Bright Stars Newsletter
STAFF CHANGES/NEWS
We are so happy to announce that Amy is expecting her very own little one, due end of October. We all know that Amy is going to make the most fantastic mummy and I’m sure you will all congratulate her when you see her
As you are not going to see all staff members due to the pandemic, we will be getting to know 1 member of staff in each monthly newsletter. This month’s member of staff is Amy who is our Deputy Manager and supports in the office and in our baby room.
NEW COVID GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE
What is new?
From 17th May you will be able to meet up to 30 people outside and will be able to meet up to 6 people indoors or two-house holds can meet indoors.
Indoor entertainment will open, and remaining accommodation will reopen.
Significant life events such as weddings will be able to have up to 30 people attend.
We will still be encouraging drop off and pickups at the entrance as usual and the use of face masks too. Thank you for adhering to this!
OFSTED
Please can you help?
We are overdue our Ofsted inspection and as they are back to inspecting from the 4th May, we feel we are very imminent. They will want to know parents’ feedback so we hope you will find the time to email us your thoughts on the setting so that we can share them with the inspector – just drop us an email, it will mean the world to us and thank you so much in advance! 😊
Term dates: For all our term-time only children, we will be closed the week commencing 31st May. We will be back open again on Monday 7th June.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
We have lots going on this month 
so, pop these dates on your calendars
Monday 3rd: May Day Bank Holiday – setting closed
W/C 3rd: Screen-free week
Wednesday 5th: Bike to school day
W/C 17th: Eid party week – all week we will be dressing up in party wear, having party food for tea and enjoying Eid parties and activities. Please join in by dressing up and joining in the fun with us 😊
Thursday 20th: World Bee Day! Come dressed up as a bee for fun, or black and yellow?
Saturday 29th: Elmer day – this is our core story this month so why not dress up in rainbow colours on Friday 28th?
Monday 31st: Spring bank holiday – setting closed
Monday 3rd: May Day Bank Holiday – setting closed
W/C 3rd: Screen-free week
Wednesday 5th: Bike to school day
W/C 17th: Eid party week – all week we will be dressing up in party wear, having party food for tea and enjoying eid parties and activities. Please join in by dressing up and joining in the fun with us 😊
Thursday 20th: World Bee Day! Come dressed up as a bee for fun, or black and yellow?
Saturday 29th: Elmer day – this is our core story this month so why not dress up in rainbow colours on Friday 28th?
Monday 31st: Spring bank holiday – setting closed
SUNFLOWERS
How well are they growing?
You should have all had your little sunflower sent home by now – please look after it and nurture it ready to go outside once it has sprouted. We are going to have a competition to see whose sunflower grows the biggest so please share your photo’s on Baby’s days and also on Facebook when we share ours! Children – keep an eye on the plant pot by the front door, this is where we will be planting ours.
We have also got one planted in the middle garden which the children are looking are helping us look after 😊
SCHOOL PLACEMENTS
For children going to school this September
You should have all found out where your child is going to school by now, just log into the portal to find out if not – please ensure once you have been offered a place that you accept it. For those that applied late, you will find out on 18th May. Please let us know on that day please. It is important you let us know where your child will be attending so we can ensure we liase with the school about their progress etc.
Their last day at Bright Stars will be Tuesday 20th July (for term-time only children) and Tuesday 31st August for everyone else.
We want to congratulate you all on your placements and we will be working with your children on being school ready. We will also be sharing with you what things you could be doing with your child to prepare them for school in the next few months but some quick ideas to you can practice at home now are;
- Writing their own name
- Counting to 20
- Days of the week / months of the year
- Emotions – talk about feelings
- Crossing their legs
- Identifying colours
GETTING TO KNOW US
Hi I’m Amy 😊
And I have been working at Bright Stars for nearly 8 years! I have worked in the baby room as a nursery practitioner, team leader, senior and now deputy manager whilst supporting the baby room.
