Welcome back form the half term.
Holiday forms have already been sent out for the Easter holiday club.
Below is the topic each room is exploring this half term and the exciting activities your child/ren may be involved in. If you feel you can help in any way towards the topic/activities please see Linda, Lindsey, Louise or Debbie.
Field mice room: Pre-school children
The topic is –Machines. Week 1 –in my house , week 2 – levers, week 3 – wheels and axles, week 4 – ramps, week 5 – pulleys, week 6 – Easter.
Personal, Social & Emotional Development: Working with equipment the children will be taking turns and sharing and looking at how levers work. They will agree on a set of rules and how they will keep everyone safe whilst playing with the pulleys, building ramps and using wheeled toys.
Communication & Language: Discussions will be held over ‘what does a machine do?’, ‘what machines do we have in our homes?’, ‘what is a lever and what does it do?’, ‘what toys do we play with at home which have wheels and axles?’, ‘where do we see ramps and what can we do with them?’ and with the pulley ‘what happens if you pull first or let it go or…’.
The sounds of the term will be B J Z W V.
Physical Development: Using gross motor skills the children will use the outside bikes/scooters/seesaws, planks and logs to lever equipment around as well as using pulleys to lift objects both inside and outside. Fine motor skills will be enhanced when the children use tweezers and scissors and use the spinner and cogs in play.
Literacy: The initial letter of the machines will be written by the children and then they will compose a sentence for their drawings. Non-fiction books will be looked at and the way they are structured with an index, glossary…We will be reading ‘Roll, Slope and Slide’ and ‘Machine Poems’.
Maths: When using tweezers the children will count the objects they are using, compare weights when using the balance scales and number games will be played and identification of numbers. Mathematical language such as heavy, light, heavier, lighter, longer, shorter……will be used.
UTW: The children will be looking at the machines in their homes and what can they see when out on a walk? Using tubes the children will make cars to demonstrate the movement of an axle on wheels, how does it work and what can it do?
Expressive arts and design: Using construction toys the children will create a pulley system. Roll objects into paint and then roll them down a ramp onto paper to create patterns, create number spinners and paint using wheels!!
Rising threes:
The topic is Little Red Riding Hood.
PSED – sharing and turn taking scenarios will be played out encouraging the children to play games co-operatively.
C&L – Using the story stones the children will be encouraged to re-enact the story/ retell it as they remember it. These will also be placed in the garden for the children to find and use in their story telling. The meaning of Easter will be looked at and discussed by the children and practitioners – new life.
PD – Games such as ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf?’ will be played. Songs will be played for the children to dance to especially at Easter time.
Literacy – There will be a focus on the letters F G H & I. The children will be encouraged to practice their pencil control whilst taking part in activities centred around the book.
Maths – Number matching games will be played as well as colour by number activities centred around Red Riding Hood. Additionally, I spy and count activities and matching games will be played.
UTW – Why do we celebrate Easter?
EA&D – Collages of the woods will be created and Red Riding Hood will be painted. Cards will be made for Mother’s day and Easter.
Dormouse room:
Spring Time W/B 19.02.2024
Personal, Social & Emotional Development:
Small world farmyard with straw, grass, tractors and animals – encouraging the children to share and care for the animals. In the garden the tuff spot will be filled with natural resources for the children to explore.
Communication & Language:
Pictures depicting baby animals such as chicks, lambs, kittens, calves will be looked at and a discussion started. Whilst out in the garden the children will be encouraged to talk about the things they can see – birds, grass, leaves, flowers, insects…..The story of Jack and the Beanstalk will be read.
Physical Development:
Utilising their fine motor skills the children will be encouraged to make bird feeders to hang in the garden. Whilst out in the garden weeding activities will take place and then new planting activities will take place.
Literacy:
Picture books of baby animals will be studied as well as Jack and the beanstalk. A garden den will be created with blankets, cushions and books to encourage the children to look at the books and share them with each other. The rhymes/songs; ‘5 little ducks’ and ‘sleeping bunnies’ will be sung along with other favourites.
Mathematics:
Whilst playing with the farm set the children will be encouraged to sort and count the animals into groups. When planting new seeds the children will be hearing language such as ‘full’ or ‘empty’ and counting the seeds as they pot them. Life cycle puzzles will be explored alongside matching and sorting puzzles/games.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World:
Matching games with ‘mummy’ and ‘baby animal’ pictures will be played, sunflower seeds planted, observe a broad bean grow roots, freeze flower petals and water to observe and explore the eggs at Easter to see who/what is hiding inside and then fit them back together.
Expressive Art and Design:
Using puppets as props the children will be encouraged to sing ‘Baa Baa black sheep’, ‘5 little ducks’…., a music area will be set up in the garden for the children to explore sound, construct a beanstalk using their hands/feet and brushes and Easter eggs will be decorated with a variety of colours and materials.
News:
Our next trustees meeting is being held on Monday April 22nd at 1.30 pm. This will be @ Brambles. If any parent is interested in joining the trustees, please see Debbie.
Those unwelcome friends – HEAD LICE – are doing the rounds again so please check your child/s hair and treat accordingly. They do not like citronella or tea tree and sprays of these are available – they are a good deterrent! Long hair tied back or plaited also helps.
If any parents have changed their address or phone number can you please let the staff know so they can change the admission form to reflect this. If there are, any changes to pickups these will also need to be altered on the forms.
Brambles has a closed Face Book page – please send a friend request if you are not already a member. Updates are posted as necessary, photos of trips out, photos of children eating produce from the garden, lunch menus…
Hours:
If any parents would like to change their children’s hours and or days for the summer term please see Debbie before the 8th March. There is little flexibility in either room so please speak to her soon.
