Bluebell Lodge News
Pre-school Information Evening
We hope that all those parents that attended the Pre-school Information Evening at the Solaris Centre with Alistair Bryce Clegg found it to be a fun and informative evening. Staff would appreciate to hear your views about how you found the evening. His website address is abcdoes. typepad.com if you would like any further ideas.
Places for September 2012
We are now more than half way through the Nursery year and we are already making plans for September admissions. Places are filling up, but we are still accepting children’s names for our waiting lists for September. If you would like any additional sessions for September please let Anne know in the office. If you wish to make any changes to your child’s hours/attendance, please give the nursery as much notice as possible.
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations
Due to the celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the May Bank holiday has now been moved to the following weekend. Therefore please note that the nursery will be closed on June 4th which is a Bank Holiday, and June 5th Queens Diamond Jubilee. To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee the children will be taking part in a variety of activities in the run up to the day
Summer Fair
This year’s Summer Fair and Graduation will be on Saturday 16th June 12.00pm – 2.00pm. If you would like to donate any prizes for the tombola or raffle they would be appreciated. Further details are to follow.
Nursery fees
Please can you ensure that all fees are now to being paid into the new account. We prefer you to pay by standing order but if you must pay by cheque please make all cheques payable to Learning Curve (Lancashire)LTD. From the 31st May the old account will no longer be in use. If you have not yet received a standing order mandate with the new bank account details please make Anne aware in the office. You can either set this up through internet banking or by telephoning your bank.
Tesco vouchers
The nursery is collecting Tesco vouchers. The nursery exchanges the vouchers for equipment to keep active and make learning physical with activities, such as a parachute or equipment for dancing. The collection point will be in the office.
Hats and Sun Cream
Due to the recent warm weather we would like to advise parents to bring in sun hats and sun cream for your child's protection. The staff at Bluebell Lodge will apply sun cream to areas of exposed skin to avoid sun damage when playing outside in the warm weather. Alternatively if you apply cream at home please make your key worker aware, it will still need to be reapplied throughout the day. Finally if your child is allergic to any sun cream please let their key worker know.
The Olympic Flame Procession
Clifton Lodge Nursery is holding a continental breakfast celebration to cheer on the Olympic Flame Procession along Clifton Drive on its torch bearing route. They would like to invite all parents/ carers to this event, starting at 6.00am on Sat 23rd June 2012. After the procession is finished Clifton Lodge will be taking part in Lytham Club Day and you are welcome to go along and watch the procession through Lytham.
Design our Olympic 2012 Official T-shirt
We hope you are all enjoying taking part in the children’s t-shirt design competition to design Bluebell Lodges’ Olympic 2012 Official T-shirt. Judging will take place on Friday 1st June at 2.00pm.
There is still time for your child to enter the competition. We are hoping to find an inspiring design that represents the Olympic Games incorporating the famous symbols and The Learning Curve logo. The winning prize for this competition will be a sports goodie bag and starring on our nursery website. Please download the attached T-shirt silhouette if you would like to
enter. Entries should be handed into Anne or Sophie in the office, no later than 30th May.
Staff News
Congratulations to Charley Beardsall for passing her NVQ Level 2 she is now looking forward to starting her NVQ Level 3. We wish her all the best in her studies.
Dates for your diary
May 7th - Bank Holiday (nursery closed)
May 9th - 1.30 pm Pre-school Graduation Photograph
June 4th - Bank Holiday (nursery closed)
June 5th - Queens Diamond Jubilee (nursery closed)
April 2012
Hats and Sun Cream
Due to the recent warm weather we would like to advise parents to bring in
sun hats and sun cream for your child's protection. The staff at Bluebell Lodge
will apply sun cream to areas of exposed skin to avoid sun damage when playing
outside in the warm weather. Alternatively if you apply cream at home please
make your key worker aware, it will still need to be reapplied throughout the
day. Finally if your child is allergic to any sun cream please let their key
worker know.
Sports Relief
Thank you for contributing to Sports Relief. It was a great success; the
children looked fantastic and enjoyed exploring the sports activities and games,
including the dance instructor who came in to do Disney keep fit and obstacle
races. We raised an amazing £48.47.
Nursery fees
From the 1st of April the nursery has changed bank account details. All fees
are now to be paid into this account. We prefer you to pay by standing order but
if you must pay by cheque please make all cheques payable to Learning Curve (Lancashire)LTD.
If you have not yet received a standing order mandate with the new bank account
details please make Anne or Sophie aware in the office. You can either set this
up through internet banking or by telephoning your bank.
Sooty, Sweep and Fred
During the week the children help to look after the nursery Rabbits and
Guinea Pig. We would welcome any help from the children and their families to
help with their care in the evenings and the weekend. If you would like to offer
your help please see Anne or Sophie in the office.
