Nursery Newsletter – Term 3 – 2015/2016
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to nursery we hope you all enjoyed the Christmas Break and have had a happy start to
the New Year. We hope you enjoy reading our newsletter and finding out about some of the things
that are happening this term.
Personal Learning Planners (PLP) and Learning Journals
All parents should have received log-in details to access their child’s PLP on-line. Please remember
there is a space where you can contribute your own comments to observations made by the nursery
and there is now a new ‘Parent Contributions’ tab on your child’s profile for you to upload your own
photos and contributions too! Your comments and contributions help us to work in partnership with
you to support your child’s learning. If you have any queries please ask a member of staff.
Parent Programme
We have a planned a very busy Parent Programme for you to take part in this term including parentteacher consultations for all pre-school children, our new Planting Project and a talk by Dr Vicky
Chondrogianni about why Bilingualism Matters. Further information will be given to you closer to the
time of each event.
We provide many other opportunities for you to take part in activities in the nursery including:
singing, cooking/baking, heuristic play, trips. The children really enjoy having their parents/carers
join them for activities in the nursery. Look out for information, days and times on the notice board.
Parental Involvement
At Dalry Nursery Class we see Nursery Education as a partnership and welcome the involvement of
parents/carers in our class. If you enjoy reading stories, have a particular skill you would like to
share or would just like to spend a morning or afternoon with us please let us know. We have a Parent
Council which meets regularly and new members are always welcome. If you are interested in joining
please contact the School Office. We also welcome your additions to our ‘Learning Log’ – please ask a
member of staff to tell you more about this wonderful colourful record of the children’s learning.
Boosting Children’s Language and Communication
Evidence has shown that children’s language and communication, along with and many other cognitive
skills too, can be boosted by using sign language with speech, introducing new words to their
vocabulary and regularly talking, reading and singing with children. Please look at our noticeboard
where you will find our ‘Story, Songs, Sign and Words of the Moment’. If you would like to know how
to make any on the signs or to find out more please ask a member of staff.
Books for Bedtime Are Re-freshed!
We have been busy replacing all our Books for Bedtime with a new selection of books, many in duallanguage format, for you and your child to enjoy. Please only borrow one book at a time. If you
haven’t used ‘Books for Bedtime’ it is very easy! Just talk to a member of staff or take one of our
‘Books for Bedtime’ leaflets which are on the side of the Books for Bedtime trolley.
Useful Information
Further information about free childcare and education for ‘eligible’ 2 years olds and ‘Healthy Start’
additional support with the cost of vitamins and healthy foods is available on our noticeboard in the
Parent Room or ask a member of staff.
A GENTLE REMINDER - CLASS TIMES - AM Session = 8.30 –11.40
PM Session = 12.20—3.30
*Please try to arrive on time for the beginning of the session so that your child can join us for
‘Chatty Time’ when we talk with them about the many learning experiences available each day. Come
right into the class room so that we can greet you and pass on any information. If you arrive after
the door has closed please enter by the main school door and collect a ‘Late Slip’ from the office.
Doors open 15 minutes before the end of each session. Please arrive at least 5 minutes before the
end of each session to ensure all children exit the building safely by the above times.
* Please tick your child in and out on the register in the hall. This is VERY important for their safety.
Achievement Tree
We would like you to be able to share the achievements your child has made at home, however big or
small, from putting on their shoes to learning to ride their scooter or tidying up their room. We have
put up an ‘Achievement’ tree on one of the display boards in the hallway. Now that it is winter we
would like you and your child help us to decorate the tree with snowflakes. We would like you to take
a snowflake and complete it with an ‘I can . . .’ statement about any one recent achievement your
child is proud of, adding their name and date. You will find what you need: snowflakes, pens and
tacks, at the notice board. We hope you and your child enjoy it.
What you can do to help us!
You can help your child to be independent within the nursery by teaching them how to take off and
put on their own coat and shoes. We do recommend shoes with Velcro closures for nursery children.
Please avoid shoes with laces especially on gym days ie Monday for am class and Friday for pm class.
We would also like you to support us by reminding your child about our nursery rules which are:
1. Be kind and helpful. 2. Walk inside. 3. Use a quiet voice. 4. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
Collecting Your Child’s Art Work
Children’s art work is placed in boxes in the hallway for you to take home. The blue box is for the
morning class’s work and the red box contains the afternoon class’s work.
Students
At Dalry we are very lucky to regularly have students who are on various courses related to childcare
and education come to us for further training and work experience. At the end of last term we said
‘Good-bye’ to Mrs Blackburn, a CEC Early Years Practitioner (EYP) Trainee, who is moving on to the next
stage of her training and welcoming Katie McDonald and Mariem El Kouhen both training to be EYPs.
We will also have other students with us too. A photograph of each student, along with their name and
the course they are doing is o our noticeboard near the Parent Room.
And Finally! Pease take the time to look at our noticeboards and displays where you a will find out
more about ‘life’ in the nursery and the wider community and see examples of the children’s work.
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We hope this information has been useful to you.
If you have any questions please speak to a member of staff we are always happy to be of help.