Kate Greenaway Nursery School and Children's Centre

Hello, and welcome to our blog where you can find out current news about Kate Greenaway Nursery School and Children's Centre. We are one of Islington's Children's Centres. You might also want to visit our website to find more information, or email us if you have a query.

Sunday, 20 December 2009

New Community Services Programme out NOW

Our new Community Services programme is available to download here. The new programme is bigger and better - as well as continuing all our popular services, we are adding a weekly swim and exercise class.

Sunday, 13 December 2009

December 2009 newsletter

Our latest newsletter has just been published; you can read it here (opens as a PDF).

Monday, 7 December 2009

7th December

Party Season at Kate Greenaway

Just to remind everyone…the Christmas Party for children on roll in the nursery is on Friday this week, from 3.30pm-5.30pm. We hope you will be able to come and stay or drop in with your child. There will be food to share, and also a puppet show for the children.

The end of year party for all children in our reach is on Saturday 19th December, 10.30am-12.30pm. All families with children under 5 are welcome to come along, and there will be food and music from around the world to enjoy as well as the usual programme of Saturday events.

If you would like to help set up either or both of these events, or help clear up at the end – then please let any member of staff know.

Even better, if you have a great idea for a stall or children’s activity – please let us know.

Swimming sessions
We are planning to book the small pool at Cally Pool for a session every week in the new year, and we are consulting parents about the best day and time to book. If you are interested, please sign up this week in the front office. The sessions will include a swimming instructor, and you will need to come into the water with your child (though you do not have to be able to swim).

Advance notice: closure of the Pod and front garden
From our most recent parent consultation, we know that many of you would like improvements to the front garden so that there is more available at Stay and Plays. We have successfully bid for money, and in the new year work will be going on to install a sand and water play area, climbing equipment, more storage, and more vegetable growing areas.

We don’t have a date yet for the works, but please be aware that the Pod and garden will be closing for Stay and Plays for one to two weeks early in the new year.

Monday, 30 November 2009

1st December 2009

Christmas Celebration at Kate Greenaway

We are planning a special Christmas celebration with the children on Friday 11th December, running from 3.30-5.30pm. We will be sharing food and having activities and stalls for children. If you’ve got ideas for stalls or want to help out in any way, then please let Julian or Michele know. The children will be cooking during the day to make food to share. We hope that if your child usually goes home at 3.30pm (or 11.45am) you will come and enjoy the celebration. If your child has an extended day place, then we hope you might be able to leave work early and come and join in with your child.

All children on roll are welcome, whatever day they normally come in.

Job vacancies at Kate Greenaway

We have two vacancies at the moment.

We need a part time Early Years teacher to work with us next term, 3 days a week. This post will help Michele to cover Jan’s secondment to Golden Lane, which continues for another term.
We also need a temporary cook for the Community Kitchen to cover Yogi’s maternity leave next year.

If you know anyone who would be interested – please let them know.

Job details are on our website.


Filming at Kate Greenaway

Please see an important message, below:

To all parents at Kate Greenaway Nursery

Would you be willing to help with an important new project that Kate Greenaway nursery is involved in?


I’m Julie, from a young people’s charity called Young People in Focus. We are helping young mums and dads who are in prison to learn how to play with their children. The project is funded by the Big Lottery.

Many young people in prison come from disadvantaged backgrounds, and may not have had very good experiences of playing when they were younger.

So now that they are parents, many are unsure about how to play with their child. This DVD will help support them, showing children of different ages (from babies to pre-school children) playing with toys, books, and games, and making things. The DVD will then be shown in prisons as part of a parenting course for young people.

Kate Greenaway Children’s Centre and Islington Council has agreed to help us with this important project. The filming will take place on one day at Kate Greenaway nursery. The children will be filmed playing in all the usual ways that they do at nursery. The Kate Greenaway nursery won’t be named on the DVD.

On the day of the filming, you will be asked to fill in a consent form if you are willing for your child to take part in the filming. If you don’t want your child to be filmed on that day, that’s absolutely fine too. It’s your choice. However, we do hope you will be willing to help us with this important work.

If you have any questions, please speak to Julian Grenier (headteacher).

Thank you!

