A note from the staff.............................Oct 2007

Welcome back to the final half term of 2007, it promises to be a very busy time.

 

We have had a record number of ‘new’ children and families joining Playgroup since September and we feel that most children have settled really well in to the routine and seem to be enjoying themselves. However, if you have any concerns please speak to your keyworker or any member of staff – we usually have time for a quick informal chat at the start of a session, or during if you are on duty, or we are happy to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet or talk on the telephone. Parents and carers are always welcome to stay and play at Playgroup – even if it isn’t your turn to be on duty, if you would like to come and tell or read us a story, teach us a song or dance, play an instrument for us or have any other talents to share, please let us know.

 

A request for parents of children in the younger group…please bear with us when you collect at the end of a session. It may seem to take a long time and some children start to worry when they see others leaving or they see their parent/carer. Our prime concern is making sure that children go home with the right person, and that we know when they have left the play room. We try to call the children in the order that we see a parent/carer arrive but that’s not always possible; so if you are in a hurry, please speak to the staff when they open the door.

 

Our theme for this half term is based around the book ‘The Jolly Postman or Other peoples Letters by Janet & Allan Ahlberg’.  We are focusing on ‘people who help us’, traditional tales, homes and houses, numbers – especially our house numbers, and winter festivals including Eid, Divali and Christmas. Our letters of the week continue following the ‘Jolly Phonics’ scheme with ‘c&k,  e,  h,  r,  m,  and d’. We will revisit previous letters in the last weeks.  

 

HEALTH and SAFETY

Please ensure that the door is locked behind you when you enter or leave the building, i.e. that the yale lock is engaged.

We need to practice FIRE DRILLS, a fire drill will be held at every session except Friday, during the second week of this half term (w/c 5/11/07). As our alarm makes a very loud noise and there are several children who may be frightened by this we will have a fire drill after register at each session, this will allow parents and carers of children to stay with their child if they feel this is necessary. The children will be warned and told what will happen and can cover their ears before the alarm is sounded. We will turn the alarm off quickly, evacuate the building and do a register before coming back in to play. It is important that every child knows how the fire alarm sounds, and it is important for staff and adults to practice too.

Fire drills are usually practiced every half term, on different days and for the younger children, always with warning and explanation. Please speak to a member of staff if you have any concerns.

 

HELP PLEASE

• If anyone has not yet returned or paid for Tempest photographs can they please do so a.s.a.p.
• We need a volunteer to count Tesco vouchers into 100’s please
• We are looking for parents and/or carers who ‘help us’ so if there are any doctors, nurses, post office workers, vets, dentists, shopkeepers, opticians, teachers or any one who works in the service industry; please let a member of staff know if you are willing and able to come and talk or join in with role play with the children or provide us with any resources – books, posters, props etc.
• We need shoe boxes or similar to make houses with, please check that cereal boxes have not contained nut products.
• Additional volunteers wanted to come to the cleaning evening on 8^th November to help fit carpet tiles in the home corner and roller blinds at the windows. Please let Sandra know if you can help.

 

 

EVENTS

The Pre school group will be performing ‘The Nativity’ on Wednesday 12^th December, families of all playgroup children are invited to join us from 11.00 onwards for some seasonal entertainment and to join us afterwards for drinks and mince pies.  There will be no lunch session on this day.

We hope to take our show ’on the road’ with a trip to Kirkwood Residential home on Moorfield Road, on Friday 14^th December in the afternoon. If your child attends this session please complete and return the form at the end of the letter.

 

We will be having 2 Christmas parties this year, for the younger children on Friday 14^th December and for the pre school group on Wednesday 19^th December. The younger group party will be during usual session times and we will have a party style snack, for the older children the party starts at 10.00am and finishes at 12.30pm, this will include a party lunch. There will be no additional lunch session on this day. If the later start causes any problems then please speak to a member of staff.

If your child does not usually attend Playgroup on the day of their group’s party, and they would like to come along then please speak to Sandra.  Father Christmas, or his representative, usually pops in about 15 minutes before the end, parents and carers are welcome to join us at this point, and if anyone wants to come and help with games, setting up food etc. then you will be most welcome, please let us know.

The parties will be the last sessions for both groups and the final afternoon session will be Tuesday 18^th December.  Playgroup re-opens on Monday 7^th January 2008.

 

If anyone who receives their letter via email would like a paper copy of any of the forms they are available at Playgroup. If anyone would prefer to have letters and rotas via email, please write your name and email address down and hand it to a member of staff, or send an email to mail@brplaygroup.com

 

Sandra, Tricia, Peggy, Lana, Tracey, Imy, Alison & Chris

 

We will be walking to Kirkwood which is at the top of Moorfield Rd. (approximately 15-20 minutes at a nice slow stroll).

The residents are usually delighted to see and hear the children who will perform some seasonal songs in Nativity costume, in the past there have been lovely refreshments available for children and adults too.

As with any Playgroup outing, we cannot do it without help from parents and carers and we need 1 adult for every 2 children on this trip. We will leave playgroup at 1 ‘o clock and be back by 3.00pm.

Please complete the form below and return it by Friday 30^th November.

 

I give permission for my child…………………………………………………………………..to go to Kirkwood Residential Home, Ben Rhydding on Friday 14^th December 2007.

 

• Please cross out those which don’t apply

 

I would love to come and walk with you on this trip!

 

I can come, but will have to bring……………………………………. aged………………..…too.

 

I can come but only if you really need me to!

 

Sorry, I am unable to help this time.

 

Thank you.

 

Signed……………………………………………………………………………………………..date…………………………………………….