Hello everyone, and welcome to Ballykeel Nursery! The adults in our class this year are Mrs McGuckin (Teacher), Miss Cameron (Classroom Assistant) and Miss Cameron (SEN Assistant)

August – October

Settling In & Routines:

Week 1 (Starting Tuesday 27th August) - Children attend one day from 9:30 - 12:00

Week 2 (Starting Tuesday 3rd September) - Children attend one day from 9:30 - 12:00

Week 3 (Starting Monday 9th September) - Children attend three days in larger groups from 9:30 - 12:00

Week 4 (Starting Monday 16th September) - Whole class will attend the full five days from 9:30 - 12:00

Week 5 (Starting Monday 23rd September) - Whole class will attend

From Monday 23rd September onwards, some children in the class will start staying for dinner (finishing at 1pm) while the rest of the class continue going home as normal (12 noon). On Friday 27th September all children will stay for dinner and go home at 1pm. We will let you know beforehand when your child starts staying for dinner. 

From Monday 30th September, all children are in for the full session of 9.00am - 1.30pm (including dinner). Doors will open between 9.00- 9.15am and 1.15- 1.30pm to allow for dropping off and collection.

We hope that your child will settle into life in the Nursery with ease, but don’t be alarmed if they need a little extra support with this, it can be perfectly normal. Please be guided by the Nursery Staff if your child requires a longer period of time to settle in.

Topics this term:

During the months of September and October we will be focusing on settling in, and gradually increasing the days and extending the time to the full session. Our theme for September will be ‘All About Me’. We will be talking about ourselves, our features, our likes and dislikes, our families and our new friends in the Nursery. In October the theme will be ‘Harvest’. We will be talking about various fruits and vegetables, where they come from, the season Autumn, and changes in weather. We will discuss and promote healthy eating through daily snack and dinner.

A few other reminders ....

Name It - please ensure all items of clothing (uniform, coat, hat etc) have your child's name on them. It's a good idea to check these regularly as sometimes they can fade or come off in the wash.

Nursery News - Our parent/carer notice board and the school website will be used to display any important information/reminders and we will communicate with you regularly using the Seesaw app. Please ensure your Seesaw is turned on and checked regularly as this is our main means of communication with you.

Home-Time Box - Each child has a special box where they will keep any art, craft and paintings they do in Nursery. These items can be taken home at the end of each day.

Parent Pay - Emails will be sent inviting you to sign up to the cashless payment system used in school. Further information will be sent via Seesaw about using this method to pay for Nursery Fund and School Dinners.

Nursery Newsletter - Our newsletter will be posted on the school website, sent on Seesaw and displayed on the parent notice board. Please read this carefully and try to encourage your child by talking about the topics we are covering and perhaps even trying the songs and rhymes that they will be using in Nursery.

We hope your child has a memorable year in Ballykeel Nursery Unit; please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns.

Mrs McGuckin and Miss Cameron