Even though it is already February, this is the Happy New Year greeting from all of us at Kiddies Kottage! We hope your year has started nicely because we are already doing some exciting things here. This is our first newsletter of the year and here are a few things for your attention.
Norovirus and Conjunctivitis
The NHS has reported an overwhelming outbreak of norovirus this season. The symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting and sometimes fever in children. For prevention, the NHS advises good hygiene, which includes regular handwashing. Hand sanitisers do not work against the virus. Cleaning surfaces with bleach containing solutions. Please take care of yourselves. With regards to Conjunctivitis, we are aware some GPs will not give eye-drops but please be considerate of other children and staff by keeping your child at home until the eye discharge stops.
Calpol before nursery
While we will not stop your child from attending nursery due to common cold and cough, we will not let them in if it is anything more serious, even if you might have given them ‘Calpol’ before nursery due to a high temperature. The only exception would be that your child is teething. If we notice your child is looking unwell, we will ask you to take them back home or we will call you to pick them up if their condition worsens. Your child will need to stay home until they have made a full recovery. We have to protect our younger children who are still building their immunity.
Funding entitlement
Eligible working parents will be able to claim the 30 hours childcare per week from September 2025. Please note that in some cases, funding becomes valid only the term after your child’s birthday which will usually be in January, April and September. More information on the range of childcare support available to parents can be found at childcarechoices.gov.uk where you can explore the early education entitlements and other government help with childcare costs. If you already have a code, please do not forget to re-confirm your code every 3 months.
We need your help
The budget announcement in October 2024 caused a massive shock to SMEs, particularly the Early Years sector. The proposed rise in the employer’s National Insurance (NI) contribution and minimum wage above inflation from April 2025 will amount to at least £2,600 increase in payment per employee. This will increase our running costs considerably. Also, with funded hours moving from 20% to 80% at a lower fee fixed by the government, our finances will be negatively impacted.
Ordinarily, fees have to increase but this is an option we do not want. We do not want to pass the cost to parents, especially with the high cost of living. This is where we need your help. Kindly petition your MPs to get the government to cover the increase in NI and minimum wage just like they do in the schools. There are two possible options you can help to propose: either to give the Early Years sector an exemption from the rise or increase the childcare funding provided through the Local Authority. The Department for Education (DfE) has had to change the wording from “free” to “government-funded” to describe the early entitlement offers because the hours are highly subsidised to the detriment of the childcare provider. The Chancellor needs to support the Early Years because the first five years of a child’s life is when they learn behaviourally, cognitively, physically and socially at a faster rate than any other time in their lives, according to an OECD report in 2020.
Kindly send your petition to these email addresses:
Rt. Hon Steve Reed (MP for Streatham and Croydon North) [email protected]
Dame Siobhain McDonagh (MP for Mitcham and Morden) [email protected]
Reminder of the delivery of the funded hours
The 15 hours for babies and toddlers cover one full day (8am-6pm) and a half day 8am-1pm or 1pm-6pm. For 30 hours funded, it will be delivered as three full days. Additional hours, if required, will be charged for. This delivery model will enable us to accommodate more children to remain sustainable.
Parents’ meeting
Parents meeting will be arranged for the first two weeks in March. Keypersons will arrange individual sessions.
Nappies, Pull-ups, wipes and fingernails
Please may we ask that you provide wipes and JUST pull-ups when your children start to potty-train and nappies when they are NOT potty training. Changing children with pull-ups when they are not needed takes away from the time that could be better spent supporting the children’s learning and developing. Also, may we ask that you please cut the children’s fingernails and file them down for health and safety reasons. Thank you!
Extra curricular activities and other things
Daisies (babies) have soft play sessions at the Streatham Leisure centre and music and movement on alternate Wednesday.
Lilies (toddlers) do Music and Movement and Listening sessions using music.
Daffodils (Preschoolers) have football lessons on Thursdays and French lessons on Tuesdays.
Going to the library: We take all children to the library at Pollards Hill regularly.
Cooking activities take place every Friday.
Local visits in the community: We take the children to the park, Lidl, train station, conservatory area, shops etc from, time to time.
We are trying to enrich our children’s experience and knowledge so that they develop more holistically. As they say, learning is done not only in the classroom.
Sustainability fee, breakfast and lunch
From April 2025, the sustainability fee will be charged at £2 per funded hour and our food provision which includes snacks/fruits at 10am, lunch at 11:45am, snack at 2pm, Tea at 3:45pm and snack again at 4:30pm-5pm will increase from £5 to £7 daily. If you child attends from 8am, we will charge an additional £3 daily for breakfast. For the babies, if your child attends on Wednesday, we will charge £5 for soft play at the leisure centre. THIS APPLIES ONLY TO CHILDREN ASSESSING JUST THE FUNDED HOURS.
Uniforms
We are a uniform-wearing nursery. The advantages of wearing uniforms include most importantly safeguarding our children since we are out and about in the community so much. Other benefits include protecting their personal clothing from stains during play, getting them school ready and making all children feel part of a group amongst others. Please request your set from the nursery by emailing [email protected].
Fees and Retainership fee
Please when making payments from your account, use your child’s name as a payment reference for easy identification. All fees are pre-paid monthly. Please note: we do not accept cash. Invoices will be sent for lunch, fees and all other services. Please do not make payments through the invoicing system (Sum-up). Payments should be made directly into the nursery’s bank account.
Bank: Lloyds Bank
Account Name: Kiddies Kottage Nursery
Account No: 22 86 12 60
Sort Code: 77-91-30
Any queries regarding finance should be sent to [email protected]. Ms Carole will handle them.
As per our terms and conditions uploaded in May 2024 and re-uploaded in November 2024, a retainership fee is charged for parents whose children are term-time ONLY. It is 30% of the full fees as stated. A copy of the terms and conditions will be resent via Tapestry for your information and signatures. Thank you for your support.
Dates for your diary
Half term: Monday 17th – Friday 21st February 2025
Break for Easter Holidays for funded children: Friday 4th April 2025
Nursery Resumes for funded children: Tuesday 22nd April 2025
Half term for funded children: Monday 26 May to Friday 30 May 2025
Last day of term for funded children: Tuesday 22nd July 2025
Trip for the term: TBC
Nursery is open all through for non-funded children.
Correspondence & Communication
Other events and dates will be communicated to you via Tapestry. Please endeavour to log into the tapestry account regularly as this is our primary means of communicating with you.
We want to take the time to thank you for your support.
If you have any questions, please speak to us or email us at [email protected].
