Health Notice

Good morning everyone ,

We have this morning had a confirmed case of Scarlet  Fever in the schoolhouse . We have been advised that this is highly infectious , so please take note of the following symptoms.
Sore throat and high temperature
A bright red rash - usually starts as small red spots on the neck and upper chest and then spreads . The rash will go white if pressed.
Tongue may be pale with red spots
Possible headache and vomiting

This is treated by a course of antibiotics .

For full details of symptoms and treatment , please go to www.patient.co.uk . I have printed this information and it is on display in both buildings .


Wishing you all a wonderful (and healthy) Christmas!

Marion

Merry Christmas

Thank you to all who made it along to the sunflowers Christmas concert yesterday . It was standing room only and the audience were treated to a wonderful performance . The children and staff worked very hard to produce the concert , and it showed -  thank you all for a lovely afternoon ...and for all the yummy cakes and biscuits too!

Thanks to your kind donations , we were able to have two prizes in the raffle this year - The winner of the Christmas Hamper is Zoe Spalding , and the bottle of champagne goes to Deborah Ogg . Congratulations to you both and please collect your prizes from my office.

And there's more...... the christmas party is tomorrow afternoon 2-4pm. All sunflowers and buttercups are invited to this ..we look forward to seeing you all in your party gear , ready to have some fun and meet Santa :-)
Can you hear those sleigh bells????

A final reminder that we close at 6pm on Friday 23rd December and re-open at 8am Wednesday 4th Jan 2012 .

Barring severe weather conditions or any breaking news , this is likely to be the last blog of 2011 . Id like to thank  you all for your continued support and involvement with the nursery.We feel that we are a family at Craigton - a large one to be sure! and the close  involvement of the parents is hugely appreciated by us all .

Mr. and Mrs. Mackay have asked me to pass on their very best wishes to you all for a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year , as do all of us at Craigton .

So have a wonderful festive - I hope Santa brings everyone what they are hoping for - enjoy the break- we shall! Ho Ho Ho

Xmas Cards

The Xmas cards have just arrived and will be in your child's folder/file today :-)

Holiday activities

Good  morning everyone .

after all the excitement over Christmas , you may be looking for something to occupy your children before everything gets back to normal . if so , check out Christmas Art Camp . This is a holiday art group for Primary school aged children . It will run on Wed 4th , Thurs 5th and Friday 6th Jan 2012 at the Pop-In , North Deeside Road, Peterculter . Sessions are 9am-3pm/9am-12noon/12noon-3pm . £25.00 for full day , £15.00 for half day - this includes all materials and snack . There will be a selection of art stations for the children to choose , along with books. magazines, games and children's DVD's . For more information or to book a place please contact Susan Yule on  07968 489346 or email   susan.yule@cultercreative.co.uk 


Dont forget to come along to the sunflowers concert 3pm this afternoon - look forward to seeing you all there.

Last chance

Yes it is your last chance to buy tickets for the Xmas raffle - they are on sale in both buildings £1.00 for a strip of 5 tickets - the draw for the Xmas hamper will take place tomorrow after.......

the sunflowers Christmas concert is at 3pm tomorrow . Please come along and join us for this seasonal spectacular. The children and staff have been practising very hard and I'm sure you will all enjoy the performance.  You will be expected to join in some of the songs so I hope you know the words :-) The sunflowers have been very busy baking today , so you will all be able to have some festive goodies with us too.

And it goes on.....the Xmas party is also this week - Thursday 2-4pm . Santa will be visiting during the party and the excitement is already building at Craigton.  

Don't forget we close at 6pm on Friday and re-open 8am Wednesday 4th January 2012

Good afternoon

Hello everyone ,

a quick reminder to ask you to consider registering with  www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/craigtonlodgenursery .  I've just discovered that once registered you don't even have to log in to the site to raise funds . When you shop with any of the retailers in the scheme , they automatically make a donation :-) So please register and help us to raise funds while you shop - it doesnt cost you anything - Thank you .

www.infantandtoddlerforum.org   have posted some suggestions on their site for lovely christmas foods for under 3's . I've printed this off and its now on display in the schoolhouse . This is a really useful site with nutritional guidelines for young children , helpful tips and information on food intolerances and allergies , as well recipes and information on weaning and portion sizes . Please have  a look .

Dont forget next week we have the Sunflowers concert 3pm Tuesday 20th , and the Xmas party 2-4pm Thursday 22nd , and get your tickets for the Xmas raffle asap  .

Christmas at Craigton

Good morning everyone ,

A reminder that tickets are now on sale for our Christmas raffle - this will be drawn after the Sunflowers concert next week . So please buy your tickets now ....we're also still gratefully accepting donations for the hamper!

The Sunflowers concert is on Tuesday 20th December . This is always a very well attended event and seating is  limited so please be prepared to stand . If any of you wish to record this star studded event , please stand to the sides of the room so that others are able to see the live show- thank you . We will be serving festive refreshments after the show - so please stay and enjoy some christmas cheer ! The  pre-school development officer visited us this morning and was treated to a selection of songs from the concert by the sunflowers - the practices are going very well so I think you'll all enjoy this event :-)

All buttercups and sunflowers are invited to the Xmas party on Thursday 22nd December 2-4pm . Children who are normally here on  a Thursday morning do not need to be picked up until after the party at 4pm . The snowdrops and bluebells have their own more restrained celebrations for those children that normally attend on a Thursday afternoon - but don't worry , Santa will be coming to visit the children and will have gifts for all!

Apart from the high winds , so far we have been very lucky with the weather -  no snow! Please remember though , that if we have heavy snow/ice that the carpark will be closed until it can be cleared, and if we have transport problems , we may need to close early , all information about closures will be posted on this blog, so please check your email to keep up to date  .

The nursery will close at 6pm on Friday 23rd December and re-open 8am Wednesday 4th January 2012

Hello again

Yes Im back !

Just to let you know that tickets for the Christmas raffle are now on sale in both buildings - £1.00 for a strip of 5 tickets .All and any donations for the hamper will be warmly welcomed and much appreciated!

The draw for this will take place at the sunflowers concert - 3pm Tuesday 20th December .

Dont forget

A quick reminder to make sure you get your Christmas card orders back to us asap- the full order will be sent off on Monday 12th December - if they're not back in time you'll miss out !

Good morning

and a happy Monday to you all !

Yes winter has arrived - hope you're all wrapped up warmly today :-) I'm told that we will have snow today too. Don't forget that if we have heavy snow/ice that the carpark will be closed until it can be cleared .

The proofs of the Christmas  cards have finally  arrived and they are lovely . Each child has made their own design and they are being  put in your child's folder/file as I write this . You can order  these for £4.95/pack of 12 . As time is running out , please return any orders asap - by Monday 12th December  at the latest- I shall send them off that day to make sure they arrive back to us on time . Please pay by cheque to the nursery wherever possible . 

And finally - we are looking for donations for our Christmas hamper - this is the prize for our raffle , which will be drawn at the Sunflowers concert on 20th December - tickets  for this will be on sale shortly so please lookout for them . Anything that you can donate will be greatly appreciated - the children will also be making some surprises to be included!

Thank you

Reminder

Good morning everyone ,

and Happy Advent to you all ...we have heard lots of stories about Advent calendars this morning :-) I hope that the adults all have them too!

Just a reminder that its getting colder now , so please ensure that your child has suitable outdoor clothing . That's warm , waterproof suit/jacket and boots , hat , gloves and scarf please ...and also some soft soled shoes or slippers for indoors(and they all need to be named). The forecast is for -4 overnight , so it seems that winter really is here. We shall continue to spend time outside each day. The learning and play opportunities are limitless outdoors , the children have great fun , and it helps keep those winter bugs at bay- but they do need to be suitably dressed .

Don't forget if you are having a clearout in anticipation of all the goodies Santa will be bringing , we have a charity bin outside the pre-school building - they will happily accept  books , toys , DVD's , CD's , clothing etc .

And finally a reminder of some important dates :
Sunflowers Christmas Concert : Tuesday 20th Dec 3pm
Christmas Party : Thursday 22nd Dec 2-4pm
The nursery will close at 6pm on Friday 23rd Dec and re-open 8am Wednesday 4th Jan 2012

Parents Evening

Thank you to all of you who braved the horrible weather and came along to Parents evening last night . It was great to see so many of you there , and lovely for all of us to have the chance to have a decent chat with you - thank you also for your feedback on your children's(and your) experience of the nursery- its really valuable and interesting for us to hear how  your children share their new knowledge and skills with you at home ...we always like to hear what they do when not here too! We hope that you all had an informative and enjoyable time too :-)

Dont worry if you weren't able to make it - please see the staff in your child's department - you are welcome to take their folio home (but please make sure you bring it back). Staff will be happy to discuss their progress with you , or answer any questions you may have .

Giving Tree gifts need to be with us tomorrow please - they will be collected on Friday. Every year we are astonished at the generosity of parents and staff....and this year is no exception . The children you have so kindly donated gifts to will be delighted and you have all spread some REAL Christmas spirit- what could be better than giving joy to a child at this time of year . As the children are unable to thank you themselves , may I do so on their behalf  ....THANK YOU SO MUCH !

