What to expect, when?

The purpose of this booklet is to help you as a parent find out more about how your child is learning and developing during their first five years, in relation to the EYFS (The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS) sets out the learning and development stages for children as they grow from birth to five years). Children develop more rapidly during the first five years of their lives than at any other time. This booklet has been written to help you know what to expect during these vitally important years by focusing on the seven areas of learning and development which are covered in the EYFS.

Click on the button below to find our more.

Another wonderful week!

As promised, here are a couple of photos of our paintings of all our friends at nursery. Aren’t they fabulous?

The children are very proud of their work and so are we!

This week the children as well as learning about how to stay health have also been exploring their emotions. We have been reading the ‘Colour Monster’ story for everyone to be able to understand how some experiences make them feel a little different at times. Click on the link here if you would like to read the story at home with your child. I hope that you enjoy it as much as we do.

Everyone at nursery is so pleased how all the children have settled into nursery. They are so happy and are making lots of new friendships and ‘growing their brains’

We intend to continue exploring our emotions next week, we may even start a bit of yoga!

Luckily the weather continues to be kind to us as the children love playing outside in the garden. We have nonetheless made a fairy small world area inside, its all very magical. Some other friends made a farm in one of our cupboards!

It only remains for me to wish everyone a restful weekend, full of family fun!

My family and me

A fabulous week at nursery full of fun and sunshine.

The children this week have been talking about their families at home. Everyone has drawn a group picture of all their family members. They have worked so hard! When we have displayed them I will post a picture for you all to look at and to see if you can spot your family! It would be lovely if you could send in or email a family photograph to accompany your child’s drawing. You can send it to: b.draper@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk and I will pass it on to your child’s key person.

The children have also painted a self portrait. They looked very carefully at each of their facial features and then recreated their face using paint. We clearly have many budding artists. Once again I will post a photo when they have been displayed.

Next week we will be exploring how to stay healthy. This will include healthy foods, oral hygiene and exercise. We will look at the effects on our body and how important being physical is to our overall well being.

May I remind everyone to send in one piece of fruit or veg for each session your child attends. Please do not send in cheese or yoghurt as these will require refrigerating.

Also, not everyone has confirmed that they are willing for their child’s image to appear on our web page. It would be helpful if you could confirm either way.

Finally, I hope that the sunshine remains for the weekend and that you can all have some special family moments together.

We're having lots of fun at nursery!

It’s been a busy couple of weeks at nursery, learning and making new friends.

We have been exploring our learning environments both inside and outside. I do think our favourite place to play is in the garden though. The children love the tree house and play house!

We have a group of children that build the most wonderful structures. Yesterday, we made a train from the bread crates and went to the zoo. We also balanced lots and lots of bricks on top of each other until our tower nearly reached the sky…then it fell down! So we built it up again and again.

Throughout this half term we will be finding out about our bodies and how to keep them healthy. Especially keeping our hands clean and happy. We don’t want horrid hands where germs can live. I have been impressed how the children have embraced our hygiene routines. I expect they have had lots of practice during lock down!

We will also be talking about our families and friends. Sarah would like to create a family wall so if you could send in a photograph that would be great! You could email it if it is more convenient.

Just a couple of reminders:

  • Please could you send one piece of fruit or vegetables per session (two pieces if your child come for the full day, one piece for half day).

  • For storage reasons it would be helpful if you child had an Our Lady book bag. They an be purchased form Top Marque on Wood Street St. Annes.

  • Could all items which are likely to be removed during the day be clearly labelled.

  • If you have not already send me consent for images of your child to be posted on our web page it’s not too late. Just send me an email to confirm your agreement.

Finally, may I thank everyone for keeping to the nursery and school guidelines and waiting outside the school gates to drop of and collect your children. I understand it’s a lot different than in previous years but I’m sure you will agree it’s been a unexpected kind of year!

Welcome to nursery

Barbara, Clare, Colette, Sarah, Frances and Rowan are very busy this week making sure everything is ready for the children to start nursery on Tuesday. We are all excited about meeting everyone and are keen to start learning again.

It would be helpful if everyone had read the ‘information for September opening’ on the previous post before Tuesday to ensure that you are clear about the guidelines that have been put in place to keep everyone safe. I am sure you will understand that entry into nursery may be a little slower than in previous years, so please bear with us.

