A Warm Welcome to Our First Newsletter
We can’t believe it’s already October! The past month has flown by since we opened our doors, and we want to say a huge thank you to every one of you for your incredible support. It has been a joy getting to know you and your little ones, and we are so proud of how well they have all settled in.
It has been a fantastic start to the first term, filled with laughter, learning, and lots of fun. We are so excited for the months ahead.
Welcome to the Team
We are thrilled to introduce two new faces at Puddle Ducks.
Firstly, a huge welcome to Summer, our new apprentice. Summer has already made a wonderful impression with her warmth and enthusiasm, and the children have loved getting to know her. We would like to congratulate her on successfully completing her Paediatric First Aid training. Summer will also be working towards her formal childcare qualification with us over the coming year, and we are excited to support her on this journey.
We are also delighted to welcome Poppy who joins us for a work placement from college for a few days each week starting this October.
Important Information: Tax-Free Childcare Now Available
We are pleased to announce that the option to pay for your nursery fees using the government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme is now live.
If you haven’t already, you can set up an account and check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-tax-free-childcare
To find us on the system, please use our Ofsted reference number: 2852482 and our postcode: TN32 5PJ.
If you are unfamiliar with the scheme but think it may be of interest, please get in touch and we will be happy to explain how it works.
What We’ve Been Learning About
On the Farm: The children have had a brilliant time learning all about the farm. The highlight was our regular trips to see the local cows, which sparked so much curiosity. We’ve been singing “Old MacDonald,” reading farm stories, and creating some amazing farm-themed art.
Wonderful Autumn: We have also been embracing the new season, exploring all the changes autumn brings. We’ve been on nature walks to collect beautiful red and yellow leaves, singing songs about autumn and creating nature treasure baskets for the children to explore. The children have enjoyed sensory play with autumnal textures and have been learning about the changing weather.
Following Your Child’s Lead: Alongside our topics, we’ve loved following the children’s own unique interests. This has led to some wonderful, spontaneous learning, from children becoming fascinated with the planets to creating a prehistoric dinosaur swamp in the messy tray. We’ve seen incredible cities built with construction blocks, busy emergency vehicles racing to the rescue, and lots of gentle, caring play with the babies in our home corner. It’s often in these moments that the most memorable learning and discovery happens.
Connecting Home & Nursery
To help your child feel secure and to strengthen the link between home and nursery, we would love to have a photo of their family here. These will be laminated and kept in a special box for the children to access whenever they wish. A huge thank you to the parents who have already sent photos in. If you would like to contribute, you can either bring in a photo or upload one to Tapestry for us to print.
Sharing Your News from Home
We love hearing about all the wonderful things your children get up to outside of nursery. If you have a special moment, a family adventure, or a ‘wow’ achievement you’d like to share, please feel free to upload a photo to Tapestry. We have found that the children really enjoy sharing these with us and their friends.
Polite Reminders
As the weather is getting colder and wetter, please could we remind you to pack plenty of spare clothes in your child’s bag each day.
- Lots of named spare clothes (including trousers, tops and socks).
- A named puddle suit and wellington boots that can stay at the nursery if you wish.
- A warm, waterproof coat, hat, and gloves for outdoor adventures.
- Outdoor play is a huge part of our day, whatever the weather, and these items will help ensure your child is always warm and comfortable.
Dates for Your Diary
Halloween Dress-Up Week: Monday, 27th October – Friday, 31st October To celebrate Halloween, children are invited to come to nursery in fancy dress during the last week of October. This is completely optional, but a lovely chance for some fun. Please ensure any costumes are comfortable and practical for a busy day of playing and exploring.
Local School Open Days For those of you with children starting school next year, we will be attaching the information we have received about local school open days to this newsletter. So far, we have information from Ticehurst and Flimwell CE Primary School and Salehurst CE Primary School.
Nursery Closures & Bank Holidays
- Christmas Closure 2025: We will be closed for the Christmas break from Monday 22nd – Friday 26th December 2025, reopening on Monday, 29th December. Our Christmas 2026 dates will be confirmed next year.
- 2026 Bank Holiday Closures:
– Thursday, 1st January (New Year’s Day)
– Friday, 3rd April (Good Friday)
– Monday, 6th April (Easter Monday)
– Monday, 4th May (Early May Bank Holiday)
– Monday, 25th May (Spring Bank Holiday)
– Monday, 31st August (Summer Bank Holiday)
– Friday, 25th December (Christmas Day)
– Monday, 28th December (Boxing Day)
Your Feedback Matters
We are always striving to make Puddle Ducks the best it can be for you and your children. Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us, so please don’t hesitate to let us know what you think is going well or if you have any suggestions for how we could improve. Feel free to email us: info@puddleducksnurserysalehurst.com or call / text on: 07737819602 .
Thank you again for being part of our community. We are always here to chat, so please don’t hesitate to speak to a member of staff if you have any questions.
Warmest wishes,
The Puddle Ducks Team