Tesco vouchers
The nursery is collecting Tesco vouchers. The nursery exchanges the vouchers
for equipment to keep active and make learning physical with activities, such as
a parachute or equipment for dancing. The collection point will be in the
office.
Football Lessons
The nursery offers optional football lessons at an additional cost of £3 for
the children in Pre-school. Staff from the YMCA come into nursery to teach
football skills to the children. If you are interested in your child taking part
please see Anne or Sophie for more details.
Measles
In March the nursery received a letter from the Health Protection Agency
advising us that there has been an outbreak of measles in the Liverpool area and
some cases in the Lancashire area. We have since received an update from them
indicating that measles may already be in Blackpool. They are advising all
parents to take up the offer of the MMR vaccination. They have advised if there
is a case of measles within the nursery those children who have not been
vaccinated will catch measles. If anyone has any questions, please contact your
Health Visitor.
Club Day 2012 and the Olympic Flame
We are very excited about the news that the Olympic Torch is being relayed
through St Annes and Lytham from 6.20am on the 23rd June. This is also Lytham
Club Day. Our sister nursery Clifton Lodge are considering co-ordinating the two
events, possibly with some form of initial breakfast-time Club Day celebration,
which all parents and children from Bluebell Lodge are welcome to join in with.
Further details regarding this event will follow.
Design our Olympic 2012 Official T-shirt
In correspondence to the Olympics, the staff at Bluebell Lodge hopes to wear
a London 2012 themed uniform for the duration of the Olympics. With this in
mind, we are launching a t-shirt design competition for the children. We are
hoping to find an inspiring design that represents the Olympic Games
incorporating the famous symbols and The Learning Curve logo. The winning prize
for this competition will be a sports goodie bag and starring on our nursery
website. Please download the attached T-shirt silhouette if you would like to
enter. Entries should be handed into Anne or Sophie in the office.
Dates for your diary
April 6th -Bank Holiday (nursery closed)
April 9th -Bank Holiday (nursery closed)
April 30th- Pre-school Information Evening Solaris Centre 7pm-9pm for all
parents of children who will be moving up to Pre-school in September.
March 2012
Dear Parents
Parents’ Evening
This term Parents’ Evening for Lower and Upper Pre-school is on Tuesday 20th March (6.00pm – 8.00pm). Babies and Toddlers Parents’ Evening is on Thursday 22nd March (6.00pm – 8.00pm). You are welcome to arrange a ten minute appointment with your child’s key worker. If you are unable to attend we can make alternative arrangements. Please book your appointment with Anne in the office.
Nursery Website
Bluebell Lodge’s new website is fully open; we are using the same address in which you can access a variety of exciting things, from this month you will be able to access the nursery newsletter straight from the website alongside your paper copy. If you require a paper copy of the newsletter after March please inform Anne in the office. Website address: www.learningcurvenursery.co.uk
Vegetable Patch
We will be starting to prepare our vegetable patch at Bluebell Lodge Nursery and would like to invite parents and other family members to assist. The children will learn about sustainability through planting and watering the plants and vegetables and eating them. If anyone would like to be involved please see your child’s key worker or Anne in the office.
Bank Details & Fees
From April 2012 we are changing bank accounts and as from the 1st of April all fees now need to be paid into this account. We prefer you to pay by standing order but if you must pay by cheque please make all cheques payable to Learning Curve (Lancashire)LTD. You will be receiving a letter detailing the new bank details. Please can we remind parents that your child’s nursery fees are payable at the beginning of the month.
Measles
The nursery received a letter from the Health Protection Agency advising us that there has been an outbreak of measles in the Liverpool area and some cases in the Lancashire area. They are advising all parents to take up the offer of the MMR vaccination. They have advised if there is a case of measles within the nursery those children who have not been vaccinated will catch measles. If anyone has any questions, please contact your Health Visitor.
Sports Relief (Friday 23rd March)
As a nursery we will be doing various activities throughout the week so all children are involved no matter what day they do in nursery. We are planning activities such as a dance instructor coming in and doing a Disney keep fit dance session. We are currently in the process of talking to Blackpool football club to try and get a few of the players to come to nursery and have and football session with the children. Other activities we will be doing through the week are having a cake sale, doing an obstacle course in the garden and having a sports day. On the Friday we will be having a sports fancy dress theme. As this week is for charity we are asking for all parents/carers to give a donation of as much as possible for this worthy cause.
Storyteller and World Book Day
We are delighted to say all the children in the toddlers, lower and upper pre-school enjoyed the visit from storyteller Alec Williams. He spent time with each age group sharing his favourite stories with them. Thank you to Ann Shellard our ECAT (Every Child a Talker) consultant at Blackpool Council for organising the visit. On 1st March the lower and upper pre-school children enjoyed dressing up as story book character to celebrate World Book Day.
