News and Events
Parent Tips, Ideas and Suggestions
04th July 2023
This is a space for parents to communicate with each other. If you have any suggestions, please email us with your ideas so that we can include them in this section of the newsletter.
Messy Children are Happy Children
04th July 2023
As always, we have been playing outside as much as possible. Water walls, water slides, mud kitchen, shaving foam, playdough, construction, loose play, minibeast hunts, hedgehog preservation and so much more! We are having so much fun but sorry if we come home a bit messy!
Aberdeen City Council Pre-School Funding – Session 2023/24 – 1140 hours
04th July 2023
As per my previous emails, KingsWellies and QueensWellies Nurseries will continue to provide the 1140 FREE hours from August 2023. This equates to 30 hours per week over 38 weeks of the year. Please ensure that you read ALL of the 1140-hour funding information that we send you. We are constantly inundated with queries around this. We provide you with this so that you can adequately plan your finances. There should be no surprises. Regardless whether we work a 38-week model (which we do), a 46 week model or 50 week model - you ALL receive exactly the SAME amount of free hours and funding across the year. It is up to you to choose the nursery that suits you best. Thank you.
Nappies and Toilet Training
04th July 2023
We are making a plea to ALL parents to please support us in ensuring that your children are fully toilet trained by the time that they move into the pre-school rooms (aged three years). Whilst we fully appreciate that all children are individuals, the toddler stage is the most appropriate age for this training milestone to happen. Once in the older rooms, children become much more aware of themselves and wearing nappies can lead to embarrassment. We also really want to focus on lots of high-quality learning and teaching with our older children. Nappy changing takes staff away from this very important part of their job. Our staff are ALL here to help you with this very important milestone. Nappies are also only supplied by us until children reach 3 years old. Parents must then supply their own. Please don’t hesitate to discuss with us and we will provide our full support.
Stay and Play Holiday Club – 3 Hour Sessions
04th July 2023
We are aiming to offer a Stay and Play Holiday Club for our existing children/those who have recently left us to attend P1. We always have additional spaces open over the summer holidays, this is because of children leaving us to go to P1. This is why we thought that we would trial this additional option for parents – go shopping, get your chores done, have some space to yourself over the long 6-week summer holiday! Open from 10th July until 22nd August 2023. To book or find out more information: please email admin@kingswelliesnursery.com
Stay and Play and Parent’s Night
04th July 2023
These events were all a great success. Many thanks to everyone who attended. Through consultation, some of our parents asked us to change times (so that working parents didn’t have to leave work early) and to provide a wider range of dates for parent’s nights. I am sure that you will appreciate that staff have lots to do every day, therefore afternoons work best for us. Staff also work very long days (average 9.5 hours per day) so to offer a range of parent’s night dates would mean that they would be working for 13 hours plus in any one day. We try to give our parents as much notice as possible so that you can all attend regardless of times. We will most certainly continue to offer annual parent’s nights and to offer a range of visits to the nursery for parents and friends over the course of each year. Some parents have also asked for a Summer family event. Caroline is in the process of arranging an informal picnic for our families in Hazelhead Park. More information to follow.
KingsWelllies and QueensWellies Improvement Plan 2023 / 2024
04th July 2023
We are at that point again where we are drafting our Improvement Plan for session 23/24. We want to consult with you on our Plan. We will send out our Draft Plan to you very soon. What do you think that we could improve on? What should our priorities for improvement be? Please let us know. Please give us your feedback.
Over the next few weeks, we will be focusing on a variety of topics in our playrooms. These will inc
04th July 2023
• Happy Healthy Me • Cultures of the world – PLEASE talk to us about your childhood memories, your culture, your traditions, your beliefs and your celebrations. We really want to learn more about cultures around the world. • Rules and Routines • KINDNESS – Are you a bucket filler or a bucket dipper? • Child-led improvement groups – Our Eco Group, Kindness Group, Charities Group, Graduation Group and Playground Improvement Group will keep working hard to improve our nursery. • Holidays and Landmarks • LOTS of Reflection Time in our learning groups; talking about our learning and what we would like to learn with our key workers. • Seasons and sun safety– Summer • Gardening, making dens and improving our playground • Our families and friends • Walks out and about around our community and lots of outdoor play • Daily mile – scavenger hunts, environmental print, shape, numeracy, literacy and pattern walks • Writing our names and learning lots of rhyming words • Getting ready for school and our new school nurseries • 3rd July – Croque Monsieur on the fire pit • 7th July – International chocolate day • 10th July – Teddy bears picnic day • 11th July – Hot Dogs on the Fire pit • 19th July - Entier BBQ • 20th July – Moon day • 20th July – Scott’s Birthday Party – Birthday cakes for all! Staff BBQ! • 23rd July – Class of 23 Graduation • 23rd July – Parents Day • 24th July – National Ice cream day • 28TH July – Pizza Party for all children • 30th July – International friendship day • 1st August – UK play day • 2nd August – National day for play • 3rd August - Bunty the ice cream van to visit • 5th August – National sisters day • 8th August – International cat day • 9th August – National book lovers day • 19th August – World photo day • 26th August – International dog day • 30th August – National beach day • 31st August – Eat outside day • 1st September – World letter writing day • 5th September – International Charities day • 6th September – Read a book day • 8th September – International literacy day • 9th September – Emergency Services day • 9th September – Teddy bear day • 13th September – Roald Dahl Day • 16th September – World clean-up day • 18th September – Jewish new year • 18th September – Eat an apple day • 20th September – Recycle week • 22nd September – World rhino day • 25th September – World dream day • 28th September – Good neighbour day • Literacy, Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing are the responsibility of ALL nursery and school practitioners. LOTS of exciting learning opportunities!
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts
04th July 2023
Some of our children have already started to leave us and I have to say that all of the emails, messages and cards have really brought a tear to my eye. The very kind words mean such a huge amount as it proves that we have achieved what we set out to do. We genuinely only want the very best for all of our children and families.
Kingswellies Class of 2023
04th July 2023
Here are some suggestions to help prepare your child for starting school in August 2023. Do they recognise their own name? If not make a sign together for their room and where they hang their jacket at home so that they are used to seeing it. If you are going to teach them to write their name please only teach the first letter as a capital- if they learn their whole name in capitals it then takes time for them to unlearn it. Remember school is different from when you went, they will be unlikely to have their own desk but they will be very used to the set up as it’s similar to Nursery. Label EVERYTHING! Encourage them to open their own snacks so that they are able to do it at playtime and lunchtime. Velcro shoes are best! Don’t share your concerns with them and don’t talk about how they are your baby and they aren’t ready! They are taking their lead from you! Can they put on their own jacket and zip it up? If not, start encouraging them now! Can they use the toilet independently and wash and dry their hands independently? Now is the time to work on this. When you find out their gym days it’s best not to put them in shirt and tie on these days. In Scotland all P1s-P3’s get a free lunch - when you get a menu pop it somewhere in the house and let them know what the choices are each day and decide what they will have together. P1 teachers are angels in disguise, I promise you can trust them with your baby!