 3 days, if they feel well and do not have a high temperature, the risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower. This is because children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults.
E. What the children are learning about this week?
The theme in Little Nursery is friendship.
In Catkins the children will have magnet fishing rods and try to catch a magnetic fish. Each fish will have a number on the back and children will talk about the numbers they find on their fish. There will also be some shaving foam, dyed blue with food colouring for the children to explore and make marks with.
In room three, Mrs. Brinkley will read the story Rainbow Fish to the children and talk about the theme of friendship and what it means to be a good friend.
In the link, Miss Gaffney will be using different media resources to create their own colourful rainbow fish. The children can discuss which resources they want to use and where they will put them.
Outside in the garden, Mrs. Watson will be showing the children how to play nicely and share their toys. They will work together to play ball games, taking turns and working together.
The theme in big nursery is people who help us – vets.
In room one, Mrs. Patterson will have a vet role play set up. There will be lots of stuffed animals and accessories for the children to use to support their play. Mrs. Patterson will also have a game of pets corner lotto to share with the children.
In room two, Miss Skai will be making paper plate animals, the children can choose which animal they want to create. They will be encouraged to use tools as independently as possible. There will be lots of box modelling resources for the children to create accessories for the pets in room one.
Outside, Miss Howe will be playing hide and seek with animal toys. She will hide the toys around the garden for the children to discover, encouraging the children to talk about where they found the animals. Miss Howe will model language such as ‘behind’ and ‘on top of’ to help the children with their search.
Mrs. Cashmore will be making animal collages with the children, using natural resources. The children will choose the animal they would like to decorate and what resources they would like to use. Mrs. Cashmore will prompt discussions about the texture of each item they use to decorate their picture and model language for children that may need help to use descriptive language.
F. Job Vacancy- Finance Officer.
Mrs Evans is moving on to a new job at the beginning of February. She has been working with us since 2016. As her children are now older she feels it is an appropriate time to begin working ‘Year round’ again, rather than choosing to work Term Time only.
So, we are looking to recruit someone new to work in the school office, alongside Mrs Selth, to complete all the office tasks necessary to run the school.
We will be advertising the position on the school website willownursery.co.uk and on a website where jobs in schools in Central Bedfordshire are advertised. ‘The Academy for Central Bedfordshire- Vacancies’. The full web address is:
(Please note the advertisement may take 48 hours to appear on the Academy for Central Bedfordshire website).
We aim to have the advertisement/ person specification/ job specification/ application form on our school website by tomorrow, Tuesday.
The closing date for applications is Friday 20th January 2023
| LOCATION: | School Name: | Willow Nursery School |
| Address: | Goldstone Crescent, Dunstable LU5 4QU | |
| Telephone Number: | 01582 662600 | |
| E-mail address: | office@willownursery.co.uk | |
| JOB TITLE: | Finance Officer
To start as soon as possible. |
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| HOURS: | 24 hours per week, spread over 4 days.
Monday 8:00am to 3:00pm (with 30 minute lunch break) Tuesday 8:00am to 12:30pm Thursday 8:00am to 3:00pm (with 30 minute lunch break) Friday 8:00am to 3:00pm (with 30 minute lunch break) Term time only plus 4 INSET days
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| NON TEACHING POST:
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Minimum and Maximum range: | NJC Pts. 5-7
£11.18- £11:59 per hour rate subject to confirmation from Payroll provider (Paid for 45.2 weeks per year.) |
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We are looking for an effective administrator who can manage and complete all the administrative systems and tasks required to support the successful operation of a busy Maintained Nursery School. The Finance Officer works alongside our part time Office Administrator who is employed at the same grade and salary range. The job role includes managing the RM Finance system to support the Headteacher with the school budget. The Finance Officer liaises with our payroll/ Human Resources provider to ensure all aspects of admin linked to employment and payroll are completed in an accurate and timely fashion.
The Finance Officer manages the G2 database of all pupil and staff records-ensuring a termly census is returned to the Department of Education. The Finance Officer manages all claims to the Local Authority for 30 hour funding, Two year old funding and Early Years Pupil Premium funding. The Finance Officer manages all payments from parents going into the school bank account and manages the raising of, and paying of all invoices from suppliers of goods and services. The office staff manage all aspects of pupil attendance, completing staff and pupil registers, recording absences, and following our Safeguarding protocols to ensure reasons for children’s absences are logged and unexplained absences are followed up. Overall pupil attendance levels are calculated on a monthly basis. The workload requires the post holder to be well organised, able to prioritise tasks, work under their own initiative in an efficient and productive way. They must be prepared to work as part of a close effective team with the Headteacher and our existing, part time Office Administrator (who works 16 hours per week). The post holder must also be flexible and adaptable, being able to deal with unforeseen challenges as no two days in Nursery are the same! We are a friendly and supportive team, who enjoy coming to work together. We are a dedicated and committed team of early year’s specialists who are passionate about what we do. We aim to give our children the very best care and education in a positive, fun environment. We offer full training, and buy into support services to support the Finance Officer. We have an independent Bursar whom we buy hours from to support our Finance Officer, to help trouble-shoot, solve problems and provide advice. Prospective candidates are encouraged to come and look around the school and meet the office team prior to submitting an application. This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the requirements of the Person Specification in order to be offered the post. DBS Disclosure at Enhanced Level and a qualification check are required for this post
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| For further details and an application pack please visit the school website at:
www.willownursery.co.uk, and click on school information – vacancies. We will accept electronic or paper applications. Electronic applications to be sent to the email address below. Email: office@willownursery.co.uk
Paper copies to be sent to Willow Nursery School, Goldstone Crescent, Dunstable, Beds, LU5 4QU. |
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| Contact Name: | Mrs Trina Evans | |
| Tel: | 01582 662600.
Email: office@willownursery.co.uk |
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| CLOSING DATE: | Friday 20th January 2023
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| INTERVIEW DATE: | Week beginning Monday 23rd January 2023
Please note that earlier applications are welcome and shortlisted candidates may be interviewed before the closing date |
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