All posts by Alana Speirs

Family Support

Here at Catrine ECC we are constantly looking for ways to support children and families not only in the centre but whilst at home too.

Between August and December we had numerous daily chats, settling in meetings for new starts, progress meetings for returning children and Team Around the Family (TAF) meetings with those who work in partnership with other agencies such as Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Health Visitor etc.

During these conversations and through observations made within the centre we wanted to offer opportunities to try best support families to achieve some of these developmental milestones.

Please follow the link below to book in or out to each of the sessions according to what you feel would be of benefit.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=oyzTzM4Wj0KVQTctawUZKRqhoaEMY8FHkTJQGETc2XZURTVGODQ3TFk5SDBDUkpNV0RHRFlEQkJXUC4u

Catrine ECC Christmas Raffle :)

Tickets will go on sale at £1 a strip from Wednesday 4th December.

The draw will take place at the end of our Christmas Family Event on Thursday 19th December. 

If you still have raffle prizes you wish to donate you can do right up until Wednesday 18th.

I would like to thank everyone who has donated so far and to the staff at Catrine ECC who have made up 4 fantastic big hampers that will also be up for grabs on the same day 🙂

A message from Carrie, our Expressive Arts Champion

Hallowe’en home links for the next 2 weeks –

Please click on the link below to find your challenge for Week 1 (which was this week WB 22nd Oct)

Week 1 Halloween scavenger hunt

Week 2 Hallowe’en pumpkin craving (WB 28th Oct)

Can you carve a pumpkin at home with your child and bring into the centre on Wednesday 30th October? We are going to create our own pumpkin patch in our green space. We will have a walk through this area at our Stay and Play or you are welcome to come in at the end of the session for some nice pictures. You can upload pictures onto the learning journal of you working with your child carving it. Can all pumpkins be collected on Friday at the end of the day to take home please?

If you need help sourcing a pumpkin can you let the ECC know by 24th October? Thanks.

OCTOBER PARENT ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY

Carrie, our Expressive Arts Champion, is leading this month’s Parent Workshop and has tied it in nicely to a messy Hallowe’en theme for you to enjoy with your child.

Please fill in the link below to indicate your attendance option to help with our planning of the session.

Feel free to dress up if you wish to 🙂

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=oyzTzM4Wj0KVQTctawUZKRqhoaEMY8FHkTJQGETc2XZUNTVKRVJWRjlTRUE2WEdRRTBVV0MxQjZIWi4u

 

 

A message from Leoni (Literacy Leader) and Julie (Communication Leader)

As the Literacy Leader, and Julie as Communication Champion, we are introducing a home link that allows you and your child to spend some quality time together. This home link is called the ‘Lending Library’ and will take place over a 4- week block (starting this Friday and ending 8th November due to October holidays).

On Friday, your child will choose a book that they wish within their group time and will come home with this to provide the opportunities of reading with their family and spending time with them in doing so. The book will be located within their named folder that also contains a feedback sheet for your child to fill in. We request if this can please be returned by early on in the following week (Monday/Tuesday), so the library is restocked back up and ready for your child receiving their new book on the Friday. Keyworkers will remind parents/carers throughout the week just in case you forget. If there is any problems, please let us know or your child’s keyworker know and we will try our best to solve these. If your child does not attend the ECC on the Friday, they will receive their book on the last day they attend so they do not miss out.

Have fun and happy reading!!

You can extend your reading time and interaction in many ways. Whilst going through the story, talk about what is happening or what is going to happen based on pictures and the context of the story, discuss beginning/middle/end, highlight the important aspects of a book such as front cover, title, blurb etc. You can also get your child to turn the pages over one by one. You can discuss the characters and events that took place within the story, as well at the end get your child to recall. You can also get them to discuss their likes and dislikes about the book, this all extends on this high quality learning experience and will make story time so much more fun for both you and your child!

A message from Lesleyanne, our Health & Wellbeing Leader

This year, I intend to introduce the talk box but for anyone returning this year, it will be different from last year. This year I will be giving the box home at the end of the week and would like for your child to consider what item or object they would like to place in the box to bring back on the Monday and share/discuss with us. It isn’t a particularly big box so the item will be relatively small. This may be something like a flower, a key, a keyring or a photo…..it is entirely up to the child, something that they can discuss. They might want to share it with the group because it is special to them, or they enjoy the feeling. This is an opportunity that will encourage the children to share their thoughts, feelings, ideas, descriptive language, listening and attention skills, conversational skills, turn taking…….the list of learning opportunities are endless.

The only rule is – IT MUST FIT IN THE BOX 🙂

SEPTEMBER’S PARENT WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY

On Wednesday 18th September 1.30pm – 2.30pm,
our Outdoor Champion Michelle, would like to invite a parent/carer to attend our first workshop of the year.

The session aims to promote the benefits of learning in natural environments and how this can be supported at home. After a short information session with Michelle you will join your child outdoors to explore a range of experiences within our garden areas so remember to bring your jacket and appropriate footwear 🙂

Please click on the link below to indicate if a parent/carer is able to attend or not.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=oyzTzM4Wj0KVQTctawUZKRqhoaEMY8FHkTJQGETc2XZUOVpUOFVCVVA0WjdJWDdSTUJONk9MWk5XQy4u

 

Dates for your Diary 2024

Please find attached a copy of important dates for your diary from Sept – Dec 2024.

More information will come out on the APP prior to events if required.

Each month here at Catrine ECC we provide at least one opportunity for parental engagement. We appreciate that lots of families are working parents and perhaps can’t manage to them all however please feel free on these occasions to open the invite out to grandparents, aunts, uncles etc if you wish to.

Dates for diary Sept – Dec 2024