April 2013 Newsletter
Springtime
We had a very busy March, with World Book Day and Comic Relief. We hope you have had time to look at the World Book Day photos displayed in the cloakroom. All the children made an effort to dress up and enjoyed acting out our chosen stories. We also learnt about baby animals, planted flowers and created lots of Easter decorations.
April Theme
During April, we shall be celebrating the Queen’s birthday, St George’s Day and learning May Day songs and Dances.
Staff Changes
As I’m sure you are aware, we were sad to say goodbye to two members of our team at the end of last term. Gwenda and Faye are both moving on to new, exciting ventures. I am pleased to announce that we have two new ladies joining us from 16th April. Annaliesa has been a nanny for 20 years and Katherine is studying part time for a degree in Working with Children and Young People. I am sure they will bring lots of new ideas to our setting and I know you will join me and rest of the staff in welcoming them to our team. If your child’s key person will be affected by these changes, you will be receiving a separate letter from me.
Emma will be commencing her maternity leave from 3rd May. Angie will be stepping back up to the position of Deputy Manager for the duration of Emma’s leave. I will look after most of Emma’s key children until September when they will be given new key workers. Parents of these key children will also receive a separate letter from me. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Building Works
The roof maintenance works are in full flow and I wanted to assure you that the children will still be able to play outside everyday and their safety will always be our primary concern. Please supervise them in the mornings before they come into the setting as there is some scaffolding in the waiting area. If you have any questions or concerns, please speak to a member of the team.
We were very lucky to receive a visit from Claire and Philip Ark-Wright who told us all about the Ambulance service, see some of their gadgets and even let us try on their clothes!
February 2013 Newsletter
Shapes
This month we have been looking at shapes. We have done a variety of activities including mosaics, puzzles, construction, making biscuits and making Valentines Day cards.
March Theme
Our theme for March will be Springtime. It will be a busy month with St David’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, World Book Day, Comic Relief and Easter! We will also be planting some flowers and looking at baby animals.
New Furniture
As you may have noticed, we have recently been fortunate to buy some new large construction blocks, a new book corner and have also had a move around of furniture inside. This was to create more distinct areas for the children and also to provide a ‘quiet’ area for the children to enjoy stories, rest or play quietly.
They are really enjoying these new areas.
Our New Blocks
Naming Items
Please can you ensure you name your child’s items, especially their lunch boxes and their coats. This will save the team a lot of time! Many thanks.
Appropriate Clothing
Please remember that we use our outside area everyday, regardless of the weather. This involves the climbing frame, sand, water and ride ons. Please make sure your child has suitable clothes and foot wear. In the summer months, please be wary of long, floaty clothes and flip flops. Please can you also send in spare clothes for your child, especially if they are keen on water play! Donations of old clothes always welcome, especially pants, socks, trousers and leggings.
Moving to big school
In June and July, we will be offering a Monday afternoon session from 1pm-3pm for those children who will be moving up to school in September. This session can be an extra session and paid for separately, or we can swap it from an existing funded session. During these afternoons, we offer the children a more structured session, talk to them about school, meet their teacher, have trips to the school, the library and the play ground and practice skills such as getting ready for PE. We introduced these sessions last year and I received some very positive feedback from the parents. I do not need to confirm spaces just yet but wanted to give you plenty of notice in case you were interested but needed time to arrange or make changes to current childcare arrangements. If you would like any more information, please speak to Kelly or another member of the team.
January 2013 Newsletter
All about us
This month our theme is ‘All About Us’. We have welcomed 6 new children into the Pre-School and are carrying out activities involving learning each other’s names, making friends, taking turns and sharing. Everyone has settled in really well and we are looking forward to lots of fun this term.
February Theme
Throughout February, we will be learning about ‘Shapes’. Activities will include mosaics, printing, circle games and making biscuits. And of course, eating some pancakes! If your child has anything they would like to bring in to show us, please feel free to do so!
4th February — squares and triangles
11th February — hearts and circles
25th February — diamonds and hexagons
Lunch Club
We have lots of availability for lunch club on a Monday and Fri-day between 12-1pm. Please speak to a member of staff if you would like to book a space. Pre-booked, these sessions cost £4 and are billed in advance. Drop-ins are £4.50 and will be added to your bill the following month.
Moving to ‘big school’
If your child is 4 years old before 31st August 2013, they will be moving up to school in September. If you have not already done so, you must apply for a place at your preferred school as soon as possible. If you need any help or further information, please speak with Kelly.
