A big welcome to the second half of our Autumn term! Our thanks to all of you who filled the Autumn bags with your child. These were extremely popular and really fired the children’s interest in the environment. We have a busy few weeks ahead of us, looking at Hallowe’en, Bonfire Night, Remembrance Day and of course Christmas. We are also having a visit from the RSPB who will be exploring the different habitats in our Pre-School grounds with the children.

Christmas Fair

Our Christmas Fair this year will be held on Sunday, December 3rd from 2 until 4pm. There will be stalls and games and tea, coffee and cakes, plus of course our magical Santa’s grotto, so do come along with your family and friends and support this event. If you would like your child to see Santa and receive a gift from him (cost £3.50) please sign the list on the noticeboard, stating your child’s age. Siblings up to the age of 7 may also visit Santa. We would be grateful if you could sign the list and pay for your child by November 13th so that Santa knows how many presents he needs to bring with him! Donations for the cake stall and bottle and chocolate tombola will be gratefully received closer to the date!

Christmas cards

Over the past 2 years we have made personalised Christmas cards with the children and these have proved to be extremely popular. The children do their own artwork in Pre-School and this is then made by a local company into a Christmas card. Parents can buy these cards in packs of 4 (£3), 8 (£5) or 10 (£6). If you would like your child to take part in this please sign the list on the noticeboard by November 13th.

Chatsworth Nativity

ALL Pre-School children are invited to join us atChatsworth on Monday, December 11. The children will dress up and perform the Nativity Play in the barn, using real animals, and they can then play on the adventure playground and also do some Christmas crafts. We have been to Chatsworth many times and it is a lovely Christmas experience for both adults and children. Children must all be accompanied by a parent or carer and the cost is £8 per person (under 3s are free). We meet at Chatsworth Farmyard entrance at 10.30am and you are free to spend as much time up there as you wish (there is a lovely shop in the main courtyard of Chatsworth House!). The Nativity play finishes at approx. 11.45am and the craft activities start at 1pm. There is a warm room for you to eat a picnic or you can use one of the cafes there. Please note there is no Pre-School on this day. Please sign the list on the noticeboard if you would like to come to Chatsworth. You do not need to pay until the beginning of December.

Christmas Cake

The children will be helping us to make a Christmas cake which will then be decorated and included in our Christmas raffle. We will put a list of ingredients on the noticeboard and would be extremely grateful if you could sign your name against any item you are able to bring in for us. These should be brought in by November 14th. Thank you!

Tempest Photographer

The photographer will be in Pre-School on Tuesday, November 7th from 9am until 10.30am. Please do come along and have your child’s photo taken, along with any siblings, even if you are not normally in Pre-School on a Tuesday morning. There is NO obligation to buy the photos. They are sold in packs of various sizes and you can choose which ones you wish to keep. The Pre-School receives a commission on any photos sold so this is a significant fundraising event for us.

Parents’ Evening

Whilst the staff are happy to talk to parents at any time about their children, we do find that parents often appreciate a specific time when they can come and talk to their keyworker. It is also a useful time for us to get a clearer picture of what your child is like at home.This term’s parents’ evening will be held on Wednesday, 13th December from 6 until 8pm. Please sign your name against a suitable time with your keyworker when the list is put up on the noticeboard.

End of Term

The last full day of normal Pre-School will be Monday, December 18th. On Tuesday, December 19th we will be at St. Peter’s Church where ALL pre-school children will be taking part in the Nativity Play. This will start at 11.30am and will be followed by coffee and cakes, so please do come and join us for this, bringing family and friends with you. (Please note -Children should arrive at church by 11.20am)

The new term will start on Thursday, January 4, 2018.

A few reminders;

Please do not let other parents in or out of the main building…wait for a member of staff. Always colse the gate behind you when you pick up or drop off your child.

We have fresh, free range eggs delivered every week from Happy Hens in Etwall (£1.10 per half dozen). Please do support both their work and our Pre-School by buying your eggs from us. Ask Helen or Beverley for further details

Shoes with Velcro fasteners are much better than laces and buckles for Pre-School since they can help a child develop self-help skills.

Please sign up for WhatsApp…..we hope to get this underway soon.

Please let us know by phone or text if your child is going to be absent from Pre-school and why. We are required by the council to keep a record of all attendances and we will have to contact you if we do not hear from you.

It is easier for little girls to wear socks and trousers or leggings on a Friday for dance rather than tights since these are difficult to take on and off.

Please use our free storysacks – they are a wonderful resource for you to share with your child and help to develop concentration and speech and language.

And finally…. A very big Thank You to Carpet Stop on Osmaston Road for donating 2 beautiful lengths of carpet which are invaluable for our floor play in Pre-School. This gift is greatly appreciated.