Reminder

Don't forget Parents Evening tonight 6-7:30pm - we're looking forward to seeing you all!

And please hand in any gifts for the Giving Tree Appeal by Thursday this week , as they will be picked up by Santa's helpers on Friday - thank you .

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!

I am delighted to tell you that Gail and Emma, both in the buttercups , have today completed  their work for SVQ II . Any of you who have gained qualifications whilst working full time , will be aware of the huge commitment and amount of hard work involved to achieve this. Well done both of you- we're all very proud of you ! :-) 

Winter weather arrangements

Good afternoon everyone ,

Following a Parent Forum meeting last night(minutes in each department) Id like to let you know about some arrangements should we have heavy snow/ice over the winter . We are fully stocked with grit/salt and have arrangements in place for snow clearing . However , given the awful conditions last year, and the subsequent problems this caused , we have decided that in the case of heavy snow , the carpark will be closed until it can be cleared , and then reopened when safe to do so . As we are unable to clear the carpark when its in use , this is the safest option . Notice of closures will be posted on the blog as soon as possible , but please be aware that if you have difficulty getting here due to snow , it is likely that the carpark will be closed .
Also , although we make every effort to ensure that the nursery stays open in adverse weather conditions , this is dependant on our staffing levels . We have several staff who live in Aberdeenshire , others who use public transport , and some with children at school. If roads are blocked , buses disrupted or schools closed , our staff are unable to get here - this means we may need to close early. Again this will be posted on the blog , so please make sure you check your mail when the weather is bad - thank you .

There are still a few gift tags available for the Giving Tree appeal - please remember to have the gifts back to us by Thursday 1st December as they will be collected on the 2nd .

And finally , don't forget its Parents Evening next week - Tuesday 29th November 6-7:30pm - we look forward  to seeing you then !

Literacy News

The Literacy Trust have just launched a new website for parents . Its packed with information about books and how to support and encourage your child's reading and love of stories .
The advice and information is given by age group and gives parents guidance about their child's reading milestones . There are book recommendations and lots of resources to download - its definitely worth a look !

www.wordsforlife.org.uk  


Enjoy!

Pre-school Eye tests

Good morning ,

The P1 eye testing programme has been changed and all children in their pre-school year are now being offered eye tests. Information on this , and consent forms have today been issued to those children( birth dates between 01/03/07-29/02/08). The orthoptist will be here on Thursday 1st December in the afternoon , and a further date TBC for those children not attending that day . If you are happy for your child to have this test , you don't need to do anything else , but if you'd prefer they weren't tested , please return the tear off slip to me before 1st December - thank you

Dates for your Diary

Good afternoon everyone ,

Don't forget its Parents Evening next Tuesday 29th November 6 to 7:30pm - please come along and see what your children have been doing at nursery , have a glass of wine and the opportunity to talk to staff and meet other parents - we hope you can all make it!

The Sunflowers Christmas Concert will be on Tuesday 20th December at 3pm . All parents, grandparents , aunties and uncles etc are welcome to this star studded event. Sunflowers parents will be given more information about this event nearer the time , but please keep this date free- you really dont want to miss this !

All departments will be having their Christmas party on Thursday 22nd December 2-4pm . All buttercups and sunflowers are invited to come along for all the festive fun and to meet a very special visitor - yes indeed I have had confirmation that Santa will be here to meet all the Craigton children that day ! The snowdrops and bluebells have their  own more restrained celebrations for the children that normally attend, as all that excitement can be rather overwhelming for the little ones ! But I'm sure that Santa will have gifts for all!

Many of you will have already  started your christmas shopping , and some will be taking advantage of online shopping . If so , please note that we are now registered with Easy Fundraising . If you shop online at all , please access through this , and each time you shop , a donation will be made to our Staff Development Fund - its doesn't cost you anything - you just need to register at  http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/craigtonlodgenursery  .......most major retailers can be accessed through this site so please register and each time you buy online here , you'll  help us raise funds - thank you . 

Our web designer , Susan Yule , has been very busy updating our website ,and we hope that our new improved content will be online soon - this will include a gallery of photos taken at the nursery . This area will be password protected and only accessible to parents and staff at the nursery. Susan is a very talented photographer and her pictures of the children are delightful - you'll be able to order prints of these from Susan( and you'll want to !) with a donation from each to the Staff Development Fund . If for any reason you do not wish your child/children's pictures to be posted , please let me know and we'll make sure they don't appear . I like to thank Susan and Barry for their time and effort in creating and maintaining  our website and for their continued support of our fundraising efforts - its very much appreciated guys ! They can also do the same for you , as well as graphic design(and I can highly recommend them!) - you can contact Susan on   susan.yule@cultercreative.co.uk

We shall soon be saying a fond farewell to Pamela(0-2yrs) . She has been with us for 2 1/2 years as a part-time assistant in the schoolhouse . Pamela is also a qualified beauty therapist ,and has started her own mobile business . So although we shall be sorry to see her go , we wish her huge success in her new venture. Her cards and leaflets are available in the nursery so please take one !

If you have anything you'd like to share with the other parents through the blog .... a charity event ,  services you can provide ,  or information you think may be of interest to others , please let me know and Ill post it on here- this is for us all to use :-)

And finally :  The nursery will be closing at 6pm on Friday 23rd December and reopening 8am on Wednesday 4th January 2012

Giving Tree Appeal

Good afternoon everyone ,

We are very pleased to be part of the Giving Tree appeal which we support every year . This is an appeal run by the Instant Neighbour Charity for children in the local area who would otherwise miss out on  a visit  from Santa. They may be in care , or living in circumstances where Christmas presents are  not possible - given the hype surrounding us already , I know that this is hard to believe , but some children in this area are much less fortunate than yours , and every child deserves to experience some Christmas magic .

There are gift tags in each department -they give the age and sex of a child - please choose a suitable gift , wrap it , attach the gift tag and return it to us by Thursday 1st December, as Santa's helpers will be collecting them on Friday 2nd Dec . 

We are all aware that this is a very busy and expensive time for all , but please do this . So as you are battling through the shops desperately seeking that last Ben 10 watch or Peppa Pig tiara, wondering how you'll get that massive turkey in the oven and where on earth everyone is going to sit ....and as you franticly wrap presents on Christmas Eve , looking forward  to the look of wonder on your children's faces the next morning , you will know that you have given the best gift of all - joy to a child who sorely needs it! And that's what Christmas is all about- so go on -  you'll feel good I promise!

Marion

Health Notice

Good afternoon ,

We have received a notice from the NHS that there is currently an outbreak of hand,  foot and mouth across the country , and we have had one confirmed case in the nursery today . This is a mild viral condition that can cause blisters on the hands , feet and mouth - though not necessarily all of these. The NHS have advised that if the child feels unwell or has a temperature , they should not attend nursery . If the child does not have a temperature , and is otherwise well , they may attend nursery . If you would like further information on this or any other illness/infection , I can recommend   www.patient.co.uk  . In the meantime , please make use of the hand sanitiser available in both buildings - thank you .

Some of you may have noticed that the mini bus has gone- many a happy journey was made in this , but it was time to say goodbye - we shall be getting a new bus in the spring time to be used for trips and outings . In the meantime , the extra space has allowed us to erect a new shed - the children and indeed some of the staff were fascinated watching our handyman Fred , build this- it was  a major undertaking!  The ongoing maintenance continues , with new windows in the sunflowers room and painting in the schoolhouse - this will be going on  for sometime as all work needs to be done while the nursery is closed - so please look out for wet paint over the coming weeks !

A reminder to come along for Parents Evening on Tuesday 29th November 6:00pm to 7:30 pm - hope to see you all there ! Please let staff know if you'll be able to attend - it always helps to know how many will be coming along - thank you .

And finally , the nursery will be closing at 6pm on Friday 23rd Dec and re-opening 8am Wednesday 4th Jan 2012

Hello again

Good afternoon everyone ,

I hope that you're all adjusting to the darker nights - its a strange time of year so just as well we have so much going on ! We all had a lovely time at Halloween - we had witches and princesses , superheroes and pumpkins , sunflowers and skeletons galore , as well as some beautiful lanterns the children brought in - thanks to you all for the effort made and for sharing those with us! The children are also all looking forward to Guy Fawkes Night this weekend - they have been making beautiful pictures of fireworks and learning about fire safety at the same time- I hope you all manage to get along to a firework display and stay safe !

At the end of the month we also have St. Andrew's Day(30th Nov)- for the non Scots amongst you , thats  Scotland's patron saint and is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate all things scottish. So look out for tartan,  haggis , shortbread et al , but we'll leave the whisky tasting to you!

A reminder that Parents Evening is on Thursday 29th November 6:30 to 8pm - please come along and join us. There will also be a Parent Forum meeting on Wed 23rd November so please see any member of the forum if there's anything you'd like raised at the meeting . This years parent representatives are  :: Alison Siggins, Hazel Farquhar ,  Mirijam Green , Susan Yule , Angela OBrien , Sacha Waldin , Lyn Cowie and  Claire Molloy .

