Dear Parents and Carers

Over the next few months we shall be introducing electronic learning journeys which will replace the paper copies currently being completed.  Once established you will be able to access your child’s developmental record via a password and username at times which are convenient to yourselves.  This process has been piloted at a nursery associated with Markenfield with roaring reviews from both parents and practitioners alike.   Further information relating to the introduction of these shall be announced over the coming weeks along with an opportunity to ask any questions that may arise from the information given.  Thank you.

Snails

The babies will continue exploring different textures on their bodies. They will be enjoying puppets during rhyme time and will be looking at different textured story books.  The babies will also explore mark making using chalks in the garden.

Creative activities will include mark making with wax crayons and wet sand play.

Jenni – Day off Tuesday.             

Caterpillars

This week the Caterpillars will be concentrating on sensory play this is to encourage hand and eye co-ordination and to build on their physical development. The practitioners will be using various textures and will also be taking the children in small groups for their activities. The children will be experiencing paint through their fingers and toes during body painting and will explore corn flour play using their hands. They will also enjoy coloured water play in the garden to encourage splashing and movement of the water.

Jamie – Annual leave Monday and day off Friday, Alisha - Annual leave Monday

Ladybirds

Ladybirds will be looking at animals that live in water this week; they will take full advantage of the beautiful weather and enjoy water play in the garden using sea creatures, they will extend this by looking at books about sea animals and using animal flash card so that the children learn the names. The ladybirds will enjoy dancing and exploring movement with songs from the Disney album “under the sea”. Creative activities will include using different materials to create sea pictures. 

Julie Day off  - Tuesday  and nursery cover Thursday  Abi day off – Monday

Bumblebees

 Continuing from last week the bumblebees will still be looking at the beach.

In the garden the children will play volley ball and they will also explore mark making in the sand. Throughout the week they will make their own fruit juices and participate in lots of imaginative play surrounding the beach and coastal habitats.

Please can the team request that parents name their children’s shoes.  Unfortunately we have ten children all with the same shoes and although some are different sizes there have been mix ups where the children are practising their self help skills by putting on their own shoes.  Thank you.

Krissi annual leave all week      Leonne annual leave Tuesday-Friday

Tash day off- Thursday  Nikki – Nursery cover Friday

Butterflies

This week as you may be aware we are visiting pizza express, to make pizzas and explore ingredients. To tie in with this trip we are creating our own menus for our role play restaurant. We will be trying various vegetables to investigate taste and texture we will also be making our own fruit and vegetable smoothies. Within these cooking activities the children will be considering different weight and ways of measuring quantity.

With Jo’s departure, all of her keyworker parents should have received a letter informing them of who their new keyworker will be.  If you are still unsure or have any queries, please see Amy, Lee or one of the office team.  Thank you.

Day Off: Stani – Friday

Dear Parents and Carers

I would like to start this weeks blog by thanking those parents who have volunteered to help in our forest school sessions.   It is wonderful that this experience can be shared with parents and the feedback we have had has been phenomenal.  We are planning another parent session for the forest school groups in September where parents are welcome to come along one Saturday morning (date tbc) to experience a taste of what the forest school entails, from a child’s perspective.

Snails

The babies shall be exploring different textures on their bodies over the next three weeks.  To take advantage of the warm weather, next week the practitioners shall encourage the babies to splash in the paddling pool, copying the body movements of one another. To extend this play, bubbles and seashells shall be added to the water.

Creative activities will include body painting and corn flour play.

Jenni – Annual leave all week.             

Caterpillars

This week the Caterpillars will continue with personal, social and emotional development of the children; evidence shows that this has helped the new starters adjust to the setting.  The focus this week shall be on social opportunities within the daily routine, such as mealtimes and nappy changing times whilst also building on social interaction through group activities, which this week will include, heuristic play, using the building blocks to encourage sharing and group time painting.

