Week commencing 12th March

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

Nursery News:

 

Mother’s Week

Thank you to all the mummies who have come in for stay and play sessions this week, all the children had a great time. Please remember we are having a tea party this afternoon from 4 – 5pm. Pop along for a party tea to celebrate Mother’s Day.

 

Parents Evening

A reminder that it is Parents Evening NEXT Thursday 15^th March.

Pop in anytime between 6.30pm and 8.30pm and have a chat with your child’s Key Person.

You can also have a look at the next room if your child is due to move up and have the chance to talk to other parents.

 

30 hours Funding

If you would like to start claiming the 30 hours funding from April, please apply for your code by the 31^st March.

Please also remember parents must reconfirm their eligibility every three months, so those nearing their deadline need to also act as soon as possible.

I have attached our settings 30 hour information so parents can have a read through and learn how we offer it here at Castle.

 

Up Coming Events

9^th March – Mother’s Day tea party

Thursday 15^th March – Parents Evening

 

  

This weeks activities and events

 

In 2 Sports – This week at in2sports we warmed up with a the traffic light game. We then continued to build our Rugby skills while practicing throwing and kicking rugby balls to our friends.

 

French –  During this week’s French lesson the Pre-School children built their counting skills in French. Miche then reinforced their body parts with a few fun songs.

 

Forest School – At Forest school this week the children created their own masks out of sticks and string. For snack we made yummy hot chocolate. We then came across a giant puddle in the woods and tried to dig all the water out of it working as a team!

 

Theatre bugs –

 

 

Next weeks 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: Easter

 

Monday – Jamie’s group are building their relationships with others while taking turns during a sensory activity.

Tuesday – Leanne’s group is creating their own picture for St. Patricks Day exploring media and materials.

Wednesday – Sammy’s group will be listening to and dancing to Irish music with their peers.

Thursday – Hannah’s group is exploring the soft play equipment building motor skills.

Friday – Leanne’s group are playing hide and seek with green clovers in the garden.

Jamie is off Wednesday, Leanne is off Monday and Sammy is on holiday on Friday and Hannah is in all week.

 

Bluebells

 

Topic of the month: Transport

  

Monday – Maria’s group is developing their speaking skills while playing card games.

Tuesday – Megan’s group will be telling simple stories using the nursery puppets. 

Wednesday – Ruby’s group is building their health and self-care skills while talking about their daily routines.

Thursday –  Donna’s group are celebrating St Patricks Day by listening to Irish music, looking at the Irish flag and trying soda bread for snack.

Friday – Chloe’s group will be exploring bubbles, water and the small world animals in the water tray developing their understanding of the world.

Donna is off Friday, Chloe is off Monday and Tuesday, Megan is off Thursday and Friday, Ruby and Maria are in all week.

 

Sunflowers

 

In the Sunflower room each Key Person plans and implements their own Key Group activity, but the room works on the same area and aspect to ensure the activity is individual to each Key Group and therefore meets the specific Key Group’s individual needs.

 

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

 

Becci’s group is building their writing skills while writing familiar words and letters.

 

Almu’s group are reading the story ‘Fix it Duck’ with their peers, they will be supported to talk about what is happening in the story and will be encouraged to predict what is happening next.

 

Ines’s group will be building an interest in stories while reading their favourite story. They will then create their own picture and will be supported to describe what they are doing.

 

Topic of the month: Our bodies  

 

The letter of the week is: M

 

The children will be:

Talking about words beginning with M

Writing the letter M in the air

Writing the letter M

Making monkey noises!

 

The Number of the week is: 7

 

The children will be:

Talking about the number 7 and what it looks like

Holding up 7 fingers

Writing the number 7 in the sand tray

Jumping 7 times

 

The shape of the week is: hexagon, pentagon and octagon

 

The children will be:

Talking about the three shapes

Talking about the differences

Counting how many corners each shape has

Becci is off Tuesday, Almu is off Wednesday and Ines is on holiday all week. 

 

Jenni and Ottilia are in all week.

I am in every day 7.30 – 4.00. So I will get to see you all in the morning, If you have any queries in the evening please speak to your child’s Room Leader or Jamie.

 

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

 

Facebook

Castle Nursery and Preschool Facebook page promotes the company, engages with parents and team members across our nurseries.

If you would be interested in following this page, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/Castle-Nursery-and-Preschool-790319011138020/. We will be regularly adding events and photos to the page.

 

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!

 

Useful websites

Here are the links for the Surrey Family Information Service, Free Early Education (the 15 hours funding), Free Early Education for Two year olds and Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP).

