Head of School's message
At Heath Lane Nursery, we are incredibly proud of the rich tapestry of languages and cultures that make up our nursery community. With 46% of our children speaking English as an Additional Language and 22 different languages represented here, our setting is alive with diversity; this enriches all our learning, play and friendships every single day.
We know that every child’s home language and culture is a strength and something to be celebrated. Research shows that continuing to use home languages supports communication, connection, identity and learning overall.
What this means for our nursery:
Valuing multilingualism: We celebrate children’s home languages as assets, not barriers. Hearing and using children’s first languages supports confidence and helps them make connections as they learn English.
Inclusive displays and resources: Our nursery rooms and communal spaces include signs, books, pictures and visual supports that reflect the many languages and cultures of our families.
Language of the Week: We introduce a different language each week — learning simple greetings, songs or words together to honour the languages in our community and build curiosity and respect.
Translatable communication: Written information, newsletters and key messages are translated or summarised in families’ home languages wherever possible — including using helpful apps and tools — so everyone can stay informed and engaged.
Partnering with families: We actively work with parents and carers to learn key words (e.g., greetings or everyday routines), pronunciation and home culture tips so we can better support your child’s experience here.
Visual and interactive learning: We use visual timetables, signs, props, songs and storytelling to help all children access routines and learning, whether they’re new to English or growing confidence with it.
Celebrating culture through activities: From music and songs to games, books and role play, children share traditions and stories that reflect their lives at home, helping everyone learn about the world together.
Dates coming up:
February Half Term - week commencing 16th February to 20th February.
Nursery back open Monday 23rd February.
Parent/Carer Consultations - Monday 23rd to Friday 27th February. Booking links were sent out on Monday 9th February.
MADGE (Mother, Aunty, Daughter, Grandma and Every other female) Celebration Day Friday 13th March - further information to follow.
Last Day of Spring Term - Friday 27th March. School Closes at 1pm.
Return for Summer Term Tuesday 14th April (Monday 13th closed for Inset Day)
Reminders:
We have a shortage of trousers in our spare clothes supplies - if you have any at home please return as soon as possible. Also, if you have any spares at home we would be grateful for any donations.
Please be reminded that use of the disabled bays is strictly limited to those displaying the appropriate badge.
Join our nursery's social media pages to stay connected.
Book & Rhyme of the week
The next Structured Stories Book is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle.
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 "Caterpillar", "Cocoon", "Chrysalis", "Butterfly", "Moth" and "Hungry".
Please see below link to story;
The Rhyme of the week for after half term is "Humpty Dumpty".
This Rhyme has a Phonics focus looking for rhythm and rhyme.
🌟 Oat, Banana & Egg Pancakes (3 Simple Steps)
You will need:
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1 banana
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1 egg
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2 tablespoons of oats
👩🍳 Step 1: Measure
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Count 2 spoonfuls of oats and put them into a bowl.
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Talk about full and empty spoons.
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Can your child help crack the egg?
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Add 1 banana.
👉 Maths talk:
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How many spoonfuls?
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Is the bowl empty or full?
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What happens when we add more?
🥄 Step 2: Mix
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Mash the banana.
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Mix everything together until smooth.
👉 Maths talk:
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Is the mixture thick or runny?
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Does it look full or half full?
🔥 Step 3: Cook
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An adult should heat a little oil in a pan.
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Spoon small amounts of mixture into the pan.
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Cook on both sides until golden.
🔐 Kitchen Safety
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Always have an adult helping.
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Keep little hands away from the hot pan and cooker.
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Wash hands before and after cooking.
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Be careful when cracking eggs.
⭐ Extra Learning Ideas
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Count how many pancakes you make.
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Which pancake is the biggest? Smallest?
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Cut pancakes in half – talk about halves.
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Talk about capacity – which bowl holds more mixture?
We would love to see photos of your pancakes!
Happy Pancake Day! 🥞
Language of the week
We are lucky to have a rich and diverse community with lots of different languages. Our language of the week is Nepali, which is spoken by some of our children and their families.
Please find below links of how to say "Hello" and "Goodbye" in Nepali. You can practise with your child/ren at home.
Learning at home
Next Tuesday is Pancake Day!
We would love you to try making some simple, healthy pancakes at home using this easy 3-step recipe.
This activity links to Maths – measuring and capacity.
Healthy me, Healthy world
Mental health and emotional wellbeing are fundamental parts of a child’s development in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). During these first years, children learn to understand and express their emotions, develop self-regulation skills, form secure attachments, and build resilience — all of which lay the foundation for positive long-term mental health.
Early years practitioners play a vital role in creating nurturing, predictable and responsive environments where every child feels safe, valued and supported to explore their feelings and relationships. This approach supports holistic development and is recognised within broader health and wellbeing initiatives such as Healthy Me and Children’s Mental Health Week — an annual awareness campaign taking place from 9–15 February 2026 that encourages settings to reflect on belonging, emotional wellbeing, and creating inclusive spaces for all children.
For more information and resources, visit the Healthy Me Children’s Mental Health Week page: Children's Mental Health Week - Healthy me
Success story of the week
This week the children have thoroughly enjoyed exploring our new water pump in the mud kitchen!
They have shown great curiosity and determination while learning how it works. The children have been carefully unscrewing the large lid and transporting water from the tap down to the mud kitchen, pouring it into the water butt to fill the pump.
It has been wonderful to see them taking turns to push and pull the handle up and down to activate the pump mechanism, watching closely as the water travels through the hose to fill different containers. The children have demonstrated fantastic teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills as they worked together to figure out how to get the pump working.
This has been a brilliant addition to our mud kitchen and has provided rich opportunities for cooperative play, exploration and hands-on learning. Well done, Nursery!