Jamie – Day off Wednesday, Alisha day off Monday

Ladybirds

Insects shall be the focus of activities during the following week, for the Ladybirds.  The children shall be encouraged to find insects out in the garden and also have the opportunity to create butterfly prints.  The children will also get to use the insect shape cutters in the playdough.

Days off   Julie – Thursday   Abi – Monday & time owing on Friday

Bumblebees

For the next two weeks the Bumblebees shall look at aspects of ‘The beach’ as they have really enjoyed playing in the sand and water during this hot weather.  To encourage the children’s learning the children shall mix sand and water together and discuss the consistencies of wet and dry sand.   To encourage mathematical skills the children shall be counting shells, which they will then decorate.

The children shall also have the opportunity to make their own ice lollies.

We would like to announce from the beginning of September we will be discontinuing the communication books for the bumblebees (toilet training books shall still continue) and the days activities, menu etc shall be displayed on the whiteboard outside the kitchen.  This is due to the increased number of books needed to be completed whereby the staff are under tremendous pressure to fulfil their tasks whilst also spending quality time with the children.  If you would like any further information, or have any queries concerning this, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Also from the beginning of September, Krissi shall be stepping down from team leader for the Bumblebees to senior practitioner.  Krissi has worked extremely hard within her role however needs to concentrate more on her foundation degree studies. Krissi will remain working within the Bumblebees, and I am pleased to announce that Jani Skutek will be joining us as team leader of the Bumblebees.  Jani currently works in a nursery setting, within a pre school for children aged 2-4 years. Jani has a level 3 diploma for the Children and Young Peoples workforce and has attended a plethora of training to support her knowledge in this field.  If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Tash – Day off Friday and covering at one of our other nurseries Mon, Tues and Wed                Krissi – Monday        Leonie off Tuesday and Nikki off Thursday

Butterflies

This week, still continuing with the ‘farm foods’ theme, the children will be looking at alternative uses to traditional food.  The activities planned to support this theme are potato printing, using dried foods to make musical shakers, baking beetroot chocolate cake and using celery dipped in food dye to explore why the celery seems to be changing colour.

The pre school team would like to remind the parents of those leaving for school, that they must return their child’s school summary to the staff with their comments in the box provided in order that we can forward them on to each child’s primary teacher.  Thank you.

Please can we remind those parents who are term time only/accessing funded only hours that today is the end of term until September. Also the last French lesson for this term shall be this Wednesday July 24^th. Letters regarding the next set of French lessons, with dates, shall be out shortly. Thank you.

Next week sees the departure of Jo who shall be leaving us on Friday to travel the world.  I am sure that you will join me in wishing her the best of luck and thanking her for all of her hard work and commitment over the last 4 years. 

I am pleased to announce that Jo’s successor is an early years professional with teacher status, who shall be starting with us in September.  Further information shall be available nearer the time. 

Days Off: Jo – Tuesday   Stani – Friday

Information for parents and weekly blog

Dear Parents and Carers

It is with sadness that we shall be saying goodbye to Jo, in our pre school this month.  Jo has a fantastic opportunity to travel America and so shall be leaving us on Friday July 26^th.  Interviews are currently taking place and an announcement shall be made once the position has been filled.  If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to see me.

On Thursday July 11^th the pre school shall be holding their sports day between 3pm – 4pm where activities such as an egg and spoon race and sack race shall be taking place. Pre school parents can inform a staff member of they would like to join us.  You are all welcome.

Can I remind parents that we shut off breakfast at 8.30am so as not to encroach on the routine and activities of the day, and that the nursery closes at 6pm promptly.  We are, again, experiencing parents who are dropping their children off at 9.15am and expecting them to have breakfast whilst also parents are arriving at 6pm, precisely and then not leaving the building until 6.15 – 6.25pm.  The staff on late shifts are paid until 6.15 pm and this includes closing down rooms and shutting down the nursery.  Having to stay an additional 10-15 minutes per day means that the staff are working an additional 1 hour per week unpaid which is not acceptable.  Please can parents keep this in mind when collecting their children. Many thanks for your co operation in this matter.