 

www.surreycc.gov.uk/fis
www.surreycc.gov.uk/fee
www.surreycc.gov.uk/feet  

www.surreycc.gov.uk/eypp

 

Our Policy of the Week: 

 

Children’s activity policy

 

Aim of the Policy

 

Childcare and Learning Group inform parents/carers of the different types of activities that their child participates in and the purpose of the activities.

 

Points to Consider

 

At the Childcare and Learning Group we provide a flexible routine with a structured free play approach. This provides the children with opportunities for adult focused and child-initiated activities both indoors and outdoors. The children have access to resources so they can use their initiative and make choices. The flexible routine and environment allows children the opportunity to have energetic play and quiet times when they can rest and relax.

 

Using the key person policy we plan for and meet the individual needs of each child. We use the Early Years Foundation Stage’s seven areas of learning and development to shape our planning. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. The three prime areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

The three prime areas are:

•       Communication and language

•       Physical development

•       Personal, social and emotional development

 

We also support children in four specific areas through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied.

The four specific areas are:

•       Literacy

•       Mathematics

•       Understanding the world

•       Expressive arts and design

We provide the parents with daily information about their child’s day including activities and outcomes. Parents are provided with a verbal handover at the end of session/day as well as either a daily sheet or information on the daily news board.

 

We encourage parents to view and add to their child’s learning journey via our online ILD system.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Jess, Jamie and the South Hill Team

 

Week Commencing 5th March

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

Nursery News:

 

Mother’s Week

We will be celebrating Mother’s Day next week (5^th March). 

During the week we would love all Mummies to come in for a little play, it doesn’t have to be a date your child attends. All you need to do is chat to the staff in your child’s room and sign up for a session! Come along and spend some time with your child at the nursery.

We will also be having a Mother’s Day tea party on Friday 24^th of March from 4 – 5pm. Come along for a party tea J

 

Parents Evening

A reminder that it is Parents Evening on Thursday 15^th March.

Pop in anytime between 6.30pm and 8.30pm and have a chat with your child’s Key Person.

You can also have a look at the next room if your child is due to move up and have the chance to talk to other parents.

 

Up Coming Events

5^th March – Mother’s week

9^th March – Mother’s Day tea party

Thursday 15^th March – Parents Evening

  

This weeks activities and events

 

In 2 Sports – This week during in2 sport the children played the traffic light game with coloured cones. They had to carefully drive around with their steering wheel and had to watch when the coach showed the different coloured cones.

 

French –  During the Pre-School’s French lesson this week the children practiced their number skills. They then went over their colours and created their own French picture.

 

Forest School – At Forest School this week the children made a fire as it was super cold to warm them up. They then made their own popcorn and enjoyed it for snack.

 

Next weeks 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: Easter

 

Monday – Sammy’s group is singing and dancing, playing alongside others and engaging with their peers.

Tuesday – Jamie’s group are investigating different shapes building a shape awareness.

Wednesday – Hannah’s group is building their understanding skills while playing group games.

Thursday – Leanne’s group is exploring trays of sand and mud in wellies, creating different footprints.

Friday – Sammy’s group will be decorating layered eggs using a range of media and materials. 

Jamie is off Monday, Leanne is off Wednesday and Sammy and Hannah are in all week.

 

Bluebells

 

Topic of the month: Transport

  

Monday – Donna’s group is developing their imagination skills while playing group imaginative play games.

Tuesday – Megan’s group will be building their awareness of different types of transport while reading stories and exploring the small world toys.

Wednesday – Ruby’s group are reading the story ‘The Tiger who came to Tea’ developing an interest in stories.

Thursday –  Maria’s group is having a fun baby bath wash, where they will be building their self-care skills while playing with the role play babies.

Friday – Donna’s group will be discovering the shape flashcards developing their shape and colour recognition.

Donna is off Thursday, Chloe is off Monday and Tuesday, Megan is off Tuesday and Friday, Ruby and Maria are in all week.

 

Sunflowers

 

In the Sunflower room each Key Person plans and implements their own Key Group activity, but the room works on the same area and aspect to ensure the activity is individual to each Key Group and therefore meets the specific Key Group’s individual needs.

 

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

 

The Pre-school room this week will all be taking part in a cooking activity. The children will build their health and self-care skills throughout. They will talk about foods that are good for them, and discuss what else is healthy for them. Throughout they will build their understanding of good hygiene practices and will be supported to follow these. They will mix their ingredients together and make a special item for their Mummies for Mother’s Day. 