Looking ahead to the festivities at the end of the year : The NSPCC have a fundraising campaign where you can have a special letter from Santa for  a suggested donation of £5.00- if you'd like more information or to register your details , please visit    www.nspcc.org/santa
All the children have been making designs for their own Xmas cards  which will be sent off  tomorrow. They will be made into cards which you will then have  the opportunity to buy-and Im sure you will love them . And talking of cards.......please , please , please dont send every child/staff member at the nursery a card . The whole nursery is committed to reducing waste and recycling wherever possible  . If you'd like to send cards , please just one for the whole class - these will be displayed for all the children to see(and recycled in the new year)-so save a tree and some money! :-)

If you're having a clearout to make room for all the goodies Santa will be bringing - dont forget we have a charity bin outside the pre-school building.

A few quick reminders too : we have a healthy eating policy at the nursery , please don't bring sweets , cakes or similar treats - they will not be distributed and will be returned to you .
The top carpark is for staff only - please park in the bottom carpark and walk up the driveway
Please remember to close and chain the gates in the garden every time , and please dont let anyone else into the nursery buildings - thank you .

And finally ...I shall be on leave next week(7th to 11th) . Emails will not be monitored during this time  , so please phone us if you need to tell us/ask anything. If you wish to make any cash payments for anything , please wait until my return on  Monday 14th November .

Marion  

Good News

Good afternoon everyone ,

I am very pleased to tell you that we will be welcoming Suzanne back to the sunflowers after her maternity leave. She will be returning on Monday (along with her daughter) and we're all delighted to see her again . She and Donna will be sharing Senior Practitioner responsibilities in the sunflowers- Suzanne will be here Monday - Wednesday and Donna Tuesday , Thursday Friday . Welcome back !!!!!

I am also delighted that we shall have a new cook starting next week too- Georgia is an experienced nursery cook and we are all looking forward to her lovely lunches . I have enjoyed making the lunches for the past couple of months(and I hope the children have too) but am looking forward to getting back to my 'real' job!

We are very fortunate to have our lovely outdoor area at Craigton and we make the most of it every day. We all believe that outdoor play and learning is essential for the children's health and development, and the children are all outdoors for part of the day. But they need to be properly dressed when outside . So please ensure that your child has adequate outdoor gear every day - a waterproof suit or jacket and trousers , hat , gloves and boots  - also soft soled shoes or slippers for indoors .   We do have a very limited stock of spare suits - so if you have any  that your children no longer use , we'd gladly accept them , and they'd be well used|!

 ....and its Halloween ! We have already seen some lovely costumes and are looking forward to next week when Im sure there will be many more . The sunflowers went on a trip to Asda yesterday afternoon  to choose and buy special Halloween items for the whole nursery - thank you sunflowers!  The children have  also been investigating Diwali (festsival of light) and have made a lovely display in their room of items used to celebrate this festival .

Dont forget that the clocks go back this weekend - yes winter really is on the way !

Hope you all have a scream at any Halloween parties ! - Enjoy the weekend .

Autumn is here!

Good afternoon everyone ,

Yes indeed , autumn is here and by all accounts winter is fast approaching - Yes its true ! At Craigton we have been making the most of the crisp days(in between the rain!) - all the children have been for walks in and around the village over the past week , collecting leaves and other autumn treasures . The sunflowers enjoyed an exciting trip to Drum castle with lots to see and do , and Im told that they all slept well that night !

As it is turning colder , please make sure your child has suitable outdoor clothing - this needs to be waterproof and warm - don't forget gloves , hats , scarves and wellies/boots and some soft soled shoes/slippers for indoors . Wherever possible , please name or initial all items or they may well be lost - Thank you .

A date for your diary - PARENTS EVENING will be on Tuesday 29th November 6:00pm to 7:30pm . This is an informal evening where you can come along and chat to the staff about your child's general progress , have  a look through their nursery folios , and see some of the activities that the children enjoy here- you can even try them out if you like !Its also a good opportunity to meet other parents - many a play date has been arranged at these evenings :-)

The sunflowers and buttercups have been busy making their books for the 'Wee Blether' project and we're all looking forward to the finished products!

You will no doubt have noticed that its almost Halloween - how could you miss it ? All children are welcome to come to nursery in their Halloween costumes , and we'd be very pleased to see any lanterns you're making at home - so please bring them in.  We are also looking forward to Guy Fawkes Night  but please leave the fireworks at home !

Don't forget that the clocks go back next weekend (30th) so it really will be winter then - we had new outdoor lights fitted on the schoolhouse over the summer so your path will be well lit - but please take care all the same.

And finally looking ahead - the nursery will close at 6pm on Friday 23rd December and re-open at 8 am on Wednesday 4th Jan 2012

Letter from Jean Mackay to all parents

Please click here to view a letter to all parents from Jean Mackay, owner of Craigton Lodge Nursery, in response to the recent Parent Forum meeting.

Hello again

Just to let you know that the sunflowers and buttercups have been invited to take part in 'a RIGHT wee blether ' This is a creative conversation led by Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People and is for children in Scotland  aged 2 to 5yrs .

The children will be asked 5 questions and their answers will be recorded in their own illustrated book called  'A Wee Book About Me'. All the childrens responses will be used anonymously to inform the Commissioners work over the next four years .

Letters giving further details, as well as consent forms  have been issued to parents today and you can also find out more about the Commissioner's work at  www.sccyp.org.uk

We shall be taking part between 10th and 21st October - we're looking forward to some interesting answers!

Marion

Thank you

Good afternoon everyone ,

Thanks to all of those who made it along to our Ladies evening last week . We had  a very good turnout  and a very enjoyable evening . There is still some money to come in but the total for the evening so far is £123.00 . So thank you all for making the effort to come along.

Our web designer , Susan Yule, came along with some lovely new pictures she has taken of the children at Craigton  . We shall soon have a  link on the webiste for parents to view these pictures - this will be password protected so only parents at the nursery can view them(if you'd prefer not to have your child on the website , please let me know and we wont  display them) . You will then be able to order prints from Susan . They really are gorgeous pictures - Susan is a very talented photographer ,and captures each child's personality. We'll let you know when they are available to view.

And a big Craigton welcome to Roz Vickery , who started as  a nursery assistant in the schoolhouse today . Roz will be with us for a year before returning to University to study for her masters. Roz will be 'floating' in the schoolhouse , spending time in each department so hopefully you'll all meet her soon.

As the school holidays are fast approaching , some of you will be planning to get away - please remember to tell us if you are- thank you .

Marion

Dont forget

Good afternoon everyone ,

just a quick reminder that we have our Ladies Evening tonight 6:30 to 8pm . Please come along and have a glass of wine and hopefully you'll be tempted by some of the lovely things on offer - all welcome so bring a friend or two  . Dont worry if you havent bought a ticket yet - you can still come along ! Hope to see lots of  you there!

Marion

Good afternoon

Hello everyone ,

I hope that you are all enjoying the sunshine at the moment :-)

The sunflowers have been celebrating British Food Week , by looking at lots of different foods from around the the UK , finding out how they are produced , as well as making some lovely soup! Some of them had a trip on the minibus to Sainsbury's this morning , where they bought a range of fruits that they are making into smoothies as I write this - yummy !

Don't forget our Ladies Evening next week- Thursday 29th September 6:30 to 8pm  . We have several stalls coming along .... Body Shop , Temple Spa, Party Lites , Cocoa Ooze Chocolates  , Phoenix Cards , Angel Tree as well as jewellery , celebration cakes , children's clothing/accessories and a masseuse!!!! So please come and join us for a glass of wine, some shopping and bring a friend. PS - the gentlemen are welcome too!!!!

And finally a reminder that we shall be closed on Monday 26th September for the local holiday - hope you all enjoy the long weekend.

Marion

Hello

Good afternoon everyone ,

I hope you're all enjoying the lovely sunshine as much as we are today ! The buttercups went for a little visit to the park this morning , and the snowdrops and bluebells are just setting off for a walk around the village just know . The sunflowers will also be outside later on , but at the moment are enjoying the return of our French teacher Catherine , having a lot of fun while they learn some french !

Dont forget our Ladies Evening on Thursday 29th September 6:30 to 8pm - tickets for this have been issued so please pay asap , or return the tickets if you are not able to join us . We have several stalls  organised which should give you a head start on the winter festival shopping(sorry to mention that!) , so please come along and bring a friend to join us for a glass of wine , and the opportunity to meet the other parents too.

The snowdrops and bluebells have introduced a new musical item into their routines. They will be learning 4 new songs each month - you will be given a copy of the lyrics so you can sing them at home too...the staff will be happy  to sing them for you if you're not familiar with them! Who needs X Factor!!!

The sunflowers have  a new notice at the entrance to their classroom called Ask me about ..... this tells you some information on what the children have been discussing that week so you can talk about it at home,and Our next learning experience....will give you an idea of what they'll be looking at next - please check these regularly as they can change quite quickly to reflect the children's interests .

Dont forget also to check your child's wall file each time they are here , or you may miss a masterpiece or invitation !

A reminder : if someone other then you is picking up your child , please let the staff know on the day or call/email us to let us know . Of course you don't need to do this if you have a regular arrangement that we know about, but if anyone who doesn't normally  pick up - please let us know - thank you .

