Week Commencing 20th February 2017

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

This week’s events:

 

In2 sports -This week at In2 Sports we explored rugby balls. We practiced throwing and catching the rugby balls at different angles. We then had lots of fun moving around the garden in different ways.

 

 

Theatre bugs –

 

Illness

We have still had a few children off this week with high temperatures and colds. Additionally there has been one more case of vomiting and diarrhoea. If your child catches the stomach bug, please can you keep them off of nursery until 48 hours after their last episode of being ill.  This is to try to prevent other children catching it. 

 

Up Coming Events

Thursday 16^th March – Parents Evening

20^th March – Mother’s week

24^th March – Mother’s Day tea party

24^th March – Red Nose Day

 

Active Kids Vouchers

Now’s the time to collect vouchers for sports and cooking equipment for our Nursery J

With your help we can buy some new resources from Sainsbury’s using the Active Kids vouchers we collect this year.

If you shop at Sainsbury or know anyone who does please collect the Active Kids vouchers for us. This will support us further to encourage your children to eat well, move well and live well in 2017.

 

Menus

There are no planned changes to this week’s menu.

See attached document for the weekly menu. 

If you would like to see a copy of our allergens menu at any time please ask!

 

This week’s activities

Each key person will be responsible for designing an activity based on their key children’s needs; however, all children who are in on that day will have the opportunity to access the activity too.

If the key person is on holiday or off, another staff member will be able to lead the activity in their place so that the children do not miss out.

For more information on the Early Years Foundation stage, the guidance we use to support our planning and practice, please visit:

http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/ 

 

This week’s planned activities are also on the ILD’S.

 

Buttercups

 

Topic of the month: Cardboard boxes

 

Monday – Charlotte’s group is investigating different jigsaw puzzles developing an awareness of shapes and spaces

Tuesday – Nilem’s group are discovering trays of cornflour gloop with utensils developing handling skills and motor skills

Wednesday – Sammy’s group will be singing naming songs developing their understanding of words

Thursday – Leanne’s group is exploring mirrors in their room developing an understanding of happy and sad faces

Friday –Sammy’s group will be gaining an interest in ICT while discovering ICT toys

Charlotte is off Wednesday, Leanne is off Monday, Nilem is off Thursday and Friday and Sammy is in all week.

 

Bluebells

 

Topic of the month:  Transport

 

Monday – Megan’s group is building their understanding of feelings and emotions while discovering the ‘How We Feel’ book

Tuesday –Donna’s group will be creating their own pictures of their choice using a selection of resources building writing skills

Wednesday – Donna’s group are exploring the shape flashcards encouraging shape recognition and mathematical language

Thursday – Carla’s group will be discovering musical instruments with their friends showing an interest in music and rhythm

Friday –  Carla’s group is playing ‘Simon Says’ during circle time supporting listening and attention skills

Donna is off Friday, Megan is off Wednesday and Carla and Ruby are in all week.

 

Sunflowers

 

The Sunflowers have one detailed weekly focused activity to ensure all the children have the opportunity to take part in it. The Key People link this activity to their individual Key Groups.

This will work alongside their weekly planned activity list which you can see in the room and on the ILD’S.

 

This week’s activity is: using their own interests to develop their self confidence

 

This week the children are building their self-confidence and self-awareness through using their own interests. The children will be talking about their own interests with their friends. They will then be using a variety of materials, such as boxes, paint, pots and paper to create a creations of their choice. The children will talk about what they are doing and what they have made. This activity will encourage the children to value praise for what they have done and it will support them to talk about their interests which will build their confidence.

 

Topic of the month: Space

 

The letter of the week is: M

 

The children will be:

Writing the letter M

Thinking of words that begin with M

Dancing like monkeys

Creating the letter M out of playdough

 

The Number of the week is: 23

 

The children will be:

Counting up to 23

Drawing the number 23

Making the number 23 with the number magnets

Clapping 23 times!

 

The shape of the week is: Sphere

 

The children will be:

Talking about the sphere shape

Drawing a sphere shape

Rolling balls to our friends

Looking for spheres around the room

Leanne is in on Tuesday, Becci is off Tuesday and Ines and Jenni are in all week.

