Playgroup Newsletter - Saltwood Play & Learning Centre

Dear Parents
We hope everyone has had an enjoyable half-term break, we can’t wait to hear what the children got
up to; as always please write or add photographs in your child’s learning journals.
So far the snowy weather has passed us by without too much disruption; however it did bring our bus
journey into Hythe town to a halt. Nevertheless, we will continue with the outings on the first week
back, as they will compliment last terms topic of ‘Where we live’. If you haven’t done so already,
could you please bring in photos of your child visiting local attractions or family and friends, so your
Key Person can add them to your child’s personal map.
This term, our planning will be based around ‘Growth’. We will be discussing Spring and how plants
grow from the seeds and bulbs; What do we need to help us grow healthily?; The growth cycle of a
frog and caterpillar. If you have any books or resources to help with the topic, please bring them in.
Please see attached sheet to show how each developmental area is being covered by topic.
Remember this is in addition to your child’s individual Key Person planning.
Story of the week
Gardening Gang
Since introducing a story of the week, we have noticed an
increased excitement towards story time. The children are
anticipating the next page and are picking up key words
and sentences from the story line very quickly. They help
the adult tell the story by enthusiastically shouting out the
words of which they know. Additionally, some children
tell the story to their friends during their free play.
These are some of the books we will be reading this term:
This term, children will take turns to
have responsibility in looking after our
garden. Each week, the Gardening Gang;
consisting of a small group of children will plant
either herbs, plants or vegetables into the new
planter pots. They will also be encouraged to
place any recyclable items into the relevant
containers and water the garden using rain water
from the water butt.
If you would like to donate any bulbs or soil to
help with this activity, we will be really grateful.
Don’t forget, you are more than welcome to come into the
nursery and read one of these books or any others to the
children at the end of the session.
Discovery Bus Visit
Our children enjoyed visiting the
Discovery bus. Groups of 4 to 5 children took turns in
exploring the numerous resources inside. Poppy said ”I
liked making a butterfly” and Arti said ”I liked the lights
and the magnetic bugs”
Thank you to Rachael Stafford for helping out in the
nursery; enabling our ratios to be maintained while visiting
the bus. We would also like to wish Ralph, who has driven
the bus for many years, a happy and fulfilling retirement.
Diary Dates
23/02/15
24/02/15
25/02/15
26/02/15
13/02/15
15/03/15
01/04/15
03/04/15
06/04/15
20/04/15
26/04/15
10/05/15
Children return to nursery (Term 4)
Hythe town visit
Hythe town visit
Hythe town visit
Red Nose Day
Mothers Day
Last day of term
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Children return to Nursery (Term 5)
London Marathon
Round the Houses Race
Please sponsor one of our dads to run the London Marathon
Stuart Duncan is running the London Marathon in April and would like to raise as much
money as possible to donate towards the charity-Children with Cancer UK. He has chosen this charity
because he specifically wants to support research into childhood cancer, which is a subject close to his heart.
His target figure is £2000 and has already raised half of this amount; if anyone would like to support Stuart
and the charity please visit his Virgin money giving page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StuartDuncan79
or place in an envelope and Leanne will pass it on. Any amount donated will be gratefully received. We wish
Stuart the best of luck in his training schedule and reaching his overall target.
Family Play and Stay Day
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves at our Play
and Stay Day. It was great to see so many families
taking part in the activities with their children.
Captain Jordan led the way in making treasure maps
and then searching for treasure with the children
around the setting. Thank you to our staff who gave
up their time to support the event.
School Readiness
It won’t be long before our Butterflies will find out
which primary school they have been allocated to.
This may bring your family and child mixed
emotions about their next transition! You may have
some expectations to what skills your child should
be able to do before starting school or you may have
some unanswered questions, such as:
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What does ’School readiness’ mean?
Is the nursery doing enough to support my
child?
Should my child write his name?
Is my child ready to go to school?
Does my child have to go to the toilet unaided?
To collate parents and children’s views, we are
initially going to have a ‘Thinking Tree’ under the
shelter. Please write your thoughts on the leaves on
what you know and what you would like to know
about school readiness. We will then gather all the
information and arrange a friendly workshop on
how we can help children become ready for school.
Lunch time
Please remember you are more than
welcome to join your child for lunch.
This is a great way to be part of your child’s
experiences at nursery.