Now that the kitchen team has resumed we are pleased to announce that we are able to supply birthday cakes for the children.  For a charge of £10 the kitchen team will make a cake specific to any dietary requirement of the children that are present in your child’s room, on their birthday, therefore the cake can be eaten on site as opposed to being given to parents to take home.  Parents are still welcome to bring in a cake, if they so choose.   All that we request is an email to confirm that you would like a cake to be made (please give the kitchen staff sufficient notice)

Snails

For the next two weeks the babies shall be revisiting activities they have experienced over the last month to practice those skills developed and promote the developing skills of the children.  The children shall be exploring wet sand with shells,  building towers with stacking cups and then knocking them down and enjoying water play in the heat wave that is forecast.

Days off Jenni – Thursday            

Caterpillars

Music and sounds continue as the theme over the coming week. This is due to the children’s prolonged curiosity into music and movement and is supported by the weekly session of custard’s music group.  This week the children shall practice singing songs with actions whilst the team begin to teach the children some new songs.

Jamie – Day off Friday     Stacy Annual - Leave Tuesday                      Alisha – Training Wednesday

Ladybirds

The theme of ‘Physical development’ shall continue this week as the children are enjoying the theme so much. This week the children shall practice kicking footballs to promote the gross motor skills.  Also, in support of the pre school sports day, the team will encourage the children to run, jump and dance, using different parts of their body.

During the hot weather the children shall use tennis rackets to explore bubbles in trays of water.

Days off   Julie – Monday   Abi - Tuesday

Bumblebees

Continuing with their theme of babies the Bumblebees will visit the babies, in small groups, in the garden.  Circle time shall centre around the developmental differences between the babies and Bumblebees.  For example, some babies have not yet learned to walk whilst others cannot yet feed themselves, unlike the Bumblebees.

On Friday July 12^th the Bumblebees shall be having a tea party where they are encouraged to bring their doll/teddybear.  Parents are welcome to join us.   The party shall be held 3pm – 4.30pm.  For more information please see Krissy.

Tash – Day off, Monday and Annual leave Thursday      Krissi – Monday       

Butterflies

The butterflies will be returning to the theme of ‘The farm’ now that the school leavers are all confident and excited about the changes that they face.

Games such as ‘Do chickens lay ‘ Do cow’s have tails?’ shall be played during small group times.  The children shall try to name animals by listening to the noises they make on the CD player. 

Discussions at circle time shall focus on looking at the photographs of the recent farm trip and describing what they saw, smelt and experienced.

Foods that grow on a farm shall be looked at, such as wheat and different vegetables and then the children will create their own pizza’s from scratch, making their own dough and selecting and preparing their own toppings.  This is in preparation for future planning where the pre school are hoping to visit a pizza restaurant and watch the chefs create pizza’s in a professional kitchen.

Days Off: Jo – Tuesday   Stani – Friday

Can I remind parents that we shut off breakfast at 8.30am so as not to encroach on the days routine and activities and that the nursery closes at 6pm promptly.  We are, again, experiencing parents who are dropping their children off at 9.15am and expecting them to have breakfast whilst also parents are arriving at 6pm, precisely and then not leaving the building until 6.15 – 6.25pm.  The staff on late shifts are paid until 6.15 pm and this includes closing down rooms and shutting down the nursery.  Having to stay an additional 10-15 minutes per day means that the staff are working an additional 1 hour per week unpaid which is not acceptable.  Please can parents please keep this in mind when collecting their children. Many thanks for your co operation in this matter.

On the second Friday of every month (next Friday included) we have one of our NCT meetings for mummies with new babies.  At these meetings, we have a health visitor who is present.  This service is open to all children who attend the nursery if you have a particular question or would like to get your child weighed, for example.

