Newsletter for 6th September 2018
Dear parents, children and carers 6th September 2018
This newsletter is kindly sponsored by KEITH REYNOLDS BRICKWORK
The newsletter is also on our website, on our Facebook page or by email on request
Welcome back after the summer break. We hope you all had a happy and safe break.
A special welcome to our new families, and, our 2 new members of staff. We have appointed Mrs Gemma Bradshaw, and Miss Rebecca Jones, as permanent members of staff. Gemma, most of you will know as she has worked for us before as cover staff. Rebecca is newly qualified and will bring youth and energy to our team! She too has spent time with us before as a student. We are excited to work with them both and are sure you will all make them feel at home.
This first week we will help the children to settle back into nursery routines, share their news and current interests.
www.easyfundraising.org.uk is a website which we use to help raise valuable funds for Hummingbirds. As a voluntary setting we do rely on fundraising to help provide new resources and equipment. If you shop on-line at all, please consider registering on this website and donating to ‘Hummingbirds Garstang’, each time you shop, certain retailers donate a percentage of your spending to us. Since we set this up nearly 3 years ago, we have raised about £750.00. It is easy!
100 club membership is another easy way to help raise funds details on easel or ask. Donate from £2 a month and get the chance to win half our monthly takings every month! The other half helps towards our rent to the parish.
PACKED LUNCHES: please provide a healthy packed lunch and drink for your child. As it is our duty to promote healthy eating, we ask that you do not send sweets and try to include some fruit or salad. We provide a morning and afternoon snack. Just a reminder that we cannot re-heat any food. NUT ALLERGY – remember we have a child with a nut allergy so no nuts/nut products
3 year olds new to 15 hours funding? If your child has become eligible i.e. turned 3 in the summer term, you will be asked to sign a funding agreement and we then apply for your funding for your child.
*30 HOURS FUNDING Parents already receiving 30 hour funding – check, are you in the ’grace period’? You can lose funding if you do not respond to reminders to update your funding. If you want to claim for 30 hours funding you must do so the term before you want to start using it i.e. this term ready for January. Bills for this half term will be issued during the first week, payable by BACS preferably. All details on your bills. If you prefer to pay weekly that is fine.
EXTRA ACTIVITIES: At Hummingbirds we offer extra activities which we feel will benefit the children. Read our new information sheets to see what we offer and why.
Yoga with staff is free.
Dance with Miss Paula Boscott, is now on Wednesdays as this is our busiest morning. We ask for a donation of £2 per week per child to help us cover costs.
‘Diddy Dribblers’ is a football coaching firm who visits on Fridays. It is more than just football and all our children have loved it – fun games promoting ball skills, listening etc. Again, we need to ask for a donation of £2 per week per child in order to be able to offer this fantastic activity.
Spanish: we also offer the chance to learn another language. You may think it is too soon to start, but research shows it’s the best time to start and it actually has multiple benefits, including helping our native tongue and communication skills. We ask for a donation of £1.50 per session. These sessions will now be on Tuesday mornings.
See your bill for details of these extras and how to pay for them. If you wish to come in with your child for any of the paid sessions if your child doesn’t attend the day on which they take place, you are most welcome. Just mention it to us.
WEATHER – if we have any further days, please could you apply sun-cream before nursery. Ideally send your child wearing clothes which cover them well. If the weather is really hot we can reapply later with your permission given on your registration form. Please put labelled sun-cream in the basket to be provided and collect it at end of day. Hats and glasses are available but best to bring your own for those really bright days (please write names in initials in the hats!). Also, this being England! Best to send in a jacket just in case!
SPARE CLOTHES – all children. PLEASE send a bag of spare clothes just in case your child gets wet in play or has an accident. Please put names on all clothes.
BABY AND TODDLER MORNING: Mondays 9am – 10.30am Come and talk to other parents and carers while your babies and toddlers play.
Best wishes, Janet, Shirley, Carole, Bridget, Gemma and Becca