Parent’s Story time
We love having parents come in and
read their child’s favourite book with
the group. This is very beneficial to enthuse their
interest in stories. If you have a spare 15 minutes
before the end of the session, please add your name to
the rota or let your Key person know.
Craft and Music
Maybe you have some creative ideas or musical
talents that you would like to share with the children.
Let your Key person know or add your name to the
rotas if you have any spare time.
March:
Drew (4), Cookie (4)
Alfie F.H (4)
April: Arti (4)
Staff Changes and Job Opportunities
Linda and Gail have decided to reduce their hours in
the nursery due to personal commitments. We will be
employing another member of staff in due course
which will support the team in delivering early years
care and education. We are also in need of a cleaner
for Friday evenings 5.30pm-6.30pm (term time only).
Please speak to Leanne for further details.
Reading stories with your child, particularly when it includes open-ended
questions; enabling the child to offer their own ideas and views, is a powerful
means of enhancing children’s spoken language skills and early literacy
development. Please make use of the local library or our story sharing box.
For more information please visit:
http://www.wordsforlife.org.uk/3-5/milestones
http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/research/
nlt_research/2613_face_to_face_research_literature_review_highlights
Red Nose Day
This years charity event
is on Friday 13th March. The
staff and children will be
supporting the event by
making pizzas and wearing
funny clothes, hair and faces.
A collection box will be in the
nursery all that week for kind
donations. Thank you
Updated Records
To ensure we still have correct personal information for each child, can you please complete
this form and return asap.
Child’s full name:
Address:
Telephone Numbers:
Home:
Work:
Mobile:
E-mail:
If we should need to contact somebody and there is nobody at the above
address or phone number, please indicate your emergency contacts where
we should try to reach parents or another carer (stating whether relative,
friend, etc)
Name:
Address:
Name:
Address:
Phone Number:
Relationship to the child:
Phone Number:
Relationship to the child:
Names of people who may collect your child from nursery. (Please notify us
of any changes as no child will be released to an unauthorised person)
Child’s Doctor:
Name:
Address:
Health Visitor:
Name:
Phone Number:
Phone Number:
Does your child require any other additional needs, such as: Occupational
therapy, speech and language therapy etc.?(Please give contact details)
Has your child been in hospital recently:
Does your child have any ongoing health problems( inc allergies):
Saltwood Nursery: Term 4
Things that grow
Physical development (PD)
Personal, Social and Emotional (PSE)
Strengthening core muscles and balance by using
stepping stones, beam, tunnels and walking along
lines.
Sharing and taking turns with resources
Behaviour and self-confidence working
together in groups.
Respecting and listening to each child's views
and opinions.
Puppet role-play to encourage turn taking and
views on the activities ahead.
Drawing around hands/feet and then cutting
around them.
Using the ride-ons to help with spatial awareness.
Stepping stones big and small using jumping skills.
Dancing to Wake up and Shake up.
Strengthening hand muscles and grip by using play
dough and tweezers.
Communication and Language (CL)
Understanding the World (UW)
Describing about big and small things that you can
see.
Exploring the surrounding areas; finding natural
resources and observing living things.
Discussions on all things that grow
Taking photographs of each other and objects
within the environment.
Providing photographs and pictures to help with
their understanding.
Discussion of how and why things grow
(Frog cycle)
Listening to stories; anticipating key parts and
carrying on the story in role-play.
Investigating changing forms of seeds, beans and
plants.
Communicating with Makaton signs and pictures.
Using simple ICT programmes.
Maths (M)
Expressive Arts and Design (EAD)
Environmental sounds - recreate living
sounds.
Recognising and sorting objects by size, colour
and shape (e.g. Seeds, pots and tubs)
Measuring other children's height, hand/feet
size and hair.
Dancing and actions to recreate a growth
cycle or a caterpillar/plant/baby to child.
Paint ing pictur es and exploring colour chan ge.
Using glue and collage materials to create pictures.
Role-play opportunities; recreating the
hungry caterpillar.
Counting songs.
Weight, capacity, size of objects in a container
(e.g. Soil, leaves, sand and water etc)
Estimating the height of our plants.
Literacy (L)
Recognising and discussing what makes us different and unique.
Recognition of the sound/letter of the week. (m, c, b, d, r, n)
Listening to and joining in with the story; anticipating endings and making our
own stories up.
Blending sounds together.