Welcome

Welcome back to all our returners and a huge welcome to all those families joining us this academic year. These are still challenging times but we would like to reassure you that we’ll do everything possible to deliver an outstanding pre-school education for your child.  The children have had a great start and are already exploring a wide range of activities and making new relationships with staff and each other. There’s lots to cover in this newsletter so please take the time to read it through.

Tapestry

It is sad that we still cannot operate our usual open-door policy and welcome parents in to the nursery, but please be reassured by looking at pictures and comments on Tapestry. Please use this as a way of ‘chatting’ with your child’s key person. Staff check their messages regularly and will be able to respond quickly to any questions or worries. Please also add your comments and thoughts to the observations as it’s a great way to get to know you and your child. The staff work very hard at keeping you updated with pictures so please respond if you can and add pictures from home. In the near future we will also organise some meetings with your key person.

Arrival

Thank you for your patience, cooperation and excellent queueing skills at pick up and drop off times. Please wait at the side until the drop off point at the front of the building is clear. As an important part of our risk assessment I’m afraid we have to continue asking about your child’s health and any possible symptoms each day.   

Health advice

As the term begins there will inevitably be the usual colds and bugs doing the rounds. This will probably be more prevalent than usual given that children have been separate from their peers for a long time. This may cause some anxiety given the current situation so please follow the nursery’s guidance:  

Our advice, at the current time, is if your child has any of these symptoms PLEASE do not send them in: 

• a temperature above the normal range; is very fatigued; has a loss of appetite.
• A streaming cold or persistent cough.

Please work with your child at home to teach them how to catch a sneeze or cough with their arm, and how to use and dispose of tissues. Please encourage avoiding picking their nose, which we appreciate is a challenge! We care deeply about all our families and are doing everything possible to keep everyone safe.

This link provides information on what symptoms to look out for in children with regards to Covid-19, as they can differ from adults: https://covid.joinzoe.com/post/back–to–school .

Masks

Please also continue to wear a mask AT DROP OFF AND PICK UP. As the schools return there are lots of local positive Covid cases and we want to keep the nursery open and operating as safely as possible. Please also continue to take regular lateral flow tests to identify any asymptomatic cases before sending your child in to a group setting.

Lunches

To help us keep a sanitised environment please send packed lunches in a hard plastic box which is easy to wipe clean. Please also remember not to pack any eggs or peanuts as we have children with allergies. Please also cut grapes and sausages and cherry tomatoes lengthways due to possible choking. Finally, please clearly name their lunch box.

Book bags

Please bring your child’s coloured book bag each day so they can bring home their works of art and please check them for important letters from us.

Uniform

If you would like All Saints uniform please order direct from the website www.myclothing.com and search for the nursery name.

Your invoices IMPORTANT

Attached to this newsletter is a letter for you to sign regarding the Nursery Contribution. This small extra amount allows us to provide a wide range of nutritious snack items for your child as well as helping to cover the cost of any extra fun activities.  It is a voluntary contribution but it does help us enormously, especially with all the financial impact of Covid and the fact that we have been unable to hold our usual fund raising community events. Please sign the attached letter and return as a matter of urgency so we can issue this months invoices.

Please remember that we do offer a breakfast club (from 8.30 to 9) charged at £5 if that helps anyone. You can book a regular slot or use this service as you need it.

Please can everyone check that you have filled in all the necessary permissions and child details

(especially collection passwords and health details) on the Parent admin system. Thank you. You will get reminders from the system as well.  

Community events

We are currently planning some exciting “Covid friendly” community events so look out for the PFA newsletter for more details.  Thank you to all of you who have offered to be part of the PFA. We will be contacting you shortly.

Staff updates

We are delighted to welcome Claire back to the team in her role of Special Educational Needs Coordinator. Any worries or concerns, please ask to speak to Claire at any time for advice or support.

Lets hope we all have a happy and healthy term.

All Saints Nursery School 

Covid-19: a quick reference guide for parents

What to do if	Action Needed	Return to Nursery
My child has Covid-19 symptoms A high temperature, feeling hot to touch on their chest or back A new continuous cough, coughing a lot for more than an hour or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours A loss or change to your sense of sell or taste, things smell or taste different to normal, in young children they may not want to eat	DO NOT COME TO NURSERY Contact the nursery on 01227 282628. Selfisolate the whole household for 14 days GET A TEST FOR THE PERSON WITH SYMPTOMS https://self-referral.test-for- coronavirus.service.go.uk/antigen/name or call 119 to get a test if you have problems using the internet. INFORM THE NURSERY IMMEDIATELY ABOUT THE TEST RESUT	When the test comes back negative
My child tests positive for Covid-19	DO NOT COME TO NURSERY Contact the nursery as soon as you receive the result to tell us. 01227 282628 or the nursery mobile if out of nursery hours 07706807311 Self-isolate the whole household for 14 days	After 10days isolation, if they feel well enough
Someone in my household has Covid-19 symptoms	DO NOT COME TO NURSERY Contact the nursery to tell us Get a test for the person with symptoms	When the test comes back negative
Someone in my household tests positive for Covid-19	DO NOT COME TO NURSERY Contact the nursery to tell us
NHS test and trace has identified my child has been in close contact with someone with symptoms of confirmed Covid-19	Arrange a test if your child develops symptoms	If they have a negative tyest
NHS test and trace has identified a parent/ adult in the household as having been in close contact of someone with symptoms of confirmed Covid-19	The adult must take a Covid test The other people in the household do not need to self-isolate but they should avoid contact with the adult identified as much as possible and follow advice on hygiene. The child may attend nursery.
My child is ill with symptoms not linked to Covid-19	Phone the nursery to inform us of your child’s absence by 9.30am	When they feel better or 48 hours after the last bout of sickness/ diarrhoea if this is the cause of absence