March 2021

Welcome to our Spring 2021 update! As the weather gets better and the nights get lighter, we wanted to share some updates with you. BRSF Programme Extended!

We’re delighted to tell you that DWP have confirmed a further 12 month extension to the Building Relationships for Stronger Families Programme. Referrals will therefore continue from 1st April this year until 31st March 2022.

We offer four courses for parents to address their relationship issues, whether they are separated or together.

For practitioner referrals, please contact the Referral Gateway to explore the referral and check eligibility: rpcreferrals@westminster.gov.uk or parents can selfrefer via the Tavistock Relationships webpage.

Relationships Matter Thank you to all who presented, facilitated and attended sessions during our inaugural Relationships Matter week in January. Discussions were rich and varied and it’s clear that they were a starting place for furthermuch-neededconversations.

Building Relationships for Stronger Families Programme ‘Within My Reach’ group for Separated Parents

The next Within My Reach course for Separated Parents start in April.

The course, facilitated by Family Lives, focuses on communication, effective co-parenting, talking to children about separation and recognising the challenges and opportunities of step-parenting or blended families.

The course runs remotely, on MS Teams, from 10am to 12pm over 8 sessions, on the following dates: 27th and 28th April, 4th, 5th,11th, 12th, 18th and 19th May 2021.

Contact for further details: rpcreferrals@westminster.gov.uk

Brighton & Hove City Council and OnePlusOne have developed ‘Getting On Better’ cards. The cards are designed to help you think about your relationship, with ideas on how to reduce tension and arguments. Parents can look through the cards and follow the suggestions either together or separately. Find the cards here.

Between Us App Launch Tavistock Relationships have launched a new free App called ‘Between Us’ with exercises, information, videos and tips to work on your relationships. Click for more info.

Fathers for Futures is an inclusive parent programme to help enhance father/child relationships and raise happy confident children. The programme is for fathers and male carers of children ages 0 – 18 years old in Westminster from any background.

Fathers for Futures delivers the popular ‘Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities’ parenting programme for anyone raising children. The programme runs for three hours a week for 13 weeks. Refreshments are included and we may be able to provide free childcare.

Future Men is a multi-award-winning specialist charity that supports young people, boys and men. www.futuremen.org 0207 237 5353 Registered Charity Number: 1102451 Registered Company Number (England): 3443520

Come along to an introductory session to find out more and see if it’s for you! The course will help you to:

● Build positive family relationships

● Manage anger and stress

● Implement effective discipline strategies

● Gain confidence and communication skills

● Understand your child’s development

● Recognise and value your family and cultural traditions

● Meet other fathers and share ideas

All groups end with a celebration and you will receive a certificate and a parent manual.

Fathers for Futures is available in your local area at children centres, schools and community venues. For more information on venues and how to book please go to our website or contact Ahmed Abd-Elghany on email: a.abd-elghany@futuremen.org or mobile: 07757212131.

Dear Parents/ Carers,

The long winter is ending and we are happy to welcome Spring to our nursery garden. The children are now seeing their hard work in planting bulbs paying off in a sea of daffodils and primroses in the nursery garden. We will be focusing on growth when we come back in April and intend developing our vegetable garden, which once grown, the children will be cooking the produce on the garden fire pit.

Parents meetings via the phone are taking place over the weeks of 15th, 22nd and 29th of March. If we have not caught up with you over this period, we will continue after the Easter holidays. We are so happy with the children’s progress and hope you will be too.

Easter Holidays

The last day of term will be 31.3.21 and the nursery day will be 8.45- 1pm for all children.

We invite the afternoon children to come in the morning session as we plan a picnic and Easter egg hunt on the last day of term. We will have breakfast club on the last day but we will not have after school club as we will be cleaning the nursery. We re open on April the 19th for the Summer Term.

 

Our new website is being designed as we speak and thank you to the parents who have volunteered their time in helping us. It is much appreciated. Watch this space.

 

The children and the staff have enjoyed mini Forest School and the learning has been immense. Last week the children decided to make environmental signs to put on stakes in the FS to try and encourage dog owners to clean up after their dogs. I do not know where it came from, but several children drew grannies and dog poo. Being a Granny myself I tried to dissuade them from thinking all Grannies have dogs and let them poo everywhere. I am unsure as to whether they believe me! We are sorry that you have not been able to come in on a weekly basis to follow their learning journey but we have made you a special FS book which will come home with the children profiles. We will send the profiles home again after Easter for you to share with your child.

 

Toilet Training

Don’t forget to look on the Parents Page for useful information regarding toilet training, emotional support and practical support. It takes a village to raise a child! Developmentally, we expect children in the 2 year olds and some children with additional needs to need support in this area, Eg. We have higher ratios of staff to facilitate nappy changing and a specific area in the 2 year old room with a changing table. We do not expect 2 year olds to be toilet trained.

However, if you have a child who has started recently in the 3-5 year olds and your child is still in nappies, please look at the tips provided. The staff have been working on toilet training in school, the Easter break of 2 weeks is a good time to practise toilet training at home. Look at our twitter and Instagram home learning for videos by the staff regarding toilet training. Thank you.

Oral Health

At Easter I am sure there may be a lot of chocolate eating going on! We have been teaching children the importance of healthy eating and brushing their teeth twice a day. We have a huge set of teeth on which we practice, the children find this fascinating! Look at our twitter and Instagram home learning for videos by the staff regarding oral health. You will also find support in finding a dentist on the parent’s page on the website. Thank you.

Think Equal

Exciting new project started at Mary Paterson! We have been working with a charity that has developed teaching resources specifically for the early years regarding Equality. The research behind this has shown that children as young as three are aware of race, gender, dis ability and stereotypes. We are delivering lessons that aim to talk about our similarities and difference and the children are loving it. The concepts behind what we are doing include; self confidence, resilience, acceptance of difference and celebration of diversity. After the Easter break, I will carry out a zoom where I can tell you more and you can ask questions about our Personal, Social and Emotional curriculum.

Have a lovely Easter break , when it arrives and please take care of yourselves.

With Regards,

Rose Parle

The staff will phone you between the times below. If the times or dates do not work for you, please drop Michele an email and we will organise different times, over the next couple of weeks. Please bear with us as we still have four members of staff shielding. We look forward to speaking to you; I hope you have a great weekend (hopefully some sunshine!!!!). Regards, Rose

Parent Consultations week of 15th March 2021

Tuesday 16th 3pm- 4pm Mariam and Charlene

Thursday 18th 3 - 5pm Maggie

Jude

Andrea

Mariam

Charlene

Parent Consultations week of 22nd March 2021

Thursday 25th 3 - 5pm Maggie

Jude

Andrea

Mariam

Charlene

Parent Consultations week of 29th March 2021

Monday 29th 3pm- 5pm Joy, Maggie, Mariam

Jackie and Jude