The Nursery Manager writes…
It is that time of year when we say goodbye to the children who are leaving us to start school in September. We wish them well in their new adventures and will be sad to see them go. It has been an absolute pleasure watching them develop and grow into the young people they are today.
Many of the staff team will have fond memories and miss them dearly. We all wish them the best of luck at their new schools. Please remember that we require one month’s notice of their last day, and funding finishes on 31 August. Therefore, sessions from 1 September will be charged at full fees.
Sarah Bower
Nursery Manager
Staff updates
Linda left Highwood on July 12 after ten years. We thank her for her contribution to the Nursery and wish her well for the future. Also, Philippa, who retired last Christmas, has come back to Highwood on a casual basis to cover staff holiday. Finally, we will be welcoming a new apprentice called Erin who will start in September. She will work in the Nursery as she studies for her Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification.
Staff qualifications update
Alex has completed her Special Educational Needs Training and is now our SENCo, overseeing our SEND provision. She has also completed her degree in Early Years and is now a Level 6 practitioner. Meanwhile, Chloe has completed her Foundation Degree in Early Years and is now a Level 5 practitioner – she will begin her BA degree in September.
Famly
We hope you are finding the Famly app easy to use, helpful and informative. If you require any support, please ask us for assistance. Alternatively, you can find guidance by clicking here
Emailing the Nursery?
Remember, you can send us a message via Famly.
Just click on the pencil icon in Messages to start a new message. You can then select between different recipients. For example, you can choose:
- Your child’s room (all the practitioners in that room).
- An individual staff member, such as your child’s Key Person.
- The manager of your child’s setting.
Once you have chosen your recipients you can compose your message in the white box at the bottom of the page (as above). You can add photographs or documents with the Upload button in the bottom left corner. When you are happy with the message, click Send.
Please click here for further guidance.
Recipe of the Month
July’s Recipe of the Month is Italian beef pasta. Just click the link below to open the document.
https://nurserykitchen.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/italian-beef-pasta-1.pdf
Two-year funding
If your child’s second birthday falls between 1 April 2023 and 31 August 2023, please check to see if you are eligible for two-year funding from September 2023. To be eligible, you will need to be in receipt of welfare benefits and have a child in care or with additional needs. If you think you may be eligible, please apply by clicking here and let us know. We will be happy to support you in making an application if necessary.
EYE funding for three-year-olds
The new 30 hours of funding will come into force from September 2023. If your child’s third birthday is between 1 April 2023 and 31 August 2023, please check using the link below and let us know if your child will be eligible. Please also make sure you have applied for your funding code and passed this code to the office. All codes must be verified by us before the end of August. If we do not have the code, or you apply for the code after 31 August, we will not be able to process your claim. Once we have all your details we will be able to complete your funding form. Importantly, we will ask you to confirm that the details are correct and sign the form before we claim the relevant funding and deduct this figure from your fees. You can find more information by clicking here
Fifteen hours funding is available for all three-year-olds
If you are not eligible for 30 hours funding, please let us know so we can complete the appropriate form to claim your 15 hours. We will not require a code for this, but we will need you to confirm your details are correct and ask you to sign the form.
Holidays and occasional absence
If you are due to go away on holiday over the coming weeks, please let us know so we can ensure we staff accordingly, particularly as many of our staff will be on leave too. Please also be aware that if you have not told us about your child’s absence, we will call you to ensure they are safe. This is part of our Safeguarding obligations.
Easy no-cook modelling dough recipe
The children have really enjoyed making different coloured modelling dough – see recipe below:
Two cups plain flour.- One cup salt.
- One tbsp oil.
- One cup cold water.
- Two drops liquid food colouring – colour of your choice.
Mix the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add the cold water, oil and food colouring, then mix together. Knead until the mixture feels like dough.