Parents are welcome to bring their children in to be weighed even if the child does not normally attend on that day.  For those who do attend, parents are welcome to bring in their red book and the staff can have your child weighed for you.  For more information, please see a member of staff in the office.

weekly blog

Dear Parents and Carers

Many thanks for the payments made for the graduation/group photo’s.  Could we please ask that all payments be made or photo’s returned by Friday July 5^th.  There has also be some confusion over the arrangements for the photographs whereby both staff and parents were unsure of whether group photo’s were being carried out.  The graduation photographs always create confusion unlike the individual photo’s taken later on in the year.  This is something we will hopefully rectify for next year.

Next Friday (July 5^th) is our nursery outing to Hobbledown farm.  For those parents accompanying their children, a packed lunch shall be provided for all children (whether they normally attend on that day or not) however could we ask that all parents provide lunch for themselves.  Thank you.

In the afternoon of Thursday July 11^th  we will be holding our sports day.  Unfortunately, due to timing restrictions, we would like to ask those parents of children who attend forest school at this time to choose whether they would like their children to forfeit forest school for the sports day.  We apologise that we are asking you to choose however we must do so in order that all school leavers have the opportunity to experience forest school.  More details about this event shall be made available nearer the time.

Please could we ask for any donations of spare clothes, especially for the children aged 2-5 years.  Old pre school clothes are ideal for our 2-3’s who are potty training whilst those with older children may have older aged clothes (4-6 years) which would fit our pre school children who have an accident.  Many thanks.

Snails

Continuing with the theme of music and gross motor movement, the babies shall explore hand painting this week.  They shall also have the opportunity to explore the texture of wet sand.  Resources made available for the babies shall include walkers, treasure baskets and the musical piano providing autonomy for the babies to explore the theme of music and large motor skills.

Days off Jenni – Monday                        Jenni A/L – Tuesday all day and Friday pm.     

Caterpillars

Music and sounds shall be the focus of activities this week as the children have shown a growing interest in this area over the past week. Resources such as the musical floor piano, musical toys and instruments music from around the world shall be used to create learning opportunities for the children. 

Props shall extend songs already familiar to the children to retain interest such as puppets and bubbles.

Jamie – Day off Monday     Stacy Annual - Leave Tuesday     

Ladybirds

As the children have enjoyed the last week of activities so much the Ladybirds shall continue with the theme of physical development the children shall have the opportunity to practice balancing on beams and will use the large sand pit to explore the sand with their hands and toes.

Art activities shall include golf ball painting and flicker painting in the garden to promote large motor skills.

A mini assault course shall be built for the children to explore whilst song times shall include action songs such as head, shoulders, knees and toes.

Days off   Julie – Friday   Abi - Thursday

Bumblebees

‘Babies’ shall be the central theme this week as the children have taken a lot of interest in the children in the baby room.  Circle time shall consist of discussions around who has a baby sibling at home whilst the children can sit down with their family books and discuss their family make up with the staff.

The children will have the opportunity to play with the dolls and buggies outside and role play caring routines with dolls such as dressing, bathing and changing nappies.

On July 12^th the 2-3’s are organising a picnic tea whereby parents are welcome and baby siblings are encouraged to join them as well.  More details regarding this event shall be announced next week.

Tash – Day off, Thursday             Krissi – Tuesday       

Butterflies

‘Schools and transitions’ shall be the main focus of activities this week to support the vast number of children leaving for school who are currently experiencing their inductions.

Within the frame of activities the children will be encourage to practice outing on school uniform from the dressing up box.  The role play area shall provide a physical outlet to depict their worries and aspirations of what school shall be like.

The children shall continue practising their mark making skills and story times shall surround first experiences of school.

For art & craft the children shall be encouraged to make a collage of their faces from looking in mirrors to create a leavers mural.

Days Off: Jo – Monday   Stani – Friday

Lee returns from his annual leave on Monday and therefore Forest School shall resume this Monday July 1^st.