October 2022
Dear Parents/Carers
Welcome to the Winter term at Busy Bees. We hope all of the children are settling in well,
making lots of new friends and enjoying their activities.
As part of the EYFS we focus on seven main areas of learning, which are:-
Prime Areas
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Physical Development
Communication and Language
Specific Areas
Literacy
Maths
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design
All parents/carers should by now be aware that we use a software programme called
‘Tapestry’ to record the children’s development. By using this online method it will enable
each parent/carer to access and add to their child’s Learning Journey at your convenience,
therefore, enabling good links and communication between home and nursery. This is an
extremely safe method as you will choose your own password to enable you to access your
child’s information.
You should have received information relating to ‘Tapestry’, if you haven’t, please ask your
child’s key person for yours.
HEALTHY SNACKS
As you are aware, each child is required to bring in their own healthy snack. May we
please stress the emphasis on ‘HEALTHY’
Items for a healthy snack could include:
Fruit/vegetables (prepared please)
Raisins
Cereal bars
Yogurts
Crackers etc.
Please ensure that all items are clearly named.
LUNCHTIMES
If your child stays for lunch, could we please ask that you also provide a healthy lunch.
Please ensure that any food that requires heating up is clearly labeled with your child’s
name, what the item of food is and the date it was made/prepared. Please be aware that we
are unable to reheat rice. Only children who stay for a full day are permitted to bring food
in that requires re-heating.
PLEASE REMEMBER – DUE TO SEVERAL CHILDREN WHO HAVE NUT ALLERGIES – WE ARE A ‘NUT FREE’ SCHOOL.
Extra curricular activities
Swimming lessons – £6.00per lesson
Swimming lessons are available to Busy Bees children once they are 3 years of age and potty
trained. They are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays each week, if you would like to
sign your child up to swim please see your child’s teacher.
We are now allowing a limited amount of parents to come and watch their child’s swimming
lessons.. If you would like to sign up to watch your child swim, please speak to your child’s room leader. Please be aware that mobile phones or recording equipment are not to be used in the pool area.
Outdoor Play/Forest School
Could we please ask that now the colder/wetter weather is on its way, you send your child to school with a rain coat (with a hood) every day, and an all in one rain suit on your child’s forest school day. Each class has their own storage areas for their wellington boots in one of the poly tunnels, therefore could we please ask that you provide a pair of boots which can be left at nursery (please ensure all boots are clearly named). Could we also please remind you that children are required to bring in a pair of soft soled shoes/slippers for indoor use.
Busy Bees items for sale
Children’s Busy Bees T-shirts £6.00 each
Children’s Busy Bees sweatshirts £10.00 each
Busy Bees book bags £5.00 each
Swimming bags £3.00 each
Swimming hats £5.00 each
Could we please ask that you name your children’s clothes, especially items such as coats, sweaters, hats, gloves etc.
For parents using the school grant
The grant runs until Friday 16th December 2022
Normal fees apply from Monday 19th– Friday 23rd December 2022.
Christmas holidays
We will close for Christmas on Friday 23rd December and will reopen on Monday 2nd January 2023 (non grant period Monday 2nd – Friday 6th January 2023).
The new grant term will begin on Monday 9th January 2023, therefore please ensure that all grant claim forms are completed A.S.A.P
Individual Photographs – Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th October 2022
Our school photographer will be coming in to Busy Bees to do a winter wonderland photo shoot over these two days. Unless you specify otherwise, all children attending nursery will have their photo taken on their classes allocated day, however there is no obligation to purchase your child’s
photograph. If your child does not attend nursery on the day of their classes’ pictures being taken, we are more than happy for you to bring them in to have their photo taken. Signup sheets and further information will be available shortly.
Children in Need – November (Date to be confirmed)
We will be participating in lots of fun activities to raise money for this very worthy cause. Further information will be given out shortly.
Christmas Parties
We will be holding our Christmas parties for each class on the following days this year:
– Thursday 8th December – Morning – 10.00am – 11.00am – Little Chicks
– Thursday 8th December – Afternoon – 1.00 – 2.00pm – The Bumble Bees and Butterfly classes (combined)
– Friday 9th December – Morning – The Robins Class
– Friday 9th December – Afternoon – The Ladybird Class
Full details for the parties will be given out closer to the time.
Our sickness policy
Please do not send your child to school if they are unwell as it puts other group members at risk of catching an infection. If your child is not well enough to participate in their daily activities they should not attend school that day. If a child has had diarrhoea or sickness please do not send them to school for 48 hours since their last attack / symptom. Please ensure that you either telephone the nursery or send us an email on: [email protected] on each occasion that your child is absent from school.
SENDco Information
Lorna Barker MA DIP SW is our settings SENDco
(Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-coordinator). Lucie Craigen is our Deputy SENDco, If you have any concerns relating to your child please speak to either Lorna or Lucie who will be happy to help you.
Safeguarding – Out of Hours Emergency Contact Number:0739 291 7681
Designated Safeguarding Lead: Lorna Barker (Nursery Manager)
Deputy Safeguarding Officer: Marie Sadler
Staff Changes
We would like to welcome Kirsty who took over as our Abacus Administrator in July. If you have any questions relating to your child’s account you can reach Kirsty directly on: Phone : 07546 909740 – Email: [email protected]
Miss Sharon has joined the Bumble Bees team as a Classroom Assistant, she works from 6.45am – 12.25pm Monday – Friday each week.
Miss Nezere (Nez) will shortly be joining us as a Classroom Assistant, she will be working in various classrooms throughout the week between the hours of 12.00noon – 6.00pm Monday – Friday.
Busy Bees Team
A full list of the Busy Bees Team and the classes / days they work on etc. can be found on our website www.busybees-nurseryschool.co.uk
We would like to mention a few safety points to parents/carers
1) Please ensure that all contact numbers are updated regularly so that we have good communication in an emergency situation.
2) Although we try to encourage independence for each child, for safety purposes could we please ask that you do not allow your child to open the nursery doors and gates.
3) Please do not take photographs or use any type of recording devices in the nursery or within its grounds without prior permission from a member of staff.
4) We have tried to make our entrance and exit area as safe as possible, could we please ask for your co-operation in not allowing your child to run ahead of you – especially in the car park.
5) May we please remind you, that if you wish for your child to go home with anyone else, they must be listed on your child’s ‘parental permission form and the nominated person must have valid I.D
6) For safety purposes, please do not allow your child to use the play equipment in the front play area when dropping of and collecting your child.
We are always looking for ways to improve our service. If you have any suggestions on ways in which we can do this, please send an email to the main office: [email protected]
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the kind parents who have helped us in various ways over the past year, it has been greatly appreciated.
Thanks again - Best wishes
Lorna Barker Rachel Davies
Nursery Manager Operational Manager “Our setting is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of
children, young people and adults at all times and expects everybody
working within this setting to share this commitment”