 

Topic of the month: Our bodies  

 

The letter of the week is: N

 

The children will be:

Talking about words beginning with N

Writing the letter N in sand

Writing the letter N

Having a letter hunt around the room

 

The Number of the week is: 6

 

The children will be:

Talking about the number 6 and what it looks like

Holding up 6 fingers

Writing the number 6 in paint on the easel

Clapping 6 times

 

The shape of the week is: Rectangle

 

The children will be:

Making a rectangle shape with our hands

Talking about the rectangle shape

Drawing a rectangle

Counting how many corners a rectangle has

Becci is off Tuesday, Almu is off Wednesday and Ines is on holiday all week. 

 

Jenni and Ottilia are in all week.

I am in every day 7.30 – 4.00. So I will get to see you all in the morning, If you have any queries in the evening please speak to your child’s Room Leader or Jamie.

 

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

 

Facebook

Castle Nursery and Preschool Facebook page promotes the company, engages with parents and team members across our nurseries.

If you would be interested in following this page, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/Castle-Nursery-and-Preschool-790319011138020/. We will be regularly adding events and photos to the page.

 

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!

 

Useful websites

Here are the links for the Surrey Family Information Service, Free Early Education (the 15 hours funding), Free Early Education for Two year olds and Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP).

 

www.surreycc.gov.uk/fis
www.surreycc.gov.uk/fee
www.surreycc.gov.uk/feet  

www.surreycc.gov.uk/eypp

 

Our Policy of the Week: 

 

Early Years Foundation Stage policy

 

Aim of Policy

 

At The Childcare and Learning Group we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage to provide the children with the best possible start in life. By using the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage we ensure we comply with the requirements and we aim to achieve this to an outstanding level.

 

We deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure quality standards are set in our nurseries, to provide equality of opportunity, to help us to work as partners with parents and other practitioners and professionals, to instil high quality and consistency of care and education, to lay a secure foundation to promote ‘school readiness’ and to safeguard the children and promote their welfare.

 

Points to Consider

 

The EYFS seeks to provide:

 

•       Quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes good progress and no child gets left behind.

•       A secure foundation through learning and development opportunities which are planned around the needs and interests of each individual child and are assessed and reviewed regularly.

•       A partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers

•       Equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and supported.

 

The EYFS specifies requirements for learning and development and for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. The learning and development requirements cover:

 

•       The areas of learning and development which must shape activities and experiences for all children in early years settings.

•       The early learning goals that providers must help children work towards the knowledge, skills and understanding children should have at the end of the academic year in which they turn five.

•       Assessment arrangements for measuring progress and requirements for reporting to parents and carers.

 

The Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements cover the steps that providers must take to keep children safe and promote their welfare.

 

All of the planning at the setting is based on the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage. We believe good planning is the key to making children’s learning effective, exciting, varied and progressive. A mixture of adult-led and child-initiated play and activities are used to implement the areas of learning. We use the areas of learning and development to structure how we deliver the activities and experiences for the children whilst they work towards the early learning goals, incorporating the children’s emerging needs and interests. We ensure children’s different ways of learning are reflected in our planning and environment. We promote effective teaching and learning through:

 

•       Playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things and ‘have a go’

•       Active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties and enjoy achievements

•       Creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

 

We measure the children’s progress regularly on a summative and formative basis with parental involvement in the setting and home settings. We provide the parents/carers with a ‘Progress Check at the Age of Two’ which they are encouraged to share with other relevant professionals. The setting will print paper copies of the progress check so the parents can share these. Where a child attends another provision which provides the Early Years Foundation Stage we aim to work with them to complement a good overall programme.

 

The four principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage guide our practice in our nurseries: We ensure:

•       Every child is a unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured;

•       Children learn to be strong and independent, through positive relationships;

•       Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents/carers;

•       Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates.

 

There are seven areas of learning and development which shape our planning. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. The three prime areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

The three prime areas are:

•       Communication and language

•       Physical development

•       Personal, social and emotional development

 

We also support children in four specific areas through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied.

The four specific areas are:

•       Literacy

•       Mathematics

•       Understanding the world

•       Expressive arts and design

 

If a child’s progress in any prime area gives cause for concern we will discuss this with the child’s parents/carers and agree how to support the child. This may include involving other professionals and developing an Individual Support Plan. For children whose home language is not English we will take reasonable steps to support the use of the child’s home language whilst developing their English language. See the English as an Additional Language policy, EAL.

 

The children’s Learning journeys are recorded on our online system. All of our families are welcome to come into the setting and use our iPads to see their child’s profile. 

 

Kind Regards,

 

Jess, Jamie and the South Hill Team