Library trip

Dear Parents,

Our trip to the library has been cancelled for tomorrow (Thursday 1st March) due to the County Council cancelling all school transport. Pre-school at the moment is still open tomorrow. Please check the school website, Dorset for you website or the school facebook page for an update tomorrow morning from 7.00am onwards.

Thanks

Julia and Pre-school team

Our favourite books....

Hello Everyone,

Last week at the beginning of the week in small groups we talked about what we did during the holidays. It was lovely to hear all about their adventures. The children have drawn pictures of what they did in the holidays. These are up on display in the classroom.  We have celebrated Chinese New Year this week which the children have really enjoyed. We have tried some Chinese food including prawn crackers, noddles, spring rolls, stir fry, fortune cookies and sweet and sour. The children really enjoyed the prawn crackers and noodles. On Friday we had a Chinese Banquet. We used chopsticks to eat our noodles. Cody showed us how to use them. We listened to some Chinese New Year stories and learnt lots of fact e.g. the colour red is good luck. We made some dragon puppets and then went into the hall and did some dragon dancing. We also listened to some Chinese music and then made our own Chinese music up using the instruments at school. We watched some Chinese New Year celebrations on the interactive whiteboard. Henry bought is a Chinese outfit, which we tried on.
We have had a great first week back.

This week we are celebrating World Book Day (Thursday 1st March) by lots activities around stories and books. We are visiting the library on Wednesday or Thursday in small groups. We are going on the bus. Throughout the week we will be sharing lot's of our favourite stories and finding different places to read them. We will be talking about the books we share e.g. what do you think might happen?, recalling stories, describing characters and settings etc. Its going to be a brilliant week.

Home learning

Can you bring in your favourite story ? Can you think of a fun and different place to read your story? Take a photo and bring it in. 

Jennie Jigsaw-

This half term Jennie will be talking to us about how we can keep our bodies healthy.  Last week we talked about how we can keep our bodies healthy. This week we will be naming the different parts of our bodies and whats happens when we exercise. We will be playing lots of games in the hall along with Head shoulders knees and toes.

Letter and Sounds

We will be talking about places we need to be quiet. Also we will be continuing with our rhyming door. We are becoming very good at rhyming. Take a look at all our rhyming words.

Notices 

With a cold snap forecasted... just a reminder about our school closure procedures.

In the event of snow, Mr. Spracklen will make a decision if the school is to close before 06:30am. School will only close in the MOST EXTREME circumstances.

If a decision to close the school is made:

- Mr. Spracklen will officially close the school through the Dorset For You website.

- Mr. Spracklen will update social media and the school website with school closure notice.

All staff, parents and children should check Dorset For You website, social media and/or the school website which by 07:00am will show if the school is open or closed.

We have now got a new noticeboard which is on the wall by the Pre-School Year 2 door. Notices and daily information will be placed on this board. Please still look at the blog as this is where we display what we have been learning about and lots more. The noticeboard is for quick reference or daily information.

It was lovely to see some of you at Stay and Play on Friday.  This week Stay and Play will be on Wednesday 28th February from 8.30-9.00am. Everyone is very welcome including younger and older siblings. Hope to see lots of you there.

This week on Thursday 1st March it is world book day. Children may come dressed as their favourite character from a story. 

On Friday 2nd March from 6.00pm-7.00pm in the Main school we are having a bedtime story hour. Children can come in their pyjamas  and bring their favourite teddy. There will be hot chocolate and biscuits.  Please see letter for information regarding this event.

Our Saturday Stay and Play morning is on the 10th March from 10.00-11.30am. After this we are having a community make over afternoon on the pre-school garden. It would be great to see all you. 

On Friday 9th March POWSA are running an Easter Bingo evening. Doors open at 5.30pm and eyes down for 6.00pm. POWSA will be sending home a plate for donations of cakes for the refreshments for the evening. 

Julia and  Pre-School Team

 

Chinese New Year

Hello Everyone,

We all hope you have had a wonderful half term. 

This week at pre-school we will be talking about what we have been doing during the half term holidays in small groups. We will be drawing a picture of something we enjoyed doing during half term. This will then be up on display. I can't wait to hear all about your adventures. Also this week we will be celebrating Chinese New Year. We will be trying lots of different Chinese food and having a Chinese Banquet at the end of the week. We will be using chopsticks as well. We will be sharing some Chinese New Year stories, making dragon puppets on sticks, listening to Chinese music, watching Chinese New Year celebrations, making our own Chinese Music and dances up. 

Home learning

Can you bring in a picture or an object which reminds you of something you did during the half term?

Jennie Jigsaw-

This half term Jennie will be talking to us about how we can keep our bodies healthy. This week we will be naming the different parts of our bodies and whats happens when we exercise. We will be playing lots of games in the hall along with Head shoulders knees and toes.

Letter and Sounds

I spy Names....
With a small group of children sitting in a circle, start the game by saying I spy someone whose name begins with... and give the sound of the first letter, for example ‘s’ for Satish. Then ask: Who can it be? Satish stands up, everyone says his name and he carries on the game, saying I spy someone whose name begins with..., and so on. If any children call out the name before the child with that name, still let the child whose name it is take the next turn. 

Notices

Don't forget to bring in your child's WOW moments. We love to share and celebrate these with everyone. There are spare WOW's by the WOW board in the corridor. 

Its lovely to see so many children taking home library books, they are also able to take home puzzles and games. We try very hard to make sure all puzzles and games are complete. If you receive a puzzle or game which is not complete, please let Sharon know. Also if you have any puzzles and games you no longer want, Preschool would be very grateful for any donations.