Sadly , after two years with the buttercups , Debbie will be leaving us. We shall all miss her and wish her all the best for the future(Debbie's last day will be Friday 23rd September) . The schoolhouse will soon be joined by Roz Vickery(nursery assistant) . Roz has recently moved to Aberdeen , has previous nursery experience and is very much looking forward to getting to know you all .

And finally , the nursery will be closed on Monday 26th September for the local holiday .

Marion

Fundraising evening

Good afternoon ,

Tickets are now on sale for our fundraising evening on Thursday 29th September 6:30pm to 8:pm .

We have invited lots of people to come along offering an array of goods and services that we hope will get you kick started for your winter festival shopping . Everything from children's accessories , to cooking equipment , cakes and pampering goodies

2 tickets have been distributed for each family as we hope that you will all bring a friend ! - Tickets are £3.00 each and admission includes refreshments on the evening . Please return payment or the tickets if you dont want  them as soon as you can - and please  let us know if you'd like more !!!!!
And its not too late to book a space if you know anyone who'd be interested in joining us - please ask them to contact me .

I have a plea to pass on from our financial wizard - when making any bank transfers. voucher payments , please use the child's name as a reference - otherwise its very difficult to keep track. Thank you

And finally , a reminder that the nursery will be closed on Monday 25th September for the local holiday .

Marion

Health alert

Good morning ,

I'm sorry to tell you that we have had several reported cases of tummy bug - yes its come very early this year!

If your child has any symptoms , please do not bring them to nursery . If they become unwell whilst here , we will ask you to take them home. A reminder that in either case , they may not return to nursery until 48hours after the last symptoms - this is citywide guidance issued by the NHS Infection control team. Please be extra vigilant with handwashing. We also have hand sanitiser dispensers in both buildings - please use them .

This is a highly infectious bug and we would appreciate your co-operation - please help us minimise the risk to all the children , staff and visitors in the setting .

Thank you .....and stay healthy!

Marion

After the party!

Good afternoon all ,

Poppy and Amelie (sunflowers) had  a joint birthday party at the weekend which was  a great success judging by the tales we have heard :-) . After the party , a pair of glasses where found and have been handed to me . Poppy's mum is very concerned that somebody is not seeing too clearly! So if you were at the party and everything is a bit of a blur now - I may be able to help- let me know if they're yours!

We are still looking for anyone who would like to join us for our Ladies Evening Thursday 29th September - if you know anyone who operates a party plan , or makes and sells craft items etc - please ask them to get in touch .

We are also still looking for  a cleaner - please spread the word as the last thing we need to do after a very long day here is clear up the mess we have made :-)

A reminder that the nursery will be closed on Monday 26th September for the local holiday-but we are open on  Friday 23rd(had  a few queries about this as the schools are closed)

Marion

Update

Good afternoon everyone ,

I hope you're all enjoying our lovely if rather late summer as much as we are. We've continued to make the most of it , with the children enjoying all manner of activities in the garden and further  afield . Everyone has been for walks around the village. The sunflowers ventured on a trip to the bear factory where they made Sonny the Dog , who is now happily resident in the sunflowers room and looking forward to visiting all the children at home. The bluebells are going Easter Anguston tomorrow afternoon(dont forget to leave their car seats for us) and are enjoying a visit to the library as I write this. The new P1's who are with us for the settling in period have been entertaining us all with their accounts of 'big' school - such exciting times! :-)  
The children have also been watching with interest the progress of the 2 busy men currently working on the schoolhouse roof - this has prompted discussions about heights , tools , Bob the builder,  safety and jobs - learning opportunities galore!

For those of you who have been impatiently waiting for more news of Natalie's baby - your wait is over . We have been quiet about this , as baby Katie has been unwell ...a worrying time for all , but especially for Natalie and Tony . I am delighted to tell you tho , that Katie is now much improved , and they were allowed home last night. I have just spoken to Natalie , who is out  for a walk with her new daughter , and they are obviously both thrilled to be home and enjoying some fresh air! We cant wait to see her :-)

We are planning our next fundraising event on Thursday 29th September 6:30pm to 8pm. We are currently putting together a group of stalls from cookwear to candles to custom cakes... so if you know anyone who would be interested in coming along , please ask them to contact me . Tickets will be on sale for this event soon, so please bring along your friends and families - all welcome. There will be wine and nibbles on offer , as well as the chance to get a head start on the dreaded Winter Festival shopping(sorry!)

And finally , another appeal..... Rachael , who has been helping us with the cleaning over the past couple of months is not able to continue for much longer , so we are once again looking for a super duper cleaning person - please , please , please let me know if anyone is interested . Please note though that due to the times , we are not able to employ anyone under  16- there are very strict rules regarding the employment of children   and working after 7pm is not allowed. But I do thank those of you who offered the services of your family members last time - glad to see that work ethic! And my thanks to Rachael for your help the last 2 months :-)

Marion

Update

Good Friday afternoon to you all ,

I have had an excellent response to my appeal for parents to join our forum , and we now have enough to go ahead. My thanks  to : Mirijam Green , Susan  Yule, Lyn Cowie, Angela O'Brien, Hazel Farquhar , Sacha Waldin and Alison Siggins . You can still join us if you wish tho!!

And finally , we still don't know the name of Natalie's new baby daughter , but I hope that I'll be able to let you know on Monday . She did weigh in at a very respectable 7lbs 7oz tho , and we've already seen some pics- she's gorgeous :-)

Have a lovely weekend- more next week

Marion

Congratulations!!!!!

To Natalie and Tony on the safe arrival of their daughter at 6:45am today :-)

All well - though no doubt tired! That's all the information I have at the moment but will let you know when we have anything else.

Ahhhhhhh - its Friday , the sun is shining and we have  a new addition to the Craigton family- happy day !

Marion

News

Good afternoon everyone ,
I'm very pleased to let you know that Culter will soon have an exciting new addition to our main street. Two of our parents , Duncan and Jacqui Grant , are very talented jewellery designers and will shortly be opening a studio - Lava Jewellery Design , 265 North Deeside Road . The premises will include an appointment area where you can discuss your requirements , a workshop with a viewing window so you can see the beautiful pieces being made , as well as  a retail display area where you can view the entire collection , along with individual one off pieces. Some of us at Craigton have been privileged to see some of the pieces in the past , and I can assure you that they are absolutely stunning! They will be opened by 10th September so if you're thinking of treating yourself(or anyone else!)  go and see them and they will design and create you the most beautiful jewellery.

And to Duncan and Jacqui - all of us at Craigton wish you great success in your new venture!

Talking of new ventures........ it seems that Natalie's baby just cant wait to meet us all and is on the way ....will let you know when I have any more news :-)

Marion

Back to School

Good afternoon everyone ,

Well I've often been told that the weather always improves once the schools go back and this year its certainly true! Hope you all make the most of it! I have had the pleasure of collection some of our new P1's and bringing them back to Craigton for the afternoons until they begin fulltime... so lovely to see them in their uniforms and full of stories about school :-) 

I've only had 3 parents brave enough to volunteer for the Parents Forum this year - my thanks to  Alison Siggins , Lyn Cowie and Sacha Waldin. However , we really do need more people - particularly pre-school parents as no-one from this section has volunteered . So if you'd like to join us , please contact me asap . Id like to have the first meeting in September. Look forward to a flood of volunteers!

The irritating problem with my email seems to have returned - if you dont receive a reply from me , please call  instead . I am replying , but some are not being received . Id appreciate it if you could add me to your safe contacts list , as some of this may be due to over zealous spam filters!

We are hoping to have a fundraising event late September/early October and are looking to organise a Ladies Evening(although the gentlemen are welcome too!)...if you have any friends/family who run Virgin Vie/ Jamie at Home or similar schemes , or who make and sell any products and would like to join us , please let me know.

Michelle was overwhelmed by the generous donations to her wedding gift - we gave her and her new husband:-) vouchers for John Lewis , and I believe they may be able to buy half the store! Thank you very much to those that made donations or who gave their own gifts- extremely kind and thoughtful of you ! I'm sure Michelle will thank you all herself , but it may take her some time to get to you all :-)

Natalie came into see us today ....she's very well although she's obviously missing everyone , and becoming a little uncomfortable.....you've all been there so you know what I mean...her baby is due next week and I'll let you know as soon as we have any news.

Dont forget to let me know if you'd like anything posted on here , and to leave your comments..the blog is for everyone at Craigton , so if you have anything you'd like to share , please do ! 

Marion

Appeal

Hello to you all on this very wet summers???? day !

We are currently without a cook . Whilst I really enjoy making the lunches(and I hope the children do too!) it does make a serious impact on my time. So if you know of anyone who may be interested in a part-time job , please ask them to contact me . They don't need to have experience or be a trained chef(though that would be nice!), just simple home cooking skills required . My last appeal for a cleaner was so successful , that I'm hoping you will be able to help again.

The sunflowers will be joined next week by Lauren Palmer , who is our new 4-6 girl. However, she will only be with us 3 days a week , so again if you know of anyone still at school who is considering early years/teaching as a career and looking for experience working with children, please let me know.

