HOLLY BANK PARENT NEWSLETTER SPRING TERM 2026

As the days become longer and brighter, we are excited to welcome the season of spring in our nursery. This time of year brings lots of opportunities for high-quality learning, outdoor exploration, and celebrating together. Our dedicated team continues to focus on delivering rich, engaging experiences that support every child’s development.

Diary Dates

Nursery Closure Dates
Friday 3rd April and Monday 6th April – Easter Bank Holiday

Please note that the nursery will be closed on Friday 24th April for a full team safeguarding training day. This ensures that our staff remain up to date with the latest guidance and best practices to keep all children safe and supported.

Monday 4th May –Early May Bank Holiday

Monday 25th May –Spring Bank Holiday

Monday 31st August –Summer Bank Holiday

Nursery days/Events

Monday 30th March – Thursday 2nd  April – Easter

Children will be exploring different Easter activities, Crafts and learning all about the origin of Easter, as well as baking some Easter treats in our cooking club.

Tuesday 1st April – April fool’s day

Children will be showcasing their favourite jokes to their friends, getting involved in silly activities and playing harmless tricks on the staff members.

Wednesday 1st  April – National Walk Day

Children at nursery will celebrate National Walk Day by enjoying a fun outdoor walk, exploring nature, and learning about the benefits of staying active

Friday 11th April – Big Wind day

Children will be learning all about the effects of wind, observing and experimenting with wind and making wind ourselves.

Tuesday 22nd April – Earth Day

Linking in with our ‘Eco-Schools@ project the children will be learning all about the earth and how we can use methods learnt to protect and help the earth such as sustainable foods, recycling and energy wastage.

Wednesday 23rd April – St George’s day

Children will be learning about St George as well as getting involved in some dragon crafts.

Tuesday 29th April – International dance day

Children will be showing off their best dance moves with the Dance-athon with the staff.

Parent Stay and Plays
Thank you to the parents who attended our recent Stay and Play sessions. If you haven’t yet had the chance, we hope to see you at a future event. Our Next Stay and Play will be held on 14th April 4.30-5.30pm.

Please keep a look out on our nursery website, where we regularly post news stories so you can see what the children have been getting up to.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to enjoying a wonderful and enriching spring term with the children.

Staff News

High-Quality Learning and Staff Development
At our nursery, the quality of learning is central to everything we do. All staff have recently completed specialist training for working with children under 2, including NDNA Exemplary Practice for Babies.

Additionally, our team continues to engage with programmes such as the Think Equal programme for social-emotional learning and the NDNA Maths Champion programme, enhancing early mathematical development. These professional development opportunities ensure that children of all ages receive the highest standard of care and learning experiences.

Learning focus at the moment

We have begun by celebrating the return of the birds. Following National Bird Watch Week, we have continued this learning in the garden. The children have been eagerly watching the bird feeders, which have been filled and ready for the birds to arrive.

We’ve seen a variety of feathered friends return, including robins, magpies, and sparrows. To make it extra special, the toddlers created their own bird feeders to take home, and we’ve invited parents to share pictures of birds spotted around their homes. Observing wildlife up close is helping children develop curiosity, attention to detail, and an appreciation for nature.

New Life
Spring is the perfect time to explore new life. Children will learn about baby animals such as chicks, lambs, and ducklings, and how plants grow from seeds and bulbs. This hands-on learning supports understanding of life cycles and fosters scientific observation skills. Children have already planted seeds in our allotment garden, including daffodils and cress, with some taking them home to nurture further.

Changes in the Environment
Outdoor learning continues to be a focus as children explore how the environment changes in spring. They are noticing longer days, warmer weather, budding trees, and more wildlife, developing early environmental awareness and observation skills.

Transport for Babies
In the baby room, children have been observing the many vehicles that pass the nursery daily heading to the building site at the bottom of the road. We will continue this learning by exploring different types of transport and learning their names, supporting language development and real-world connections.

Oral Health
Good dental habits are essential. In celebration of Oral Health Day on 20th March, we are focusing on brushing teeth and healthy foods. Songs, stories, and interactive activities support children in building lifelong healthy routines.

Flower Spotting
With flowers beginning to bloom, children will go on flower spotting walks around the nursery and local community. This activity encourages observation, vocabulary development, and engagement with the natural world.

Easter Celebrations
To celebrate Easter, children will enjoy craft, storytelling, and an Easter-themed treasure hunt. These activities support creativity, teamwork, and excitement for seasonal celebrations.

Red Nose Day
We will celebrate Red Nose Day with fun activities and simple acts of kindness. Please keep an eye out for this year’s theme. This is a great opportunity to teach children the importance of helping others.

Home Learning Bags
Home learning bags are available to sign out from the office. Please speak to a member of staff if you would like to take one home.
Current bags include:

• The Colour Monster – emotions and feelings
• Oral health
• Potty training

Safeguarding

Mobile Phones

Please can I remind parents that the use of mobile phones on nursery premises is strictly prohibited, you must not take any photographs or videos at nursery or at any nursery events. Using your mobile phone breaks the statutory welfare requirements and is also a breach of safeguarding policies to which we must all adhere.

Car Seats 

The safety and wellbeing of every child in our care is our highest priority. We would like to remind all families of the legal and safety requirements regarding the use of appropriate car seats when transporting children to and from nursery.

All children must be secured in a suitable, properly fitted car seat that meets current safety regulations. This is not only a legal requirement, but a critical measure to protect children from serious injury in the event of an accident.

Please be advised that if a staff member observes a child arriving at or leaving the nursery without being secured in an appropriate car seat, this will be reported in line with safeguarding procedures. In such circumstances, we will not release the child until a suitable car seat is provided to ensure their safe journey.

We understand that situations can occasionally arise unexpectedly; however, children’s safety cannot be compromised. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe environment for all children.

Further information

Lost and Found Property

We kindly request your cooperation in labelling your child's belongings, including shoes, clothes, hats and other personal items. Clear labelling with your child's name will help ensure that everything is returned to its rightful owner. This simple step will save time and minimise any potential mix-ups. Please check the Lost and Found property boxes periodically to retrieve any misplaced items.

Spring Outdoor Clothing

During the chillier months, please ensure your child has suitable clothing to participate comfortably in all aspects of outdoor play that are all clearly labelled with their name and that can be kept at nursery.

We would kindly request that you bring a warm fleece to wear under the outdoor coats and a pair of wellingtons for participating in outdoor play. 

Nursery Fee Payment Reminder

A reminder that all payments must reach our bank account before the 1st of each month this includes all childcare vouchers, Tax Free Childcare Payments and Direct Debits. Any parents paying by SLC with need to pay their monthly top up amount by 1st also. Please note that payments usually take 3-4 business days to reach our account.

Any payments received after 1st of the month will incur a £25 late payment charge and continued failure to pay will be charged at a daily rate of 8% of the outstanding balance.

Holiday/leavers Dates

Please can you inform the office of your upcoming holiday dates, celebrations days. For the children who will be leaving for a September school transition please note a calendar months’ notice is required.