A warm welcome to all our families, whether you’re returning or joining us for the first time. We’re so pleased to have you.
The children have settled in so well so far; it’s been lovely to see friendships grow and develop. Our returning children have come back with a new confidence, and our new children are settling in so well.
If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with your child’s key person, teacher or room leader.
New Faces!
We’ve welcomed a few new members of staff this year as well.
At the end of July, we said a fond farewell to our caretaker, Barry, who’s moving out of the area. In August, we welcomed Shaun, an experienced caretaker, onto our team.
We also said ‘goodbye’ to Sara-Rose and welcomed Carrie to Acorns as well as Farhiyo, who has joined Dawn, Lisa and Rahma in our new classroom ‘Little Acorns’.
For more information about our team, please see our website page.
Phones
Please can parents, carers, and anyone dropping children off leave phones in your bags/pockets until you are out of the gate or corridor.
Thank you.
Parking Reminder
Please do not park in our car park at any time – our car park is for Nursery Staff Only. As we share access with the nursing home next door, it is essential that we leave the car park clear for emergency services and/or deliveries. There is ample parking on the roads nearby but please be mindful of our neighbours’ drives and the yellow zig-zags (it is unlawful to park on them).
Thank you for your cooperation with this.
Friends of Filton Avenue Nursery School (FANS)
Did you know that we have a PTFA (Parent, Teacher, Friends Association) called Friends of Filton Avenue Nursery School or FFANS for short?
FFANS work hard to raise money for our school through fundraising events over the year, which provide us with additional funds so that we can use them to enhance your children’s experiences here.
However, we are very short on members and are always seeking to recruit more. You can commit to FFANS in several ways, including:
- Planning events
- Volunteering for events
- Marketing
- Secretary/treasurer
- And many more!
Your level of commitment can be small or large, and committing to one event doesn’t mean you have to commit to them all, but we can only run if we have members!
Please get in touch with the school office for further information and joining details.
Help with Childcare Fees – Changes From September 2025
Final phase of childcare expansion: get 30 hours of childcare – apply now
From this September, 15 hours of childcare for working families with children under three will expand to 30 hours, meaning eligible working families* can now apply for 30 hours of childcare from the term after their child turns 9 months until they reach school age.
This expansion is designed to support your child’s early education and help you better balance work and family life. It’s the final phase of the childcare expansion, which could save families up to £7,500 per year.
What you need to do:
- Check if you’re eligible through Best Start in Life: Working parents in England may be entitled to up to 30 hours of childcare per week for children aged 9 months to school age, during term time (38 weeks per year).
- Apply online via GOV.UK: If you’re eligible, apply now for your childcare code – you’ll need this to access your hours.
- Speak to your childcare provider: Check that they offer the hours and confirm their arrangements.
- Keep your code up to date: you’ll need to reconfirm your details every 3 months via your GOV.UK account. You’ll get a reminder when it’s time.
Already using 15 hours childcare for working families? You don’t need to reapply for a new code. Simply continue to reconfirm your details every 3 months on your GOV.UK account and your existing code will update automatically to enable you to take up 30 hours from September.
For a step-by-step guide on how to apply, watch the video below with Early Years Educator, Steff, explaining the process:
How to get help with the cost of childcare: government-funded support in England
Get free childcare if you’re working: Apply for free childcare – GOV.UK
* This childcare offer of up to 30 funded hours per week is a fantastic support for many families. However, some children aren’t eligible due to their family’s immigration status, which means they miss out on this vital early years education & support.
At our setting, we value inclusion, equity and respect. If you’re unsure about your eligibility or have been affected by this, please speak with us in confidence. We’re here to help and advocate for fairness for all families.
Reminder
At the end of this half term, the Nursery School will be closed between 27th and 31st October, with an INSET day for staff training on Friday, 24th October.
We look forward to welcoming you all back here from Monday, 3rd November, when term two starts.
Thank you,
Kate and everyone at FANS
