We are now well into our spring term and the children have settled back in wonderfully.

Thier language screenings have all been completed, and I am sure your children's keyworkers will be in touch with you shortly to give you the information required to support your child at home, if they are not quite reaching their age band level.  Although we appreciate many parents speak in different home languages to their children, the Birmingham screening check is in English only, please help them to learn some everyday words.

Please be aware, we have a website and a Facebook page.  Please take a look at our facebook page, it is updated regularly with pictures of the activities we do and useful information for you.  The page is called Fun at Harvey road.

Many of you have now accessed your child's online learning journals on our tapestry system.  This is where you can access your child's observations and photos.  Your invite to register on this will have been sent by email just after your child started.  If you have lost the email and haven't followed the link to register, please text with your child's name and your email address and I will resend the link.  It is possible for mom and dad to receive a link if both email addresses are submitted.

Healthy Lives - A big part of Ofsted Nursery inspections covers healthy living and lifestyles.  We do promote this with the children in nursery, but have noticed that the children's lunchboxes are not always healthy.  A guide is attached (below link) to show you healthy and unhealthy foods.  Please help us with our Ofsted inspection that is due, by making small changes to make your child's lunchbox healthier and giving them a better start in life.  Carrot and cucumber sticks are good alternatives to cakes and biscuits and often work out cheaper for you.

We have been in discussions with Startwell, which is the Birmingham initiative to help families and school support young children to make healthy choices, giving them the essential nutrients to fight of infections, keep their bones strong and give them a longer life.  They will be organising a short parent's meeting regarding ways to make little changes and to discuss portion sizes, exercise along with other things.  When this meeting is announced, please try to attend so we can all work together.

Part of this programme is also around exercise, please remember that exercise is very good for young children.  A good start to this is allowing them to walk.  This may be by parking the car a little away from nursery and holding their hands to walk to the nursery or leaving the puschair at home once or twice a week.  Please take the first step and remember they can walk and don't need to be carried into or from nursery.

Vitamins - We have also signed upto a scheme that will supply free vitamins for you to give to your children.  More details will follow shortly.

Cars - In the interest of safety for all of our children can you please refrain from using the chursh car park.  If cars are parked on there, it is dangerous when you move off as children are still leaving through the gate and as you are all aware children run quickly.  Please can you let other people that may collect your children know about this too.  Also, it has been noticed that children are travelling in cars without appropriate car seats and often in the front of cars or on adult's laps.  Not only is this breaking the law, but it is very unsafe for the children.

Child's Progress - If you wish to see how your child is progressing in nursery, please speak to me at the door and an appointment can be made for you to see your child's keyworker.

Attendance and punctuality - This is an important part of nursery.  Please make sure your child arrives on time.  Get into a good routine at home to allow plenty of time to get your child washed, dressed and to the toilet before you need to leave the house.  All the 5 and 10 minutes add up until very soon they have missed an hour.

We understand that children are ill from time to time, but please only keep them at home if they are really too ill to attend.  A bit of a runny nose can be cleaned throughout the nursery time.  if you have two children in the setting, it is unlikely that they will both be ill at the same time, please only keep the child that is ill at home, the other can still come to nursery, setting a good start for the future.

A few dates for your diary:

Break up - Friday 13th February

Return to school - Monday 23rd February

Break up - Friday 27th March 

Return to school - Monday 13th April

Nursery closed (Bank Holiday) - Monday 4th May

Break up - Friday 22nd May

Return to school - Monday 1st June

Break up - Wednesday 15th July

There will also be 2 teacher training days, dates to be confirmed.