Snow Days
If there is heavy snow, we will follow the school’s lead as to whether we can open. You can check at the following web address:
http://apps1.buckscc.gov.uk/eforms2005/
December 2012 Newsletter
Winter & Christmas Theme
This month we have been looking at Christmas. The children have enjoyed decorating the Christmas tree and making decorations. They have made a lovely Christmas tree out of their hand prints and made snowmen out of card and playdough. They have also been learning and singing Christmas songs and this week, we all made some jam tarts!
January Theme
Throughout January, our topic will be ‘All About Us’. We have 6 new children joining starting Pre-School and we will be doing activities to help them settle in, plus activities for all our children around learning names, making friends, saying Please and Thank You and learning about their families and all their favourite things.
Nativity Play
A big thank you to all the children and helpers who made our Nativity Play another success this year. DVDs are on sale and we will try to deliver them before Christmas. Please bring £5 to the Christmas party or you can collect in the new term.
November 2012 Newsletter
Colours Theme This month we are looking at ‘Colours’. The children are enjoying a variety of activities such as sorting, mixing colours, treasure hunts, twister and tasting different coloured food. We have learnt about Elmer and the children have helped to create a lovely display. Some children have also enjoyed wearing clothes to match our ‘Colour of the Week’. December Theme Throughout December, we will be learning about ‘Winter and Christmas’. Activities will include learning to keep warm and dress ourselves, making Christmas decorations, singing songs, making jam tarts and of course, learning about the Nativity story and practising our Christmas play, ‘Our First Nativity’. To help support your child’s learning at home, you could encourage them to put on their own shoes and coats, talk about what Christmas is and help them to learn their Nativity songs. I will put a song sheet in all their drawers. Hot Dinners I am sad to inform you that from January 2013, we will no longer be able to offer hot school meals provided by the school. The school are currently looking for a new supplier and I will let you know as soon as this service is available again. In the meantime, please provide your child with a packed lunch. Please speak with Kelly or the team if you wish to see our policy on healthy school lunches. Nativity Play Our Nativity play entitled ‘Our First Nativity’ will take place on Friday 14th December in the main school hall. Tickets will cost £1.50 and initially, 2 tickets will be available per child. Any extra tickets required may be allocated nearer the time. Please speak to a member of staff for more information. Christmas Party We will be holding a party for all children who attend Pre-School on Friday 21st December from 10.30am until 12pm. They are also welcome to join us in church from 9.30am if accompanied by a parent/carer. If your child usually attends on a Friday, please drop them off at the normal time of 9am but you are welcome to join us at church. There will be no lunch club this day but the children will all be fed before 12!
October 2012 Newsletter
Autumn Theme
Thank you to everyone who bought items for the Harvest Festival and to those who helped us on the day. The children were very well behaved in the church and on the walk and seemed to have a good time! We have been busy learning about hibernation, leaves and vegetables this month and are looking forward to our Halloween week this week. We hope everyone enjoyed eating their tasty, health vegetable soup.
Open Evening
Thank you to everyone who attended our Open Evening on Tuesday 16th October. We hope you found it interesting and informative. If you were unable to attend but would like to find out more, please let me know. We will be holding one-to-one parent’s meetings at the end of November.
November Theme
The children have all settled well this half term and we are looking forward to November where we will be looking at ‘Colours’. Although our activities will look at all colours, we are going have a ‘colour of the week’ and would like to invite the children to bring something in of that colour for our display table. Perhaps they could also wear something that colour?
5th-9th November RED
12th-16th November BLUE
19th-23rd November YELLOW
26th-30th November GREEN
School Photos
We will be taking individual school photos on Tuesday 6th November. If your child will not normally be at Pre-School on a Tuesday but you would like their photos taken, or you would like to bring siblings, please let me know and I will give you more information.
AGM
Wingrave Pre-School’s AGM will take place at 8pm on Tuesday 23rd October. Please come along if you would like to find out more about the running of the Pre-School or may be interested in joining our committee.
March 2012 Newsletter
This Month’s Theme
This month we will be looking at ‘Spring’. We will be sequencing and sorting, making hedgehogs and lambs, planting and talking about New Life. We will also talk to the children about Mothering Sunday and have a visit from Revd Derek Witchell to talk about Easter.February Fun
Apologies for not sending out a February newsletter as it was jam packed with fun! Our topic was numbers and all activities included lots of counting, using number and positional language such as taller, smaller and under, and practising recognising and writing numbers.
World Book Day
On Thursday 1st March, we celebrated World Book Day by dressing up as our favourite character from a book. Among the staff were Hermione from Harry Potter and a Dalamation and the children delighted us with an array of characters such as Robin Hood, The Gruffalo and Oliver Twist to name but a few! Well done to all the children who made such a big effort.
Book Bags and Uniforms
We are pleased to offer Wingrave Pre-School book bags for the children. They cost £3.50 and can be bought on site. We have also received a new stock of uniforms so please let us know if you require anything. Polo shirts are £6.50, Sweatshirts £7.50 and baseball caps £4. They come in sizes 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6. Hats are one size.
