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Willow Nursery Temporary Closure

Nursery News 4th January 2022

NURSERY NEWS

4th January 2022 – Edition 247

Find out About

A. Important Reminder for Big Nursery Children: Deadline for Local Authority Applications for Primary Schools.

B. Term Dates.

C What the children are learning about this week?

A. Important Reminder for Big Nursery Children: Deadline for Local Authority Applications for Primary Schools- 15th January 2022.

Parents of all children in Big Nursery must apply to their Local Authority for a place in their chosen primary school by 15th January 2022. Make sure that you do this! We always have at least one parent each year who fails to apply, and their child is not allocated a Primary school place.

B. Term Dates.

We follow the term dates set by Central Bedfordshire Council. If you look on the Central Bedfordshire Council website you can find school term dates. School term dates can sometimes be changed by the Local Authority, so I do not put more than the current terms dates in my newsletter. If you are planning to book a holiday, always check the Central Bedfordshire website for most up to date school holiday dates.

So for this term: Spring term 2022:

Term Begins Tuesday 4th January 2022.

Half Term holiday is from Monday 14th February to Friday 18th February

The last day of the Spring Term is Friday 1st April.

Within this term we plan to offer all parents a Parent Consultation. These are likely to be at the beginning of February. I will advise of specific dates nearer the time.

C. What the children are learning about this week?

The theme in Little Nursery this week is sharing experiences.

In Catkins and Room 3 the children will be talking about what they have been doing at home over the festive period. The children will be drawing pictures of their Christmas activities and any gifts that they received. Staff will talk with them as they draw and ‘write’ encouraging them to discuss what they have drawn.

There will be an obstacle course set up outside by Mrs. Brinkley, and in the link area, Mrs. Watson will be looking at different painting techniques. The children will be using balloons and string dipped in paint to create some amazing artwork.

The theme in Big Nursery is people who help us / postal workers.

There will be a role play area set up in Room 1, where the children can role play being a postal worker, they will carry out tasks such as sorting and posting letters and parcels. The children will also listen to a story called ‘Letter’s from Maisy’ and will have the opportunity to write and post their own letters.

In Room 2, Mrs. Patterson will help to children to make and paint their own post boxes. She will also encourage the children to explore colour mixing by painting their hands and feet with different colours and looking at the changes that happen if the colours are blended together.

Outside, Miss Skai will turn all the bicycles into delivery vehicles. She will have delivery destinations set up around the playground and ask the children to deliver their parcels to each area.

Nursery News 13th December 2021

NURSERY NEWS

13th December 2021 – Edition 246- Last Newsletter of 2021

Find out About

A.Christmas Parties

B. What the children are learning about this week?

C Notes for the end of term/ date for beginning of Spring term

A. Christmas Parties.

These parties are for all our children regardless of the days you attend.

Unfortunately parents will be unable to stay during the parties as we do not have enough room! Staffing ratio’s will be maintained.

Little Nursery Party.

Friday 17th December

9:00am to 10:00am

The Plan:

9:00 Doors Open

Children work in small groups to make ‘Christmas Crowns’

9:20 Party Snacks.

9:30 Surprise visit from Father Christmas

Songs for Father Christmas

Father Christmas leaves gifts for all children.

9:35 Back to groups to make a decoration.

9:50 Pass the Parcel Game.

10:00 Parents arrive to collect all children.

Big Nursery Party

Friday 17th December

11:15am to 1:00pm

The Plan:

11:15 Doors Open

11:25am Party Food

11:45am Surprise visit from Father Christmas.

Songs for Father Christmas.

12:00 Christmas Magic Show

1:00pm Parents arrive to collect all children.

B. What the children are learning about this week?

The theme in Little Nursery is Christmas.

Catkins will be focusing on expressive arts by making Santa handprints with Mrs. Field, she will paint an image of Santa onto their hands and they will press this image onto card. The children will also be learning some Christmas songs, including Jingle Bells and We wish you a merry Christmas.

Little Nursery will be making Christmas lanterns and reading a collection of festive stories. In the link they will be decorating reindeers and outside in the garden, the children will be making Christmas hats.

The theme in Big Nursery is Christmas.

In Room 1, Miss Howe will be making Christmas calendars with the children, other activities will include the Christmas surprise game, which teaches about colour, and the Christmas list game, which will have a focus on counting.

In Room 2, Mrs. Patterson will be retelling the story of the nativity. The children will have the opportunity to dress up as Nativity characters and act out the story.

Outside, Miss Skai will be working with the children to make outside decorations. They will use glittery pipe cleaners and pasta. This activity really helps the children to fine tune their motor skills and the decorations will look beautiful hanging in your gardens.

C Notes for the end of term/ date for beginning of Spring term

On Friday 17th December the school will be open for the parties only. The school office will be closed on Friday 17th December. The deadline for all payments for the beginning of the Spring Term will be on Thursday 16th December at 9:30am.

The staff would like to say Happy Christmas! to all our families that celebrate Christmas. We wish all our families a safe and happy break during the school holidays and look forward to seeing you in the new year.

Spring Term begins on 4th January 2022.

