News for parents and carers

Key dates

This term ends on Friday 30th March and the Summer Term will begin on Monday 16th April.

Half term is Monday 28th May to Friday 1st June (inclusive).

The summer term ends on Friday 20th July.

We are closed for 2 days for training and development: Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd May. The nursery is closed for all children.

Kate Greenaway stays open for children with extended day/year places once the school Spring Term ends, except for the two bank holidays (6th and 9th April) when we are closed.

In the summer, we will close on 17th August for two weeks and reopen for children on Wednesday 5th September.

Thursday late start and new development mornings

From 16th April onwards we are ending the late-start system on Thursday mornings. Your child will now start at the same time every day of the week.

However we have two “development mornings” next term on Friday 18th May and Tuesday 19th June. On development mornings, we will offer your child her or his normal hours.

Fees

From April 1st, fees are payable to Kate Greenaway Nursery School. We charge fees for every day, including training days, with the exception of Bank Holidays and the August closure. Parents are charged for training and development days. This is all in line with Islington’s policy and the contract with parents.


Parking

Please could you remember not to park in York Way Court when you are dropping off/picking up your child. There have been continued complaints to Home for Islington, who have a mobile clamping unit. Please use meter parking instead. Thanks.


Staff news

Sanchia will return to Kate Greenaway next term, following her secondment to Moreland Primary School and Fortune Park Children’s Centre.
Heidi will be leaving Kate Greenaway after covering Sanchia for this term; she will be travelling on and then returning to New Zealand. Heidi has done a fantastic job this term as a temporary teacher, and I know that staff, children and families will all miss her.
New staff for the Children’s Centre (extended services) are currently being appointed.

Children’s Centre

We are currently finalising our Children’s Centre programme and will be distributing details about this later in April.

Kitchen Campaign

Lots of parents are now getting behind the Kitchen Campaign. Kate Greenaway wants to opt out of Scolarest and other contract catering arrangements and have its own kitchen, to cook fresh healthy food for children. The Community Kitchen will also be open for parents to learn more about healthy cooking and snack preparation. It will provide healthy snacks for Stay and Plays, and sell prepared meals and snacks to parents. The Kitchen Campaign group is working hard to make sure that the kitchen will be able to do enough business to pay for itself. If you would like to get involved – please talk to Jan. We are now very likely to achieve this aim, thanks to the support of parents.

Rebuild

We are aiming to rebuild the front of the building to provide a better reception space, and also working space for Children’s Centre staff. We are also planning an Art Workshop (in the front garden) and a base for community cycling. We are planning to have bikes to lend to families (adult and children).

Once we have firm details of when the work will be taking place, parents will be informed.


Julian Grenier