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Welcome to our July/August Newsletter
Graduation
The whole staff team would like to wish all the children and families leaving us on Friday 22 August, our very best wishes for the future.
This time of year is always an emotional one as we say goodbye to families, who in some cases, have been at the Pre-School Centre for many years. We feel privileged to have been part of your child’s journey and to see each child’s personality and individuality develop and grow, and we send them our best wishes as they begin their new and exciting adventure. Please do remember to call and see us in the future, it is always lovely to have visits from our Alumni.
August Bank Holiday Reminder
The Pre-School Centre will be closed on Monday 25 August 2025, for Bank Holiday, reopening as normal on Tuesday 26 August.
Pre-School Staff Training Day Reminder
The Pre-School Centre will be closed on Friday 19 September, for our annual staff training day. We are also hosting an open event later that afternoon to give other early years settings and primary schools the opportunity to visit the Centre.
Children’s Holiday Dates
A reminder for parents to advise the office of your children’s holiday dates.
If your child is transitioning to primary school and you have not already advised us of their last day of attendance (if earlier than Friday, 22 August), please advise the office as soon as possible.
Staff Changes
We are sure you will join us as we say goodbye and thank you to Vonnie, Jenny F and Becky as they leave us for new adventures.
A warm welcome is extended to Poppy as she will soon be joining the team in Creche 1.
Georgia will be going on maternity leave soon, and we hope she manages a well-deserved rest before the baby arrives.
Stay Safe this Summer
Please click on the link below for help and advice on how to keep your child safe this summer.
Parents First Aid Course
Any parents who wish to attend Parents' Mini First Aid classes, please visit the link below. The course is hosted by Andrea from Mini First Aid, who has previously delivered classes to our parents when the Pre-School Centre has hosted them. All the details regarding dates, times, and prices can be found on the website.
Baby Room - Spa Day
The babies experienced a new kind of sensory play, a relaxing foot spa! We provided warm, soapy water for them to explore with their feet, offering a soothing and engaging sensory experience.
Each baby responded differently, one sat back and relaxed, clearly enjoying the warmth and gentle sensations, while others delighted in splashing enthusiastically, soaking the floor, and laughing along the way!
This simple activity supported several EYFS areas, particularly Physical Development (sensory exploration and movement), Personal, Social and Emotional Development (expressing preferences and emotions), and Communication (responding with gestures and sounds).
Whether calm and cosy or full of splashes, the babies thoroughly enjoyed this experience.
Crèche 1 - Tiger Day
We had a fantastic time celebrating National Tiger Day, inspired by the much-loved story “The Tiger Who Came to Tea.”
We set up a tea-themed water tray filled with cups, spoons, and flavoured tea bags. The children were invited to engage in open-ended role play. They enjoyed filling, stirring, and pouring the water, which is great for developing hand-eye coordination skills
The scented tea bags offered a lovely sensory element, encouraging children to use their senses to explore different smells and textures.
Crèche 2 - Marine Week
As part of our exciting Marine Week celebrations, the children enjoyed a wonderfully hands-on and sensory activity.
Using jugs filled with water and food colouring, we created frozen blocks containing sea creatures for the children to discover. This sparked lots of curiosity and we were able to introduce new vocabulary.
As the ice began to melt, the children observed how the colours swirled, and the shapes of the sea creatures began to emerge. They explored how ice feels, how it changes, and how long it takes to melt.
To further extend the learning, we introduced rolling pins, giving the children the chance to break the ice themselves. This not only added excitement to the activity but also encouraged the development of both gross and fine motor skills.
Nursery 1 - Butterflies
Over the past few weeks, the children have been exploring the life cycle of butterflies.
We began by planting butterfly-friendly flower seeds, which the children helped to care for as they watched them grow.
We explained to the children that we had to be very careful with the caterpillars, and they were fascinated, watching as the caterpillars crawled, ate, and eventually formed chrysalises, which was a new and exciting word to learn.
Through books, discussions, and observation, the children developed an understanding of the butterfly life cycle. They showed patience and curiosity as they waited for the changes. Once the Painted Lady butterflies emerged, we released them into our garden, and just a few days later, we spotted new caterpillars there too.
The children loved being part of this living journey, and it offered so many learning opportunities.
Click here for the kits we use at Pre-School.
Click here to see the metamorphosis.
Nursery 2 - Sunflowers
Our children have recently shown an interest in the sunflowers growing in our outdoor area. This curiosity led to discussions about how we can care for living things.
