September 2025 Newsletter

Little Chums has emailed out a newsletter for September 2025 to all our parents and carers!

Didn't receive a copy of the newsletter by email or deleted it by accident already?!

Find it in our sharing folder and read it online here...

Food Bank Support

We know times are tough for everybody, but there are some people less fortunate than ourselves. At the end of every month, Little Chums usually has a few cans or packets of food leftover so we have therefore decided to begin donating this to a local food bank organiser, Eastern Valley Food Bank.

 

If you have any of the following food items that we could donate with along with our items, please feel free to bring them to us and we will deliver them on your behalf:

 

tinned vegetables, tinned meat, tinned spaghetti, coffee, soup, rice pudding, custard, long life milk, angel delight, jelly, tinned fruit, toilet roll, tinned tomatoes.

 

Further information can be found here...

Soft Play Fun

The weather has been a bit 'hit and miss' recently.

To make sure the children are still getting some exercise when they haven't been able to go outside, Babies, Tots and Toddler groups have dragged out all the soft play equipment, tents, tunnels and ball pits and have been having a riot of a time! 

See all the photos in the album here... 

Library Visit

Today, Preschool visited the library. 

After a short car journey to the leisure centre car park and a lovely stroll through Pontypool Park, the children arrived at Pontypool library!

And what a lovely time they had, looking through all the books, reading some stories with the adults and speaking to the librarian who was really helpful and friendly!

To see photos of this visit in the album, click here... 

Thank You Messages

We're literally in tears (of joy) here at Little Chums as we've received more thank you cards and messages.

To read the most recent heart warming messages that we have received in cards and by email, please take the time to visit our parents comments page here... 

August 2025 Newsletter

Little Chums has emailed out a newsletter for August 2025.

Didn't receive a copy of the newsletter by email?

Read it here...

Summer of Fun

We've just uploaded over 210 photos to a 'Summer of Fun' photo album showing what the children have been up to over the last few weeks during the lovely weather! 

Whether it's playing in the indoor and outdoor sand and water trays, taking a walk along the canal, visiting the canal basin, feeding the ducks, playing in the local fields, enjoying an ice-lolly, Holiday Club performing a puppet show for Preschool or having a water fight (plus lots more!), the children at Little Chums have done it all!

See all the photos in the album here... 

Sunflower Field

Preschool and Holiday Club have just arrived back from their visit to the sunflower field next door at our friends at Ty Poeth Farm! 

And what a great experience!  It's quite easy to get lost amongst all those tall sunflowers!  We strongly recommend you take a visit with your whole family!  Find out more information on the Ty Poeth Farm Facebook page here...

Each child who visited should be arriving home tonight with their own sunflower!

See all the photos from the visit in the gallery here... 

Thank You!

We'd like to say a HUGE thank-you for the cards, gifts and kind words that individual staff and/or the nursery have received from those families who are leaving us after 'graduation'.  Some of those families have had two or three children attend Little Chums so have been part of our family for between 6 and 10 years! 

We'd like to share one recent message with you...

"To all the wonderful staff at Little Chums Nursery.  As we come to the end of an incredibly special chapter, we just want to say the biggest thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  After six amazing years with you, first with [name redacted] and then with [name redacted], it's hard to put into words just how much you've all meant to our family.  Choosing Little Chums was without doubt one of the best decisions we've ever made.  You have given our boys the happiest of starts, filled with laughter, learning and love.  Every single member of staff, past and present, has played a part in shaping their early years and for that we are forever grateful.  Your warmth, patience and genuine care have made all the difference.  You've been more than a nursery, you've been like an extended family and we will always carry that with us.  Thank you again for everything.  We will miss you loads. With love and appreciation..."

Other kind messages we have received recently in cards or by email, have also been added to our website.  You can read them here...

 

Graduation 2025

Today, Preschool held their ‘Graduation Celebration’ where we said goodbye to those older children (some of whom have been with us since they were babies!) who are about to leave their Little Chums family to move on to their 'big school' full time. 

As part of the graduation ceremony, the children dressed in caps and gowns, received a certificate and goody bag (which included a framed photo of the children in their graduation gown, graduation medal, sunglasses, key-ring, wristband, bubbles, sweet-cone, poem and learning journal scrapbooks), watched a photo slide show of all their friends and the things they have gotten up to and sang a few songs for their parents.

