Welcome back everyone to the start of our Autumn Term. We also have said “hello” to: Isaac, Henry , William , Charlotte, Robbie, Ben, Erik, Florence, Herbie, Nellie, Nora, Tilly and Evelyn.
We hope you are all enjoying Pre-School!
Ofsted inspection
As you will be aware we are delighted with the Ofsted judgement of “Outstanding in all areas” from an unannounced inspection in July.
In a letter from Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw he says:
“The judgement of Outstanding means that you are exceptional and significant elements of your work is exemplary. I do not underestimate the considerable hard work, expertise and commitment it takes to achieve outstanding provider status”
Childcare provision questionnaire
As part of the Local Authority’s Duty to assess the sufficiency of childcare provision across Bradford District they would like to hear parent’s views on their childcare needs. If you would like to take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire on- line please follow the link below
http://www.bradford.gov.uk/bmdc/Consultations/assessing_childcare_bradford_district
The questionnaire will not close as such as they welcome families’ views on an ongoing basis, but the first time this feedback will form part of a report will be in Autumn 2015, so views by 21st September 2015 would be particularly useful
AGM
Our AGM is this coming Monday 21st September here in Pre-School at 7.30pm. It would be lovely to see you there! During the meeting we will have a short resume of the last academic year followed by the election of the new committee members. We will then have a short break with refreshments before the newly elected committee have a short meeting in another room to decide upon which roles each will take. Everyone else may continue to socialise but we do need to be away by 9pm.
If anyone else would like to nominate themselves as a committee member before the meeting- please speak with Penny. It is a great way of getting more involved with the running of pre-school and also organising fund raising events.
Curriculum
During this Autumn Term we will be looking at:
Vegetables
Leaves
Light & dark
The World
Halloween
Bonfire Night
Christmas
We will write on the white board in the cloakroom what the theme of the week is and if you have items of interest you or your child would like to bring in, that would be great.
Jofli
Jofli is a teddy bear who lives at Pre-School. Jofli...Journey Of Life.
He has a back pack in which he keeps his pyjamas, sleeping bag, hair brush and a diary.
If your child attends a morning session, they will at some point during the year have a chance to take him home for a weekend or holiday, look after him and let him join in your family life. We ask that an entry is made in the diary with snippets of what he has done with you. If you have any photos you could stick in that would be great. We will be making up a rota but if you are going to be doing anything special, please let us know and we will try and let Jofli be with you at that time.
Safety and Security
Just to reiterate some safety measures please:
The turning circle/lay by on Bolton Road is not for parking in and no attempts to come into the staff car park must be made. Please ensure you park in a safe place. Also please do not walk through the car park, but use the footpaths.
These measures had to be brought in by school and have our support, after quite a few near misses to not only vehicles... but children
The school playground is gated for security reasons. When using a gate, please ensure it is re-bolted after you.
If you walk to pre-school please ensure that at times other than at the beginning and end of the school day i.e. lunchtimes- please ensure that if coming down Back Beck Lane, you don’t use the gate half way up the lane but walk all the way down the lane and use the main footpath leading up from Bolton Road. Using routes that bring you right through the school grounds and past classrooms imposes a distraction for school children as well as security risks.
Please ensure dogs are not brought onto the school/pre-school playgrounds. The only allowance is that of a guide dog
Snacks
We welcome contributions of snacks for the children. This could include: breadsticks, malt loaf, cheese, fresh and dried fruit, pitta bread etc. If each parent could bring one contribution a half term that would be brilliant. Could we just ask that to enable us to offer all the children the same snack, your contribution will need to feed all the children. At present this will be up to 10 children in an afternoon session and up to 25 in a morning. – Thank you
Outdoor clothing
Please ensure that all outdoor clothing and footwear such as wellies are named- this helps us greatly when getting them togged up!
2 Year Old Funding
You will be aware that from the term after your child’s birthday, they become eligible for the 3 & 4 year old funding of 15 hours a week free nursery funding.
We are also now registered to claim for 2 year old providing certain criteria is met. If at least one of the following criteria applies to you or your child please speak with Penny.
- Free School Meals
- Child Who is looked after
- Low income families and earning no more than £16190 a year
- Children who have a current statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care Plan.
- Disability Living allowance
- Children who have left care through special guardianship or an adoption or residence order.
Early Pupil Premium
EPP is additional funding for Early Years settings like ourselves to improve the quality of provision for disadvantaged 3 & 4 year olds. Again there are eligibility criteria. If you feel as a parent/carer you fall into any of the following categories, and we claim 3 & 4 year old funding and would like us to take advantage of this funding, please speak with Penny.
The criteria is;
Income support: income-based job seeker’s allowance: Income related Employment & Support Allowance; Support underV1 of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999; the Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit; Child Tax Credit with earnings from employment below £16190;Working Tax Credit; Looked After Children; Looked After Children who have left care through Childcare Arrangement Orders (formerly Special guardianship) or an Adoption or Residence Order
Karen Ross Photography- Tuesday 13th October
For a couple of years now we have had the pleasure of Karen Ross – Photographer in Ilkley, visiting the pre-school to take lifestyle outdoor family photos.
You can have quite a number of shots taken. Individual children, with siblings, with parents- any combination!. Outdoor clothing is the idea- woolly jumpers, scarves, hats, wellies etc! You will be sent a set of proofs to choose from to order. There is no obligation at all to buy. I will be getting some more details including timings from Karen shortly. The plan is for timings to include any photos you would like to include school children.
Design your own Christmas cards
We will be participating in a fund raising activity again this year where your child and any other siblings can design their own Christmas Cards.
I will send you some more details on how you can design these cards at home. To enable these cards to be here in good time for writing -we are going to make the deadline for designs to be returned to us by as Friday 9th October.
Dental Visit- Monday 16th October
Last year we started a Fluoride Varnish Programme. Basically this is a quick treatment (here in pre-school) where a fine coat of fluoride is painted on the child’s teeth to help prevent tooth decay. It is totally up to you as a parent/carer as to whether your child participates. Even if your child may not attend a Monday session- it is still available to you on that day. Children who had it applied last year will be ready for a top up by then!
Once I have the details about this treatment programme, I will let you all have this information.
A member of staff from Bradford district NHS Dental Team will carry out this treatment.
Christmas Fayre- Saturday 21st November Memorial Hall 2-4pm
We will be holding our popular Christmas Fayre to raise funds for Pre-School. There will be fun and games, stalls, raffle & tombola, refreshments and a visit from Santa! A lot nearer the time we will send out more details and we will be asking for donations/contributions to some of the stalls e.g. raffles and cake stall please.
Hope you can join us!
Christmas Party Friday 18th December 11.30- 1.30
We will be holding our Christmas Party for both year groups together. There will be no pre-school that day. All children are invited. We ask that parents drop off at 11.30am and as Santa will be arriving at 1.15pm you are very welcome to return at 1.10 to see him arrive. Any siblings can also come along at 1.10 and if you wish, you can hand in a small wrapped present prior to his visit, he can hand this out to them too. The cost of the party will be £7 which includes food, and entertainer ( Magic Andy) and a small present. More details nearer the time
Lastly
There is an awful lot to digest there! There will be lots of reminders and information about the events but don’t forget the first one is the AGM this coming Monday!