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.

Tuesday 27 November 2007

Letter, November 27th: dates, building works

Dear parents and carers

Changes to dates and arrangements

I am writing to give you the following updates:

End of the building project We had been hoping to get the front entrance back this week. However it now looks like it will be next week when the internal works are completed. In the meantime, please continue to use the temporary garden entrance.

Cancellation of International Evening We had planned our usual evening celebration for families for next Thursday, 6th December. However because of the problems with the building works, we have no guarantee that we will have the entrance and the spaces we need. With regret, this event has now been cancelled – but we plan to organise a replacement in the new year.

Development Morning We are still going ahead with staff training on Wednesday 5th December but the nursery will remain open for all children as usual. We are trying to minimise the disruption for families.

With apologies for all the changes!




Julian Grenier

Wednesday 14 November 2007

Flexible childcare

Dear parents and carers

Consultation on providing more flexible childcare

If you would like to respond to this by email then please copy the following text, paste into an email, write in your replies and send to marie.mason@islington.gov.uk

We are currently considering whether it would be helpful to parents if we offered some more flexibility in the places we offer. If there is enough interest then we will aim to pilot this as a scheme, starting in January 2008.

Please note that at the moment it is not certain that we will go ahead, as it depends on some funding and staffing issues being sorted out.

This scheme will only apply to parents and carers whose children have a core day place and who receive more than £545.34 through the Child Tax Credit scheme. We are planning to offer parents and carers the opportunity to book the following additional hours:

8am-9am
£2.50
Termtime only


3.30pm-5pm
£3.75
Termtime only

Lunchtime (11.45am-1pm)
£3.10 + cost of lunch
Termtime only

1 hour booking (minimum of 2 consecutive hours per day)
£2.50
School holidays only

All bookings would be subject to their being an available place – we cannot go over our registered numbers of children at any time.

If you are interested please could you fill out the form on the other side of this letter and return it to Marie. This is just so that we can get an idea of the level of interest – there would be no obligation for you to take up on the scheme because you had shown interest.

Julian Grenier

FEEDBACK FORM

First, please check that you would be eligible for this scheme:

• Your child has a morning/afternoon/core day place
• You receive £545.34 per year, or more, through the Child Tax Credit scheme


Please could you answer the following questions, which will help us to see if there is enough demand for the scheme:

How old is your child?


Would you be interested in having additional hours through this scheme for your child?




Please tick which sessions you would be most likely to want (tick as many as apply):

8am-9am (only if your child normally starts at 9am)

Lunch time

3.30pm-5pm

Sessions in school holidays


Are there other ways where a more flexible offer could better meet your needs? Any other comments?




















Letter to all parents: building works, Ofsted, dates

Dear parents and carers

Building works at Kate Greenaway
What can I say…apart from the fact that the works are continuing to over-run. I’m sorry for the disruption this is causing, and I can assure you that everything possible is being done to ensure that the works are completed as quickly as possible.

I am pleased to say that we now have the full nursery area back in use, and that in general the nursery education and care we are offering to the children remains very good, despite the circumstances, thanks to the hard work and commitment of the staff team.

Headlice
We have a few cases of headlice at the moment. Please see the earlier blog entry for advice and information. Please check your child’s hair every day, so that we can all get on top of this.

Ofsted report
We have now had our official letter from Ofsted, following their visit on 12th October. It is a real tribute to the whole staff team that we got a second “Outstanding” grade for our work.

Nice though this is, we feel that there is still a lot to do and we continue to value feedback from parents – letting us know what you think we do well, and also what we should improve. I hope you’ll read the whole letter, but here are some of our best bits…

• Children revel in the wonderful outdoor learning environment, the garden experiences are of an exemplary standard
• Babies…are an integral part of this family environment, enjoying their diverse activities and the older children who often watch and encourage them
• Resources are exciting and encourage children to be active and independent learners
• Those with learning difficulties and disabilities are fully integrated and included
• There is clear strategic vision and practical management and leadership which strives to reach the whole community in imaginative ways.


Nursery dates
Please can I remind you of the following dates:

Monday 26th November Nursery closed for all children
Training and development for staff

Wednesday 5th December Development morning
Children with morning-only places have no nursery.
Children with core day places have a 1pm-3.30pm place (no morning).
We are open for children with extended day places as usual.

Thursday 6th December International Evening from 4pm-6.30pm More details soon!

Wednesday 19th December Last day of the Islington school term

Friday 21st December Last day of the extended nursery provision

Wednesday 2nd January 2008 Extended nursery re-starts

Thursday 3rd January First day of Islington school term

Monday February 18th-Friday February 22nd Islington school half term

Friday 21st and Monday 24th March Nursery closed for all children
Good Friday and Easter Monday bank holidays

Friday 4th April Last day of the Islington school term

Monday 21st April First day of Islington school term

Monday 5th May Nursery closed for all children
May Day bank holiday

Monday 26th May-Friday 30th May Islington school half term

Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd June Nursery closed for all children
Training and development for staff

Wednesday 23rd July Last day of the Islington school term

Friday 15th August Last day of the extended nursery provision