There were more than a few tears in the room from both parents and staff! Afterwards, there were drinks and treats for all!

To see photos of the event, visit the graduation photo album here...

To watch the children singing one of the songs, visit our Facebook page here...

Photograph Session Reminder

Don’ forget, we have a photograph session booked with LAF Designs on Monday 21st July (this is a New Inn Primary INSET day).  This session is non-themed, so you'll be able to keep the photos up in your house all year round! 

The morning will be taken up with individual photos of those in attendance on that day, with the late morning and afternoon set aside for those not in attendance and/or family photos.  If you have more than one child at Little Chums that morning, please let us know if you want individual photos, family photos or both as soon as possible if you haven't done so already!

All slots in the afternoon set aside for children who are not attending that day are now fully booked and parents should have been informed of their 'appointment' time!

As before, the selection and purchase of photos will be directly through LAF Designs!

Graduation Reminder

Don't forget, this Friday 18^th July Preschool will be having their ‘Graduation Celebration’ where we say goodbye to those older children who are leaving us to go to ‘big school’! 

Free tickets are available from the Preschool staff, so don't forget to get them if you haven't done so already! There is a maximum of two tickets per family; due to fire regulations, there is unfortunately a limit as to how many people can be present in the building at any time.  We politely ask that any younger siblings, particularly those in pushchairs and prams, do not attend so as not to distract the graduating children.  Thank you for your cooperation with this.

Please arrive to be seated from 1.30pm; we aim to start at 1.45pm.  It is likely that the car park will be busy, so please park in a considerate way, not taking up too much space and by not blocking others, particularly the Nursery cars which will be needed for school runs!!!  If our main car park is full, please park out on the driveway, again without blocking access!  Entry will be via the bottom door used by Breakfast and After-School Club children.

There will be light refreshments at the end so you are welcome to stay for a short period. However, with so many people present, you will be responsible for your children unless they go back into the main play room. If your children do not usually attend on Friday and are only coming for the Graduation, after the event they must remain with you AT ALL TIMES and must leave with you after the refreshments - we will not have space for them to remain unfortunately.

The children have been practising very hard so hopefully it will be an enjoyable and memorable event!  The Preschool staff apologise for not sending any photos via ClassDojo recently but, as you can imagine, organising and preparing for this event is almost a full time job in itself! 

July 2025 Newsletter

Little Chums has emailed out a newsletter for July 2025.

Didn't receive a copy of the newsletter by email?

Read it here...

Wedding Request

As mentioned in our June newsletter, staff member Rachael is getting married and the big day is tomorrow, Thursday 19th June! 

To allow members of staff to attend the evening celebration in Cardiff, we are asking if it is at all possible for you to collect your children slightly earlier?  If so, that would be extremely appreciated!

We’re sure that all of you join us wishing her the best for a fantastic day!

Sun Safe Nursery Accreditation

We are pleased to inform you that Little Chums Day Nursery has renewed it's annual 'Sun Safe Nurseries' accreditation which demonstrates our commitment to maintaining the health and wellbeing of your child(ren) during the hours they are with us.  Our certificate is at the bottom of this news article as well as being displayed in our entrance ways. 

The scheme has been developed by national skin cancer charity 'Skcin', to assist nurseries and pre-school settings in implementing a successful sun safety policy, whilst educating children to increase knowledge, influence behaviour and prevent skin cancer.

Whilst we recognise that some sun is good for us, sun safety is an important health and safety issue. Children spend almost half their childhood at pre and primary school, with a great deal of time spent outdoors. During the warmer months of the year children are exposed to Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) from the sun, the majority of which is when penetration is strongest (between 11am and 3pm). Without adequate protection, a child's delicate skin can easily burn, this can cause cumulative and irreparable damage that could significantly increase their risk of developing skin cancer in later life.

Over the last couple of months, we have already asked via newsletters and online for parents to provide a high factor sun cream (SPF 50, with UVA & UVB protection) and hat which also covers the neck.  We thank those parents who have already provided those!  We also remind you to, on very warm sunny days, ensure your child arrives at Little Chums for their session with loose fitting clothing that covers as much of the arms and shoulders as possible.

A copy of our full sun care policy is available on request.

You can download a copy of the Skcin charity sun care information booklet here...

More information and resources can be found on the Sun Safe Nurseries website here...