Autumn 2025 Newsletter
Table of Contents
Autumn 2025 has had a very busy start at both settings and we couldn’t be more enthusiastic in working alongside our parents and families to give our little ones the best start in life. This is a mid-term newsletter capturing all the nursery shenanigans that have taken place so far, including need-to-know information to prepare for the remaining term ahead.
Key Reminders
Help us keep your children safe
- Kiddisafe operate a strict safeguarding policy, and we ask for your cooperation on this. Please DO NOT allow people you do not recognise into the premises after you.
- If someone is waiting to enter, kindly ask them to ring the buzzer instead.
- Thank you for helping keep us safe at nursery.
Winter warmth reminder
- Outdoor play is important for children all times of year, and Winter is no different.
- Please ensure your child is appropriately dressed for the weather. Please send in hats and gloves, full coats all CLEARLY LABELLED with your child’s name.
- Kiddisafe are not responsible for items that are lost or dirtied. Please be mindful when sending in children’s expensive clothing.
- Warm coat
- Hat, gloves and scarf
- Waterproof footwear
- Extra layers if needed
Donation Request
Kiddisafe are proud advocates of using the Curiosity Approach to promote children’s learning and life skills.
We invite parents to let us know if they have any good quality items that fall into the following categories; please speak to your setting manager before bringing the item in, and we can let you know if the item is still required.
- 👕 Spare clothing (children’s or adult)
- 💇 Hair straighteners, rollers
- 🍳 Kettles, pots, pans, strainers
- 🥄 Metal and wooden spoons, bowls
- Bottle tops (for creative projects)
- 🌸 Artificial flowers
- 🧰 Unwanted tools (safe and usable)
Wood Hill Nursery ONLY: Show-and-tell Wednesdays
Wood Hill are excited to announce show-and-tell Wednesdays, where Teddies and Bears are encouraged to bring in an item from home to talk about.
This is a wonderful opportunity for children to:
- Share something special to them about themselves and their family/home
- Build self-esteem
- Develop confidence speaking in front of others
- Learn more about one another
Each week, a small group of children will be selected to talk to their friends about their special item. We kindly ask parents and families to help their little one choose what item to bring in.
Wood Hill Nursery ONLY: Request for gifts for the elderly
Wood Hill Bears will be visiting Evington Home in November (see Dates for your Diary)
This is a wonderful opportunity for children to:
- Connect with the elderly in our community
- Learn about the world around them
- Enhance empathy and language
You can read more about the benefits of visiting care homes in Early Years here.
We kindly request parents to send in Christmas gifts to the elderly for the children to give out, specifically Shampoo and shower gels designed for sensitive skin, nut-free chocolates, or tinned foods.
Funding Notice
The intake for funding during the Autumn term is now closed. We are only accepting funded registrations with start dates beginning January 2026 onwards.
Paid spaces may start within the term subject to availability.
Renewing funding eligibility
You MUST renew your funding code in your funding portal every 3 months. Please log in and check your own renewal date before the 30th December 2025.
Taking holidays
Holidays during term time are discouraged and may impact your child’s attendance record. If your child’s attendance falls below 90%, the nursery is required to report this to Leicester City Council, which may affect continued funding.
You must notify the nursery of any holidays you are planning to take that exceed 10 days. You must provide a written letter that states the reason for the absence and your expected return date.
Visit our attendance policy to read more on why consistency and routine through attendance at nursery is beneficial for your child’s development.
Eat Better Start Better
Kiddisafe is Eat Better, Start Better, accredited. This means all our menus are approved by qualified nutritionists so our little ones eat the most nourishing meals at nursery.
So, what are the nursery favourites?
Kiddisafe favourites
Dal Chawal (Lentils with rice)
Vegetable noodles
Avocado Cocoa Mousse
Packed Lunch Substitutes
The easiest and most cost effective swap for crisps as a snack is fruit and vegetable sticks. Oftentimes we search the shelves for the best packeted snack, but these can come with price tags. These can be paired with a variety of options, such as nut butters, greek yogurt, granola, porridge… the list goes on. It may take a short while for little one to get used to the swap, but the benefits are countless.
Expert tip: To keep vegetables crisp and fresh, store chopped carrots and apples submerged in water. For cucumber sticks, place a paper towel in the container to absorb moisture. For chopped apples, you can also briefly soak them in salt water or lemon juice and then store in an airtight container to prevent browning.
