Updated Nursery Guidance during the Covid pandemic

Welcome back after what was an extremely quiet Christmas.

In line with current Government guidelines it has been necessary to make some small modifications to the nursery guidelines for keeping safe during the imposed restrictions.

I feel certain that you will support us in keeping nursery a safe space for the children and the staff and adhere to the new lockdown guidance. Click here to read the National Lockdown: Stay at Home guidance.

If you click on the buttons below you will find nursery’s updated guidelines.

Sing and Shout for Joy Nativity

I know everyone has been waiting for today and to be able to watch our Nativity. The children have worked extremely hard and taken their roles very seriously. I hope that sharing our Nativity will bring the true meaning of Christmas in to your homes.

Please sit back and let the Christmas spirit enter your hearts.

I am sure that you would like to join me in thanking Clare, who wrote this wonderful production and Colette, who filmed each scene. Also, our thanks must go to Mrs. Gregan who edited each image, song and video so beautifully.

Finally, on behalf of the whole nursery team we would like to say a huge ‘ thank you’ to you all for your wonderful support this term.

Have a happy and Holy Christmas and we will see you in January.

Barbara

Christmas hat day!

Such a fabulous day!

We wore our Christmas hats and jumpers. We had great fun all week! May I thank you for your donations, they will be going to a very worthy charity; Brian House Children’s Hospice. Thank you.

I have put some photos of us all enjoying the festive fun.

Don’t forget next Wednesday I will be posting our Nativity video and on Thursday we we be having our nursery Christmas party from 9.30-11.30 am. Let’s get ready to party, dust off those dancing shoes!

Have a lovely weekend. Try and have a rest before an extremely busy week next week!!

Barbara


This week...

A big thank you to you all, we have received permission from everyone to post our Nativity on our webpage next week. This week we have been filming all the scenes both inside and in the garden as well as singing like angels around the Christmas tree! Next week, we are hoping Mrs. Gregan will help us to edit it.

I must tell you that the children have worked extremely hard by learning all their lines and songs; not to mention their acting skills. We are expecting a BAFTA at the very least. By using drama to depict the Christmas Nativity has given the children a practical understanding of the true meaning of Christmas. It is beautiful to observe the Christmas message permeate the whole of the nursery during our play and learning.

May I remind the children who are in on Friday the 11th; it will be Christmas hat day and we are asking for a £1 donation towards our collection for Brian House Children’s Hospice. Please don’t worry if Friday is not your child’s day, they can still get involved and donate £!, just wear a Christmas hat on another day.

The children have been telling us that they have been using the Purple Mash website at home. I am so please that you finding it a useful learning tool. Remember that you can save work into the trays in the Mini Mash playroom and we will be able to access your child’s learning here at nursery. We can’t wait to see what you are learning about at home.

Next week we will be focusing on shape. If you click on the button below there are some activities for you do do at home! There are lots more activities on Purple Mash, why not explore!

Finally, have a lovely weekend and wrap up warm I believe it’s going to be rather chilly!!

Barbara



It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

An exciting week preparing for the start of Advent. Rehearsals and filming are well underway for our Virtual Nativity. The children are loving saying and acting their scenes and as for the singing I have just one word…FABULOUS. All the nursery team are so proud of how each child has risen to their individual challenge. I am certain you will be equally as proud when you get to watch it.

I must remind everyone that I am still missing just a few consent forms (I sent these home last week). Sadly If I do not have everyone’s consent I will be unable to post the Nativity video. Please could you check that you have retuned the full completed form and returned it to nursery. Please note you will have to sign and delete as appropriate each consent box as the Nativity will include both images and video footage.

We have also spotted one of Father Christmas’s elves at nursery. He keeps hiding in very odd places! The children are enjoying finding him as their first job when they arrive at nursery.

On Friday everyone noticed that our Christmas tree had been put up during the night; we all think it was the elf.

Next week we will be designing our Christmas cards and maybe a few more surprises!

Finally

Within school and nursery we remain grateful that our current situation is one in which all of our classes have stayed open. We know that in working with you and together meticulously following the guidance in and out of school, we are all keeping each other safe. I know that this can feel confining at times and it would so easy to relax and forget why we are following all these procedures, but we must stay alert and keep following those safety guidelines. We so want everyone to ‘stay safe and stay well’.

As we head towards the end of term I know so many of you will want to thank staff, as you always do and we are so blessed to have such caring and appreciative parents. As we always say, your support is felt through your actions and encouraging words. Your biggest gift - the best one you could ever give to us -is entrusting your child into our care. Over the years, even though we always try and tell you how much a kind letter or words of thanks mean to us, some of you still like to bring in small personal gifts; these we never expect though of course we appreciate your thoughtfulness.

