Head of School's message
It has been wonderful to see how much progress the children are making across all areas of their learning. This term, we are placing a strong focus on developing early phonics skills, mark making, and supporting the children in learning to write their names with growing confidence. Through a range of fun and engaging activities, the children are building the foundations they need for future learning while also developing their fine motor skills and communication.
We are also continuing to encourage independence in everyday routines, helping the children to build confidence in managing tasks for themselves and becoming more self-assured learners. This includes learning to hang up their coats, remember to wash their hands, and tidy away toys after they have finished playing. Alongside this, we are encouraging the development of good manners by reminding the children to use “please” and “thank you” throughout the day.
In maths, our focus this term includes developing confidence with numbers, exploring pattern making, and learning the language of length, weight, and capacity through practical, hands-on experiences. The children are enjoying investigating these concepts through play and exploration, helping them to make meaningful connections in their learning every day.
We would like to say a fond goodbye to Tom as he leaves us to focus on his upcoming exams. The children who attend After School Club have really enjoyed their time with him, and “Tom Tuesday” has been a special part of our week that will be greatly missed. We thank Tom for all his support and wish him the very best of luck in his exams and for the future.
Dates coming up:
May Bank Holiday - Monday 4th (Nursery Closed)
Week beginning 18th May children will be visiting the local library, further information to follow.
Your child/ren will soon be bringing home a library membership form to apply for their own library card. If your child already has a library card, there is no need to complete another form. However, please ensure they bring their library card into Nursery on Monday 18th May so they can borrow a book during their visit. Thank you for your support.
Week beginning 18th May there will be no catch-up calls due to our library visits.
May Half Term - Monday 25th May to Friday 29th May (Nursery Closed)
Parent/carer consultations will take place the first week back after half term, week beginning 1st June, further information to follow.
Reminders:
On 23rd February, the Department for Education published its SEND white paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving, outlining plans to reform support across early years, schools and colleges.
Dingley’s Promise are hosting a series of facilitated online sessions for parents of children with SEND under 8, to discuss early education.
These sessions will explore the key proposals, break down the consultation, and give families the opportunity to share their experiences, discuss concerns, and have their voices heard.
Session dates & times:
- Tuesday 12th May, 12–1pm
- Wednesday 13th May, 6–7pm
- Thursday 14th May, 6–7pm
Register via Eventbrite: https://buff.ly/uuKpq51
Join our nursery's social media pages to stay connected.
Book & Rhyme of the week
The next Structured Stories Book is "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak.
We will start with the immersion phase of Structured Storytelling, where the children will explore the story through various engaging activities. They will learn about prepositions through participating in physical activities outside. This phase is crucial when developing understanding and language.
Our key vocabulary of the text is "Mischief", "Wild", "Private", "Rumpus", "Gnash" and "Supper".
Please see below link to story;
Where The Wild Things Are — 🧌 Read aloud imaginative classic kids book (Caldecott Award Winner)
The Rhyme of the week for next week is "Grand Old Duke of York".
This Rhyme has a Maths focus on shape, space and measure.
Language of the week
We are lucky to have a rich and diverse community with lots of different languages. Do you speak Georgian or Romanian? Are you available next week on a Wednesday or Thursday? If your answer is YES, then we'd be delighted to have you reading a story in your home language to the children! They love a Secret Storyteller! We are flexible with the timing so please speak to us if you can come in another day/time.
Please look out for our next week's languages in the newsletter, it might be your home language next!
Learning at home
This week, we have been exploring patterns in Nursery! You can support your child at home by creating simple repeating patterns using everyday objects or natural materials.
What is a pattern? A pattern is something that repeats.
We are focusing on:
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ABAB patterns (e.g. leaf, stone, leaf, stone)
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ABCABC patterns (e.g. spoon, cup, plate, spoon, cup, plate)
Using everyday objects:
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Try spoons, socks, toys, or fruit
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Line them up to make repeating patterns
Support your child by asking:
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“What comes next?”
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“Can you spot the pattern?”
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“Can you make your own pattern?”
Making patterns helps children to:
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Develop early maths skills
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Improve problem-solving
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Notice patterns in the world around them
Have fun exploring patterns together—we would love to see photos or hear about what your child creates!
Healthy me, Healthy world
As part of our Healthy Me, Healthy World focus, we are learning how small everyday actions can help us live more sustainably.
Linked to the book 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World, we have been talking about the idea, “I turn off the tap when I brush my teeth.”
The children were amazed to learn that every time we do this, we can save up to 18 glasses of water.
We have also been practising pouring water from jugs at lunchtime, helping the children to become more independent while learning not to waste water through spills. This is a great skill to practise at home too, as careful pouring can help reduce both spillages and unnecessary water use.
Through these experiences, the children are developing an understanding of how simple habits can make a big difference to our world.
Success story of the week
This term, our Nursery children will be taking part in weekly Bikeability sessions using balance bikes—and we are so proud of their progress so far!
What is Bikeability?
Bikeability is a national cycle training programme that teaches children how to ride safely and confidently. In Nursery, we focus on the very first stage—helping children learn balance, coordination, and control using balance bikes (bikes without pedals).
We are incredibly impressed with how the children have embraced this experience so far. You may notice growing confidence in their movement and awareness when out and about—whether walking, scooting, or cycling!
