POSTED > 05.10.2016
Dear Parents
 
Welcome to the start of a new school year and a special welcome to those of you who are starting playschool for the first time.  We all hope your child will enjoy their time with us and have lots of fun along the way.
 
On behalf of all the staff I would like to say a very BIG thank you to everyone for their kind words, generosity and all the lovely gifts we received at the end of the summer term.
 
Please feel free to stay and settle your child and always say good-bye before you leave.  As well as settling in the children, if any existing parents see any ‘new parents’ looking a bit lost as to where to go or what to do, please point them in the right direction.
 
The children have been allocated a key person who will work closely with you and your child and answer any of your questions or concerns.  In some cases there may be a change to your child’s key person due to session changes and/or staff work patterns, in which case you will be notified accordingly.
 
Should you have any concerns about your child’s speech or any other areas of development, please discuss this with Debbie, our Additional Needs Co-Ordinator.  We are able to liaise with other agencies for extra support and also work alongside agencies already involved with your child thus giving your child continuity throughout their development.
 
During the first half of this term we will be concentrating on settling in the new children and children returning from the summer break, reinforcing playschool rules and building friendships.  We will also be looking at Harvest Festival and associated occupations; farmer, baker and greengrocer, Halloween and pumpkins.  During this time we will offer the children a selection of different fruits, vegetables and breads to try, along with decorating pumpkin biscuits and making vegetable soup.  We hope to visit Pickwell Farm and also the church – further details to follow when confirmed. 
 
To encourage all our children with language development we will focus on learning nursery rhymes with the aid of props to help engage the children and children with English as an additional language.  The repetitiveness of these rhymes will assist all the children.  The words to some of our regularly sung nursery rhymes can be found on our website. (www.hamblevillageplayschool.org.uk). 
 
Amazing Achievement Slip:
Amazing Achievement slips are available in playschool.  Please complete a slip to enable you to share with us anything your child does outside of playschool such as, riding a bike without stabilizers, sporting achievement, family outing, being kind, sharing; the list is endless.  The children are very proud when we share their achievement to the rest of the group.
 
Free Craft:
Junk modelling is always available to the children.  Please send in cardboard kitchen towel rolls (no toilet rolls or egg boxes please) and any small boxes/pots/containers/milk bottle tops.  Please ensure that all containers are thoroughly washed.
 
Library:
As we are unable to keep all our books on the bookcase at once, we will be running a library to enable the children to access more books.  The basket of books is on the floor by the red information table and should your child wish to take one, please complete the simple form in the basket. 
 
What I did during the Summer Holidays:
In the next couple of weeks’ children will be bringing home a sheet asking for information on what they did during the holidays.  This could be a day trip or a holiday.  If you could write a couple of brief paragraphs with some photos – the older children may even wish to draw a picture of what they did.  This will encourage the children to talk to their key person and share an experience.
 
Session Times:
It is imperative that children are dropped off and collected promptly, on time, to prevent disruption and to keep our ratios correct.  If you are going to be unavoidably delayed please telephone playschool so we can re-assure your child that you are on your way – 07708 426134.
 
If you are collecting your child at midday please wait by the white doors in the main car park between the black gate of playschool and the orange barrier.  This will enable us to keep the children as safe as possible.
 
If you are dropping your child off at midday, please continue to use the playschool door at the rear of the Memorial Hall.
 
If you are driving, please be aware of children and siblings in the car park, especially if you are reversing out of a parking space.
 
Lunch Club:
Please ensure that all lunch is supplied in a container/lunch box clearly named (ideally on the outside) and not loose in a rucksack.  When preparing the lunch box please be mindful of children with allergies, ie no nuts, eggs or kiwi fruit.  Children will be reminded that their lunch box is their own and not to be shared.  The children have approx. 20 mins to eat lunch, so ideally a selection of sandwich/wrap, yoghurt, fruit, cheese, crisps will suffice.  Uneaten food will be returned home to enable you to gauge what your child has eaten.
 
Wet Weather Gear:
Please ensure that your child arrives at playschool with a named long sleeved coat as the weather is very changeable.  We have waterproof ponchos to go over the children’s coats to enable them to explore outside in the rain.  Please remember to bring in NAMED wellies if it is raining and if possible leave the wellies with us.  During sunny weather please ensure that you apply sun cream to your child before playschool.  If your child is attending all day we will re-apply.

Snack:
Please remember to bring in a piece of fruit / vegetable sticks for the children to share at snack time.

Payment of Fees:
A few parents have enquired about the possibility of paying fees direct via the internet.  This is acceptable providing you use your child’s name as the reference and you email julie@hamblevillageplayschool.org.uk  confirming the date of the transaction and the amount paid.

Details Are: Bank:
Account Name:
Sort Code:
Account Number:
Barclays, Hamble
Hamble Village Playschool
20-79-25
90380059

Fee slips will be sent out shortly.

Diary Dates:

Half Term Week: Monday 24 October to Friday 28 October 2016
End of Term: Thursday 15 December 2016
Christmas Party*: Friday 16 December 2016 - 0930 to 1200
*All playschool children invited
no afternoon session
(Hamble Primary finishes Friday 16th at 1230)
Staff Inset/Training Day: Tuesday 3 January 2017
Spring Term begins: Wednesday 4 January 2017

 
Playschool Contact Numbers:
If you need to contact playschool please telephone on:

07708 426134
07903 388568
 
During sessions
Out of sessions

 
Kind Regards
for HAMBLE VILLAGE PLAYSCHOOL
 
 
 
 
Julie Ash
Manager