Marlow Montessori School

AUTUMN TERM 2010 - NEWSLETTER

As the start of a new academic year fast approaches, we hope that your summer break has been fun and relaxing and would like to extend a very warm welcome to all our new families joining us this term.

Topic:

A Topic Sheet for this half-term will be emailed to you along with this copy of our Newsletter, both of which can also be viewed at any time on our website: http://www.marlowmontessori.co.uk/ .  Copies will also be displayed on our Notice board in the classroom, together with our Weekly Activity plan showing how we will be meeting the early learning goals under the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The children are welcome to bring in something related to our weekly topic for our daily ‘show and tell' time and we very much appreciate parents/carers support in this. We also welcome any help from you if you have ideas or suggestions for visitors/items of interest/or work in an environment which may be able to contribute to the children's learning of any of our topics - please don't be shy!

Dates for your Diary:

                       Monday 6^th September                  -           Start of term

                             Friday 10^th September                   -           Welcome Coffee Morning

                             Thursday 14^th October                  -           Parents Evening

                             Monday 26^th October                    -           Half-term week

                             Friday 10^th December                    -           End of term/Christmas Concert

Reminders to Parents:-

•·                An important part of the Montessori philosophy is nurturing independence in each child "let me do it for myself".  Please ensure that your child is dressed in suitable clothing which they can manage themselves (e.g. elasticated trousers, Velcro fastenings) and which is particularly important for going to the toilet independently and if they are taking part in our Dance, Drama and Yoga sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

•·                Please remember to notify the nursery if your child is not able to attend their session, either through illness or other commitments.  If your child has been sick and/or had diarrhoea they must be kept at home for a minimum of 48 hours from the last occurrence of either of these symptons.

It is most important to keep the nursery informed of any changes to the details contained in your child's Health Form, in particular to contact telephone numbers for both parents/carers and those nominated as ‘Emergency Contacts'.  An Information Up-date form can be obtained from the nursery for you to do this. Please also ensure that those nominated as ‘Emergency Contacts' are people who are able to collect your child should they become unwell at nursery or in the event of an emergency.

•·                If your child will be joining us for lunch this term, may we please ask you to have strict regard for our ‘no nuts' policy when preparing your child's lunchbox or bringing in ‘birthday treats'.  If you have any concerns or need ideas for a healthy lunch please speak to any of our teachers, a copy of our Food & Hygiene policy is displayed on the Notice board in the classroom.

•·                If parents are not collecting their child at the end of a session, please remember to inform one of our teachers and complete our ‘Collection Book'.  If you have a nanny/childminder/grandparent etc. who will be regularly collecting your child, please advise the nursery in writing at the start of the term that they have permission to collect your child and this will be kept on your child's personal file.  If there is an unforeseen change to the collection arrangements for your child, please telephone the nursery as soon as possible (01628 477855) and leave a message with a contact telephone number for yourself and for the person now collecting your child.

•·                May we please remind parents/carers to park with care and consideration to all and to use all the available spaces before parking across other cars.  Also for the safety of the children, please do not park or stand alongside the ramp at collecting times until the children have been brought from the garden back into the classroom.

•·                Would parents make sure that any items brought into nursery which are not for the Topic table or Nature Table are left in the Toy Box in the entrance porch - this ensures no ‘precious' objects are lost or damaged during the session.  However, please don't forget to take toys left in the box home again!

Nursery Education Grant:

If your child has turned 3 years old between 1^st April and 31^st August 2010 or are new to our setting this term, they will now be eligible for the NEG and you should receive the necessary Claim Forms with your Invoice.  In order to ensure your claim is met, you must complete both forms and return to the setting no later than Friday 10^th September 2010.  Please also remember to bring either you child's Passport or Birth Certificate when returning the forms to show to a member of staff. 

Parents whose children are already in receipt of the nursery education grant through our provision must complete and return the form enclosed with your Invoice no later than Friday 10^th September 2010 to ensure that your claim is continued to be met. 

We are also required to draw your attention to the Fair Processing Notice displayed on our Noticeboard  and online at: www.buckscc.gov.uk>Education>Early Years and Childcare>Provider>Forms

News from our Parent Representative:

We would like to say a big thank you to Helen Dees (Amelie's mum) who has kindly volunteered to take on this role and we very much look forward to working with her. For those of you who are not familiar with the role of our Parent Representative, Helen produces our Parent Contact List (please see below) and is there to support parents with any matters they would like to raise either amongst other parents or with the nursery and meets regularly with Miss Jan and/or Miss Corinne to discuss these.  Social events, information evenings etc. for parents/carers and our families are organized by Helen throughout the year and our Parent Representative is always grateful to hear ideas for these from you.  Our first event for this term is a Coffee Morning on Friday 10^th September from 11.30 to welcome both existing and new parents.  We do hope you can join us for this and if you can help with regards baking a cake or biscuits please kindly contact Helen either at nursery or by email at:  helendees@yahoo.co.uk

In order that Helen may produce a revised Parent Contact List for the start of this academic year, would all parents, both existing and new who would like to be placed on this, please complete your details on the form below and return this to Helen - either direct or via the nursery by Friday 10^th September.  The Parent Contact List is a great way to meet and keep in touch with other parents and our social events and we would urge everyone to sign-up (email addresses are particularly useful and environmentally friendly!).

Staff News:

As part of our continued commitment to working with parents as partners in their child's learning and development, our staff would like to remind you that parents/carers and children may use the ‘Communication Book' provided by the setting at any time to share with us information on their child's development, progress and interests. This book is kept in your child's work drawer and may be taken home by parents/children as required - this is an informal tool only for parents, children and staff. 

If parents wish to speak to their child's Key-worker, our setting has an ‘open-door' policy in this regard - or we can arrange a more formal meeting if required.

Thank you for taking the time to read our Newsletter.

The Staff of Marlow Montessori School