POSTED > 23.09.2014

Dear Parents

Welcome to the start of a new school year and a special welcome to those of you who are starting playschool for the first time. We all hope your child will enjoy their time with us and have lots of fun along the way.

On behalf of all the staff I would like to say a very BIG thank you to everyone for their kind words, generosity and all the lovely gifts we received at the end of the summer term.

During the first half of this term we will be concentrating on settling in the new children and children returning from the summer break, reinforcing playschool rules and building friendships. To encourage all our children with language development we will focus on learning nursery rhymes with the aid of props to help engage the children and children with English as an additional language. The repetiveness of these rhymes will assist all the children.

The nursery rhymes we will be singing are 1,2,3,4,5, Incy Wincy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Hickory Dickory Doc, Hey Diddle Diddle. The words to some of these rhymes can be found on our website (www.hamblevillageplayschool.org.uk).

Please feel free to stay and settle your child and always say good-bye before you leave. As well as settling in the children, if any existing parents see any ‘new parents’ looking a bit lost as to where to go or what to do, please point them in the right direction.

The children have been allocated a key person who will work closely with you and your child and answer any of your questions or concerns. In some cases there may be a change to your child’s key person due to session changes and/or staff work patterns, in which case you will be notified accordingly.

Should you have any concerns about your child’s speech or any other areas of development, please discuss this with Debbie, our Additional Needs Co-Ordinator. We are able to liaise with other agencies for extra support and also work alongside agencies already involved with your child thus giving your child continuity throughout their development.

Amazing Achievement Slip:

Amazing Achievement slips are available in playschool. Please complete a slip to enable you to share with us anything your child does outside of playschool such as, riding a bike without stabilizers, sporting achievement, family outing, being kind, sharing; the list is endless. The children are very proud when we share their achievement to the rest of the group.

Free Craft:

Junk modelling is always available to the children. Please send in cardboard kitchen towel rolls (no toilet rolls or egg boxes please) and any small boxes/pots/containers/milk bottle tops. Please ensure that all containers are thoroughly washed.

Session Times:

It is imperative that children are dropped off and collected promptly, on time, to prevent disruption and to keep our ratios correct. If you are going to be unavoidably delayed please telephone playschool so we can re-assure your child that you are on your way – 07708 426134.

If you are collecting your child at midday please wait by the white doors in the main car park between the black gate of playschool and the orange barrier. This will enable us to keep the children as safe as possible.

If you are dropping your child off at midday, please continue to use the playschool door at the rear of the Memorial Hall.

If you are driving, please be aware of children and siblings in the car park, especially if you are reversing out of a parking space.

Lunch Club:

Please ensure that all lunch boxes are clearly named (ideally on the outside). When preparing the lunch box please be mindful of children with allergies, ie no nuts or eggs. Children will be reminded that their lunch box is their own and not to be shared. Uneaten food will be returned home to enable you to gauge what your child has eaten.

Photographs:

Having a shared facility we are always conscious of the material that we display on our noticeboards. This term we are introducing a reward board and would like small facial pictures of the children on their rocket. If you have any objection to your child’s photo being left on the noticeboard outside of playschool hours, please advise myself or your key person.

Library:

As we are unable to keep all our books on the bookcase at once, we will be running a library to enable the children to access more books. The basket of books is on the floor by the book area and should your child wish to take one, please complete the simple form.

Wet Weather Gear:

Please ensure that your child arrives at playschool with a named long sleeved coat as the weather is very changeable. We have waterproof ponchos to go over the children’s coats to enable them to explore outside in the rain. Please remember to bring in NAMED wellies if it is raining.

Snack:

Please remember to bring in a piece of fruit / vegetable sticks for the children to share at snack time.

Payment of Fees:

A few parents have enquired about the possibility of paying fees direct via the internet. This is acceptable providing you use your child’s name as the reference and you email julie@hamblevillageplayschool.org.uk confirming the date of the transaction and the amount paid.

Details are: Barclays Bank
Sort Code: 20-79-25
Account Number: 90380059

Good Bye and Good Luck:

At the end of September we will say farewell to Tina who, after 10 years at playschool, is moving on to try her hand at something different. She has been a valued member of staff during this time and will be greatly missed. We wish her well.

We are currently in the process of advertising for a new member of staff and will let you know how we get on in the next newsletter.

Diary Dates:

Half Term Week:	Monday 27 October to Friday 31 October 2014
End of Term:	Thursday 18 December 2014
Christmas Party*:	Friday 19 December 2014 - 0930 to 1200
	*All playschool children invited – no afternoon session
	(Hamble Primary finishes Friday 20th at 1230)
Staff Inset Day:	Monday 5 January 2015
Spring Term begins:	Tuesday 6 January 2015

Playschool Contact Numbers:

If you need to contact playschool please telephone on:
07708 426134 During sessions
07903 388568 Out of sessions

Kind Regards
for HAMBLE VILLAGE PLAYSCHOOL

Julie Ash
Manager