Newsletter  

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Dear Parents/ Carers

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Welcome Back

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We hope you have all had a wonderful Summer break and a big welcome to all our new families.   If you are unsure about your child’s sessions this term, please do not hesitate to contact me. We have attached this year’s term dates for your information.

Family App

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Hopefully you will all have seen the email that Helen sent out earlier this month regarding the new software we will be using this year. Family is an online service for the setting and parents to share photos and observations (previously done on Tapestry), use an online register, report accidents/ incidents, nappy changes and snack choices. If you haven’t yet set up your Family profile please do so ASAP. Once logged in please check all of your contact information and amend or add as needed. If your child is returning to us for another year please rest assured that all of their previous observations etc are still on Tapestry and we will be making them into zip files for you to download onto a device of your choosing soon.

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If you have any problems accessing or using Family please contact Helen on woodpeckerstreasurer@gmail.com

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Thank you

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New families

If you have not yet returned your completed registration forms please make sure you do so and bring them in on your child’s first session. As these contain your contact details, emergency contact details and permissions we are unable to let a child stay without them.

As discussed at your new family visits I have attached the baseline forms for you to complete and return please. These give your child’s keyperson a parental baseline as a starting point for their journey through Woodpeckers. Please look at your child’s age band and if there is a statement that you know that your child can do securely, highlight or make a mark to let us know. These can be printed off, completed and returned or edited on a device and emailed back to us. If you would prefer a paper copy please let us know and we can provide one. Thank you.

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Staff News

 Zac our lovely PE teacher will be coming in again to engage the children in lots of fun and different PE sessions from Monday 19th September alternating Mondays and Tuesdays each week to allow lots of the children to join in with these sessions. The children really do seem to enjoy these sessions and we are so lucky that Zac comes in to offer them.

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Contact Details

Please could you ensure that we have the correct contact details for yourself and any emergency contacts for your child. Please could you also inform us of any reason that your child maybe absent from Woodpeckers either by telephone, email, Family App or in person, so we can keep our files up to date. Thank you.

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Working Group Rota

I have attached a copy of September – December working group rota for your information. This explains how you can help and when it is your working week. There are some changes to some of the children’s keyperson so please check which group you are now in. Any queries or concerns please speak to myself or another member of the team. It is amazing how much fruit and snack these little people can go through so your help with this is invaluable. Thank you 😊 Please note that Hannah’s key children have been shared throughout the rota as it is on a rolling 6 week basis.

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Nut Free Zone

Please can I remind everyone that Woodpeckers is a ‘Nut Free Zone’!  We do have children in the preschool who have ‘nut’ allergies so it is really important to ensure that children do not bring peanut butter or Nutella sandwiches  in their lunches or any other products that may contain nuts. 

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Free for 2 and 3 and 4 Year Old Free Entitlement Funding

If your child’s sessions are funded either through Free for 2 Funding or 3 and 4 Year Old Free Entitlement Funding, please make sure you complete a Declaration Form over the next week.  We will be handing these out during drop off and collection times for you to sign. If this is the first time you have claimed for this or any other funding please could you bring in your child’s passport or birth certificate as we have to make a note of the reference numbers, this is to show that we have checked their date of birth, Thank you.

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KCC 3 and 4 Year Old 30 Hour Funding

If your child turns three before the 31st December 2022 and you wish to claim the 30 hour funding, please remember you need to apply and give us your eligibility code before  31st December 2022. The recommended time to apply is between the 15th October to 30th November. If your child is already receiving 30 hours funding, please remember you MUST update your account information regularly.  More information about funding is available at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.  If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to ask us.

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Committee Meeting

We will be holding our first Committee meeting of the year on Monday 12th September at 7.30pm at Woodpeckers. If you would like to pop along to meet our committee and see what joining entails we would love to see you. There is always tea and biscuits and it is a great way of becoming involved with our Preschool. We are also looking for some more trustee’s as some of our lovely current ones are unable to continue. If this is something you would be interested in please let us know. Please email our Chairperson Hazel Leah at woodpeckerschair@gmail.com if you would like any further information about this or the committee in general.

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Please drive carefully!

Please, please can everyone take care when arriving and leaving Woodpeckers by car.  Please can you make sure you drive at the appropriate speed, maximum 5 mph and be vigilant for children and their families at all times.  Due to the new one way system for drop off and collections there are children on the driveway and in the carpark with their parents on a more regular basis at this time. Just a reminder: on dropping off in the morning please come into the porch by the top entrance and exit through the garden. On collection, please come to the front entrance with the ramp. If you are arriving later you will also need to use this entrance as the gates are locked once most of the children have arrived for safety. Thank you.

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Warm coats, hats and wellington boots

Please make sure you send your child to preschool with a named warm coat and a hat, unless the weather is very extreme, we still aim to have access to the outdoor environment. We have waterproof trousers and mittens for the children to use to help protect their clothing and keep their hands as warm as possible.  Please also can you check your child’s wellington boots still fit them and please ensure they have your child’s name written in them. If you would like to send your child to pre-school with their own gloves/mittens, please do make sure they are also waterproof (and named!).  Thank you.

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Jumpers and T Shirts

I’m delighted to let you know that we now have a new supply of jumpers and t-shirts at Woodpeckers.  They are available in size 3-4 and 5-6.  Jumpers are £10.00 each and T-Shirts are £7.50 each.  We are now able to accept card payments if like me you don’t carry money very often.

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Fundraising – other ways you can help us!

As you will be aware, Woodpeckers is a registered Charity and relies on fundraising activities to enable us to fund the extra activities like PE sessions, yoga and drama classes.  There are many ways you can help us without spending any money.  These include:

Amazon Smile and Easy Fundraising – if you shop online and you register on Amazon Smile or Easy Fundraising, you can make a contribution to Woodpeckers every time you shop!  It costs you nothing and makes us money!  It’s a really easy way to help!

https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/

Tunbridge Wells Lotto – do you buy a weekly lottery ticket?  Did you know you can play the TW Lotto and help us too?  Tickets cost £1.00 each and 50p of that ticket comes back to Woodpeckers!

Thank you – every penny counts and helps us offer the children more and more exciting experiences!

Complaints/Concerns/Feedback

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Please remember, it is our intention to work in partnership with parents/carers and we welcome your comments and suggestions on how to improve our preschool at any time.  If you have concern/comments about any aspect about the preschool provision, please do talk to either myself or Sarah or Hazel our Chair Person. Hazel can be contacted at woodpeckerschair@gmail.com.

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Bad Weather

In the event of bad weather which causes concern for everyone’s safety a decision will be made by 7.30am and an email will be sent to all parents/ carers to notify them of the closure. We will also update our Facebook page with this information. If you do not have access to either email or social media please notify us so we can make alternative arrangements to notify you of the closure.

 

We look forward to seeing you all from Friday 2nd September and hearing all about the children’s adventures over the Summer Holidays. As always any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

 

Best wishes,

Mandy Swift

Supervisor

Woodpeckers Preschool CIO

woodpeckersoffice@gmail.com

01580720195