August newsletter, 2025

We are hoping you are all having a lovely summer and making most of the sunshine.

We would like to welcome Abigail to the management team. She will be working as a deputy manager at our Holborough Lakes nursery along with Sarah. We also welcome back Clare and Sommer to the Chatham team.  

We would like to ask if parents are interested in the Chatham nursery opening at 7am, instead of the current 7.30am for which there would be an extra charge.   Please let Kelly, Michelle or Agi know by Tuesday 26th August.

All dates for the Outdoor Learning sessions have been booked till the end of the year. The letters will be going out shortly. The outdoor learning adventures are about the children getting outdoors and exploring nature. The children learn about how to look after themselves as well as nature. They have opportunities to use tools in a controlled environment and learn to cook their own food.

Chatham nursery is currently being redecorated which take place over the next three months.   There may be some disruption to your child’s normal room, however we are working hard to keep everything as regular as possible.

Dates for your diary

Monday 25th August 2025 Bank Holiday Closure

Autumn 2025

Start: Monday 1st September 2025

Finish: Friday 17th October 2025

Autumn break: Monday 20th October 2025 to Friday 24th October 2025

Start: Monday 27th October 2025

Finish: Wednesday 17th December 2025

For the all Year round children

Last day: 23rd December

Open 29th, 30th and 31st December

Closed: 1st January

Open 2nd January

If you are unsure if your child is term time only or all year round, please ask a member of management.

Whats going on at Chatham

Over the last couple of weeks, the children and staff have made the most of the sunny weather. The children have been going out for walks to the library to explore and read some books and to the pond to feed the ducks. Babies and toddlers have also been to the Strand and the children had a wonderful time. They travelled on a bus, enjoyed the climbing frame, played in the sandpit and most importantly, eat ice cream. Whilst at the nursery, the learning hasn’t stopped, the children have been focusing on singing and rhyming to build early communication skills.

This week, Preschool are going to Jeskyns Community Woodland in Gravesend to see the Gruffalo statues and the fairy garden. Over the past few weeks, the preschool have been doing lots of baking activities,  focusing upon building  social skills ready for the children who will be leaving for school. One theme has been transport. The children have been learning about different vehicles, as well as making airplanes and cars from junk modelling. The children have been learning from  books about different types of trucks and how they help us in the environment.

Whats going on at Holborough

Preschool are going to be working on recognising the own names. They will be using a self-registration board and tracing the letters in messy play. The children will be starting a letter/ phonics of the week and use them to plan different activities linked to the letter

Preschool will be doing learning walks around the Holborough Lakes Estate and collecting natural objects to use in craft session for example they will be making hedgehogs out of sticks. Preschool will be looking at different shapes, learning their names, tracing them, and doing shape hunts in the room, garden and whilst they are out on their learning walk. Finally, they will also be looking at the numbers 1 to five, tracing the numerals and attempting to add the numerals the amounts of objects.

Toddlers are also doing nature walks to collect natural objects to do sensory activities. They will be playing with leaves, doing object painting and making hedgehogs out of sticks and leaves.

Toddlers will be focusing on doing self-registration and finding pictures of themselves during circle time.

On 9th September 2025, it is National Teddy Bear Day so we are asking the children to bring in their favourite teddies into nursery to play for the day.

Babies will be doing a family week where they will be looking at making family tree picture as well as, looking at pets, their houses and their families like siblings and extended family. They will be looking at different countries (Africa, America, England, Asia and Australia). The babies will be painting flags, exploring different foods, and learning about animals and sports they play. They will be doing a Maths week which includes tracing shapes, shape hunts, looking at colours and mixing paints. They will be doing baking introducing measurements

Gentle reminders

We would like to ask parents to send in some spare clothes with the children, especially if they are doing potty training and label all of the children’s items .

Invoices need to be paid by the 7th of each month, any enquiries regarding these need to be made via email. Thank you to the huge number of parents that do pay by this date, however late charges will be added to those that pay late.

Sun cream needs to be applied before the children coming to nursery. We care for many children and it is impossible to apply the sun cream before temperatures rise too high. Unfortunately, without having sun cream and sun hats on, the children won’t be able to able to enjoy the garden

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