Dear Parents 05/07/17

I would like to introduce and welcome a new staff member Rajnie Kaur to Acre Wood Team. Rajnie is level 2 in child care. I would like to thank Hazel Sheppard for her contribution to the nursery and wish her good luck and success for future.

I would like to introduce myself to all the parents and readers of this month's newsletter. My name is Devinderjit Kaur Ahluwalia and holds a Masters Degree in Education from London Metropolitan University. I have several years of experience in teaching and childcare. I enjoy music, dance and drama, travel and spending time with my family.

This has been an amazing journey for me. I did my teachers' training in India and worked in the most reputed boarding schools of North India. After working there for some years, I came to the UK for higher education. The contrast was huge but I knew then that I was doing the right thing despite the hard work that was involved juggling a full time Masters Degree with my part time job in child care. I learnt a lot about different theories and different approaches to child development and learning. I am very aware that continual training and development is required. I am very excited about the career ahead of me.

As a practitioner/manager I shall continue to provide the children with a warm and caring environment full of people who enjoy being there and are dedicated to learning and development. I understand the importance of working in partnership with parents to enhance child's well-being, learning and development.

Partnership to me means building and maintaining positive working relationships with parents thus encouraging the latter to raise and discuss issues concerning their children, and enabling the practitioners themselves to inform parents about any issue and involve them in, the further development of their children. Hence, I would promote this by using a manner that is likely to promote trust by being welcoming and approachable. We at Acre Wood are to nurture children, help them develop and to improve outcomes for them. We are constantly looking forward to getting feedback from parents/carers regarding variety of aspects of the nursery for example Parents Satisfaction Evaluation Form.

New and more qualified members of staff are being appointed for better learning and development of children.

I greet all are graduating children and their families. Graduation is the final and public recognition of the completion of your learning journey at Acre Wood. On Tuesday 18th July, we will be holding graduation ceremony for all those children who will be leaving us to move on to school. The ceremony will take place at 10.30 am followed by high tea. All parents of the graduating preschool children are invited. We have arranged for a professional photographer to take the photographs. Graduation gowns and hats will be provided by nursery for the day. Good Luck to you all at your new school in September.

To maximise security and safety to all the children and staff in the nursery, we implore every parent and guardian picking up their children to ensure the doors are shut including the front door. Also in no circumstances should they open the door to anyone. PLEASE ALLOW A MEMBER OF STAFF TO OPEN THE DOOR. As this will maximise the full control of safety and security within the nursery premises.

Mobile phones and cameras: A polite reminder to all the parents not to use mobile phone and cameras on nursery premises.

Pick up: We would appreciate if parents could talk softly when they come to pick up their children as we are making them aware of speaking softly and maintaining indoor voices.

The nursery term finishes at the end of the day on Friday 21st July (only funding).

Please label your children's clothes and regularly check spares to see if they are too small or need restocking. Children need to wear appropriate clothing for nursery including coats, hats and suitable shoes (no flip flops and sandals please). Your child will also need a complete set of spare clothes that have been labelled with their full name, in case of an emergency.

If your child has any dietary requirements please let the manager or key worker know. We are a healthy setting and would like to ask you to support us by encouraging your child to eat fresh fruits and vegetables and share the Wow moment with the key worker.

If your child is unwell we ask you to judge whether they should attend nursery and seek advice from a medical professional.

All nursery fee MUST be paid by 5th of every month.

Unless asked to please do not encourage your child to bring in toys from home as staff cannot be responsible for looking after them.

We are doing child initiated activities focusing on children's interest. More focused outdoor activities are being done and babies are exploring more messy play.

Finally, I would like to say my office door is always open to all the parents and members of staff.

All suggestions and comments would be welcomed.

Kind regards

Devinderjit Kaur Ahluwalia

Manager