Autumn Term Newsletter 2020
Returning and new children
Welcome back to all our children and a warm welcome to our new children and their families. We hope all our Bear Hugs Nursery families have kept well and safe during these uncertain times due to the Coronavirus and we able to enjoy the summer weather.
Thank you gifts
The staff would like to thank the parents and their children who kindly gave lovely thank you gifts and cards at the end of the Summer Term. It means a lot to know that their hard work and dedication is appreciated.
Staff promotion
Congratulations to Emma Lavender who has completed her initial training in safeguarding to support the families at the setting as a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). In addition, all of the Bear Hugs Nursery staff have completed their Paediatric First Aid and Infection Prevention and Control training.
Autumn Term Topics
For the first half of the Autumn Term the children at Bear Hugs Nursery will be looking at journeys by road, air, sea, rail, space, fields and canals. During the second half of the Autumn Term the children will be looking at themselves, through their family and friends, what they like to play with and what they like to eat. In addition, our topics will celebrate Bonfire Night and Christmas, alongside supporting the charities Children in Need and Christmas Jumper Day.
Term Dates
Autumn Term
Thursday 3rd September – Wednesday 16th December 2020 Half Term 26th - 30th October 2020
Spring Term
Wednesday 6th January - Thursday 1st April 2021 Half Term 15th -19th February 2021
Summer Term
Tuesday 20th April – Friday 16th July 2021 Half Term 31st May - 4th June 2021
Parent Involvement Form
Please see the attached Parent Involvement Form, which you are invited to complete and return to the nursery. This information is used to help plan relevant activities to support your child’s learning and development.
Termly Voluntary Donation
Please take time to consider if you are able to support the nursery with a donation. As a nursery we do not charge for your child’s daily mid-morning and afternoon snacks, craft materials or add additional charges to your free funded sessions. Previously, the nursery has been able to use the donations to purchase book bags and waterproof trousers for all children use in our garden area. If you feel able to support the nursery in this way you can do this via BACS using your child’s name as the reference, Account Name: Bear Hugs Nursery, Account No: 84174269, Sort Code: 60-23-40. Alternatively, you can return the slip with your cash donation.
Parents in the nursery
To minimise risk when children are dropped off and collected from the nursery the following will apply: - only one parent/carer per child may enter the setting and only four different parents to be in the nursery at anyone time. Parent/carers must maintain social distancing, have their nose and mouth covered with a face mask or scarf and use the hand sanitiser (operated by your elbow and requiring just one pump) by the entrance on entering the nursery. Children will wash their hands before touching any resources when they arrive at the setting.
Hand wash song
Please help your child to learn our hand washing song to the tune of Frère Jacques
Tops and Bottoms, Tops and Bottoms - (Rub top and bottom of each hands)
In between, In between, - (Rub fingers inside other fingers on both hands)
All around our hands, All around our hands - (Rub palm of hands together in a circular motion)
Wash wash wash, Wash wash wash - (Rinse off soap with water)
Shake shake shake, Shake shake shake - (Shake excess water into sink)
Symptoms of Coronavirus - COVID-19
Do not attend the nursery if you have any of the signs of COVID-19, which are a high temperature (above 37.8’C), new persistent cough, loss or changed sense of smell or taste (anosmia). If your child has symptoms you must apply for a test via nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 and inform the nursery of their test result. The person with symptoms must self-isolate for 10 days and their household self-isolate for 14 days. If the test is negative your child can return to the setting and the household come out of isolation. If the test is positive you must continue to self-isolate and the NHS track and test service will contact you, and you must promptly share details of recent contacts. The NHS test and trace will alert contacts and advise contacts who should self-isolate for 14 days from the day of contact to the person who tested positive. The nursery will inform staff and parents of children who have attended the setting at the same time as the infected person. If your child is seriously ill call 999 or NHS 111 (https:/111.nhs.uk/covid-19/)
Key worker children
If there was a local outbreak of coronavirus 4 tiers of restrictions would be implemented. Tiers 1 to 3 would mean the nursery would still be open to all children and tier 4 would mean only vulnerable and key worker children would attend. Therefore, please could you inform the nursery if your child is ‘a key worker child’ or ‘not a key worker child’.
Absences
If your child is unable to attend their allocated session, you must inform the nursery within 30 minutes of the start of your child’s session via telephone, voice message, text or email.
Personal Possessions
To prevent the spread of the Coronavirus you are no longer allowed to bring into the setting or leave on the site your child’s pushchairs, scooters or toys. Permitted items are your child’s personal bags, lunch boxes, drink bottles, comforters, shoes and clothing, which should all be clearly named. The children regularly change their shoes, remove jumpers and access their drinking bottles. If they are not named it can cause distress for the child if staff have to remove the possession, because they cannot be sure which child owns the item.
Clothing
We use the garden all year round so we ask that children have soft indoor shoes, such as velcro plimsolls and a change of outdoor shoes, such as velcro trainers or wellington boots. Please no lace up footwear. If the weather is hot, the children will need to have sun lotion applied at home before they attend the session. If the weather is cold, the children will need to bring in a coats, hat and gloves. A full change of clothing should be brought into every session in your child’s bag in case of spillages, accidents or water play.
Book bags
As another precaution, the nursery will not be running the library book bag scheme, until it is safe to resume.
Healthy Lunch Boxes
In line with the nursery’s healthy eating policy, it is recommended that your child’s lunch should provide a healthy balance of fruit, salad, yoghurt and protein, such as egg, ham or cheese. Although, your child may have a maximum of one treat, such as a cake or biscuit, your child should not have sweets, chocolate or sugary drinks in their lunch box. Forbidden and uneaten food will be put back into your child’s lunch box.
Choking hazards
Children can easily and quickly choke on food. To prevent this happening we ask if you put grapes, olives and/or baby tomatoes in your child’s lunch box, that can lodge in a child’s throat, you cut them in half length-ways. In addition, please do not leave any food in your child’s bag under their chair, as your child could start to eat it without adult supervision.
And Finally
If you have any questions, concerns or queries about anything at Bear Hugs Nursery, please do not hesitate to speak to Fiona Fox or your child’s key person. We are always happy to share information with you and help in anyway we can. Alternatively, you may contact the nursery: telephone no. 07849 657290, e-mail: bearhugsnursery@btinternet.com Additional information can be found on our website: bearhugsnursery.com or Facebook: @bearhugsnurseryaddlestone
My Voluntary Donation for the Autumn Term 2020
I would like to support Bear Hugs Nursery with a donation of
£10 / £20 / £30 / £40 / £50 £_________ (alternative amount)
Name of Child: ______________________________________________________
I have donated by BACS / CASH (please circle)
BACS use your child’s name as the reference, Account Name: Bear Hugs Nursery, Account No: 84174269, Sort Code: 60-23-40. Alternatively, you can return the slip with your cash donation.
Many thanks