Nursery News 6th December 2021

NURSERY NEWS

6th December 2021 – Edition 245

Find out About

A.Information regarding the beginning of the New Term in January 2022.

B. Christmas Cards

C. What the children are learning about this week?

A. Information regarding the beginning of the Spring Term in January 2022.

School reopens on 4th January 2022.

During the Autumn term, all children in Little Nursery have been classed as ‘Two Year Olds’. Little Nursery Children who have had their 3rd birthday between the 1st September 2021 and 31st December 2021 are now entitled to universal 15 hours funding, or for some families, 30 hours funding. These children will be based in Little Nursery, and their keyworker will be Miss Gaffney. They will now be known as ‘Green Group’. At this time, eight more children will join ‘Green Group’ from our waiting list. Mrs Watson will be the keyworker for these brand new children.

We will put a Green Group sign on the fence, so Green Group parents will know where to wait in the morning. It will be on the Little Nursery side of the front gate, but will be behind our 2 year olds.

B. Christmas Cards.

We as a staff, would like to ask parents to consider sending just one Christmas card in to school, written ‘To all my friends at Willow’. These cards will then be displayed for all to see in the library corridor.

C. What the children are learning about this week?

The theme in little nursery is ‘Christmas’.

In Catkins this week we will be making tree decorations, using card. The children will explore marble painting and make their own unique baubles to hang from the tree or use as a keepsake.

The children will also have access to our brand-new soft play equipment, they can build up their physical skills by climbing, rolling and stretching across these soft and colourful shapes.

In the link the children will have great fun baking a variety of cakes and biscuits throughout the week. There will be a different recipe every day, including mince pies and Christmas cupcakes. By the end of the week the children will be expert chefs and may even be able to help with Christmas dinner!

Outside, the children will be making reindeer food to help keep Rudolph and his friends full of energy for their long journey around the world. Miss Gaffney will also

be using natural resources, found by the children, to build and decorate a Christmas star.

In the classroom, the children will make their Christmas cards and handprint Christmas tree pictures. This is a lovely way to express themselves through art and use their hands as tools to paint.

The theme in big nursery is also ‘Christmas’.

In room 1, Miss Skai will be working from a literacy point of view and encouraging the children to write letters to Santa. She will also be reading ’Dear Santa’ written by Rod Campbell, with small groups of children and encouraging them to make predictions regarding what happens next in the story.

In room two Miss Howe will be teaching the children about 2D shapes, by working with the children to create a picture of a Christmas tree. The children will use paint, stars and sequins to decorate their trees and will discuss the shapes they have used. Miss Howe will explain that the shapes we see all around us have names and will support the children in learning the names of the shapes used in this activity, for example, the tree is a triangle, the card used is a rectangle and the tree stump is a square.

Mrs. Cashmore will be working with the children on their Christmas cards, they will be using different resources to create a wreath card. Mrs. Cashmore will be talking to the children about the resources they will need in preparation for making their cards, as well as encouraging the children to improve their math’s skills by counting the pom-poms used for their wreath.

Outside, Mrs. Patterson will be making miniature Christmas trees, using clay and real branches that have fallen from trees in our garden. Mrs. Patterson will show the children how to drizzle glue and sparkles over their tree. This gives the children their very own sense of ‘Christmas magic’ and is a beautiful memento for them to either keep or give to a loved one.

Nursery News 29th Nov 2021

NURSERY NEWS

29th November 2021 – Edition 244

Find out About

A. Arrangements for the end of term

B. Christmas Parties

C. Big Nursery in January: would you like your child to move from a 15 hour per week space to a 30 hour per week space?

D. Renewing 30 hour codes.

E. School Photographer

F: What are the children learning about this week?

A. Arrangements for the end of term

The last normal school day for the will be Thursday 16th December.

On Friday the 17th December the school will be open for the Christmas Parties only.

The school office will be closed on Friday 17th December. The deadline for payments for the beginning of the Spring Term will be on Thursday 16th December at 9:30am.

B.Christmas Parties.

The school will be open only for the parties.

The Little Nursery Christmas Party is planned to be on Friday 17th December from 9:00am to 10:00am.

All children who attend Little Nursery are invited to attend the Christmas Party regardless of what days they usually attend.

Parents and children should arrive for 9:00am, and wait on the pavement outside the nursery. We will follow normal routines to admit the children. Children will require their change of clothes bag. Children will not require their water bottles as we will be providing refreshments. We will use normal routines for departure, so please arrive to collect your child at 10:00am.

The Big Nursery Christmas Party is planned to be on Friday 17th December from 11:15am until 1:00pm.

All children who attend Main Nursery are invited to attend the Christmas Party regardless of what days they usually attend.

Parents and children should arrive for 11:15, and wait on the pavement outside the nursery. We will follow normal routines to admit the children, with Blue group coming in first followed by Orange group, then Yellow group. Children will not require a water bottle or a packed lunch on this day as we will be providing refreshments. Children will not require their change of clothes bag.

Children may wear party clothes if they wish, or regular nursery clothes.

Please be prompt to collect your child at 1:00pm. We will use normal routines for departure.