Home Learning Tips
Behaviour strategies
Ammarah, our behaviour coordinator, shares with us a couple strategies that you can implement to support your little one’s behaviour at home using calm, consistent strategies that reinforce positive behaviour.
It is important that all primary adults are on the same page about what is and is not acceptable choices and behaviour. Where boundaries are set, for example, in using a device for a limited amount of time, or preparing for meal time, the strategy used must be the same and must be consistent. Crucially, you must not set a boundary and then not stick to it. Children must recognise that when you say something, you mean it!
2.Promoting positive behaviour through praise and rewards
3.Encourage children to talk about the feelings using the colour monster book
4.Use visual – stop sign and kind hands
5.Calmly redirect children
6.Get down to children’s level- make eye contact and encourage them to verbalise their feelings using visual aids and social stories to help identify and discuss emotions
Recognise when your child has shown ‘good listening’ and be specific; for example, highlight what exactly you liked in their behaviour:
“I liked how you put down your toy and helped me set the table, when I said it was dinner time”.
Curriculum
Cubs (Baby Room)
We have focused on building secure attachments between key persons and children, gradually building a routine around the needs of the children.
We introduced a variety of sensory activities to explore all five senses and introduced Makaton signs: ‘stop’ ‘finished’ ‘eat’ ‘nappy’ ‘mum’ ‘dad’ ‘milk’ and ‘listen’.
Songs like Mr Tumble Hello and Twinkle supported this learning.
Rules and boundaries have centred around transitions, using shakers and sand timers to support.
We are encouraging feeding ourselves for some babies, using fun activities to support this key area of development.
This term’s focus is on…
As well as continuing to build and respond to consistent routines and cues using objects and songs, we will develop turn-taking and awareness of ourselves in relation to others through mirrors, feelings, and our body parts through song.
We will try to do things ourselves, such as helping to put on own hat and shoes.
Working on our pushing/pulling motor skills and balance.
The makaton signs we will learn this term are: We will introduce new Makaton signs including ‘happy’ ‘please’ ‘sad’ and ‘thank you’.
It’s all about building confidence, curiosity, and connection, one little adventure at a time!
Teddies (Toddlers)
Teddies focused on secure attachments, building consistent routines, and recognising emotions this term.
We talk about our feelings and ask, “How are we feeling?” The Colour Monster story helps us to name our feelings and express ourselves. Children made their own sensory bottles and monster crafts.
The autumn season inspired our curiosity and creativity, looking at the textures of leaves, introducing pumpkins, and conkers.
This term’s focus is on…
Emotion coaching, which will support children to express themselves by naming their feelings, e.g., “You feel sad because…”
We will continue to practice turn-taking.
New makaton signs include ‘angry’ ‘listen’ ‘play’ ‘want’.
Children will engage in lots of sensory activities thanks to the changing seasons, which will help to develop their curiosity, resilience and of course, build their vocabulary.
Bears (pre-school)
As well as building secure attachments, we have reinforced boundaries by following the nursery’s golden rules. We learnt about the one another and the world around us through Hindi festivals of Navratri and Diwali. We talked about how Hindus and Sikhs celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights and even visited the Gudhwara. Thank you to the parents who visited us to show us Navaratri dancing!
We introduced children to our artist focus: Wassily Kandinsky (Wood Hill) and Andy Goldsworthy (Coleman).
At Coleman, we explored The Rainbow Fish story and then took a visit to the aquarium to support our learning.
This term’s focus is on…
We will continue the artist’s focus, helping us to explore colours, shapes and sizes.
Phase 2 phonics will help us to learn letter sounds and discover objects that begin with each one.
Role play, name recognition and story exploration will develop early literacy skills fun and creatively.
Dates for your diary
Celebrations
5th November – Bonfire night
11th November – Remembrance Day
13th November – World Kindness Day
15th November – Children in Need
Nursery Events
6th November – Parent reviews begin
13th/14th November – Wood Hill visit to retirement home (Evington Home)
15th November – Children in Need fundraiser at Coleman
17th-21st November – Children in Need Week at Wood Hill
1st December – Coleman church visit
2nd December – Wood Hill church visit
9th December 1:30-2:30pm – Wood Hill stay and play
11th December 9:30-10:30am – Morning Coleman stay and play
11th December 1:30-2:30pm – Afternoon Coleman stay and play
19th December – Last day of term
