Welcome back to Pre-school after the half term break and to a very busy few weeks ahead! A special welcome to our new children and their families.
Focus for this half term: Over the next couple of weeks, we will be exploring lots of Halloween, bonfire and firework activities.We will use pencils to practise our early writing skills as we follow firework and patterns and make shape rockets and firework splatter paintings. We will also be looking at different sources of heat and light and learning about how we can stay safe on bonfire night. One of our focus stories will be ‘Can’t you Sleep Little Bear?’ all about the light and the dark. On Friday 18th November we will celebrate Children in Need Day by asking everyone to wear something spotty and bringing in a small donation. There will be also lots of Pudsey Bear craft activities on offer that day too. As December approaches we will be making lots of different Christmas crafts and having great fun with glue and glitter. We will celebrate Christmas jumper day on Thursday 8th December when parents of the children involved will be invited into the setting for a Christmas singalong at 9.15 am. All children due to start school in September 2023 will be invited to join us for this and any children who normally attend on a Thursday morning session. We will also be holding a Christmas party on the last day of term, Friday 16th December, to which all the children are invited. More details to follow about all the Christmas celebrations later in the term.
Family tree: We still need some of the children’s family photographs for our display. The children really enjoy looking at this display and finding themselves so if you could all please bring some photographs in? Up to 4 would be fine. It also helps us as we use it to recognise extended family if they collect your child.
Outdoor Play: All the teachers will be doing some training in outdoor play and resources over the coming weeks, and we hope to further develop our outdoor play areas, using lots more natural resources. This will therefore mean we will be spending more time outdoors. As the weather turns colder and wetter can you please ensure your child has a warm coat, hat and wellies with them on each of their sessions. Wellies can be kept in Pre-school in a bag hung on their peg if you do not want to bring them in every day.
Naming clothes and lunchboxes: Just a reminder to name all coats, hats, jumpers and cardigans and lunch boxes and any items inside them like drink bottles and small boxes. Thank you.
Health advice: We have received guidance from the local authority over management of acute respiratory infections in settings, including flu and covid. The main recommendation is that all children should have the nasal flu vaccine if possible as flu rates are expected to be high this winter. The advice for children with symptoms of a respiratory infection including a high temperature and a continuous cough is that they stay at home for 3 days and then they can return to the setting if their symptoms have resolved. Children with mild symptoms like a runny nose and a slight cough can continue to attend the setting unless their symptoms worsen.
Dates for the Diary:
Bollinbrook Primary School Christmas Fair: Friday 3rd December @3.30 in the school hall. Pre-school will be having a book stall at this event- more details to follow
Children in Need Day: Friday 18th November
Christmas Jumper Singalong: Thursday 8th December @ 9.15 am
Christmas Party: Friday 16th December 10-12
Caroline Bickerton Pre-school Manager
