Current Newsletter
Newsletter September 2024
Dear parents and carers
We hope that you had a great summer and would like to welcome you, or welcome you back to Jelli Tots nursery.
Reception class school applications
If your child is in the pre school year ( Josie, Sakinah and Maggie's groups), then you should apply online for a reception class place at school for September 2025.
Applications are open from 1st September 2024 until the deadline on15 January 2025.You can login to register your child's details prior to choosing the schools if you wish. Many schools will be holding open days in the coming weeks. You will need to contact them to book into these. If you need any help with your application then please talk to Wendy.
Festivals and celebrations
This term promises to be a busy and exciting one with many festivals and celebrations to share together, and some outings for the pre school children . We greatly appreciate any contributions from parents and carers and hope that you can support us by sharing your knowledge and experience of festivals and by joining in shared activities at nursery.
Rosh Hashanah begins on Wednesday 2nd October. We will be learning about this festival by reading books and watching a short video about how this is celebrated. We will also be sharing apples and honey to celebrate a sweet New Year.
We have already started thinking about Harvest festival. The pre school groups will be visiting the nursery allotment this term to harvest the last of the summer crops, plant out some winter vegetables and tidy up the plot in preparation for the colder months.
We will have a collection for the foodbank (that runs in the church next to the nursery) on the 4th October. Please bring in any food donations from Monday 30th September to Thursday 3rd October and the children will then take the food to the church on Friday morning.
Throughout October we will be celebrating Black History month through art and craft activities linked to black artists, sharing food, books and music with the children.
Halloween- Our annual Halloween breakfast will take place on Thursday 31st October. Children are invited to dress up and parents can join us for breakfast treats between 9am and 10am.
Diwali celebrations will take place 5th November with a morning filled with activities linked to this festival.
Hanukkah celebrations will take place on Tuesday 17th December where we will make latkes, candles and celebrate with music and dancing.
Christmas celebrations will include our Christmas sing along session for the younger children (Betty, Albana and Jenny's groups) on Tuesday 10th December and our annual concert for the pre school children will take place on Thursday 12th December.
The children will have a Christmas party with an entertainer on Thursday 19th December.
If we have missed a festival or celebration that your family share, then please talk to your child's key person about how we can learn about this at nursery.
We would love parents to share a story, activity, or cook with the children during these festivals so please let us know if you can help.
Visit to London Aquarium Sea Life Centre on Tuesday 8th October
If your child is in the pre school group then they would have been given a form for this outing. Please return the form and payment by this Friday 20th September as tickets need to be booked and paid for in advance on Monday 23rd September. Unfortunately anyone returning forms and payment after this date will not be able to attend.
Dentist and toothbrushing
Sharon, the dentist will be visiting the nursery on Monday 23rd September. She will be completing staff training, as we are starting a toothbrushing programme in the nursery. This means that your child will brush their teeth at nursery once a day during the morning session. We hope that this will teach and encourage children who are reluctant to brush their teeth at home, and it also means that children will brush their teeth after they have eaten snack at nursery. If you are not already registered with a dentist please see the attached form which has a QR code to help you find a local NHS dentist. Please see Wendy if you would like more information about this programme.
Dates for your diary
Sing-along session- (Betty, Albana and Jenny's groups only) Monday 7th October (12pm). Join us to learn some of the songs that the children have been singing at nursery so you can sing them together at home.
Halloween Breakfast - Thursday 31st October (9am to 10am)
Diwali day - Tuesday 5th November
Christmas sing-along Tuesday 10th December (Betty, Albana and Jenny's groups)
Christmas Concert Thursday 12th December (Josie, Maggie's and Sakinah's groups)
Children's Christmas Party- Thursday 19th December
Last day of term Friday 20th December
Thursday 2nd January- Children return for Spring term.
You can also refer to the calendar on the nursery website for term dates and events.
Kind regards
Wendy and the Jelli Tots team