In my spare time I love spending time with my husband Reece and baking yummy cakes! I am so excited to tell you all that in October I will be becoming a mummy for the first time! 😊
MAY CORE STORIES
Do you have these books at home? Why not read them to your child?
Baby Room: Whatever next! 😊
Pre-school: Elmer 😊
Forest School: Everyone loves Butterflies
GENTLE REMINDERS
We are closed every bank holiday. This means the setting will be closed for all on Monday 3rd and Monday 31st May.
Please ensure you are picking up on time, this is to ensure our ratios are met. You must be here before 1pm or 6pm to ensure you have time for feedback.
If you get time, please can you take a review form (with the sanitizers) and send us a review in? These really do mean the world to us and we would love it if you could take a few minutes to do one. You can either post them back freepost or hand them back to us and we can do it for you.
We would love to know about different food’s around the world and different cultures, so if there is a native food that you eat, please can you send us a link to a recipe of it so we can print it off for our home corner area please? For instance – Spanish could be paella. Or if you have any kind of recipe that connects to your culture, even a family one – we’d love to hear about it! Please email us at [email protected]
Please ensure only one family is in the gated area at one time and you are practicing socially distancing in the car park. Please also ensure you continue to wear a mask – if you forget yours, there is a box on the hand sanitizer table which you are more than welcome to take.
We are a strictly NO NUT setting so packed lunch children, please remember no nuts, this includes things like Nutella and pesto. This is due to 2 children with severe allergies.
If your child is not going to be in nursery, please call us as soon as possible so we can mark the absence on our registers.
If you have any concerns, worries or issues, please speak to Kirsty or Amy.
We now have a new automatic hand sanitizer out the front, we hope you like it!
Please can we ask that you bring in spare clothes every day for your child in case of accidents, spillages etc.
Packed lunch children, we have a list of foods to not put in your child’s lunch box and a guide with what is classed as a healthy lunch. Please see separate attachment and take note please.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Who is celebrating their birthday this month?
Georgina will be 3 on the 7th
Elliot will be 3 on the 9th
Rayhan and Tia will be 4 on the 13th
Tracey (our lovely cook)’s is on the 14th
Emilija will be 3 on the15th
Maryam will be 4 on the 19th
Louie will be 2 on the 23rd
Ayla will be 4 on the 30th
If you would like to bring in any treats for the other children, we just ask that you bring it in 72 hours before the date so we can quarantine it before handing them out.
Also, we are happy to order a birthday cake for you – please ask for an order form 😊
FOREST SCHOOL WITH JOSH!
Josh has got lots of fun activities planned this month….
· Reading our new core story- everyone loves butterflies
· Maintaining the allotment
· Celebrating May day
· Building a fairy garden for the fairies
· Making spring wands
· Core story activity
· Den building
· Bug hunt
DONATIONS
We were wondering if any of our lovely families have the following, they no longer need and would be happy to donate:
- Old home phones or mobile phones (broken/not working/without batteries ideal as they are for role play)
- Magazines, newspapers, leaflets, and catalogues (of any sort) for our communication area
- Any kitchen items for the home corners inside or in the garden i.e. utensils, scales, baking trays, chopping boards, any baking items, artificial plants, timers, pots and pans, mixing bowls (we don’t mind how old they are as they will be well used!)
- Any print in different languages (i.e. leaflets, books, magazines). This is for our multicultural area.
- Any old clothes i.e. trousers, t-shirts etc. aged 2-5 years.
Thank you so much in advance.
WELL DONE TO ALL OUR STARS!
Every week, we award a child in baby room, pre-school, and forest school a star of the week. A member of staff also gets one! These are all our stars of the week for April (a massive well done everyone!)
Baby room: Noah, Harmony, Darcie & Ziya
Pre-school: Alice, Maryam, Samir & Zayyan
Forest: Alice, James & Mantra
Staff: Yaz, Amy, Helen & Sophie
