Heads Up…23/01/23

Dear Parents and Carers, 

Its a cold start to the week! Please make sure your child’ belongings are named, particularly hats, gloves and scarfs so we can put them on the correct peg if belongings are found around the nursery. 

Forest school: Great news! we will be starting our forest school sessions this half term with our nursery aged children (not pink group.) We are looking for committed parent helpers on a Thurs morning, who would be able to help us regularly during our forest school sessions. This would be 9.00-10.30 (ish) on a Thursday morning. We use the nature reserve at Welwyn St Marys. It is a beautiful, natural, enclosed space. If you are able to help please email admin@tenterfield.herts.sch.uk. We really appreciate parental/family support to enable us to take the children out of nursery, so if you are a Mum, Dad, Auntie, Uncle or grandparent we would love to hear from you please. 

Late arrivals: We understand the traffic is a challenge at the moment but we are having lots of late arrivals in the morning. This is disruptive to the office, but more importantly we like all children to be here by 8.45am as we offer an important part of learning during our welcome time. If your child arrives late they either miss this learning opportunity, or disrupt the session for their peers by entering mid way through the teaching. We have a 15 minute window for your child to arrive, the door opens at 8.30am and closes at 8.45am. We appreciate your support with this. 

Books: Thank you so much to all the parents who have donated books from our amazon wish list https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/23640QOVZLIUJ?ref_=wl_share We really appreciate your support in developing a love of reading with your child.  

This week we are celebrating the lunar new year. We will be reading and retelling stories connected with the Chinese and Lunar new year. This year is the year of the rabbit! Please see further activities and stories you can explore together with your child. https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/watch/chinese-new-year

Teachers Strike: I am sure you have heard in the news that the National Education Union (NEU) announced last week that its ballot of teacher members in England has met the thresholds required to commence industrial action. The planned strike days are Weds 1st Feb, Weds 1st March, Weds 15th March & Thurs 16th March. We are currently receiving information from Herts county council about how this will affect schools. We endeavor to keep Tenterfield open on Strike days, but we need to make sure our staffing levels are within a safe ratio to open. The good news is that we do not have a large amount of teachers at Tenterfield, however if other local schools are closing this will have an impact on our staff who have young children. NEU members can decide to take strike action right up to the morning of each of the strike days. Therefore it may be difficult to plan ahead, however I will try to give you as much notice as possible if the strike days will affect your child’s nursery session. 

Parking: Please park safely and respectfully to our neighbours when dropping off or collecting your child. For the safety of our community please do not park in our small staff car park, as reversing out of there at busy times is dangerous. This car park is for staff only. 

February Half term Holiday club: Here is our offer of events across the week. 

Monday 13th & Tues 14th: DH Dance academy 9am-3pm £30 Bookings are now open on School gateway. 

Weds 15th & Thurs 16th: Team Tenterfield 8am-4pm £40 Bookings are now open on School gateway. 

Fri 17th: Tenterfield Tinies 9.30-11am (Just turn up.) Children under 3 plus siblings.

Fri 17th: Artskool 1.30pm-3.30pm £12. 2x siblings £20 (special rate) Bookings via https://www.artskool-kids.com/index.php/what_we_do-best_holiday_classes/?k=23998:2::

Story Telling Week: The week beginning Monday 30th Jan we have a story telling week. This is where we invite parents and relatives into nursery to come and read with the children. You may have a spare 10 mins to come and sit in the story area, or you may like to come and read to your child’s colour group. We are very flexible and would love you to come in to read please! Please let the office know your availbility so Mrs Hebbert can co-ordicate the visits. We welcome parents, carers, grandparents, aunties & uncles!! 

We would like to invite all parents into nursery at drop off on Fri 3rd Feb to look at a book together with your child. Pop in anytime between 8.30-9am.

Have a great week.

Mrs Beare