And finally , I am looking for volunteers to join the parent forum for the coming year . Ideally I would like two parent representatives from each department. Those of you who were on the forum last year are welcome to continue if you wish to ! The forum meets quarterly ,  usually  for around an hour and a half - but this depends on how lively the discussions are ! Please note that the meeting are on weekday evenings after the nursery has closed . Last year we had some excellent ideas put forward and I'm hoping for the same level of enthusiasm this year . If you'd be interested in standing , please contact me . I'm hoping that the first meeting will be mid-late September .

Thank you ,

Marion

Congratulations!!!!!

To Michelle(snowdrops) and her fiancé Kev , who were married in New York yesterday......FINALLY . They have been engaged for ever! I'm sure that you will all join us in wishing them a lifetime of happiness together :-) . Becky (buttercups) is arranging a collection amongst the staff for a wedding gift . If anyone would like to contribute , please see Becky . Michelle will return to Craigton on Monday 15th August when we'll celebrate with her.

Meanwhile , away from the Big Apple , we have been making the most of the summer(?????) - the children have been out and about exploring the local area with walks to the parks and along the old railway line . The buttercups had a very exciting trip on the bus to the bear factory , where they made Harry the monkey who is now a much loved addition to the group!

The sunflowers were very interested in the roadworks in Culter(you probably didnt notice them - hardy any disruption at all!) and have now made their role play area a roadworks site - they are enjoying using the road signs and learning about road safety at the same time....the diggers and trucks are quite an attraction too. They have also been looking at mini beasts , including real ones they have found in the garden and further afield. We now have some bird houses that will soon be in the garden , as well as well as the feeders already there , so hopefully we'll all be ornithologists!

All the children continue to be involved in tending the garden - they have been weeding and feeding(using our very own compost) and have enjoyed watching the plants grow. We have harvested (and eaten) strawberries, carrots , potatoes and radishes so far.

I am delighted to let you know , that thanks to your amazing fundraising efforts over the past year , that two members of staff have been able to begin qualifications :-) Maureen(sunflowers) has just started working towards SVQ III and Debbie(buttercups) SVQ II . They are both extremely pleased to be given this opportunity and I know they will work very hard to achieve their goals . This would not have been possible without your support and we all thank you- its very much appreciated .

A reminder ......some have not returned the Pre-school funding applications. Please do this as soon as you can - if you dont apply , you wont get the funding! If you don't wish to apply , please let me know this too - Thank you .

Looking ahead , please note that the nursery will be closed on Monday 26th September for the local holiday .

And finally - Natalie is enjoying her break before the arrival of her baby , but says she misses us! I'll let you know as soon as we have any news!

Hope you all have  a lovely weekend- and hey...the sun is shining :-)

Marion

Summertime?

Good afternoon everyone ,

Firstly a  reminder for sunflower parents : please pay for or return class photos asap - we have several parents eagerly waiting for extra pictures which cannot be ordered until all the photos/payments are returned - thank you.

Forms for pre-school funding were issued 3 weeks ago - again please return these as soon as you can . If you don't apply you will not receive the funding !This applies to all children 3 or over during the coming school year. If you are not applying because your child will be attending a school nursery , can you let me know so I can take you off my list - thank you .

Natalie will be starting her maternity leave soon - her last day will be Friday 22nd July . I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing her a speedy and straightforward birth and we'll all look forward to seeing her baby when it arrives - Make the most of those weeks beforehand Natalie - cos life will never be the same again!

The nursery is closed this coming Monday 11th July for the local holiday- we know you love it here but please don't turn up on Monday - you wont get in!   Also , I am on leave 11th July to 22nd July inclusive - back on Monday 25th July . Email will not be monitored over this time so please call the nursery if you have any questions or wish to pass on any information . Please note that staff are unable to accept cash , so please wait til my return if you wish to make any cash payments .

And finally , very well done to Christina(4-6 assistant schoolhouse) and Nicole(nursery assistant schoolhouse) who took part in the Race for Life at the weekend and between them raised just under £500 for Cancer Research .....and if you sponsored them they'll be chasing you for their money!

Dont forget , if you'd like to let the parents and staff at Craigton know about anything you may be involved in, let me know and I'll post it here .

Happy summer - back in a couple of weeks !

Marion

Staffing news

Happy Friday to you all!

We will be having some staffing changes soon , with new staff starting soon , and others moving departments .
This is because Natalie will be starting maternity leave at the end of July , and other staff are currently undertaking qualifications , and need experience with different age groups . Natalie's last day (all being well) will be Friday 22nd July ....but don't worry as she will be back next year along with her baby :-)

From Monday 4th July , Jillian will be moving to sunflowers , Kelly to bluebells and Emma to buttercups .
Donna Sim will be joining the sunflowers as a Senior EYP from w/b 11th July . Donna worked with us some years ago where she spent time in all departments including pre-school. During her time away , she has been raising her own family , and working in school nurseries as  a bank worker.
Melissa Sinclair will be joining the snowdrops as  a nursery assistant- Melissa has just finished 6th year , and is hoping to start  her qualification very soon  . We are very pleased to welcome both to the Craigton team - please make yourselves know to them as it can take some time to get to know you all!

One of our 4-6 girls , Nicole Burnett , has now left school and will be joining the 0-2 yrs fulltime . Nicole  has been with us for 2 yrs and knows all the children well . Our other 4-6 girl, Christina Barker , will also be working fulltime over the summer , along with Jen Dornan , to cover well deserved staff holidays!

We shall also be joined at some point over the summer by Ciara Teirney , who is coming all the way from Eire to come to Craigton for work experience - our reputation for staff training is spreading!

FYI - all relief staff or those undergoing our 3 month induction , wear the old uniforms . This is not meant to confuse you , but to make it easier for you to identify the more experienced staff who are the ones to talk to if you need any information .

My email has improved , but is still a little temperamental, but I have been assured it will be sorted very soon . Thank you for your patience here - its been a frustrating time ! Whilst on that subject , I shall be on leave from Monday 11th July to Friday 22nd July incl. Emails will not be answered during the time - please call the nursery if you have any requests or need to tell us anything. Also , if you wish to make any cash payments , please wait  til my return on Monday 25th July - the staff are unable to accept cash  - thank you .

PLEASE NOTE : The nursery will be closed on Monday 11th July for the local holiday .

And finally - a reminder to please fold up your child's buggy if you are leaving it here - it makes it very difficult to enter and exit the schoolhouse when the conservatory is full of buggies - thank you .

I hope you all have  a lovely weekend - Im told we should have some sun:-)

Email

Good morning everyone ,

Just to let you know that I am having some problems with my email just now . Several people have not received emails that I have sent - some are getting through but not all , although my system tells me they have been sent . So please dont think Im ignoring you - I am replying to mail , its just not getting to you ! I have asked our IT guy to come and sort it for me , but in the meantime you may prefer to call the nursery . 733980 . Im really sorry about this and thank you for your patience!

Marion

Clothing appeal

Good afternoon everyone ,

and  a happy Friday to you all!

We have depleted our stock of spare clothing at the nursery so could you please check if you have any nursery items at home and return them . We'd also be very grateful for any old clothing you may have - we are particularly looking for 6months-2yrs and 3-5yrs . All donations will be much appreciated . Please also ensure that your child has a complete change of clothes with them each day , including suitable outdoor wear . Thank you .

Hope you all have a lovely weekend :-)  

Photos

Good  morning all ,

We've already had a couple of queries about ordering more sunflowers photos- glad you like them :-) There doesn't appear to be a re-order  form in the packs , so please email me   marion.barker@clns.co.uk  if you'd like further copies . Last date for this is Friday 24th June .  Thank you .

Graduation photos

Hello again ,

just to let you know that the official graduation photos have arrived . This year we also had an entire class photo taken(that's all the sunflowers). Sunflower parents will find these in their child's file . These are on sale or return so there's no obligation to buy them- full instructions on how to pay are included inside the packs. If you don't wish to buy them , please just return to us ..... but when you see them Im sure you'll want to keep them!

The morning after!

Hello everyone ,

a huge thank you to all of you who came along to the sunflowers sports and graduation yesterday . It was wonderful to see so many of you there and I hope you enjoyed the event as much as we did. In particular , thanks to all the parents who were brave enough to join in  the races- definitely one of the highlights :-) And how lucky were we with the weather???? 

If you didnt remember to bring your camera along , Becky was our official photographer and took lots -  we'll  soon have these on CD - if you'd like a copy  please let us know. We'd appreciate a small donation to the staff development fund for this - £1.00 would be great .

As I said at the graduation , its an emotional time for us as well as you when a family leaves us . Those of you who are going, please don't loose touch . Stay registered on the blog and come along to any future events- we'd be delighted to see you and you'll always be welcomed. All of us at Craigton wish you and your children a successful  and happy future - we shall miss you .

Those children leaving to go to school or other settings may well be in need of gym bags/craft smocks....and we can help you there! One of our mums , Winnie Chapman is very industrious and has been making 100% cotton drawstring bags and matching smocks . If you're interested(and who wouldn't be?) , please email her at   wrchapman1@yahoo.co.uk  

Sports Day

Happy Monday everyone ,

Don't forget that the sunflowers Sports Day and P1 graduation is scheduled for tomorrow 3pm. It has just stopped raining and the sun has come out  - the forecast is sunny intervals for tomorrow- so just keep your fingers crossed that its correct! If it is raining , or the ground is wet , we will reschedule for the same time next week(Tues 21st 3pm) - but lets hope we don't need to!