To build on this interest, we brought in some sunflowers from home, giving the children the opportunity to explore the flowers up close. They enjoyed touching and smelling the different parts of the sunflower, using their senses to investigate texture, scent, and shape. We introduced new vocabulary such as petal, stem and leaves, which the children eagerly repeated and began to use during story time later in the day.
We did a painting activity where the children could represent what they could see. As they painted, we talked together about the colours, height, and shapes of the sunflowers.
We will continue to nurture the children’s interest by encouraging them to help care for our outdoor sunflowers, watering them, and watching them grow.
Pre-School 1 - Billy’s Bucket
After reading the story Billy’s Bucket, the children were inspired to explore their imaginations and think about what magical things they might find in their own special buckets. The story sparked great conversations, and the next day, to their surprise and delight, Billy’s Bucket appeared in our water tray!
Building on their excitement, the children drew pictures of their own imaginary buckets and described what was inside and why. This simple activity led to a wide range of learning opportunities across several areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
Through discussion and drawing, the children:
- Articulated their ideas in well-formed sentences
- Connected ideas using a variety of words and phrases
- Described events and concepts in detail
- Engaged deeply with the story, building familiarity and confidence in retelling it
- Used new vocabulary in meaningful and imaginative contexts
- Expressed emotions and ideas through drawing, showing increasing detail and creativity
From storytelling to expressive arts, this activity combined imagination, communication, and creativity—supporting both literacy and personal development in a meaningful way.
Pre-School 2 - Sound Scavenger Hunt
As part of our myHappymind learning the children in PS2 recently took part in an exciting Sound Scavenger Hunt in our garden.
In small groups, the children ventured outside with their scavenger sheets in hand, ready to explore the world of sound. The activity focused on developing listening and attention skills.
Each group found a quiet ‘sitting spot’ on a blanket and tuned in to the sounds around them. From the distant hum of an aeroplane to the cheerful chirping of birds, the rumble of a train, and the soft murmur of people talking, the children listened carefully to identify different sounds from their checklist.
As they recognised each sound, they coloured in the matching image on their sheet, a fun and visual way to track their discoveries. This encouraged not only attentive listening but also early literacy skills such as sound-symbol recognition and following instructions.
The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience and demonstrated fantastic concentration and teamwork. They engaged deeply with their environment, enhancing their understanding of the world and benefiting from the calming effects of nature on their nervous systems.
It was a simple yet powerful way to nurture mindfulness, awareness, and a love of nature.
Pre-School 3 - Exploring Colour in Nature
As part of our outdoor learning, the children had the opportunity to explore the many shades of colour found in nature. Armed with individual colour cards, they enthusiastically searched the garden to find natural items that matched—discovering beautiful variations of greens, browns, and more along the way.
This hands-on activity not only sparked curiosity and engagement but also supported key areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children developed their observation skills, expanded their vocabulary, and engaged in sensory exploration.
The experience supported cognitive development, creative expression, and emotional regulation, while also enhancing fine motor skills as children carefully handled and compared their found items. Most importantly, it nurtured a growing appreciation for the natural world around them.
Reminders
Pre-School website and newsfeed
Access regularly updated information from our website and Instagram feed.
Funding
A reminder that parents in receipt of working families funding need to revalidate their eligibility every three months from the date of issue. Failure to revalidate your code will result in a loss of funding.
Parents who think they may be eligible for Early Education Funding from September 2025 need to ensure that they apply and are in receipt of their eligibility code no later than 31 August 2025. Any codes applied for and received after this date will not be applied until January 2026.
Check eligibility and apply for the code.
Door Entry
Can we please ask ALL parents to ensure that when accessing the Pre-School Centre they use their access fobs. We have noted that even since changing over to the new Door Entry System we are still experiencing a considerable number of interruptions due to the doorbell still being used so frequently.
If any parents have lost their door access fob, please inform the office so that a replacement can be purchased for £6.00 (which will be invoiced), and lost fobs can be de-activated.
Mobile phones
Can all parents please refrain from using mobile phones beyond the main foyer, as per our Safeguarding Policy. It has been noted that there has been an increase in parents using their mobile phones within corridors and also in the children's rooms.
Important term dates
2025/26 Full Year Bookings
26 August until 24 December 2025
5 January until 1 April 2026
8 April until 28 August 2026
2025/26 Undergraduate Term Bookings
6 October until 12 December 2025
12 January until 20 March 2026
20 April until 26 June 2026
Invoice dates
Autumn 2025
26 August until 26 September 2025
29 September until 31 October 2025
3 November until 28 November 2025
1 December until 24 December 2025