Teatowels
We still have a few teatowels left so please let us know if you would like one. Great Mother’s Day gift for £3.
Key Carers
Due to staff changes and rota changes, some of the children’s key carers have changed. Please check the list of the entrance.
Visit from the Police!
The children were very excited to have a special visitor— Community Police Officer Chris Baker – who talked to the children about what the Police do. She let them try on her jacket and hat and we got to sit in the police van, see the flashing lights and hear the noisy siren!
January 2012 Newsletter
Welcome Back!
We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. This month we will be looking at ‘Our Community’ including activities such as role play Post Office/Shop and Police Station, Road Maps and Safety and our families and customs.
All the children received presents from Father Christmas!
Starting ‘Big’ School
All children who turn 4 between 01/09/11 and 31/08/12 will be starting Primary School in September 2012. The deadline for registration has now passed so if you have not already done so, please contact the school of your choice as soon as possible. Contact details for school and Bucks CC can be passed on to you by Kelly if you have any difficulties.
Turning 3 between 01/01/12 and 30/03/12?
All children who turn 3 before 1st April 2012 will become eligible for funding. This can be used for up to 15 hours of sessions (in 3 hour blocks). You will receive all the necessary paperwork from Kelly, in your child’s tray nearer the time, but if you are wishing to increase your child’s hours, please speak to her as soon as possible. Presently, the additional sessions available are Monday and Friday mornings and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
Teatowels
We still have a few teatowels left so please let us know if you would like one. They cost £3.
Book Bags and Uniforms
We are now pleased to offer Wingrave Pre-School book bags for the children. They cost £3.50 and can be bought on site. We have also received a new stock of uniforms so please let us know if you require anything. Polo shirts are £6.50, Sweatshirts £7.50 and baseball caps £5. They come in sizes 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6. Hats are one size.
ZooLab
Looking at a tarantula!Stroking a rat!
We were very pleased to announce a visit from Zoolab UK, who came in to talk to the children about Nocturnal animals. The children enjoyed seeing and learning about tree frogs and tarantulas (which stayed in their box) and a giant snail, cockroach (and her baby), corn snake and rat which they were able to touch!
Please Remember
Please remember to sign your child in and out of Pre-School and to indicate if they are having a packed lunch or hot dinner. Thank you.
November 2011 Newsletter
Painting with Wheels
November Theme
This month our theme is ‘Transport’. Our activities have included a role play Fire Station and airport, making things out of boxes, painting with wheels, and numbered parking spaces. We will also be looking at ‘why things happen’ and making tickets and number plates.
Did you know …?
So far this term, the children have tasted:
- raspberries
- strawberries
- fruit loaf
- bagels
Dancing with Derek
We have enjoyed a visit from Reverend Derek Witchell, who entertained and informed the children with songs, stories and puppets and also had 4 successful French lessons.
Policies
Please remember that our Policies are available for you to see at any time. You can read them on site or I can email you specific policies.
On-line Shopping Mall
We now have our very own on-line shopping mall. With over 700 shops and services to choose from, if you shop via our unique link, we will receive a commission on sales. Please take a look at www.schoolshoppingmall.co.uk
You will find theatres, travel, and much much more.
Remembrance Day
The children participated in ‘Remembrance Day’ by creating poppy garlands and taking part in a minute’s silence.
Our Poppy Garlands
Increase hours / New funding
You should have received information in your child’s drawer if they will be entitled for funding from January (this applies to any child who will be 3 before 31st December). If you haven’t received a note, please let me know as soon as possible. Also, please let me know if you would like to increase your child’s hours at Pre-School as soon as possible. Places are filling quickly!
The Wriggly Nativity
We have started preparing the children for our Christmas performance of ‘The Wriggly Nativity’. This will take place in the main School hall on Friday 9th December between 10am and 11am. 2 tickets will be allocated per child but more may become available if needed. Please let me know if your child WILL NOT be able to take part in the play. Details of acquiring tickets will be given shortly.
School Staff Car Park
Please be aware of the notice below, issued by the School:
‘Please could we remind parents that the staff car park, unless you have the school’s permission, is NOT to be used by parents for dropping of f or picking up a child at ANY time of day.
We have many contractors, peripatetic music teachers, County visitors, school and Pre-School staff vehicles and 2 school taxis using a limited number of spaces throughout the whole day, before and after school finishes. In addition, there must always be access for emergency vehicles at all times.
We are aware that at times it is more convenient to park as close to school as possible but please could I again encourage parents wherever possible to make full use of the car park at the Sports Pavillion on Winslow Road and walk the very short distance to school.’