If your child does not normally attend on a Tuesday afternoon , please bring them along at 2:45pm so we can start promptly. And be warned - you are expected to participate - there are 2 parents  races scheduled so bring your running shoes!  And your camera and (hopefully)sunscreen.

A huge thank you to those who offered the services of their friends/families to help us with our cleaning requirements - we have someone starting this week to the great relief of our current domestic wizz! Really appreciate your help.

A plea from the schoolhouse - please fold buggies if you're leaving them here- its very difficult to get in and out of the building , and the children cannot reach their pegs if there are buggies in the entrance - Thank you .

And finally - advance notice that the nursery  will be closed on Monday 11th July for the local Aberdeen holiday.

Marion

Found

A small bottle of  OPTILAST  eye drops were found in the garden this morning and handed in . If you've lost these I have them in my office, so please let me know and I'll get them back to you !

Marion

Appeal

Good afternoon to you all ,

At Craigton we have two wonderful domestic wizards , who come in each evening and make the nursery tidy and gleaming all ready for the next day , so we can mess it all up again!. Sadly , one of them is currently unwell and will be absent for several months. This means that our other industrious lady is very overworked and really needs some help. If you know of anyone who would be interested in a part-time job over the next few months please ask them to get in touch with me for more information.

And .....congratulations to two of our Craigton dads :
Barry Wink who completed the Triple Peaks Challenge last weekend . He and his colleagues managed the astonishing feat of climbing Ben Nevis , Scarfell Pike and Snowdon in 22hrs . WOW
And  Roddy Hamilton recently completed the Edinburgh marathon in under 4.5 hours . WOW again.
Both did these amazing things for charity......I am always awed by anyone who will challenge themselves in this way to help other people(and I'm sure I'm not alone in that). Thank you to all of you who very kindly made donations to the causes Barry and Roddy are supporting and well done to both of you - what an inspiration!

Don't forget to let me know if you have anything you'd like posted on the blog - this is for everyone at Craigton to use and share ......and leave your comments too!

Marion

Thank you

Hello everyone ,

and happy Monday to you all! A huge thank you to all of you for your incredible support at our fundraising day on Saturday- all your kind donations for the raffle/tombola and the fabulous home bakes. The turnout was excellent ,everyone got into the spirit of the day and dug deep into their pockets. The drumming band were a huge success , a great time was had by all , and we even had some sunshine!

Also a great big thankyou to all the parent helpers and Craigton staff for all their hard work both before and on the day....as well as various , mums , children and boyfriends who all gave their time to help us out - its very much appreciated.

All those efforts combined managed to raise an impressive £947.52!!!!!!!!!!!! Well done everyone!

We will be organising an other fundraising event in the autumn - I'll let you know when we have more details .

SUNFLOWERS - don't forget its the class photo this Wednesday 8th June 9:30am . This is for all pre-school children . If your child does not normally attend on a Wednesday morning , please bring them along, stay for the shoot and take them home afterwards - we are full on a Wednesday so will not be able to offer extra sessions that day .
Staying with the sunflowers - its the Sportsday/Graduation on Tuesday 14th June 3pm . All the sunflowers participate in the sports , and we then have a short graduation ceremony for those children leaving to start P1 after the summer .This is always a popular . well attended event-remember we have limited seating , so make sure you bring a rug to sit on .....and your camera! If the weather  is bad , this will be rescheduled for the following week at the same time - so keep your eye on the blog!

A reminder too that we need notice in writing  of holidays and leaving dates , and please let us know if your child will not be at nursery for any other reason.

Once again , thank you all so much for supporting the fundraising day :-)

Marion

Are you ready?????

For our funday on Saturday ????? Yes this is a final reminder to come and join us on Saturday 12-3pm . There will be lots to do and see(and buy!). The weather is stunning as I write this and the forecast is good :-) so make the most of it. Tickets are still on sale in both buildings....and the admission includes a BBQ- what a bargain!
All the children have been busy baking goodies for you , and the staff have been working even harder than usual to get everything ready . So make sure you come along - and bring your family and friends too - all welcome! Dont worry if they dont have tickets- u can pay at the gate on the day ....and dont forget to get your raffle tickets too!

Hope to see you all on Saturday , with the sun on your faces , and your pockets full of change to spend!

Marion

Fun day - Saturday 4th June

Hello Everyone ,

A reminder that our fundraising fun day is this Saturday 12-3pm . Tickets for this are now on sale in both buildings(£2 adult £1 child) as well as tickets for the raffle . Admission includes food from the BBQ and juice.

Please come along and bring your friends and family- its a great day with lots to do - we have face painting , tattoos , hair and nail art , tombola ,  hook a duck , knock down the cans , lucky dip , the world famous(well Culter famous) home baking stall........and more! We'll even have a little tearoom this year , so the adults can sit down for 5 mins !

Jillian(0-2yrs) is a member of a drumming band who are very kindly coming along to get things going in style at 12:15 so make sure you're here on time .

You will be able to just come along on the day if you forget to buy your tickets , but please get your raffle tickets asap(£1 for 5) . The draw will be made around 2:30pm on the day ...... you gotta be in to win! Donations for this have  been incredibly generous  and Id like to thank everyone who has taken the time and effort to give us something for the day - its very much appreciated!

Now all you need to do is raid your piggy banks, join us on the day and help us to raise lots of money.....oh and have great fun doing so........and pray for a nice day!

Marion

Sunflowers Dates

Good Friday afternoon everyone ,

and the sun is shining too :-)

A couple of dates of note for the sunflowers . A reminder that the Sports Day/Graduation ceremony is planned for Tuesday 14th June(weather permitting)- time tbc but probably around 2:30/3pm .This still gives us a further two weeks if we need to reschedule(but lets hope not!) . This event  is always well attended. As we have limited seating , please bring along a rug or similar to sit on(and your suncream!) - all parents , grandparents , aunties/uncles etc are welcome to come along.

Class photos will be taken on WEDNESDAY 8th June . Linda from Tempest Photography will be taking individual and a group shot of the graduating class(those children going to P1 after summer) . This year we have also asked for an entire class photo too - so those that are leaving to attend other pre-school centres wont be left out! Linda will be here 9/9:30am . If you child does not usually attend on a Wednesday morning , please bring them along ready to be photographed - you will need to stay with them and take them away after the shoot . We are full on a Wednesday so will not be able to take any extra children for that session.

And dont forget the Family Funday on Sat 4th June 12-3pm - tickets on sale now .

Hope you all have  a lovely weekend

Marion

Fun day - Saturday 4th June

Good afternoon everyone ,

Tickets are now on sale for our family funday on Saturday 4th June 12-3pm . The tickets are £2.00 for an adult and £1.00 for a child - they are on sale in both buildings. The cost of the tickets includes a BBQ and juice .
This event is our major fundraising activity , so please make the effort to come along . We will be selling items made by the children , including homebakes which were very popular last year! You can also make some at home and donate. Indeed any donations at all are very welcome - items for raffle/bottle stall and hoembaking would be much appreciated!

We will also have staff offering tattoos and face painting , some new fun activities for this year  and  a visit from Jillian's(0-2) drumming band! A little cafe will be set up in the Sunflowers room too , so you can all enjoy a cup of tea with a choice of those delicious homebakes.

This was a brilliant day last year with incredible support from everyone .....and it was great fun too! So make sure you come along and bring your friends too!

I've had a request from the schoolhouse regarding baby buggies - if you are bringing your child's buggy to nursery and wish to leave it here , please make sure you fold it up and place it out of the way - some days there are 6 or more buggies left which makes it very difficult for anyone to enter or leave the building , and the children cannot get to their pegs - thankyou .

We've had  lot of requests for extra sessions recently too- we will always try to accommodate extra sessions if we are able , but this is the busiest time of year and often we are full - its also best to check regarding extra sessions directly with the staff in each department - they will give you a instant answer . In order to help us do this , please make sure you let us know if your child will not be attending for any reason - notice of holidays/leaving dates in writing/email please . The childrens activities and the staffing take an enormous amount of planning so we really need to know which children will be attending on any given day .

We have been joined for the summer months by Jen Dornan- currently with the sunflowers. Jen has just successfully completed her 2nd year at Edinburgh Uni for BEd, Primary . She was with us last summer too , and we're very pleased to have her back this year- she will be covering well deserved staff holidays over the summer .

Please remember to apply suncream before the children come to nursery on sunny days - most take up to 30 minutes to be effective , and to ensure they have appropriate clothing- a hat  and tops that cover shoulders please.

And please post any comments you have on the blog - it would be really great to have  your feedback.

Thanks ,

Marion  

Go Barry

Hello everyone ,

a reminder that one of our dads , Barry Wink , will be attempting the Triple Peaks Challenge for charity this summer . He and his colleagues will be climbing Ben Nevis, Scaffel Pike and Snowdon in 24hrs in order to raise their target of £2000 for Action medical research - a charirty that funds treatment for very ill children. Everyone at Craigton Lodge wishes you all success Barry. If you'd like to sponsor him , please donate at
http://www.action.org.uk/sponsor/teamtaqas011tp09

Looking ahead , dont forget our own fundraiser- Our Funday will be on Saturday 4th June 12-3pm . Tickets for this will be on sale soon .

