Well that was a rather chilly week at Preschool! We did spend some time outdoors this week, keeping warm by running around and racing on the trikes. We also observed all the ice and frost in the garden and noticed our warm breath in the icy air. We introduced the children to some Scottish traditions and activities for Burns Night as we made tartan pictures using paint rollers, decorated thistles and made flags.
Next week we are celebrating national storytelling week and will focus on 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' and 'We are going on a Bear Hunt'. Activities will include exploring oats alongside the play dough, making bear stick puppets, tea set activities in the role play area and some fun craft activities all about water, mud and grass. Here is a link to the National Literacy Trust with some more information about the week and activity ideas.
Dates and reminders:
Emails
For any day to day information, questions, requests, please use the managers email which comes directly to me (preschoolmanager@meldreth.cambs.sch.uk). This can include questions about day to day running of the setting, clothing, planning and activities, upcoming holidays and general enquiries.
If your child is going to be off with sickness or as a last minute absence, please email the managers email and the office (office@meldreth.cambs.sch.uk). This will then ensure we do not email or call you unnecessarily if your child is absent.
Lunches
The school lunches are becoming more popular which is lovely to see and great for the children to enjoy a hot meal at this time of year. If your child is going to be absent when you have already ordered a lunch, please email or call the office so the meal can be cancelled. In the event that your child's lunch is not cancelled in time, you may still be charged.
Illness
We have noticed there are many coughs, colds and viruses circulating at the moment and we ask that if your child seems unwell that they remain at home until they are able to fully enjoy their sessions at Preschool. This includes if your child is requiring Calpol before coming in as it is likely they will soon become unwell again once the paracetamol wears off. Preschool is a active, exciting environment, and is not the best place for a child who is feeling under the weather.
If your child does become unwell with cold/flu like symptoms or has a raised temperature of 38 or above, we will call to ask for them to go home. This is especially important with high temperatures as we are unable to administer paracetamol to children in Preschool to control a rising temperature.
We have also seen a tummy bug at Preschool this week. In the event that your child has any vomiting and/or diarrhoea, we will give you a call to collect them and we ask that they stay away from the setting for 48hours after the last bout. This really helps in preventing the spread of such illnesses and ensures we can keep the children and staff team well as possible.
We take all our guidance on illnesses from the NHS and Health and Safety and I have attached a guidance poster for common childhood illnesses.
It looks as though the weather is set to warm up a little so I hope you all enjoy a lovely weekend with a little less ice and frost.
