Appletree Nursery

December 2009

As always December will be a busy month at Appletree with a nice long break at the end to get over it all! Just a reminder that term time only children's last day is the 18th and the 23rd is the final day for full year children. I'd like to take this opportunity to say a
big thank you (as always) to the staff for all they have done this year. They have taken on new the ideas I have thrown at them and continued to give your children the excellent care and early education you expect.

December Fees
Thank you to all of you who ensure your fees are paid on time. I do try to be flexible and understand that finances are particularly tight in the current economic climate. Please can you make sure that all fees owing up to the end of this year are paid in full by the 18th (unless you pay by automatic childcare vouchers) Your child will not be able to attend nursery in January unless their account is up to date.

Parties
Pips 15th Dec. 9:30-11am
Buds 15th Dec
Blossoms 15th Dec
Father Christmas will be coming to nursery so please make sure you have provided a named wrapped gift for your child by Monday Dec 14th.

Parents Evening
We will be holding the next parents evening in January (rather than December) as there is so much else going on.

Christmas Lunch Dec 14th 12-1pm
I will be serving a traditional Christmas lunch for the children complete with crackers for a cost of £1 per child. Please sign the sheet outside your child's room if you'd like them to join in. Payment must be made by Dec 11th. Children can bring their usual packed lunch if you prefer.

Swine Flu Information
There have been a couple of children who have been prescribed Tamiflu in the past few weeks. However many more have had coughs, colds and temperatures and not been diagnosed. If your child is showing any of the symptoms of swine flu please keep them off nursery as a precaution. We will always contact you if your child becomes ill whilst at nursery and administer Calpol if you have given your consent.

Pre-school Funding Jan'10
If your child turn 3 before Dec 31st they will be entitled to their 15 hours of free nursery education from January. Any sessions they are currently doing have been pre-booked up until July 2010. However if you require additional hours I may not be able to give them until next September as the pre-school is fully subscribed until then. Spaces do become available from time to time, but cannot be guaranteed. As it said in last month's newsletter any children turning 3 in June/July next year will remain in the Buds room until August. This will be beneficial to them as the pre-school is a much bigger and busier environment and might overwhelm them at that time. Waiting until August/September will support their transition.

December Menu
This month's menu is available on the notice board.
Car Park Safety
Thank you to all of you who have been avoiding using the car park during the morning and afternoon shool drop off times.
Dates for your Diary
Spring term begins January 4th
Half term
Easter holidays
Summer term begins

Clothes Swap
I am hoping to hold a clothes swap in January. The idea being that you bring along any unwanted clothes (in good condition) and see if anyone wants them. You might also take a fancy to something someone else brings along. It is a really good way of recycling garments whilst having a chat over a glass of wine. More details in the new year.

Anything Changed?
Please make sure that you let your child's key person know if their routine (sleeping, eating etc) has changed at all so that we can make sure we are meeting their needs appropriately. Also please keep me up to date with any new phone numbers, emergency contacts etc.

Priestley School Winter Fayre
Come along and support the school fayre on Friday Dec 11th between 5:30 and 7:30pm There will be loads of stalls, fun and games for you all to enjoy.

Learning Diaries
Please take your child's diary home and add to it. Put in photos of holidays, family, pets, pictures they have created at home... anything really that your child can then share with us at nursery. Also remember to fill in a WOW sheet if you would like to share anything FANTASTIC that they have done.

Staff News
Susan has just finished her Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) course with Bath Spa University. The government's aim is to have 2 EYPS working in children's centres by 2015, and as I already hold this status we are well ahead of the game!
Lucy Waterman, who has been working as bank staff for a while is currently doing her EYPS placement in the Pips room.

And finally...
I have included with this newsletter some information for you about ways you can support your child's developing communication skills. Good communication skills will give your child the best possible opportunity to fulfil their potential for the rest of their school life. (And beyond) We are working very hard to support your children using these strategies so if you do too they will be in a really strong position. Let's work together to do the very best for the children we care for.
Rachel

How do we support children's communication and thinking?

Make opportunities for 'extra talk'.
Sustained shared conversation is about engaging in extra talk, rather than just
responding to directions such as 'put your jacket on', 'pick up', 'clean up', 'do this',
'don't do that' etc.

One way to develop your child's communication skills is by asking open questions.

We often ask children closed questions like:

- "What colour is that?"
- "I don't like the rain. Do you?"
- "Was that a hard puzzle to do?"

Closed questions give children limited opportunity to respond in much detail and often require single word responses.

Open questions would sound more like:

- "I wonder how many colours you can see?"
- "What do you think it is like outside today?"
- "You did that puzzle really well. Tell me how you did it?"

Young children often make errors when speaking. How we model the correct langauge to them is very important.
E.g.
Child says, "That's a bid bird."
Adult says, "Not a bid bird, bid doesn't make sense. You need to say big bird."
The adult has not given the child any credit for their comment and has reinforced the word 'bid' so the child will most probably remember that.

Child says, "That's a bid bird"
Adult says, "Yes it is a big bird, a really big bird, I wonder where that big bird is going?"
The adult has modelled the correct language without making the child feel they were wrong, and has also reinforced the word 'big' and extended the child's idea offering them an opportunity to talk more.