The pre-school Sportsday/Graduation will be on Tuesday 14th June(weather permitting - the following Tuesday as alternative date) - more on this later .

If your child is leaving us this summer to attend P1 or another nursery , you will be invited to make an appointment in June with PS staff to review their progress with us and have a look at their acheivement record - staff will contact you about this nearer the time . Remember that we need one months notice(in writing) if your child is leaving , and notification of holidays too!  

The children have all been making the most of the lovely weather and have been spending a lot of time outdoors. Lots of activity in the garden , digging and planting continue , filling the bird feeders, the older children have been helping to keep the area safe by collecting stones , studying insects , worms and snails found in the garden ....all this leaning and having fun too!

Dont forget the nursrey will be closed this Friday 29th April and Monday 2nd May . Also , I shall be on leave next week so emails will not be answered during this time - please call the nusrery or talk to staff directly if you have any information you wish to pass on , or any queries . If they are unable to help you , I shall be back on Monday 9th May - enjoy the long weekend- we shall :-)

Marion

New arrivals

Hello everyone ,

Well we really are making the most of this lovely weather just now. The children are spending a lot of time outside and having a great time . Partcicularly today as we have some new arrivals. One of our parents brought in some tadpoles today (thank you Tracey), and they are now happily wriggling away in a tank in the garden. The children have already been asking how big they will grow, how do they become frogs(you try and answer that one!) , what do they eat and why are they black? So huge learning opportunites available for everyone there! Be prepared for regular updates on the developemnt of the tadpoles over the coming weeks - and I hope not just from me , but your children too! 

Dont forget , we are closed on Monday adn Friday next week , and the following Monday 2nd May.

Happy Easter to you all - go easy on the chocolate tho!

Marion

Springtime at Craigton

Good morning everyone ,

I hope that you have all been enjoying and making the most of the lovely spring weather we have had. We certainly have - the children have enjoyed taking most of their activites outside into the garden , as well as exploring the surrounding area on lots of walks and trips to the parks . There has been digging , making mud  and sandpies , watching the leaves and buds appear on the treess ,  the first flowers and vegetables planted by the children begin to shoot , the variety of birds visiting the garden to feast on the nuts and seeds in the feeders. So lots to investigate , explore and learn ...but above all have fun doing so!
Remember that the children do need protection from the sun , so please make sure your child has sunscreen and a hat for outdoor play(both clearly labelled) . We do have nursery supplies , but these are only if your child does not not have their own(we are using Nivea Kids SPF50)
Our thanks to Tony Ogilvie(Natailie's husband) who has recently taken on the maintenance of our outdoor area- and doesn't the garden look lovely :-)  

Our fundraising Funday is on Saturday 4th June 12-3pm . We are planning lots of stalls and activities and hope that you can all make it along -bring your freinds and familes . Ticktets will be on sale for this in mid-May . Entry includes BBQ so you dont even need to make lunch that day ! More details of this will be posted nearer the time. I am appealing tho for raffle prizes - if you (or your employer)are able to offer anything as a prize then please do so - last year we had some wonderful donations which really encouraged the ticket sales.  We do need you to suppport this event so please keep the day free!

And a final reminder - the nursery will be closed on Easter Monday- 25th April , Friday 29th April  and Monday 2nd May.

Marion

Parent news

Good afternoon everyone ,

Just wanted to let you all know that one of our parents, Roddy Hamilton, is running the Edinbugh marathon on 22nd May this year to raise funds for the Maxillofacial Unit of ARI. The unit saves the lives and eases the suffering of  great many people and Roddy is asking everyone who can ,  to please help . You can support him at http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/roddyhamilton . Please give what you can ......and best of luck Roddy!

Remember that the nursery will be closed on the following upcoming dates :
Monday 25th April
Friday 29th April
Monday 2nd May

Marion

Hello

Good morning everyone ,

We are all enjoying the lovely change in the weather at Craigton and spending a lot of time outdoors in the sunshine! The children have been busy helping to tidy up the garden and are continuing to plant both indoors and out - we are looking forward to a bumper crop of  produce this year!
As we are hoping that the gorgeous weather will continue , this would be a good time for everyone to bring in suncream and hats(clearly labelled please) ready for long hot summer we are anticipating ! And don't forget that all the children need suitable outdoor clothing.
I hope that those of you who have bought Kathryn Green's super books , have taken advantage of the spring weather and been out an about with your children exploring our beautiful countryside. There are still a few copies left if you haven't yet got one....and those who have but not yet paid, please do soon!

The Craigton staff  have lovely new uniforms and are all looking very professional(and glamorous!) Please note that casual staff or those on trial , will still be wearing the old uniforms - this is not intended to confuse you , but I hope it will make it easier to identify the permanent staff - they are the people to talk to if you have any questions or wish to tell us anything. On  that note , we have two Cults Academy pupils with us over the school break. Lauren Palmer and Hannah McKenzie are both considering careers in early years and are hoping to gain valuable experience during their time with us. 

A reminder that late pick-ups at lunchtime can seriously upset our staff/child ratios. Please ensure that children not staying for the afternoon session are picked up BEFORE 1:30pm . Fines for late pick-up apply to mornings as well as afternoons- currently £10.00/15 mins or part . 
And please , please , please remember to check and empty your child's folder regularly - some beautiful  Mother's Day gifts were not picked up in time - such a shame after the effort the children made .

Thank you to all of you who have been using the hand sanitiser - we now have some dispensers for these and our friendly handyman will be putting these up very soon- please use them and help to stop the spread of infection in the setting.

As ever , please post any comments you have on the blog - you will need to log in to do this , but we'd really like to have your contributions .

Dont forget the nursery will be closed on the following dates this year :
Monday 25th April - Easter Monday
Friday 29th April - Royal Wedding
Monday 2nd May - Mayday
Monday 11th July - Aberdeen holiday
Monday 26th September- Aberdeen holiday
We shall close at 6pm on Friday 23rd December and re-open 8am Wednesday 4th January 2012

More next week ,

Marion

Additional Holiday

Good morning ,
The voting for the additional public holiday has now closed .
47 votes were returned and the results were:

Friday 29th April    30 votes (64%)
Alternative date      14 votes (30%)
No preference        3 votes   (6%)

So this means that the nursery WILL be closed on Friday 29th April.

Marion

Update

Good morning ,

I've just had a suggestion from a parent that we have hand sanitiser available for the parents as you enter the nursery - this has now been done . Until I can source dispensers , there are small pump action containers - one in the conservatory area in the schoolhouse , and one in the sunflowers classroom.
Thank you for the idea Loretta!

Please note that the Care Commission will cease to  exist on 31st March this year . From 1st April the new regulatory body for care services will be Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland(SCSWIS)
Tel: 08456009527  email: enquiries@scswis.com      www.scswis.com
I attended a meeting about the new body yesterday , and we have been assured that the handover will be seamless and the care standards will continue to be upheld.

Dont forget to vote on the extra public holiday this year - I will let you know the result on Monday . If u haven't yet returned your voting slip , please email me asap   marion.barker@clns.co.uk

We still have some of Kathryn Greens lovely books available - but they're going fast!!! So make sure you get yours now. They are on display in both buildings and are a bargain at £4.99 each with £1.00 going to our staff development fund .

Clocks go FORWARD one hour on Sunday morning when BST begins :-) and Dad's.....you have one week left to get a Mother's Day gift(Sunday 3rd April) you really dont want to forget that one!

And finally , go smash a plate - Its Independence Day in Greece!

Happy weekend,

Marion

Important notice

Good morning everyone ,

I'm afraid that the tummy bug is back ! Its been raging through local schools and nurseries and has now made its way to us.  Please remember if your child displays symptoms whilst at nursery ,we will call you immediately and ask you to take them home . If the symptoms begin at home , please do not bring them to nursery. They cannot return until 48 hours clear of all symptoms . This is the guidance issued by the NHS, and is in place to safeguard the health of all the children, families and staff in the nursery. If you or any member of your family is affected , please be vigilant in your personal hygiene , especially handwashing .

It is vital that everyone in the setting follows this procedure so we can keep the risk of infection as low as possible . Thank you for your co-operation and keep healthy!

Marion

STOP PRESS!!!!!!!!

Hello again everyone ,

The grandmother of 2 of our Craigton children has recently written and published 2 delightful books that we are using in the nursery . The first is called ' Molly and Morris go for a walk'. Its a lovely story about 2 moles discovering the signs of spring in the countryside . The second 'What's that tree' is a simple guide to trees and how to identify them . Both books are meant to be shared with children , and get you all outdoors appreciating the beautiful countryside . These books are very popular with the Craigton children and we can highly recommend them .

The author, Kathryn Green , has given us copies of her books to sell here , and very kindly will be donating £1.00 for each book sold to our Staff Development Fund . The books are on display in each building - please have a look at them , and if you'd like to buy any , I have them in my office . Please do this quickly as I'm confident they will sell out ...a total bargain at £4.99 , you and your children will have many happy hours enjoying sharing these lovely books.

I'm expecting to see you all out at the weekend looking for spring!

Marion

Spring is in the air!