C. Big Nursery in January: would you like your child to move from a 15 hour per week space to a 30 hour per week space?

This message is for Big Nursery Parents only. I have some spaces available for January if any Big Nursery parent of a child who attends for a part time, two and a half day,15 hour per week space would like to increase their child’s attendance to 30 hours per week.

You may choose to use ‘30 hours funding for working families’ if you are entitled to it, or you may choose to pay for the additional 15 hours per week at £67.50 per week.

Spaces are limited, as we can have a maximum of 50 children in Big Nursery at any one time. Some sessions already have 46 children attending. So we cannot offer 30 hours to all children, but we can to a few more children.

In the first instance please speak to me, Mrs Davies, and I can have a look at our timetable to see if I can fit your child in.

Please note, this offer is to increase to 30 hours only. Please do not ask for additional hours unless you want to increase to 30 hours.

Please try to talk to me this week, as all arrangements must be in place before the end of term, so we can complete registers, class lists etc. and to ensure those seeking funding from the ‘30 hours funding for working families’ have time to apply for, and receive their 30 hour funding code.

D. Renewing 30 hour codes.

All parents in receipt of 30 hour funding must ensure their 30 hour code is valid on the 31st December 2021, to enable it to be used for the Spring Term 2022.

If you already have a 30 hour code it must be renewed every 3 months. The government sends out reminders by email to all those who need to renew their code. We have had parents have some problems in the past. Sometimes the reminder email from the government has ended up being sent to parents spam email accounts. Please check your spam folders!

Some parents, for example, of children in Little Nursery, may have applied for their child’s 30 hour code earlier in this term in readiness for January. Codes do come with a ‘grace period’ but these only apply when the code is actually being claimed from. So if your code is not yet being used please make sure it is renewed and valid on 31st December.

If a code is not valid, we are unable to claim the 30 hours funding from the government. In this situation your child would revert to a 15 hours universal funded

place, or you would have to pay the top up fee of £67.50 per week to maintain a 30 hour space.

E. School photographer

The school photographer says there has been a delay in delivery, and hopes photos are with us by Tuesday 30th November.

F. What the children are learning about this week?

The theme in little nursery is Maisy Mouse.

In Catkins, the children will be making Maisy character hats. They will be focusing on improving their fine motor skills, Miss Tyler will guide the children by showing them how to make marks with their pencils and how to hold them effectively. The children will also be sharing Maisy stories throughout the week.

In the link, there will be spinner painting and the children can see the effect of spinning paint and paper really fast. This is an interesting way to explore different painting techniques.

Mrs. Watson will have a library roleplay set up in the classroom. The library will give everyone the opportunity to discover a variety of books which they can enjoy reading while snuggled up in the brand-new cozy corner.

Outside in the little garden, the children will be going on a bug hunt to see which creatures they can find. They will be looking high and low in search of a range of insects.

The theme in big nursery is oral health.

In room 1 Miss Skai will be completing a shared read of the book ‘I Care for My Teeth’ by Martha Rustad. There will also be a sequencing activity where the children will be asked to order the steps to brushing teeth and good oral hygiene.

In room 2, Miss Howe will be talking to the children about making healthy food choices whilst they make their own toothbrushes. They will be using scissors to snip the bristles for their toothbrushes which will strengthen the muscles in their hands.

The children can also create their own mouths by gluing teeth and a tongue onto folded paper. They will need to know whose work belongs to who, so will practice writing their names to identify their own work.

Mrs. Cashmore will be helping the children to learn to brush their teeth effectively by asking them to clean some giant teeth for her. The giant teeth will be covered in shaving foam and the children will use real toothbrushes to clean the foam away. This should support them in becoming independent in meeting their own care needs.

While the children are brushing away the foam, Mrs. Cashmore will talk to them about the importance of brushing their teeth, twice daily.

Outside in the garden, Mrs. Patterson will be promoting healthy food choices for the children. She will be placing pictures of happy teeth and pictures of unhappy teeth around the garden. Mrs. Patterson will then ask the children to find healthy food choices and place them on the happy teeth, and the not so healthy food choices on the unhappy teeth. This should help children in the future with making their own healthy food choices.

At Willow Nursery School we have chosen to focus on oral health as part of our school development plan. This means that, as a school, we will be teaching the children how to make positive food choices, how to brush their teeth effectively and all about the dentist. The main points we will focus on are listed below. Please work with us in promoting good oral health for your children.

Brushing

· You should replace your toothbrush if the bristles have become splayed.

· You should have help from a grown up to brush your teeth if you are under 8 years old.

· You should brush your teeth with small circle shapes on your teeth and gums.

· You should only have a pea sized amount of toothpaste on your brush if you are 3, 4, 5 or 6 years old.

· You should spit out the toothpaste if you want to, but you don’t need to rinse your mouth out with water.

Snacks

· You should drink tooth friendly drinks like water and milk.

· You should eat tooth friendly food like breadsticks, cheese, grapes, crackers and vegetables.

Dentist

· You should visit your dentist regularly to get your teeth checked to ensure they are healthy.