Smilers @ Chattenden
Newsletter September 2017
Welcome back! Hope you had a nice Summerbreak! We would like to welcome all the new children and parents/carers to Smilers @ Chattenden, we look forward to working with you and your child.
Daily Routine - The children come into the rooms and are encouraged to sit down until the door is closed (this is for health and safety reasons), we then have a quick register. There are many activities for your child to join in with, or they can choose their own! We value our outside space and aim to use this several times during the course of a day, please ensure that your child comes suitably dressed for a day in the setting.
Gymnastics for Pre-school Children –We will be having the gymnastics coach coming in every week, although the children will be taking part every other week, this is so smaller groups of children are taken to the hall, making it more beneficial for the children. For your child to join in they need to be wearing tracksuit bottoms/leggings and a t-shirt, if they have long hair it should be tied back, NO jewellery is permitted. If they are not appropriately dressed, they will not be able to join in.
School Places September 2018 –The information comes out at the beginning of October for you to apply for your child’s Primary School place! (Pre-school children ONLY)
Changes - Have you changed your mobile number recently? Has your child got any changes to their dietary requirements or allergies? Please let us know! Please can you make sure you have completed an updated Child Record Form.
Mobile Phones – We have been advised by Medway Safeguarding Children Board that parents/carers MUST have their mobile phone in a bag or pocket when entering the nursery. THIS IS TO SAFEGUARD ALL CHILDREN IN THE NURSERY!
Language in the Nursery – Please think about what language you use in the nursery. Swearing is NOT acceptable. Please DO NOT use offensive words or comments to any adult or child in Chattenden School’s Community - but especially in the nursery and the school grounds.
Staffing –
Nicola – Nursery Manager, Early Years Foundation Stage Lead Practitioner and Special Needs Coordinator
Sarah – Deputy Manager, Designated Child Protection Coordinator and Baby Room Supervisor,
Emma J - Assistant, Skye - Apprentice
Vicki - Kindergarten Supervisor, Jo D - Assistant, Leah - Apprentice, Sasha - Assistant
Kelly - Pre-school Supervisor, Shannon - Assistant, Alanta - Assistant
Emma B is still on maternity leave after having baby Gracie
Jo W is still on maternity leave after having baby Oakley
Key Person - Each child has a key person in the nursery (there is a list in the hallway). More information on the key person can be found in the ‘What we are looking at this term’ information sheet.
Names - Please remember to name any items that your child brings to Smilers, this includes: lunch boxes, drinks bottles, coats and bags. It is especially important as we have children with allergies.
Fees - All fees are due weekly or monthly in advance (unless arranged with Nicola) and should be paid on the first day of the week or month that your child attends. If your child’s fees fall into arrears of more than two weeks they risk losing their place! Please keep up to date and if you have any payment queries please see NICOLA.
Last term (April - July) we had over £2000.00 outstanding. Children’s places will be terminated if payments are not made. We understand that occasionally, there are circumstances that mean you have difficulty making payments, please speak to Nicola.
Funded Two Year Olds – The Government are funding two year old children! Their parent/carer must be in receipt of certain benefits or earn under a certain amount to be able to claim the fifteen hours funding. You should have received a letter from Medway Council if you are entitled to a place! Please see NICOLA if you would like more information.
30 hours Funding for 3 and 4 Year Olds - The Government have introduced 30 hours funding for children (restrictions apply). If you need any further information, please see NICOLA.
Tax Free Childcare - The Government have introduced a tax free childcare scheme. Go to for more information.
No dogs on the site –Please DO NOT bring dogs onto the school site. This is NOT our rule, the school does not allow dogs on the site! If you are seen coming onto the school site with a dog, you will be asked politely to leave the dog outside. Thank you!
Collecting your child –Children need to be collected from Smilers by a responsible person (over 16 years of age). If you would like a child, younger than 16 years of age, to collect your child, please see NICOLA in the office.
Please collect your child promptly at 12.00 noon, 3.00 pm, 4.30 pm or 5.30 pm. If your child is not collected on time, you will be charged for the next session. If your child is booked in until 5.30 pm, they need to be collected on time, or you will be charged a £30.00 late fee. If you think you will need care beyond 5.30 pm, there is an option for a 6.00 pm pick up, BUT this has to be arranged in advance with NICOLA. If you are going to be late, please ring to let us know!
12.00 noon PICK UP – use the Kitchener Road gate ONLY (DO NOT WALK ACROSS THE PLAYGROUND), please be prompt, as a member of staff will be manning the gate!
Illness –If your child has either sickness or diarrhoea, they must not come into Smilers for 48 hours after their last bout of sickness or diarrhoea. This is for the health and safety of all of the children at Smilers and also the staff.
Parking –When parking in Old School Court, please park responsibly. You are not permitted to park in the lined bays. If parking in Old School court, please be aware that disabled access is required. Please do not park on the zig zag lines or the double yellow lines by the zebra crossing, the police will be out there taking down the number plates of all of the cars that are parked there. It is dangerous to park there! It reduces the visibility when children are using the zebra crossing!
Buggies – Please do not bring buggies or prams into the hallway or the building, we are not blessed with the space to be able to manoeuvre large buggies around the setting. Sorry for any inconvenience!
Water bottles – Please make sure that your child brings their own water bottle to drink from throughout the session! We have Smilers bottles for sale at £1.00 each.
Collecting Older Children From School – Please ensure that you keep your younger children with you on the playground. If it is easier, you can collect your child from Smilers after you have collected your older child, there is no charge for this service.
Smilers Website –
I will be putting all our information (newsletters, term dates etc.) on there! Keep checking for new information!
Important Information
Due to a little boy in Northern England losing his life after choking on a grape, please can you cut your children’s grapes into halves or quarters LENGTHWAYS.
If the grapes are NOT cut up, they will be sent home in your child’s lunch box. Thank you
Facebook – search for Smilers – Chattenden. We will be updating the page with information about the nursery. Please keep looking and liking!
School Dinners - we offer a service where your child can have school dinners. However, we will need the money and dinner orders on Monday for that week and we can only accept the CORRECT money (no change will be given).
Sessions - you book the sessions for your child; unfortunately we cannot change these on a weekly basis (unless arranged with NICOLA). Your child will need to do the same sessions each week, if they are on holiday or ill, we are unable to keep changing sessions as we have ratios to adhere to and certain amounts of children in each room. Thank you!
Lunch Boxes - Please can you provide an ice pack in your child’s lunch box to keep their food cool, especially if they have perishable items that would normally be kept in a fridge. Thank you!
Site Security - The school have made the decision to have automated gates fitted to both the top (by the school office) and the bottom (by Smilers) of the site.
This will ensure every one’s safety during the school/nursery day.
The gates will be open from 7.45 am - 8.30 am to allow access for breakfast club to both the school and Smilers. The gates will be closed from 8.30 am - 8.45 am. The gates will then be opened from 8.45 am - 8.55 am. If you wish to gain entry to the site for Smilers, you MUST use the gate at the bottom of the site (by Smilers). There will be a buzzer and you will be let in the gate. PLEASE DO NOT USE THE TOP GATE BY THE SCHOOL OFFICE IF YOU WANT TO GO TO SMILERS!
This system may take a while to get used to, please bear with us during the first few weeks of term as we get to grips with it!
Thank you for your support!
Term Dates –
Monday 4th September - Smilers returns from the summer break
Monday 23rd October - Friday 27th October - Holiday Club
Tuesday 19th December - Last day of term
Wednesday 15th November - Parent’s Evening - PLEASE PUT THIS DATE IN YOUR DIARY
Thank you for your continued support. The team at Smilers @ Chattenden