Changes to Government Funding

As we have notified you already, there are significant changes happening with government funding for childcare across the country. You can download the parent agreement form guidance here which should be read before filling in the parent agreement form. Also if you need to use the stretched funding calculator, you can access it here. Please speak to us if you need any clarification with this.

Please return your completed PAF (Parent/carer agreement form) as soon as possible as this is a requirement from Essex for your funding.

Yellow stars

Attached to the newsletter is a yellow star. We thought the children would like to share their Easter holiday adventures or achievements with us. However small, we would love to hear all about them. Please pop your news on the star and return to nursery where they will be shared and then displayed.

New resources

We now have two new balance bikes and our beautiful kasbah den. The children are really enjoying decorating it daily with different materials encouraging their wonderful creative and imaginative skills. If you have any unwanted duvet covers, bed sheets, curtains or large pieces of material the children would love to add them to our collection.

September sessions

The nursery is almost at full capacity for September 2024. If you haven’t already requested extra sessions or changes to sessions please let Mrs Homer know as soon as possible. Also if your child is leaving Ducklings to go to big school  please let me know if they will continue with either breakfast and/or afterschool clubs.

Shirts/blouses

We are trying to replace our craft aprons and would be very grateful of any unwanted shirts or blouses you may have at home. Please could you bring them into nursery.

Friends of Ducklings

Please return your slip or let us know if you will be coming to our Duckling Family Day on Sunday 12th May as soon as possible as we need to begin to order food and refreshments for the day. This event is always great fun and hugely successful and we hope all families will join us. A programme for the day will be finalised after our next Friends of Ducklings meeting on Tuesday 30th April. Please come and join us.

We still need help with the following:

  • New/nearly new soft toys.
  • Raffle prizes – restaurants and pub vouchers, soft play, farm and zoo vouchers, wine and other gifts.
  • Help to set up from 10am and clear away at 3pm.

Please let us know if you are able to help with any of the above. We would also love to hear any new ideas that you may have for the day.

Summer Holiday Club

We are taking bookings for the summer holiday club. The dates are the weeks beginning 29th July and 5th August. Please pass this information and our contact number on to friends who may be interested in joining us.

Oral health

Recently there has been a lot of information regarding children’s oral health and families being unable to access dentists. In light of this I have purchased toothbrushes for all the Duckling children. These will be individually named and the children will be encouraged to brush their teeth after their lunch each day. We will begin this from Monday 4th March. Please let me know if you require further information regarding this or would rather your child doesn’t take part in this new initiative.

Retirement

Many of you have heard that Mrs Homer has announced she will retire from The Duckling Nursery at the end of this academic year. Her impact on our community cannot be overstated. Under her leadership, the nursery has started so many children on their educational journey and has shaped them into the wonderful people they are today.

Rest assured that The Duckling Nursery and its before and after school clubs will continue to thrive into the future. Until then, Mrs Homer will continue to work tirelessly for the children before her well-deserved retirement.

Drop offs and collection

Please be on time when dropping the children to nursery and when collecting them at the end of their day unless you have spoken to me about other arrangements. Also, if children are bringing toys with them can you ensure these are popped in their bags before coming into nursery.

Reminders

  • All clothing should be named including shoes wellies and slippers.
  • All lunch boxes/bags and water bottles should be named.
  • Children should only have water in their bottles rather than juice.
  • The nursery is a nut and egg free zone due to children’s allergies.

Nursery contact numbers

Mrs Homer’s working days will be Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and she can be contacted on 07771 645270 at any time during these days.

On Mondays or Fridays. Please contact Mrs Park – 07967054184 or Mrs Moore – 07595286449 during working hours only.