top of page

Duffield Preschool

Newsletter January - February 2025

small panel left.png

Dates for Diary 2025

​

Spring term 1:  Monday 6th January 2025– Friday 14th February 2025.

Spring 2nd half term: Monday 24th February – Friday 4th April

 

Inset day: Monday 24th February – please note that we are closed to preschool children on school inset days.

 

Summer term starts on: Monday 17th April

​

A warm welcome to all our new families we hope you have all had a good Christmas and New year. Please find the planning sheet printed at the back of this newsletter, this gives you more details of the topic of the week as well a few other details.

 

​

Collection of Children: Could you please let us know if someone different is going/likely to be picking up your child. Could you please ensure that everybody around your child knows you PASSWORD.

Our phone number is 07955 16 88 92. Thank you.​

​

Nature reserve: As the weather has now turned colder we will not be running any afternoon sessions. However, we are hoping to start this again after half term. Thank you

 

Preschool AGM: Thursday 23rd January 2025 at 7.30pm

Duffield pre-school is run by a parent management committee. The committee supports the pre-school by:

 - Helping us to provide a high-quality service.

 - Ensuring that we work in partnership with parents

 - Employing and managing staff

 - Managing the group’s finances.

We are a constituted, charitable organisation and therefore need a committee to continue the service we offer to the community and parents. We need volunteers on our committee, if you would like to know more please chat to a staff or committee member.

 

Applications for school places for Sept 2025

If your child was born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021 you should apply for their infant or primary school place by 15 January 2025. You'll be able to apply from 11 November 2024.

The application process is quick and easy and you can also find information about how to choose a school and apply for a primary, infant or junior school place in our parents guide to primary admissions.

You'll get your offer on 16 April 2025 and if you're unhappy with the decision you can make a school admission appeal.

​​​

SAFEGUARDING

Safeguarding is given the highest priority at Duffield Pre-School. There may be times when adults are concerned about children in the community. If so, then you can contact DCC's Child Protection Department on 01629 533190, the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or come directly and speak to Clare, Emily or JO as Designated Safeguarding Lead. If you have any safeguarding concerns about a child, please use the Preschool email address duffield.preschool@hotmail.co.uk     Please do not ignore concerns; child protection is everyone's responsibility.

​

Collection of Children: Could you please let us know if someone different is going/likely to be picking up your child. Could you please ensure that everybody around your child knows you PASSWORD.

Our phone number is 07955 16 88 92. Thank you.​

​

Lunches: Please remember that we are a Nut Free preschool, no nuts please (including spreads like Nutella and peanut butter). Could grapes and small tomatoes please be cut in half as they are a choking hazard.

​

Payment of fees: Just a reminder that fees are payable within one week of the receipt of the invoice we would be grateful if you can stick to this deadline as it creates a great deal of extra admin checking the bank account. Of course, if there is an issue at any point then please speak to one of the staff.​​

 

Names in Coats, gloves and Water bottles please, please, please: Lots of the children have lovely coats or more than one and we are battling to match up coats to children, as well as water bottles, please help!!! Thank you so much

​​

We have a Facebook page that we sometimes post pictures of activities that we have done at preschool. https://www.facebook.com/DuffieldPreSchool/

​

Funding changes As some of you are aware from April 2024 parents of 2 year olds will be able to claim funding for 15 hours of child care each week. (Income dependant) We are pleased that the government have set a funding rate of £7.21 per hour. However, this will have an impact on those who will still be paying for their child’s sessions. Currently we charge £18.00 per session if we stayed in line with the funding rate we would need to increase fees to £21.63 per session. In order to stagger this increase our committee has decided that existing 2 year olds would are unfunded after April will be charged £19.50 moving to £21.63 in September.

The funding rate for 3 &4 year olds has also increased so from April we will now be charging £5.00 per additional hour instead of the current £4.80 per hour. If you have any questions with regards to funding, please speak to Clare.

​​

Jewellery: No jewellery except for religious or cultural reasons. Thank you​​

​

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DuffieldPreSchool/

Website: https://www.duffieldpreschool.co.uk/

​

If you have any queries or concerns please don’t hesitate to approach a staff member.

​

From all of us at Duffield Preschool

bottom of page