It was lovely to see some of you at Stay and Play on Thursday.  This week Stay and Play will be on Friday 23rd February from 8.30-9.00am. Everyone is very welcome including younger and older siblings. Hope to see lots of you there.

Please sign up for parents evening which is the second week back after half term. Sign up sheet is in the corridor on the wall.

Next week on Thursday 1st March it is world book day. Children may come dressed as their favourite character from a story. 

We are also visiting Dorchester Library on Wednesday 28th February and Thursday 1st March. If you have not already done so please return permission slips as soon as possible.

On Friday 2nd March from 6.00pm-7.00pm in the Main school we are having a bedtime story hour. Children can come in their pyjamas  and bring their favourite teddy. There will be hot chocolate and biscuits.  Please see letter for information regarding this event.

Our Saturday Stay and Play morning is on the 10th March from 10.00-11.30am. After this we are having a community make over afternoon on the pre-school garden. It would be great to see all you. 

On Friday 9th March POWSA are running an Easter Bingo evening. Doors open at 5.30pm and eyes down for 6.00pm. POWSA will be sending home a plate for donations of cakes for the refreshments for the evening. 

Julia and Pre-school Team

Science Fortnight

Last week we listened to the story of Owl babies which the children were fabulous at retelling the story whilst making their puppets. They remembered the owl babies names. We hope you enjoyed listening to the children retelling the story using their puppets at home. We also read the story of Night monkey and day monkey by Julia Donaldson which explores the different animals that are awake in the day and the night. 
We made a list of all the animals that are awake in the day time and the night time. 
Arthur bought in some home learning where he had gone to woods with his owls to act out the story. On Tuesday afternoon in small groups the children went to the school woods and acted out the owl babies story and discovered what Ivy was. 
In small groups the children took the torches to the sensory room which was black to use the torches to explore what they could find out. Lots of lovely language came from this activity. Also children had to find hidden characters around the room using their torches. 
On Thursday afternoon William bought in a science experiment from home which used coloured containers, torches and a tub of water. We explored what happened when you shone the light through the coloured containers. Can the children tell you what happened. 
On Friday afternoon we played hide and seek in the school grounds in groups. The children really enjoyed this and were fab at counting to 20. 
In the sand tray this week we have had the metal detectors. We used them to find hidden treasure. This was a popular activity. 

This week we will be continuing our science themed fortnight. We have got lots of exciting activities planned which include a visit to planetarium, hands on science workshops, volcano experiment and lots of other science exploring activities. We will be encouraging the children to think what might happen and explain why they think this. Its going to be an amazing week.
On Wednesday children may dress up a scientist.

Home learning

Is there a science experiment you would like to do at home and bring into pre-school to show your friends?

Letters and Sounds

We have begun our rhyming door, the children have come up with lots of words and we will continue to add to this door with lots more rhyming words. The children have become really good at describing an object for the other children to guess. 

This week we will continue with this activity..

Playing with words
Gather together a set of familiar objects with names that have varying syllable patterns (e.g. pencil, umbrella, camera, xylophone). Show the objects to the children, name them and talk about what they are used for. Wait for the children to share some of their experiences of the objects; for instance, some of them will have used a camera. Then encourage them to think about how the name of the object sounds and feels as they say it. Think about the syllables and clap them out as you say each word. Then clap the syllables for a word without saying it and ask: What object could that be? 
As children gain con dence try some long words like binoculars, telephone, dinosaur. 

Jennie Jigsaw

This week Jennie Jigsaw will continue to talk about what we would like to do when we are older.

Notices

Don't forget to bring in your child's WOW moments. We love to share and celebrate these with everyone. There are spare WOW's by the WOW board in the corridor. 

Its lovely to see so many children taking home library books, they are also able to take home puzzles and games. We try very hard to make sure all puzzles and games are complete. If you receive a puzzle or game which is not complete, please let Sharon know. Also if you have any puzzles and games you no longer want, Preschool would be very grateful for any donations.

It was lovely to see some of you at Stay and Play on Wednesday.  This week Stay and Play will be on Thursday 8th February from 8.30-9.00am. Everyone is very welcome including younger and older siblings. Hope to see lots of you there.

During the week beginning Monday 5th February 2018 we will be running a special ‘Science Themed Week’ across the entire School and Pre-School. Throughout the week, your child will be involved in a number of exciting Science Themed Activities such as a visit to a planetarium, drone flying lessons and hands on Science workshops!

On Wednesday 7th February 2018, we will be having a SCIENCE THEMED DRESS UP DAY. Children should come dressed as a Scientist. This could be someone such as Albert Einstein, Katherine Johnson or Marie Curie, or they could be an explorer, astronaut, naturist such as David Attenborough or Steve Backshall.  

We are asking for a voluntary parental contribution of £4.50 for your child to take part in these exciting and enriching learning opportunities throughout the week. This is a contribution, so anything that you are able to give will be gratefully received and all children will be involved in the activities regardless of the voluntary contributions made.

Don't forget it is a staff training day on Friday 9th February so the last day of term will be Thursday 8th February. 

Please sign up for parents evening which is the second week back after half term. Sign up sheet is in the corridor on the wall.

There is a POWSA meeting on the 6th February in the main school staff room at 7.30pm. Please ask Julia for more information. 

On 10th February from 2-5pm is another community make over day of the wildlife garden. Everyone is very welcome. If you are able to help, please do come along.

Have an amazing half term and we look forward to hearing all about it when we come back after half term. 

Julia and Pre-school Team