This year of course is so different to any we have ever known and in the current situation we really are unable to accept items brought in, so we have to ask you please would you be kind enough to not send gifts into school, we would be so distressed to appear ungrateful. We are so strictly following the guidelines which we’re applying to children and staff and we can’t break our own rules at this point. However, those of you who are determined to say thank you, please contribute to your child’s class charity, or to the Food Banks - these are such all such worthy causes and they are finding survival extremely challenging. Thank you for your understanding.    

Have a lovely weekend.

Barbara

Foundation Stage Christmas Hat Day and Danceathon

Owing to the current restrictions, r our Christmas celebrations and charity donations at nursery will have to be different this year. We have all been thinking really hard and discussing what we could do to help our chosen charity; Brian House Children’s Hospice.

Brian House the children’s unit specializes in respite, palliative, end of life care and bereavement support for children, young people and their families. Brian House, working as part of the multi-disciplinary team, provides care and a ‘home from home’ environment for children and young adults from within the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre areas who have life threatening and/or life limiting conditions and meet the criteria for care.

Everyone has decided that on Tuesday 15th December KS1 and Foundation will be having a class ‘danceathon’. We are asking that all the children present that day to bring a £1 donation.

On Friday 11th December it will be Christmas hat day and once more we are asking for a £1 donation. All monies collected will be given to Brain House Hospice.

As in previous years we ask that you do not send Christmas cards into nursery but instead make the above donations to such a worthy cause.

With regards to our virtual Nativity (to be posted on our webpage on Wednesday 16th December); I have this week sent home an image consent form. It is important that you complete it and return to nursery as soon as possible. If I do not receive your permission I will be unable to post the video on our webpage.

Finally, our Christmas party will be held in our nursery bubble this year on Thursday 17th December 9.30 am -11.30 am.

I hope everyone manages to have a restful weekend, but just in case you have time on your hands click on the button below for a nature activity sheet.


See you on Monday!

Barbara




When Goldilocks came to nursery!

Over the past two weeks we have been reading the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The children have been retelling the story using puppets, drawing pictures and acting out. It’s been great fun!

We have also been focusing on the number three and trying to think of any other stories or rhymes we might know with the number three in it. We did think of quite a few books to explore as well as some stories we made up too!

On Wednesday we found out that Goldilocks had visited nursery whilst we were all at home and played with all our toys. She even broke one of our chairs!!

Click on the slide show below to see the pictures of all the things Goldilocks got up to and ask your child to tell you a story all about them!

Watch this space because next week we will be reading the Three Billy Goats Gruff!!! I hope the troll doesn’t pay us a visit!

Have a lovely weekend. Plenty of time for telling stories!

Barbara


Safety Guidelines

Dear Parents,

As you will be aware the whole of the country continues to live through difficult times. Within school and Nursery we have had to implement rigorous risk assessment procedures in an attempt to create the safest possible environment for both children and staff. It is with this in mind that I ask you all to reacquaint yourselves the safety guidelines below.

This is such a strange time for us all and as we return to nursery after the half term break unfortunately parents will still not be able to enter the school grounds and continue to keep the social distancing rules.  All communication will also continue 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 buttons below to access the detailed guidance. You may also want to visit the Discover Page of the website to access the schools guidance.

We look forward to seeing everyone next week!

Barbara

Let's Learn at home

As promised, just in case of rainy days, although it could be said there is also learning during inclement weather, here are a couple of Let’s learn at home’ booklets with some ideas to keep everyone busy. They have been produced by Lancashire’s Early Years Consultants. I hope you enjoy them, and if you feel like emailing some pictures of your child completing the activities I will gladly add them to their ‘Learning Journey’ folders. Enjoy!

Have a fabulous half term break and stay safe. We are looking forward to seeing you week commencing 2nd November.

Barbara

This week....

This week the children have been celebrating Harvest. We have been finding out about all the fabulous foods which grow on our planet, nurtured by the farmers. On Tuesday everyone gathered in our outside learning environments to say a big ‘thank you’ to God for creating earth and sending us the sunshine and rain so we can grow yummy food in abundance, we are so grateful.

The children have been singing and dancing to the Harvest Samba, it’s such good fun we thought you may like to join in at home? Click here to access the video and enjoy!

Also, the children have been learning the story of Little Rabbit Foo Foo by Michael Rosen. Everyone knows it off by heart and last week we made a stage in the garden and performed it for Reception. If you click on the button below you can join in at home!

As you are aware next week we break up for half term, time has flown and we have learnt so much! We are all so pleased with how the children have settled in to nursery, especially under such unprecedented circumstances, and this I feel is down to you. As parents I must say a big thank you for all your wonderful support, and for your hard work in preparing your children to start nursery, it has been very much appreciated by all the nursery team.

I hope everyone manages to have some family time together and the weather is kind to us all. In case of rainy days I will be posting a 'Let’s Learn at Home’ booklet with ideas and activities to enjoy at home. Watch this space!!!

Barbara

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