Zumba:
The week beginning the 4th March our Zumba session will be Friday 8th instead of Wednesday 6th March due to the careers fayre being held at Cape.
World book day:
World book day is March the 7th!! During the next week all the children will receive a World Book Day voucher and we would love to see the children arrive at Brambles dressed as their favourite book character!! There may even be some staff dressed as a character from their favourite story!!
Roof:
The roof is to be replaced at the end of February beginning of March and I have been assured we will not need to close. The Dormouse garden will be out of bounds for up to a week depending on the weather and the time it takes to put up the scaffolding and take the existing roof off. The existing sedum is to be removed – if there are any parents or friends who could use this please see Debbie.
Duck race:
Our annual duck race will be held in April – provisionally the 21st @ 10.30 am.
Tickets will be handed out shortly and if these can be sold to family and friends it would be greatly appreciated. Once they are sold, they need to be returned to Debbie – before the event preferably – although tickets can be bought on the day. There will also be refreshments and bacon baps for sale. Donations of cakes on the day will be gratefully received.
Raffle prizes would be greatly appreciated as well.
Library:
The library has been a big hit with the children and it is lovely seeing them eagerly arriving on a Thursday morning wanting to change their books. Please see Debbie if you wish to change the books on another day for any reason. We are aware there are lots of children who do not come in on a Thursday therefore please see Debbie to become part of this great initiative. The books are being well looked after we appreciate this hugely – additionally we hope it will teach the children to respect and look after nursery’s other books as well as their own books.
Funding:
If your child is with Lindsey in the Rising 3 area and they turn 3 before April they will be eligible for 15 universal hours of 3yr funding from the beginning of the Summer term. Debbie will hand out EY2 forms just before Easter and will then need to see either a passport or birth certificate to validate the children’s details. If parents both work 16 hours or more (or if you are a single parent and working 16 hours or more) you should be eligible for an extended 15 hours. Please visit www.cornwall.gov.uk website, search for 30 hour funding and complete the forms to see if you are eligible. You should then be given an 11 digit number beginning 500/501 which Debbie will need to validate on the funding portal. Once you have a code you will receive an email every 3 months where you will need to go back to the .gov website and revalidate your details. Please be aware this email can go into your junk mail! If the code is not revalidated it stops and will only reactivate when you reapply. If you have any questions please see Debbie. This needs to be completed before the end of the term for the code to be validated.
Funding for all 2 year olds (if eligible) begins in April and parents will need to go to https://cornwall.cloud.servelec-syngery.com/SynergyWeb/ to check. If your child turns two by the 31.03.2024 you may be eligible for the new 15 hours of funding being introduced by the Government. If you are eligible, please see Debbie who will have the necessary forms to fill out.
Many parents will also be eligible for ‘Childfree Tax Care’ with the government scheme – for children aged up to 11 years. Again this is on the government website and could help towards your childcare costs and it can be used for fees/lunches/snacks….Please look to see if you are eligible – the nursery is registered with the scheme already and you just need to add our name to your account. The government will put 25% of the amount you put in into your account which you then transfer to Brambles. Please see Debbie or Hanri if you need help with this system. You can receive over £2,000 from the government towards your childcare fees using this method.
Medication:
The Brambles has an emergency bottle of Calpol for children who may suddenly develop a temperature, whose parents cannot collect them quickly and we feel it is required. If your child is teething or you feel requires a dose of Calpol during the day a bottle must be brought in with them. We are finding when we require ours it is empty due to parents not supplying their own. If they do require Calpol for anything other than teething, it may be they are too poorly for nursery and need to stay home.
Lunches:
We discourage juice at lunchtime unless there is a reason – please see Debbie if this is the case. We have a water cooler, which the preschool children are able to freely access and water/milk is provided during snacks and lunch times.
Please cut grapes into QUARTERS – these are one of the biggest choking hazards for children.
Due to a nut allergy within the setting there are to be NO NUTS in packed lunches. We will be changing our policy to reflect this.
We promote healthy eating and would like parents to support us with this when providing packed lunches. A healthy packed lunch should contain; a sandwich/crackers/wrap, yogurt, packet of crisps, fruit and maybe one biscuit or piece of cake. We are able to reheat food from yesterdays ‘tea’ or make beans/spaghetti on toast if you would like to provide this in a packed lunch.
PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN:
On Monday 26th February the preschool children will be visiting the local fire station.
On Tuesday 5th March at 1.30 pm the children will be joining in the St Piran’s parade. We will meet at the Plein-an-Quarry at 1.20 pm. Any children not in attendance on a Tuesday afternoon are welcome to meet us in the Plein. We will have sashes for the children and ask they wear black trousers or tights. The children have been practising hard so if you see them walking and hopping this will be why!! They may also have been sing the chorus of Trelawney, shouting oggy oggy oggy or saying Cornwall Bys Vyken!
On Monday 25th March the preschool children will be visiting Benoni @ 10.30 am for an egg hunt and to engage in some Easter activities. If any parents would like to join us and walk with the children please see Debbie.
Rising 3’s:
Please could all rising 3’s bring in a drink bottle, which can be left at nursery. These will be filled with cold water for the children to access throughout the day.
Late collections:
A reminder to ALL parents that a late collection will result in £50 being added to your account. If you are going to be late please phone Brambles and let a practitioner know. Late collections impact on practitioners leaving to collect after school club children from school, meeting appointments, collecting their own children and having the correct ratio of staff in the building.
Term dates:
04.01.2024 to 28.03.2024
February half term 12th -16th February
Easter holidays 2nd – 20th April PLEASE REMEMBER A PLACE NEEDS TO BE BOOKED FOR THESE 2 WEEKS
Bank holidays Friday 30th March and Monday 1st April
Summer term starts on the 15th April.
Thank you.