Here is a copy of the nursery newsletter that went out on the last day of term, apologies for anyone who hasn’t yet received it, a copy will be waiting for you on your child’s return to nursery on Monday 26th October.

Dear Parent/Carer,

After the holidays our first learning context of the term will be Autumn and Autumn festivals, to include Bonfire night and Halloween. As part of this we are going to be having a Halloween party and some fun activities as part of the session on Friday 30^th October (first week back). Feel free to allow your child to come dressed up in a costume on that day if they wish. After the holidays we will hopefully be including an Autumn Walk and a visit to the library as part of our learning experiences, dates to be confirmed, so we will be looking for some parent helpers to accompany us on these. A letter will be going out regarding dates and times.

Also after the holidays we are starting a parent suggestion box system which will be located outside the main nursery door on the table. The system will involve 3 boxes, “Start”, “Stop”, and “Keep, ” allowing parents and carers to put in suggestions of things you would like us to consider starting to do, things that you would like us to consider not doing any more and things you are happy with and wish us to continue doing. If you would like us to get back to you on your suggestions, please feel free to include your name with your suggestion.

On November 9^th – 13^th we have registered to take part in World Nursery Rhyme week. We will be immersing ourselves in everything to do with literacy and rhymes and we will have a few specific ones for the children to listen to and learn as part of the programme for the week . . . . . and possibly a dress up day just for fun at the end of the week. How many nursery rhymes can you remember from your childhood? Maybe you could write down your favourites for the children to bring in for story and gather time.

The staff would like to thank you for sharing your child’s achievements on the “WOW” cards. The children are enjoying sharing and discussing their achievements with their friends and staff at gather times and this information is now being transferred into their own personal learning journeys against the Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes.

Many thanks for your continued support with all the activities we have been working on during what has been a busy first term and we look forward to seeing you after the holidays.

We look forward to seeing everyone back on Monday 26th October.

We have been part of a fantastic experience with Action for Children to promote literacy in young children, and some parents have been great in taking part in our Read and Play pilot by taking home books and doing activites relating to the stories and showing us what they have been up to, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for this, your efforts have been so creative! We have had a fantastic response in the feedback cards that have been going home in your child’s reading folder and parents have really enjoyed finding their creative side in our parent and child workshops that have been held this term.

If you and your child make or do any activities after reading their library book, or any other story book you have then please bring them in for them to show the other children at gather time,( or email photos to the school and put for the attention of nursery on them), or pop a wee note into the library folder when you are returning it with what you have done relating to this book . . you never know it might give the next person an idea how to use that particular story!!

This all links in with promoting literacy in the early years which we are working on this year. When you do an activity relating to a book you are reading with your child, whether it be a walk to look for characters from the book, draw a picture, sing a song, make a model, the content of the story is becoming more and more embedded into your child’s imagination and vocabulary. Plus, it is great fun and a good opportunity to spend one to one time with them.

Have a look in your “Play@Home” book (ask your library or Health Visitor if you don’t have one of these at home) for simple but effective ideas, and the internet is great for craft ideas relating to story books.

Just a reminder that the nursery is opening it’s doors to parents and carers on Wednesday 30th September and Thursday 1st October between 4pm and 5pm. Come in and have a look around the building and see how the children use the facilities. This is also a chance to have an informal chat with a member of staff about your child’s progress  so far and have a look at their work, both up on the wall and in their folders. We look forward to seeing you next week.

Please be aware that from Monday 28th September there will be refurbishment works on the toilets close to the entrance hall. The building work will be happening for about 3 weeks. Please refrain from parking in the car park when dropping off or collecting children as there is liable to be works traffic and skips making it tight for cars to manouvre. Also please keep children under close supervision when walking through the car park. The entrance hall can still be used as normal at drop off and collection times.

We have had the bikes out in the garden and they were met with much excitement – and a few wobbles!!

Our International Fairy day was a success, as has been our first week of our Fairy learning context. We have created group fairy stories, made model fairies, fairy doors and wands and played with a variety of fairy themed resources, with our imaginations running riot! It is safe to say our children have really got engrossed in this context and we look forward to our second week celebrating everything to do with fairies!

 Science and Discovery table

 Leaves and petals on the light box

Role play area

Rice Tray

Gluing/ Junk modelling table

Number line in numeracy area

Water Tray

Magic Fairy mist to help us to tidy

The treats left by the fairies for our tea party

On Thursday 17th September the nursery was very fortunate and extremely grateful to take delivery of 5 new balance bikes and helmets. This was courtesy of Urban Freedom Buckie and Keith, and Moray Council, who strive to promote walking and cycling as part of a healthy lifestyle. The idea behind balance bikes is that a child should be able to go straight from using a balance bike to cycling a push bike without the need of stabilisers. We can’t wait to get the bikes out into the garden and for the children to start using them.

The nursery is opening it’s doors to parents and carers on Wednesday 30th September and Thursday 1st October between 4pm and 5pm. Come in and have a look around the building and see how the children use the facilities. This is also a chance to have an informal chat with a member of staff about your child’s progress  so far and have a little look at their work, both up on the wall and in their profile bags. We look forward to seeing you.

This week and next in nursery we are celebrating Fairies! On Friday 18th it is the “International Fairy Tea Party” where countries all over the world have a fairy tea party and celebrate everything to do with fairies, so we thought it would be nice to join in! We have been planning with the children to find out what they would like to make and do over the next two weeks and what they know about fairies. Their ideas have been really inspring and our continuous provision reflects this. Ask your child to show you around the nursery next time you are in! We have fairy doors where we hope a fairy will pop through to visit, sparkles and glitter, flowers and nature, potions and wands . . . .. what more could we ask for!! it is going to be a magical 2 weeks!

This week we are making Fairy wands, creating a story about fairies in small groups and we have our tea party on Friday.