News & Blog

This recipe has been a big hit with the children and our lovely cook Rita has had
numerous parents asking her for the recipe, so here it is, have a go and enjoy!!

Ingredients:150 grams sweet potato 1 small red onion 100 grams frozen spinach 205 grams chick peas 1 tin chopped tomatoes Stock made from vegetable oxo 2 fresh tomatoes Curry powder to taste Oil Serve with Cous cous Sprinkle with grated cheese on the top

Method:

1. Chop the onion and fry in a little oil in a pan
2. Peel and chop the sweet potato into 2cm cubes, add to the onion and soften for 5 minutes.
3. Add the curry powder, fry for a few more minutes.
4. Add tinned tomatoes and chick peas, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add fresh chopped tomatoes and bring back to the boil.
6. Stir in the frozen spinach, ad additional stock as required and bring back to the boil.
7. Blend into a sauce.
8. Cook cous cous as directed on packet and serve with the curry, sprinkle with cheese if required.

Below are photographs of the children playing on some of the new equipment we have bought recently to improve our outdoor play and learning opportunities.  We are delighted to say that the children and staff are fully utilizing the extensive grounds and opportunities here at Smarties.  The lovely summer weather has been an added bonus!  The children have been outside for most parts of the day throughout the last few weeks including mealtimes.

 At Smarties we are continually trying to improve our facilities and experiences for children outside. Recently three of the staff from various parts of the nursery have attended a conference for effective outdoor learning and experiences for children. They have come back full of enthusiasm and with a vast amount of information for the development of our outside areas.  The three staff have formed a team developing plans for the outside area and have given me a huge wish list for equipment, some of which we have already purchased.
I would like to impress upon you as parents the importance of outside learning for children attending nursery. We are trying to develop the same opportunities for learning outside as  inside. Outside learning also offers opportunities for children to explore, understand danger and risks, and accommodates children with different learning pathways. It also covers the area of knowledge and understanding of the world, and is a huge part of the EYFS. There are some negatives! Your children may come home with dirty clothes. There is more chance of minor scratches and scrapes, but I can assure you that the children are still going to be cared for with the same staffing ratios as inside. We do have quite strict Health and Safety policies already and I have sent home a copy of our Outside Play Policy. I hope you as parents will support and be delighted with the developments we are making as they are in the best interests of your child. Please read our Outdoor Policy and understand the necessity to send children into nursery in appropriate clothing for messy outside play. We would also be very grateful if you would send in a named bag with a named change of clothes in case we need to change the children.
I am very excited with the developments proposed (and even more excited by the enthusiasm of the staff!). Some of the new equipement we are purchasing is fantastic. If any of you as parents wish to purchase anything you see outside please contact the office.

May 2010

Please note that the contact details for Ofsted at the end of the Complaints Policy L.iv have changed to;         

The National Business Unit,
Ofsted,
The Royal Exchange Buildings,
St Ann’s Square,
Manchester.
M2 7LA
Tel: 03000 123 1231

 Also the contact details for social services in the Child Protection Policy L.iii to:

Social Services – Social Care Access Team is

Cheshire County Council,
Goldsmith House,
Hamilton place,
Chester.
CH1 1SE
Tel: 01244 973400