During the period of time that nursery has been closed our families kept in touch via emails. In September we will continue this process. Please email me using this address: b.draper@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk or telephone on our direct line 01253 739617. I will get back to as soon as I can.

Finally, as it will be difficult to share group learning with you we thought it would be nice for nursery to post photographs of the children each week on our web page. To enable me to do this I will need your written permission. If you could email me your consent that would be great!

It just remains for me to say, have a fabulous bank holiday weekend and I will see you on Tuesday.

Barbara

Story time with Barbara

Here’s another story about the GIGANTIC bear. I hope you like it!

Sadly this will be the last story of the summer term. I must say I have thoroughly enjoyed doing them for you. It’s been such a lovely way to stay in touch.

The last ‘Let’s Learn at Home’ booklet is scheduled to come live on Monday 27th July.

Finally, I would like to say thank you to everyone for their support through what has been a most difficult time. I feel saddened that we couldn't finish our year of learning and fun all together, but I look forward to seeing you all in Reception in September.

I hope you all have the most splendid summer and please do keep safe.

Barbara


Information for September Opening

Dear Parents,

As you will be aware over the last two terms the whole of the country has been living through a very difficult time as families have experienced lockdown measures. Within school and Nursery we have had to plan and implement rigorous risk assessment procedures in an attempt to create the safest possible environment for both children and staff.

The government has now issued further guidance for schools and early years settings as they welcome all children back in September.

Our normal practice in Nursery would to welcome our new Nursery families in June with an Induction Morning and home visits. I feel very sad that this important process has had to take place virtually but thank you for your engagement, patience and feedback.

This is such a strange time for us all and as we return in September unfortunately parents will still not be able to enter the school grounds.  All communication will need to take place via email or through phone calls. Any appointments must be scheduled and organised so that they can take place implementing social distancing protocol. I appreciate this is far from ideal and I pray that we will be able to return to a more normal practice soon.

I would encourage you to keep checking the Nursery page of the school website (this can be found by clicking the ‘Learn’ button at the top of the ‘Discover’ page) as any updates and current information will always be communicated in a timely manner.

Please use the four buttons below to access the Nursery Opening Plan for September and the detailed guidance. You may also want to visit the Discover Page of the website to access the schools guidance in the final newsletter of this term.

We are all very excited to begin working with your children and yourselves; please trust that we will welcome your children as the ‘precious gifts’ from God that they are…

 

Story time with Barbara

This week’s story is all about Eddy’s teddy whose name is Freddy! Have you guessed…it’s a rhyming story.

Don’t worry it’s not too scary!

Watch out next week fro another story about Eddy’s teddy, Freddie!

One of our fabulous friend has sent in some photos of her learning at home. Thank you.

Let's Learn at Home - Endless possibilities

The term ‘endless possibilities’ evolved from the Effective Provision of Preschool Education (EPPE) research and involves two or more individuals working together to solve a problem, clarify a concept or evaluate activities. It requires all participants to contribute to the thinking, which should be extended.

Sustained shared thinking is best described as those times when an adult is totally absorbed with a child, in conversation or in an activity with a genuine interest on both parts to find out more. Sustained shared thinking can happen anytime, anywhere and only requires time and interest on the part of the participants.

Enjoy your learning together!


Sharing a Shell

This week I am reading story from a new classroom. Can you guess where I am?

Our friend Ava has chosen this story, it’s one of her favourites.

Are you all sitting super smart and doing good listening?

What do you think I should read next week?



Little Red Riding Hood

 

This weeks story was chosen by our friend Emilia.

Good choice Emilia!

Next weeks story will be ‘Sharing a Shell’ by Julia Donaldson.

…and now for this weeks learning at home photographs. It’s wonderful to see how much work you are doing at home, well done everybody.

Have a lovely weekend, let’s hope the sunshine stays!

There's a Lion in my Cornflakes!!!

This weeks story is one of our favourites, it’s so funny!

Do you remember it’s got one of our fabulous words in it’ ballistic’ ! Can you tell everyone what it means?

Are you sitting comfortably?

Let’s begin…….

….and now for our fabulous photos! Well done to everyone who has got involved with our virtual ‘Sports Day’! Mrs Gregan is making a video of all of the images that have been sent in, you are in for a treat! Watch this space!