Julie Shepherd

I am running the project at Young People in Focus so if you want to find out more you can call me (Julie Shepherd) on 01273 647324 (direct line with voicemail) You can also look at our website to find out more about us www.youngpeopleinfocus.org.uk

Saturday, 28 November 2009

New jobs at Kate Greenaway

We are advertising for two posts:
  • a cook for our community kitchen (temporary, to cover a maternity leave until the end of July 2010)
  • a part time, 3-day per week teacher for the nursery school (temporary, to cover the secondment of our deputy Jan to Golden Lane, until the end of the Spring Term)
To read the job packs for these posts and to apply on line, please visit our website

Tuesday, 24 November 2009

24th November 2009

Dear parents and carers

Parent Forum

Thanks to everyone who came to the Parent Forum meeting on Saturday 14th. As promised, here is a rundown of some of the main issues that were raised:

  • Can we have more sessions around employment and Job Centre Plus?
  • More English classes for people who are learning English as an additional language (ESOL classes)
  • Could we have a weekday swimming session – hire Cally Pool just for families living in the Kate Greenaway reach?
  • Pilates/yoga/aerobics – with crèche
  • First Aid course for parents – with crèche
  • Can we have more speakers attending groups e.g. Family Information Services, School Admissions, Libraries etc.
  • More on Developmental Movement Play
  • Can we have a Suggestions Box?

We’ll get back to you on all these issues soon. Julian and Kara


Parking on the estate

We’ve had a couple of incidents recently when residents have been angry or upset because their car has been boxed in by nursery parents dropping off or picking up children.

Please remember that you should not enter the estate in your car. If you need to use your car, then please use the meter bays on Copenhagen Street. Cars parked on the estate without permits may be clamped by Parking Control Services

We rely on the support and help of our local community in many ways – for example, parents of disabled children need special exemptions to be able to bring their cars to the nursery. So please help us maintain good relations – thanks.

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

17th November

Reminder: we are closed for all children this Friday for training and development and we are having a Development Morning on Monday 30th November.

To help you keep up to date, our newsletter KGE comes out every Tuesday in termtime and you can also read it by logging onto our website, http://www.kategreenaway.ik.org/. Please make a note of the important dates for the year ahead which are reprinted overleaf. If you are unsure about anything, please ask your key person or any other member of staff.

BikeStart

Thanks to all the parents and carers who have signed up for a taster BikeStart session. BikeStart is our scheme to encourage children to ride 2-wheel bikes, and we’re running it thanks for the support of TFL and the London Cycling Campaign. The scheme includes Saturday bike sessions for children aged up to 6, a link with Copenhagen and St Andrew’s Primary Schools, and special sessions at Kate Greenaway every Monday and Thursday afternoon.

We are looking for parent volunteers to help the children with the bikes on Mondays and Thursdays, 1.30-2.30pm. If you would like to help out then please speak to Julian or Michele.

Your child’s learning and development Birth to Five

If you didn’t get a copy of this last week, then please pick one up from the lobby. Other parents have said that it gives helpful advice and ideas.


Reminder: Key dates at Kate Greenaway 2009-2010

Friday 20th November
Whole centre and nursery closed for training and development

Monday 30th November
Development Morning Closure *

Friday 18th December
Last day of winter term

24th December – 1st January inclusive
Nursery closed for all children

Monday 4th January 2010
Whole centre and nursery closed for training and development

Tuesday 5th January 2010
First day of Spring Term

Monday 25th January 2010
Development Morning Closure *

Monday 15 – Friday 19th February inclusive
School half term

Monday 1st March
Development Morning Closure *

Thursday 18th March
Review Day **

Thursday 1st April
Last day of spring term

Monday 19th April
First day of summer term

Monday 10th May
Development Morning Closure *

Monday 17th May
Whole centre and nursery closed for training and development

Thursday 27th May
Review Day **

Monday 31st May – Friday 4th June inclusive
School half term

Monday 21st June
Development Morning Closure *

Friday 23rd July
Last day of summer term

Friday 13th August
Planned last day of extended year summer scheme (to be confirmed)


* On Development Mornings, the nursery is closed all morning and opens at 1pm. ** On Review Days the nursery is closed so that we can meet with every parent and carer to review each child’s development. The nursery stays open for children with extended day/year places.