News

Parentmail. 8^th May 2025 Summer Term 2.

This months’ Value: Truth (where children understand being truthful to others and themselves, doing what’s right regardless of who’s around and being someone others can trust.)

Dear Families,

This term is whizzing by rapidly! Children are well settled and loving outdoor activities! Lots of lovely things planned for them for the rest of the term! Staff will be preparing end of term updates for our children returning in September, and transition paperwork for our children moving on to their new school over this term. If you have any questions regarding our Lower School Transition process, please let us know and we will be pleased to help you.

Sun Safety

Please ensure sun cream is applied prior to coming into nursery. This needs to be a long-acting cream to negate the need for a re-application during the day. There is a website that details the 10 best ‘once a day’ sun cream and another the best 5. Please check the ingredients as some creams now contain nut oil. Please also ensure children have a hat when its sunny and light, thin clothing to protect skin from the heat. Water is available throughout the day to keep children hydrated.

Toilet Skills

We are promoting good toilet hygiene practices which encourages children to use toilet paper to wipe, to flush the toilet each time they use it, to wash their hands using soap each time they have been to the toilet and to dry them afterwards. Staff are always on hand to support these skills and it is important for children to become independent in readiness for school.

For those who are not yet using the toilet, when you feel your child is ready to start toilet training, please speak to your keyworker. We will be pleased to support you and your child and copy the methods you are using at home. Consistency is key to success!

Transition to Lower School/New Setting.

We work closely with your new school/setting to ensure a smooth transition which supports your child. This is very important preparation for the changes your child will be experiencing, giving them security, confidence and continuation of their learning. We will be doing activities within nursery which introduce them to their new uniform, routine, staff and friendship groups. Additionally, staff from the lower schools visit our setting to meet the children who will be joining them. St Marys staff will be coming over twice weekly to share stories with their group of children, building early relationships with them and staff from Roecroft and Fairfield are also invited in to get to know their children. Making these new relationships in the security of nursery, with our staff present, gives children a huge confidence boost and makes the move to their new setting much easier, resulting in a continuation of learning. Transition Records will be shared with you and your new school so they can build on previous achievements and learning.

General Transition information has been sent to each family with a September 2025 Reception school-starter and we will be pleased to answer any questions you may have. If your child is moving to a new school which is not in our feeder group of schools (St Marys, Roecroft, Fairfield), please let us know and we will contact them to invite them into our group to build a relationship with your child.

May we take this opportunity to say it’s been lovely having your children with us, watching them grow and develop into confident little people and we wish you all every success as you move on your education journey. There is a lovely quote we value at nursery “Children are not things to be moulded but are people to be unfolded.” By J Lair. We encourage children to explore, guiding them to flourish, celebrating their achievements as they each bring something special to our group.

Summer Term 2 Curriculum

This is the over-arching planning and will be supplemented with children’s current interests to ensure they are provided with a varied selection of enriching activities. Included in this are our group sessions for Pebbles, Fir cones and Dandelions, our Lift Off To Language sessions, our Sail into Sounds groups and our SEND support activities.

Week 1:

Monet Art

Counting Fish

Sandcastles

Water the seeds

Tufty tray

Water play/animals of the water etc

Week 2:

Carnival of the Animals- music and movement

Commotion in the Ocean; a collection of poems and rhymes

Birds

Blown water pictures

Tufty Tray

Birds, nest making etc

Week 3:

Van Gough Sunflowers

Baby birds in nests

Swan lake

Bubble prints

Tufty Tray

Planting/ seeds/pots/spoons etc

Week 4:

Free summer collage

Jumping Numbers

Jack and Jill

Tufty Tray

Numbers, counting etc.

Week 5:

Woodwork

Landscape painting

Water/chalk number painting

Tufty Tray

Heuristic sensory play

Week 6:

Bug hunt with Tally chart

Den building

Assault Course building

End of Term Picnic

Tufty Tray

Building theme

Week 7: please all use initiative and play and have fun!

(Only for funded children who booked this as additional care, fee paying children, and breakfast and after school children where these clubs will be running as normal.)

Water play

Parachute play

Making snacks

Games

After School Planning: Summer Term 2. 2025.

Week 1; children’s meetings and free choice

Week 2: painting styles of famous artists

Week 3: painting still life e..g. toys, fruit, flowers.

Week 4: collages

Week 5; landscape painting

Week 6: Bug hunts and den building

Week 7: Water play and end of term picnics