8th January 2015
Gingerbread Cottage Playgroup Newsletter
Dear Parents/ Carers,
Hope you all had fun filled Christmas holidays and we would like to take this
opportunity to wish our Parents and their families a Happy New Year.
We welcome you all in this busy Spring Term. For the new children and their Parents,
this particular time can be stressful, to help settle your child into the playgroup
routine. It is important for all our staff to work with you and your child in helping them
to feel safe, secure and confident. This is the beginning of their future for successful
learning, please be consistent, positive and patient at this crucial time. Please
remember to hand in your child’s “all about me” form. We look forward to working
with you to support your child in their learning and development.
Our Christmas Party album is ready for parents to view in the porch.
Happy Birthday Gingerbread Playgroup!!!
Gingerbread Playgroup celebrates its 23rd Birthday on 8th January 2015 and Gingerbread 2 Nursery celebrates its 3rd Birthday.
Gingerbread Staff
We would like to welcome Miss Issa to Gingerbread Playgroup; she will take over Miss
Royle’s key children. Parents! You must be surprised to see Mr Vazifdar at Gingerbread
Playgroup; well he decided to stay!!
GINGERBREAD ACTIVITIES / EVENTS FOR SPRING TERM / PARENTS AS PARTNER
We have planned many activities to fit around the curriculum this term. We will learn
about the changes in our environment. We will follow the children’s current interests
and plan activities that will support their learning. This is the time of year when our
bug hotel starts its habitation; all sort of creatures are making homes in our hotel.
Children will also investigate the effects of the weather such as snow, ice, and wind.
We will also be reading stories relating to the above activities, and also share
discussion books with children in small groups.
Around March, we will be learning about the life cycles of plants, frogs and animals.
The children will have an opportunity to grow herbs, carrots and beetroot. Parents if
you have a pond in your garden or anyone that you may know has a pond, could we
ask you to bring in frog spawn for children so they can watch them grow.
(We already have a parent ready to bring some chickens in to show around Easter
time.)
If your child has a new interest that will help him to learn and develop, please come in
and speak to their Key Person. The key person relationship is a triangular one involving
child, key person and parent.
In order for us to plan for your child’s needs, there has to be constant dialogue
between the setting and the home. This partnership supports parents as well as
practitioners to gather information about your child’s developmental needs and
learning through their interests. Your child’s Key Person will collect a variety of
observations, and record their development in their Learning Journey file. Parents can
access this at any time.
Eventually these Learning Journey files will come home to be shared with your child’s
new setting or school. Transition Summaries is a report of your child’s development,
which will be shared with your child’s school or new setting, for the continuation of
their learning.
GINGERBREAD SUPPORTS CHARITIES
Gingerbread supports many children’s charities, and this term we will be raising money
for “Red Nose Day”. This year money raised will go to the children in Africa. Parents
and children can you get your thinking hats on and come up with ideas to raise money
for this good cause and share it with us please.
Details to follow soon.
Easter Bonnet Display
Children can participate in our annual Easter Bonnet Display. Parents support your
child to make this bonnet at home, remember provide your child with resources, and
let them explore and experiment using their imagination. The Easter Bonnet does not
need to look perfect!!!
STORY TELLING WORKSHOPS FOR PARENTS/CARERS AND CHILDREN
Sad to say, we have not seen many parents in the story sessions last term. These
sessions are very important as it shows parents and families how you can develop
interest of stories in your child. Stories help to develop skills to listen attentively and
can influence their role-play. These sessions will help the parents to know that stories
can be read in variety of ways, using props, different tones of voice etc, helping
children that are shy or need support in speech and language development. Story
sessions are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11.35am for morning children and 1
pm for afternoon when you drop your child. If you have any stories in your home
languages, please bring them in to share it with all of us.
FATHERS AND MOTHERS WEEKS
Each term we have set 2 weeks aside for parents/carers to come into the playgroup
and spend time with their children. This is your opportunity to get involved in your
child’s learning. If there is anything in particular that you would like to do or any
activities that you may think will help to support your child’s learning, talk to a
member of staff so that we can add it to our planning. (If Grandparents, uncles, aunts
are involved in your child’s care they are welcome too).
This is an important aspect for parents as partners and is beneficial to your child, and
your child’s key person at the setting. (See section – dates for your diary).
PHOTOGRAPHS / EXPLORING LOCAL COMMUNITY
As part of the curriculum we will take the children to explore our environment and
learn about our local community. We do take photographs of the children in their
play, at various activities and when we go for walks in the local area. Some of these are
kept as evidence for Ofsted Inspections, in learning journeys and planning.
We make events and outing photo albums, these are in the porch for you to view.
AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS – LITERACY AND NUMERACY & FRENCH
We are continuing with our popular after school clubs this term. This Foundation Stage
Club provides extra support for children with their listening, speaking, understanding,
reading, writing, and shapes, space, measures and numbers.
