Latest News
Safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility
Children have a right to be cared for and protected and protecting them is everyone's responsibility. If you know of a child who is being neglected or abused - it's simple - report it now to Children, Schools and Families on 0300 123 4043. For more information on any safeguarding issues visit the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Board's website.
14th May 2012
We are currently in the process of finalising some dates for a 4 week Baby Massage course here at the Children's Centre - we will be contacting those of you who have expressed an interest in attending this course shortly. Please contact Lucy at the Children's Centre if you would like further details.
Two dates for your diary - On Wednesday 30th May we are holding a "Bugs and Beasties" themed activity session at Letchmore Infants and Nursery School between 9.00am and 11.00am. The session is FREE to attend and there is no need to book. On Friday 1st June we will be celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee here at Bridge Road. Why not join us at the Children's Centre anytime between 9.00am and 1.00pm for some fun Jubilee themed activites! (please note that there will be no New Start or Movers and Shakers groups on this date)
Finally, many of you will be aware that we had our Ofsted Inspection on 3rd and 4th May. Thank you to those of you who spoke with the inspectors and shared your views about the Children's Centre. We look forward to sharing the Report with you very soon!
7th May 2012
North Hertfordshire College is holding an Adult Learning Festival from 12th May until 24th May 2012. A copy of the Festival brochure is attached.
Symonds Green Community Association and Funky Feet baby and toddler group are celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee with an outside party (weather permitting) on 3rd June 2012 from 2.00pm-4.00pm at Symonds Green Community Centre. Tickets are £2 per child (includes party food) - accompanying adults are free (light refreshments will be available for adults to purchase). For tickets or more details, please call into the Community Centre office.
30th April 2012
We have been asked by the Department of Health to highlight the importance to all our families of getting enough vitamin D. A significant proportion of the UK population have low vitamin D levels, which has resulted in a rising number of reported cases of rickets in children and osteomalacia (bone pain and tenderness) in adults. Those most at risk of vitamin D deficiency include:
- all pregnant and breast feeding women, especially teenagers and young women
- children under the age of 5
- all people aged 65 and over
- people who are not exposed to much sun, for example those who cover their skin for cultural reasons, who are housebound or confined indoors for long periods
- people from ethnic minorities who have darker skin, because their bodies are not able to produce as much vitamin D.
You can get sufficient vitamin D by taking daily supplements. Healthy Start vitamin supplements are FREE through the Healthy Start Scheme and are available from Bridge Road Children’s Centre.
Rhyme Time – can we remind those of you that come to Rhyme Time here at the Children’s Centre on Thursdays, we close the doors promptly at 10.00am. This is to minimise disruption for the children and families once the session has started and to ensure that the session starts on time. If the doors are already closed when you have arrived, why come round to Toy Library in the children’s centre community room and enjoy some activities there instead?!
Finally, we are having our first Ofsted inspection here at the Children’s Centre later on this week.
23rd April 2012
Family Lives are currently recruiting volunteers for their confidential freephone helpline and online live chat. Their next call taker training course starts in May at their office in Hatfield. For more details contact Lynn on 01707 630101 or email lynne@familylives.org.uk. (It is a requirement that all Family Lives Volunteers and Staff need to be CRB checked).
16th April 2012
Funky Feet toddler group will be running as usual this week - the group runs every Wednesday (during term time) at Symonds Green Community Centre in Filey Close, from 1.00-2.30pm.
Herftfordshire County Council would like to hear your views on proposals to end the two intake policy (September and January) for admission to nursery classes for September 2013 and beyond, allowing schools to choose the intake policy that meets local needs. The consultation runs from Monday 16th April until Friday 1st June and can be responded to online at www.hertsdirect.org/consultations.
9th April 2012
Our Easter event last Wednesday was very well attended by local families and the feedback we received was very positive - the messy play in particular proved very popular! We will be putting some photos from the event on our website in the near future.
Have you every wanted to play in a band? We have been asked by The Barclay secondary school to let families know about the Barclay Community Big Band which is meeting on Wednesday 25th April from 7-8pm in the Barclay School music block. All you need is an instrument, enthusiasm and some playing experience and it is open to pupils past and present, parents and friends. For more details contact Mrs Luchies at the school, luchies@barclay.herts.sch.uk.
Don't forget that there is no Toy Library or Letchmore Toddlers session next Monday 16th April at Letchmore Infants' and Nursery School as the school is closed.
Thursday Toy Library and Rhyme time is operating as usual this week.