Good afternoon everyone ,

Yes indeed today the sun is shining , the children are out in the garden playing , and exploring and learning :-) They've also been digging up last years crop of potatoes and carrots , and clearing the beds ready for planting We've been able to spend quite a lot of time outside recently and hope to continue to do so. Please ensure that your child has suitable outdoor clothing- (waterproof is best) , and  a change of clothes each day . As we are able to make use of the outdoor area just now , its even more important that the area is secure , so please remember to close and chain all gates behind you each time , and to drive at walking speed in the carpark. Thank you .

We've been very busy at Craigton recently. The children have celebrated  Valentine's Day , Chinese New Year , and Shrove Tuesday amongst others . We all brought in our favourite books/stories to share on World Book Day , and the sunflowers are currently learning all about Fair Trade produce during Fair Trade . And as if that wasn't enough , this week we also have St.Patrick's Day as well as Red Nose Day - phew!!!! As all our fundraising now goes to support the Staff  Development fund , we wont be raising funds for comic relief , but the children are more than welcome to dress in something red , or wear a red nose or anything to celebrate the day.. we have been discussing RND11 and what the money raised is used for this week...well you cant really escape it can you????

I hope that you'll have noticed the new individual display files in the sunflowers cloakroom (coming soon to the schoolhouse too!)- please remember to empty these every time your child attends .....and don't forget the home journals ... please try to  take these home once a week and record something in them - the children love sharing these journals with their friends and the staff , and they give us some valuable information too!
We'll soon be introducing some short information slips - 'Ask me about' and 'Help me find out about'. We hope that this will keep you much more up to date with what your child has been doing during their time with us ..... Yes we know you ask them and the reply is often 'nothing'(as if!) 'don't know' or 'can't remember'. So we'll let you know what we've been doing , and then give you pointers as to what we'll be doing next.

Coming up soon - British Summertime begins Sunday 27th March( hooray!)- clocks forward 1 hour .
Mother's Day Sunday 3rd April - Dont forget that one!

I'm sure that some of you will be planning to get away over the Easter school holidays- please remember to let us know if your going on holiday . In fact , please tell us if your child wont be attending for any reason - staffing and activities are  very carefully planned and it is very important that we know which children will be attending each session . It can also be very frustrating when a group has an opportunity to go for a walk , or visit to the library/post office/shops , but are unable to as they are waiting for a child to arrive...after all we dont want anyone to miss out! So please , just call if they wont be in - thank you.

And finally - I'll give you some  dates for your diary below  including public holidays . Many of you will be aware that there is an extra Public Holiday this year (Royal wedding)on Friday 29th April . This means there will be 3 public holidays in a week- Easter ,Wedding and  Mayday. I'll be putting out a poll shortly to see if you are happy to take this holiday , or would prefer to take it another time . We shall go with the majority decision, so make sure you vote!!!!!

We shall be closed on the following dates this year
Monday 25th April - Easter Monday
Monday 2nd May - Mayday
Monday 11th July and Monday 26th September - local holidays

SPRING/SUMMER FAIR ........SATURDAY 4TH JUNE............more info later but please keep it free!

Don't forget to post your comments on the blog ..... be good to know what you think!

Marion

Play Talk and Read

Good afternoon everyone ,

Many of you will already be aware of the Scottish Executives current drive to encourage parents to spend time helping their children's early development. As well as an extensive media advertising campaign , they have recently launched a one stop website that gives tips and advice , an online community, books, videos, games and promotions which should all inspire you to play , talk and read to your children . Also available is  a DVD with interactive games and digital books that's worth a look . Please visit     http://www.playtalkread.org

Recently , we have had several incidents where children have been brought to nursery with temperatures, or given medication to reduce this . In most cases parents believed that the child was teething , but subsequently were found to be ill. We have once again taken advice on this matter from the Health Protection Unit. They have confirmed that our policy is correct - if  a child has a fever/is unwell they should not be at nursery . They have advised us to continue to follow our current policy and have suggested parents contact them directly if there are any issues . The contact is Fiona Browning , Health Protection Unit , tel: 01224 558520.(My thanks to Joanne Owen for contact details)
Please remember that the policy is in place to protect the health of all the children and staff at the nursery and your co-operation is needed to ensure this . Thank you. With a bit of luck , today's almost spring like weather will continue and the worst of the winter bugs will be behind us!

All the children have been very busy this week baking , cutting , sticking and creating all sorts of beautiful Valentine's gifts- yes that's right its Valentine's Day on Monday - please don't forget or there will be tears! They have also taken advantage of the milder weather to go on several walks around the village- the snowdrops/bluebells have been out almost every day and the buttercups enjoyed their visit to the library.
The schoolhouse children have been having a great time with some new play resources- new messy play tables and a lovely kitchen unit for role play, while the pre-school children have been making the most of our new storyphones system - individual MP3 players in a portable headphone set , so each child can choose music/stories to listen to - they love them!

More next week!

Marion

Chinese New Year

Hello everyone ,

All this week we have been celebrating the Chinese Year of the Rabbit which begins today . The children have been making beautiful lanterns , lucky money wallets(the money inside is not real tho!) and today have been enjoying jasmine tea and dumplings they made themselves. Our thanks to Maureen for her expert knowledge! I  hope that the year brings you all good fortune!

Its been a busy time for celebrating our cultural diversity as last week was Burn's Night . The children listened to some of the bards poems , made lovely tartan pictures and sampled haggis- with varying degrees of enthusiasm :-) as it was vegetarian haggis, I tried it too, can can assure you it was delicious! It was also Australia Day when we saw some great pictures of Australia, discussed the wildlife and made  boomerangs.

We have one more thing to celebrate this week .......Huge congratulations to Natalie(sunflowers) and her husband Tony , who are expecting their first child in August- it will be no surprise to anyone I'm sure , that we just love news like that :-)

Marion

Three Peaks Challenge - June 2011

Good afternoon everyone ,

One of our parents, Barry Wink , is taking part in the above event to raise money for Action Medical Research, a children's charity dedicated to improving the health of babies and children in the UK . This means that he and his colleagues will be climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in 24hrs . Now that's an impressive achievement! To find out more about the challenge please visit   http://www.thethreepeakschallenge.co.uk
and to show your support and sponsor him go to    http://www.action.org.uk/sponsor/teamaqas011tp09

Best of luck Barry - at least you'll be getting all your training done on the hillsides of Culter!

Marion

AQNS website launch

Good afternoon ,

the big news this week is the launch of the AQNS webiste which went live today . Many of you will know that we are members of AQNS (Association of Quality Nurseries in Scotland), and that Mrs. Mackay was a founder member and has sat on the board since the association was formed 10 yrs ago . The website has areas for all interested in early years care and education , including  parents information - please have a look and pass on any comments you may have .    www.aqns.org    

We had a meeting of the Parent Forum last week - the minutes of this meeting will soon be displayed on all department noticeboards . It was suggested at the meeting that many of you would be willing to volunteer to clear snow/ice if required to help prevent a repeat of the problems we recently experienced  in the carpark. This would mean getting together a small group (10 or so) who could be contacted at short notice on an evening or weekend to come along (with a shovel!). This would of course only be needed if the extreme weather conditions return(and lets hope it doesnt!) If you'd be willing to help in this way , please get in touch with me and Ill get your contact details .
It was also suggested that the same could apply for help in heavy work in the garden if needed- eg digging beds. We may have a gardening day in the spring and ask you to come along for half an hour or so to help. Watch this space . The offer of your time , and willingness to contribute to the smooth running of the nursery is very much appreciated and warmly welcomed!
If you have any other ideas/suggestions , please pass them on to any member of the Parent forum ,  member of staff , or in one of our suggestion boxes.

And finally , thanks for the positive feedback passed on through the Parent Forum about this blog . However ,currently  I seem to be the only person on the blog - although its a great way to keep you all up to date with what's going on at the nursery , one of the main reasons it was created was to give parents an opportunity to make contributions - you can post a comment on any of the blog entries , dont be shy - if you have an opinion please share it with us- its a great place to start discussions or raise any issues.Also don't forget , Im happy to post items if there's something you'd like all the parents to know about - could be information on a child friendly venue , charity events you're involved in - just let me know.

Look forward to reading your comments!

Marion

Staffing update

Good afternoon everyone,

Gail(0-2yrs) and Emma(sunflowers) will soon be starting to study for SVQ II Children's Care Learning and Development . In order to give them both experience working with different age groups , they are both moving . Gail has joined the buttercups , and Emma has joined the snowdrops/bluebells. Both are looking forward to getting to know the children in their new departments and the opportunity to extend their knowledge and skills. It can take a little time to get to know you all- so many new names and faces , so please make yourselves known to them . Thank you .

Marion

Car Park

Hello again ,

Just to let you know that the carpark has been reopened. The entire area has been salted and gritted , but  be aware that it is still very icy . The ice is beginning to melt , and I have been advised that traffic in the carpark will help speed up the process. However , please proceed with extreme caution , don't let your children run in the carpark , and if you are carrying a child , Id advise that you continue to park on the road and use the alternative entrance. Please do not enter the carpark unless you are wearing suitable footwear. The forecast for the weekend is rising temperatures , so hopefully the thaw will continue. Lets hope so!

Marion