Dates for your Diary
Pre-school Information Evening
We would like to invite all the parents of the children who will be starting in Pre-school in September to an Information Evening being held at the Solaris Centre on Monday 30th April 7pm – 9pm. Further details of this event will be given out nearer the time.
Pre-school graduation photograph
Wednesday 9th May at 2pm. Red Frog Photography will be taking a group graduation photograph of all the children who are leaving to go to school. If your child doesn’t attend nursery on that day please feel free to bring them along. Further details will follow.
Kind regards
Anne Smithen B.Ed EYP
Nursery Manager
Febrary 2012
Dear Parents
We would like to welcome all the new parents and children who have joined us at Bluebell Lodge.
Nursery Website
Bluebell Lodge’s new website is now open and over the next few weeks they'll be a few exciting changes as we develop it even further. We are using the same address. Website address: www.learningcurvenursery.co.uk
Nursery Walks
Throughout the day small groups of children are taken off the nursery premises on walks. Babies and Toddlers enjoy their walk in the comfort of the pram or Turtle Bus. The Pre-school Unit children have been enjoying getting out on their walks on the Walkodiles. If you would like your child to take part in the walks off nursery premises please ensure you have signed the parents’ consent form.
Our Favourite Books
The children in the pre-school unit will be looking at their favourite books and stories. They will be sharing their favourite stories with each other and taking part in many fun activities on this topic. We are delighted to invite back storyteller Alec Williams to share his favourite stories with the children. Alec’s visits were arranged by Ann Shellard our ECAT (Every Child a Talker) consultant at Blackpool Council.
Pram Shed
Could all parents please leave prams/pushchairs in the pram shed that is now situated at the side of the Pre-school unit building. May we respectfully remind parents that this is done at parents own risk and it is parent’s responsibility to take and collect the pram/pushchair from the designated area.
Essential Shop
The nursery understands how busy parents are and there may be times when you forget to bring in nappies and wipes. To help our busy parents out the nursery now runs its own essential shop. You will be able to purchase nappies, wipes, soothers, sudocrem and carton formula. If you require anything please see Anne or Sophie in the office.
Dates for your Diary
Parents Evening
This term Parents’ Evening for Lower and Upper Pre-school is on Tuesday 20th March, Babies and Toddlers Parents’ Evening is on Thursday 22nd March.
Pre-school Information Evening
We would like to invite all the parents of the children who will be starting in Pre-school in September to an Information Evening being held at the Solaris Centre on Monday 30th April 7pm – 9pm. Further details of this event will be given out nearer the time.
Pre-school graduation photograph
Wednesday 9th May at 2pm. Red Frog Photography will be taking a group graduation photograph of all the children who are leaving to go to school. If your child doesn’t attend nursery on that day please feel free to bring them along. Further details will follow.
Kind regards
Anne Smithen
January 2012
Dear Parents,
Welcome back and a Happy New Year. I hope you and your family had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year.
Website
Please can we encourage parents to take a minute out to have a look at the newly updated nursery website. The site contains information about each of the nurseries that make up Learning Curve Nursery Group. Over the up and coming months the website is going to be further developed. It’s planned that from March all newsletters will be added to the website each month for parents to log onto using a password. If a hard copy is required please speak to Anne in the office.
Parking
Please can I remind parents about only parking in the bays provided. We are still experiencing problems with parents parking their cars in front of the pre-school unit and not in the bays, which is causing problems. There have been several reported bumps to car whilst they have been parked.
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year, year of the Dragon. The children in the pre-school unit will be learning about Chinese New Year and will be taking part in many activities on this topic. Activities will use all of your child’s senses; there will be creative, messy activities and food tasting to name but a few of them.
Bug Hotel
The pre-school staff and children are looking at creating a natural habitat for the many mini-beasts that can be found in the garden.
Whilst constructing the bug hotel the children will be exploring and investigating their surrounding environment, along with learning about mini-beast. We are looking for the following materials that we can use in the construction of the hotel please; pieces of plastic pipes, bamboo, plant pots, roofing slates, broken bricks and paving stones. Please speak to the Pre-school team if you have any of the listed materials.
Sign Language.
The children in the baby and toddler room will be starting to learn sign language to provide them with another form of communication. Each fortnight the children will be learning a new sign, don’t worry a copy of the sign will be put into their home/nursery diary for parents to carry on with at home if you wish.
Staff Training
To enhance the staff practice within the setting, staff will be attending various training courses over the following months. These include: Safeguarding. First Aid, Hanen (promoting children’s early language, literacy and social communication development), Food Hygiene and Behaviour. Staff members that attend these courses will then cascade back to the rest of the staff team in staff meetings, so all staff are kept up to date with any chances in practice.
Card Payments
The nursery is considering whether to have a card payment terminal installed in the office for the payment of fees.
If you have any feedback on this please come and see me in the office.
Kind regards
Anne Smithen