2nd April 2012
Join us this Thursday, between 10.00am and 12 noon, here at the Children's Centre for our Easter activity session. This session is free for families living in the Bridge Road Children's Centre area (£1 for families living outside the area) - contributions welcome from everyone!
Baby clinic will continue to run at the Children's Centre on Tuesdays from 9.30am-11.30am over the holidays. Toy Library and Rhyme Time will take place as usual this Thursday.
Please note that there is no New Start and Movers and Shakers this week as the Children's Centre will be closed on Good Friday (6th April). Both groups will operate as usual on Friday 13th April.
Sandra at Symonds Green Community Centre has asked us to let families know that they are delighted to be welcoming back the the Stevenage Borough Council's playscheme to the Community Centre - the playscheme will be running over the Easter holidays with activities for children aged 5-14 years.
Finally, all the staff here at Bridge Road Children's Centre would like to wish all our families a very Happy Easter!!
26th March 2012
On Monday this week the Lister Neonatal Unit Families Group is meeting here at Bridge Road Children's Centre. They are a parent-led group which aimes to help families support themselves and each other through the experience of having a baby or babies in the Lister Hospital Neonatal Unit. The group meets once a month here at the Children's Centre - usually the last Monday of each month (please see our What's on page) - for more details about this group or to get in contact please click here to visit their website.
The Children's Centre will be open as usual over the School Easter holidays with the exception of Good Friday and Easter Monday when we will be closed. Please join us on Wednesday 4th April from 10.00am until 12 noon here at the Centre for a fun Easter activity session. This session is free for families living in the Bridge Road Children's Centre area (£1 for families living outside the area) - contributions welcome from everyone!
Funky Feet baby and toddler group will not be meeting this Wednesday as it is The Learning Zone pre-school's Easter Fundraising Fete (for more details about the fete please see latest news 12th March). Funky Feet will next meet after the holidays Wednesday 18th March.
Finally, if you are a parent aged 22 or under living in the Bridge Road Children's Centre area, please come along to the Children's Centre this Friday 30th March between 1.00pm-3.00pm and join us for lunch and some fun activities for you and your under 5s. The group is free to attend and this week we will be joined by Madi Gilkes, who is an advisor from the Family Finance Project which provides welfare benefits and debt advice to local families. Help us decide on a new name for this group!
19th March 2012
This week we are delighted to welcome a new member of staff to our Children's Centre. Theresa has started this week in the role of Early Years Practitioner and over the coming weeks she will be taking over the running of our two toy libraries here at the Children's Centre and on Mondays at Letchmore Infants' and Nursery School.
We are currently in the process of printing our Easter holiday and summer term programme which will be going out in the post to registered families over the next week or so. Thank you to those of you who have requested that we send future correspondence to you via email - your copy of the programme will be sent to you this way.
12th March 2012
There is no Monday toy library session this week at Letchmore Infants' and Nursery School as the school photographer is in. Letchmore Toddlers will also not be running this week.
New and expectant dads: share your views! - The Department of Health is keen to find out what new and expectant dads think about a new (free) email service it's developing. Once launched, the service will bring dads a range of great parenting information and ideas (more information about this can be found in the survey. The survey will take around 10-12 minutes and you could be in with a chance of winning a £100 Amazon voucher. Please click here to start the survey.
Finally, The Learning Zone Pre-school is holding an Easter Fundraising Fete on Wednesday 28th March 2012 at Symonds Green Community Centre from 12.30pm-2.00pm. There will be a range of activities on offer and everyone is welcome! Funky Feet baby and toddler group will not be running on 28th March.
5th March 2012
This week all our partner groups - these include local early years settings, health, community groups, police and schools - will have an opportunity to meet up at the Children's Centre. These partnership meetings take place three times a year and ensure that everyone who currently works with families with children under five in our local area has the opportunity to help with the planning and development of llocal children's centre services. Partners will also be able to see what has been going on here at Bridge Road Children's Centre over the past few months.
Don't forget to join Sarah and Lindsey on Wednesday morning for the FREE activity session which is taking place at Letchmore Infants' and Nursery School from 9.30am-11.00am!
Michelle Lloyd from Stevenage Library will be delivering a short story and rhyme time session within toy library this Thursday as part of our celebrations for World Book Day which took place on 1st March.
Finally, congratulations to all our adult learners who successfully passed their literacy and numeracy exams which they sat here at the Children's Centre recently. We are all very proud of them and their achievements!
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