Can all queries from parents regarding frontline workers who require childcare be made by calling Claire before lunchtime today.

Many Thanks

In light of the current situation with COVID19 and recent Government announcements, The Grove will be part of the country-wide closure of childcare settings as of end of day Friday 20th March. This is with the exception of frontline service workers. As we are still waiting for official clarification of this I know it has posed some questions with working parents and we just wanted to clarify (so it can be passed on to others if necessary) that this is deemed to be frontline NHS staff, operational emergency service workers and vital supply delivery drivers. I know that a lot of people in many roles are working from home and this is challenging with children at home and underfoot but this is unfortunately the situation for many of the country and is NOT considered to be frontline work. We have to make a clear decision and with the effort the whole country is making to reduce the spread to the vulnerable it would not be fair or responsible to care for any other children other than those with parents in frontline roles. We also have to consider the responsibility we have to our staff, they all have families and will be having to make alternative arrangements for their children etc. It was also stated that vulnerable children will be accommodated for and Claire is ensuring that any children whom fall within this category are receiving sufficient support at this time.

We would like to thank all parents, committee members and staff for your support and understanding at this time and as soon as we know more about a future date of re-opening we will share this with you. Wishing you and your families all the best.

Please note – The Grove requires children to be in isolation for 14 days if they or ANYONE in their household have symptoms of COVID19.

Thank you for the support from parents in limiting the number of adults in the Playroom. We will always support your child as much as is required and this really does help limit the spread of germs to others. The children are becoming excellent hand-washers!

We will update as and when is necessary so keep your eyes peeled for further information.

As I’m sure you are all aware the UK is in the ‘delay’ stage and the current advice regarding Coronavirus is listed below.

Stay at home for a minimum of 7 days if you are showing symptoms of Coronavirus (a high temperature, persistent cough)

There is no need to go to the GP, pharmacy or hospital

You do not need to call 111 to tell them you are staying at home

The Grove will be sending children home who present with the above symptoms, or develop them whilst in our care. If children are sent home they will not be able to return for at least 7 days.

We will keep the website updated with any further details or new advice if the situation changes.

Thank you to all of the families that came to our first Story Night. We hope you enjoyed the evening as much as we did. It was a perfect way to celebrate books and the joy of reading and we hope to do it again in the future.

Don’t forget our Story Night is next week on Thursday 5th March. Come in pyjamas (grown ups too!) and listen to a bed time story at The Grove, from 5.30-6.30pm. There will be hot chocolate and biscuits and donations are welcome.

The children enjoyed making and eating pancakes this week. Well done to the staff for leaving some for the children!

We hope you and your families had a lovely Christmas and New Year. We are looking forward to welcoming the children back on Tuesday 7th January.

Thank you to everyone that came to our Winter Fair – we had a great time in the Elf Workshop and getting glitter tattoos (above)

We raised £242.62 which is simply amazing!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, from Everyone at The Grove

We would like to invite Grove Families and Friends to our Winter Fair on Saturday 30th November 2-4pm.

Stalls include:

Adult and Children’s Tombola

Glitter Tattoos

Reindeer Hoopla Game

Elf Workshop – write a letter to Santa and receive a gift!

And more……

We hope to see you there and if you have any prize donations please drop them to pre-school

Thank you to Stag Fencing who have put up a new fence down the side of The Grove. I’m sure you will all agree it looks great.

At the end of this term we said goodbye to Cheryl and the children presented her with a lovely handmade gift which she will cherish. We want to say a HUGE thank you to Cheryl and her husband Clive for everything they have done for The Grove over the last 30 years! We all wish you a happy retirement and hope you will call in to say hello every once in a while.

The children had a wonderful trip to Farmer Palmers before half term. They had the chance to handle guinea pigs, feed the lambs, go on a bumpy tractor ride and explore lots of play areas. The Wednesday group had the extra surprise of a double decker bus!

The Grove would like to say a big thank-you to everyone at The Dorchester Round Table and especially Paul who is pictured here awarding a cheque to Cheryl and Jamie for £750. This money allowed the Preschool to maintain the flooring, ensuring it is a safe environment for everyone. We are very grateful!

We would like to thank everyone involved for donating funds and time to renovate the garden. The new woodchip and turf has made a huge difference to the outside space and the children are making the most of it in this glorious weather.