Head of School's message
It has been another busy and exciting couple of weeks at nursery. Last week, the children thoroughly enjoyed welcoming Ark Farm, where they had the opportunity to meet and learn about a variety of animals. This week, we have been celebrating Wheels Week, with children exploring and developing their physical skills through bikes, balance bikes, scooters and even learning about wheelchairs as an important way some people move around and access their world.
Our class/group photographs took place today, and the children did a fantastic job posing for the camera. It was wonderful to see their confidence shine through, whether they were sharing big smiles, showing off their personalities or proudly standing with their friends. We know these photographs will become precious memories of their time at nursery, and details of how to order will follow in due course.
As we approach the long weekend, I would like to thank our wonderful staff team for their continued hard work, dedication and enthusiasm. The children benefit every day from the care and commitment they bring to nursery.
Children will be bringing home FUDGE (Fathers, Uncles, Dad, Grandads and Every other important male) Day gifts, which I know you will treasure. I hope everyone enjoys the extended break, has the opportunity to relax and spend time with family and friends, and that the sunshine continues to make an appearance!
We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for the final weeks of the term.
Dates coming up:
Friday 19th June & Monday 22nd June (Nursery Closed) - Inset & Occasional Days.
Monday 20th July - Leavers' picnic 11:30-1:00pm, all welcome (more information to follow)
Thursday 23rd July - 1pm finish for the Summer Holidays.
Friday 24th July to Tuesday 1st September (Nursery Closed) - Summer Holidays.
Reminders:
A number of parents have approached us to ask what gifts they can buy as end of term gifts for staff.
For those children and families leaving us the best gift you have given us is allowing us to be part of your child’s journey and helping them grow ready for their next chapter. We in no way expect nor request gifts. A card with a message is the most wonderful thing any of us can receive.
However, if this is your preference, we ask that gifts are purchased for the nursery and not for individuals, this could include pens, craft materials, pipe cleaners, pom poms, lolly sticks, glue, poster paint, coloured card, tissue paper etc. Such gifts then will benefit the next children who undertake adventures with us here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Now that the weather is getting warmer - it is imperative that every child has sun lotion applied before their session. They must also have a sun hat (labelled with their name) with them every day - even if the day starts a little cloudy. Please refer to the recently emailed Sun Safety procedure for further guidance.
Any adhoc Wraparound care bookings for July will need to be made before 30th June in order for all invoices to be issued and paid before the end of the Summer Term.
Join our nursery's social media pages to stay connected.
Book & Rhyme of the week
The next Structured Stories Book is 'Somebody Swallowed Stanley' by Sarah Roberts.
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 "swept", "tentacles", "jellyfish", "tugged", "creature", "ocean".
Please see below link to story;
Next week, each Key group will be choosing their favourite rhyme which they will then be rehearsing ready to perform at the leavers picnic.
Language of the week
We are lucky to have a rich and diverse community with lots of different languages. Do you speak Nepali and Hindi? 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
As part of our Wheels Week celebrations, we would like you to become a Wheel Detective at home!
Go on a walk around your home, garden or local area with a grown-up and see how many different things with wheels you can find.
Can you spot:
🚗 A car
🚲 A bicycle
🛴 A scooter
🛒 A shopping trolley
🧳 A suitcase
🗑️ A wheelie bin
🚜 A tractor or other vehicle
Healthy me, Healthy world
As part of our Healthy Me, Healthy World focus, we have been talking with the children about staying safe and healthy in the warmer weather.
Spending time outdoors is an important part of nursery life, and we want children to enjoy the sunshine safely. Staff support children to understand the importance of wearing sun hats, seeking shade and drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
Thank you for helping us by applying sun cream before nursery and ensuring your child has a named sun hat. By working together, we can help children develop healthy habits that will support their wellbeing now and in the future.
Success story of the week
This week in Nursery we have been celebrating 'Wheels Week', exploring all things round and discovering the many ways wheels help us move, create and play.
Outdoors, the children have had great fun developing their physical skills while using balance bikes, trikes, scooters, wheelchairs and walking frames. They have been building their coordination, balance, strength and confidence as they navigated different spaces and challenges.
The children have also enjoyed investigating loose wheels and using wheels for mark making, encouraging creativity, curiosity and exploration. Through their play, they have been asking questions, testing ideas and solving problems as they discovered how different wheels move and work.
Wheels Week has provided wonderful opportunities for physical development, active learning, curiosity, problem solving and inclusive play, allowing all children to participate, explore and succeed together.
It has been fantastic to see their enthusiasm, perseverance and teamwork throughout the week.
All absences must be reported to the school either by leaving an absence message or emailing admin@heathlane.herts.sch.uk.
We politely ask that if you plan to take your child out during school time, you notify the Nursery office. For appointments, we ask where possible that these are not during the school day. If this is not avoidable, please kindly share the relevant information for this appointment in order for us to be able to authorise this.
Regular attendance at Nursery is very important, as it helps children build the foundational knowledge and skills they will need as they move through school. Establishing good attendance habits now supports a smoother transition into primary school and helps ensure children develop positive routines that will benefit them throughout their educational journey. Thank you for your continued support in helping your child attend regularly and on time.