 

Interactive Learning Diary

Don’t forget to check out all the exciting things your child has done this week, on their ILD profile.

We aim to put at least one observation up per week.

Follow the link below: www.interactivelearningdiary.co.uk

 

Our Policy of the Week: 

 

Use of information technology in the setting and prevention of children accessing harmful online material

Information Technology includes: iPads, tablets, computers and any other technology capable of accessing online content.

 

Aim of policy

 

To give staff clear guidance on how information technology is to be used and restricted in the setting both with and without children.

 

To ensure children in the settings are protected from accessing harmful online material.

 

Points to consider

 

Using tablets and computers is now part of our role as practitioners for:

• Observing, recording and assessing children’s development
• Researching and learning with children.
• Planning curriculum
• Communicating with parents
• Sharing professional information with colleagues

 

The extent of the use of information technology is restricted and all other policies. E.g. confidentiality, social networking, come before and work alongside this policy.

 

Childcare and Learning Group aim to achieve this by:

 

All settings will have an IT Designated Responsible Person. Where an IT Designated Person is not in place, the responsibility will be with the Nursery Manager.

 

In this setting, the IT Designated Responsible Person is: Jess Smith

 

When using IT without children:

 

As the children’s learning journey is now an online portal system on the Interactive Learning Diary ILD, the use of IT devices is now commonplace in the setting.

 

Practitioners must use IT devices responsibly. It is important to make sure that practitioners do not “hide behind” the iPads, preventing them from interacting with the children in their care. The iPads are there to enhance the practice not impede it. Practitioners must make sure that they are only using the iPad for short periods of time when on the floor working with the children.

 

Observations/photos and videos can be saved so the work is not lost, meaning work can be picked up on at different times.

 

Each room will need to look at the best times that writing up observations can be completed by practitioners. Each room will also need to work together to ensure that when a practitioner is using the iPad to record observations, the rest of the team are working with the children.

 

Only websites/apps that have been approved by the manager are allowed to be used by practitioners.

 

Music should only be downloaded using the nursery iTunes account so that the manager or IT Designated Responsible Person can monitor and ensure that only appropriate music is being listened to by the children.

 

The Wi-Fi on the IT devices must be disabled unless it is specifically required for an approved activity. Immediately after the online use has ended, the Wi-Fi must be disabled.

 

When IT devices are not in use, they must be stored out of reach of children.

 

When using IT with children:

 

At all times that children are engaged using IT, they must be directly supervised.

 

Wi-Fi will only be enabled during times that online material needs to be accessed during adult led investigation and research with children.

 

Only apps that are able to be used offline will be downloaded for children’s use.

 

The children are not allowed to watch videos, e-books or television on the tablets. Any IT use must be ‘active engagement’ (interacting with the programme or app), not ‘passive engagement’ (watching the programme or app).

 

If IT devices are available to children to access independently, the Wi-Fi must be disabled and secured so that it cannot be turned on by a child.

 

In all situations:

 

All IT devices should be securely stored when the setting is closed.

 

If a manager has given specific permission for an IT device to go home to enable a practitioner to use it for training, catching up on work or another professionally approved reason, the IT Designated Responsible Person or the manager, must check the internet history prior to it leaving the nursery and on return.

 

To ensure the IT devices continue to be used appropriately by practitioners their user history should be checked every week with these checks recorded.

 

The role and responsibility of the IT Designated Responsible Person is as follows:

 

• Checking the IT devices website history weekly. (This does not include the nursery main office administration desktop computer/s)
• Ensuring that only setting approved apps are downloaded on the device
• Approve music and app downloads in agreement with the setting manager and in line with setting budgets.
• Referring any issues with operation to the manager
• Referring any concerns with online material accessed to the Designating Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and the manager.

 

 

Important note: When using IT with children, like all aspects of work with children, be alert to children’s messages considering the Prevent Duty and Safeguarding Children practices.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Jess, Charlotte and the South Hill Team