Our French club day has been changed to Mondays as from this term. Madame
Carmen Gherzum is taking over from Madame Bruce. We have places available if you
wish your child to attend but numbers are limited. The charges for the clubs are £4 per
session and are paid in advance. This term, there are 9 sessions.
CLUB DATES
Gingerbread Children:
French Club: Monday
12th, 19th, 26th January, 2nd, 9th February
Half Term Break 16th to 20th February
23rd February, 2nd 9h 16th
March, last session of the term.
Literacy & Numeracy Club: Tuesday
13th, 20th, 27th, January, 3rd, 10th, February,
Half Term Break 16th to 20th February
24th February, 3rd, 10th, 17 th March, last session.
LUNCH CLUBS
We do offer lunch club facility, where your child can come an hour extra for lunch
between 12 and 12.50 pm. Children have to bring their own packed lunch and the cost
of it is £4.00. Parents do not have to book in advance for this club and can let us know
on the day. Please ensure the lunch is free from nuts and sweets as Gingerbread is a
sweet and nut free zone. Lunch club is open for morning and afternoon children. This
club encourages independence and also prepares children for school.
CHILDREN’S CLOTHING
Our uniform consists of jogging trousers, sweatshirts and polo shirts which can be
purchased from us and these should be worn at all times, shoes should be practical
and safe. Please could you ensure that all your children’s clothing is clearly labelled as
un-labelled items often go missing and young children do not recognise their own
clothing. If your child has been changed into Gingerbread labelled clothes, please
could you return them to us washed and ironed ready to be used again. As some
items of our clothing have gone missing in the past.
If your child comes to Playgroup wearing boots or wellington boots, please send
in a pair of indoor shoes/ slippers. Children find it difficult to sit on the carpet
with boots and also our carpets get muddy.
JEWELLERY
For health and safety reasons we do not allow children to wear looped earrings,
beaded necklaces and bracelets. May we remind you of the dangers of jewellery being
caught on play equipment which can cause a severe injury.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
If there are any changes in your circumstance;
Home address/ your mobile phone number
Email address (newsletters etc are sent via email)
Your child’s health/diet
G.P. details
Emergency contact numbers
Please notify Mrs Ali or Mrs Sahota ASAP.
SICKNESS AND ABSENCE
If your child is away from the playgroup for any reason you will need to come in and
sign an absence book. If you are going to be away from the playgroup for a long
period of time, you will need to give this information in writing explaining the reason
for the absence. This information is required for auditing purposes by the LEA which is
where your child receives the funding from.
Leicestershire County Council monitors your child’s attendance and officers carry out
random checks with the setting. Failure to do so will affect their funding.
NEW STREET GATES /SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
We would like to remind all our parents to use the gates on New Street when picking
up the children at 11.55am morning sessions and dropping at 1.00pm for the
afternoon sessions. (PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN FRONT OF THE GATES AS THIS IS
REQUIRED FOR EMERGENCY ACCESS)
We have noticed that some parents are parking at the new nursery site
Gingerbread 2 Nursery. Please can you leave these spaces for the parent’s that
use the nursery.
How ever we do have an agreement with Waitrose and you are more than
Welcome to park there at pick up and drop off time.
As the playgroup is on the site of Launde Primary School, Parents should be
made aware that we adhere to the school rules. Scooters, bikes should not be
ridden once inside the school grounds. Please respect the school by not allowing
your children to play on their climbing equipment. Electronic gates should not be
tampered with as this stops its function and can cause disruption.
SWEETS
We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that both Launde School and
Gingerbread Cottage Playgroup are sweet free zones. This means both inside the
building and the school grounds. For children’s birthdays we recommend that you
send in fresh fruit or little boxes of raisins. We cannot have cakes either as we have
children in the playgroup with severe allergies.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
May we remind all our parents and carers that all our policies and procedures are kept
in the porch. Please take time to familiarise your self with these.
ARRIVING/COLLECTING CHILDREN.
Can we take this opportunity to remind you that it is very important
that your child arrives and is collected on time.
This is valuable time when your child can be forming friendships and
interacting with others.
Late collections upset your child.
Please ensure that all children arrive at 9.00 am for the morning
sessions and by 1.00pm for the afternoon sessions so that valuable
time is not wasted.
Remember 3 late collections means that you will incur a fine of £5 for
the first 10 minutes and then £5 for every 5 minutes thereafter. If you
are later than 20mins the 3 late collections do not apply, you will be
charged immediately.
Thank You
Playgroup staff
This news letter contains information that you will require during the course of
the term together with other important dates for your diary. It would be
advisable to retain it for the duration of the term.
Dates for your Dairy
Spring Term – Playgroup opened 6 January 2015
Father’s week – 9th to 13 February 2015
Half term break – 16th to 20th
February 2015
Mother’s week – 23rd to 27 February 2015
Red Nose Day 13th March 2015 – Details to follow
Easter Bonnet Display
Bonnets in by 23 March 2015
Details to follow
End of term 27th March 2015
Summer term – Playgroup opens 13th April 2015