Christmas....

 

Hello everyone,

We hope you have all had a wonderful weekend. 

Last week we have all enjoyed listening to the story of Stickman and joining in with the repeated refrains and rhyming ends. We are becoming amazing at rhyming words and have really enjoyed singing jingle bells, when Santa got stuck up the chimney and on a starry night. 

On Monday we really enjoyed the Christmas winter wonderland surprise at Pre-school and had great fun exploring the different areas. We also enjoyed going over to school to see the Winter Wonderland scene in the main school hall. We also made our own stickman out of cardboard tubes and a variety of different materials. In the afternoon we made large baubles using a salad spinner with marbles and paint. It was great fun finding out what happened. 

On Tuesday we had PE with Mr Treble and we played some great games. We had a challenge of finding different natural objects and picking up as many as we could in 10 seconds. At the end we had the challenge of creating a smiley face. We also played a game of toilet tag, which was great fun. We continued making our stickman. In the afternoon we went on a stick hunt and made our sticks into stickman and put them in water, We then placed the water and stickman in the freeze to see what might happen.

On Wednesday we discovered the frozen stickman and exploring ways of freeing stickman. We had a great idea of using warm water to melt the ice. We went on a stick hunt around the school grounds finding different sticks like long, short, curvy etc and recording them on or tally chart. We also found a hedgehog. At group time we watched the film of stickman which we really enjoyed watching. In the afternoon we found a stick to make a wand. We wrapped our sticks in our chosen colour of wool and then decorated a star to put on the end. We had great fun using our wands. 

On Thursday we made some more wands and drew our candy canes for the schools display in Dorchester town.  We discovered the frozen stickman and exploring ways of freeing stickman.

On Friday we had a great day outside in the pre-school garden and did a great job sweeping up the leaves and going to the compost with the wheelbarrows. 

Throughout the week we have really all the Christmas winter wonderland role play area including wrapping/unwrapping presents, making cards, dressing up, playing in the sleigh. We have also enjoyed experimenting with ice and stickman. The children have liked the threading pens and boards and creating all sorts of patterns. We have been busy making stickman in the play dough and making bugs out of k'nex. 

This week we are going to be sharing lot's of Christmas stories in particular The Nativity Story. We will continue to be singing lots of Christmas songs and rhymes. We are going to be busy in the kitchen making our very own Christmas cakes along with lot's of Christmas crafts to bring home at the end of term. 

Our learning this week in pictures...

Letters and Sounds

We will continue with our rhyming games. This week will introduce Maisie next to the mountain, apple and snake from the read write inc cards. We will also begin Fred talk with Fred the frog. 

Home Learning

Can you go on a shape hunt and find as many different shapes as you can? Can you name the shapes? Can you describe the shape? 

Notices

Please bring any WOW's for our WOW board you have. If you would like some WOW slips, these can be found on the outside notice board in a wallet.

On Wednesday 2nd December there is a POWSA meeting in the school staff room at 7.30pm. If you would like more information please let me know.

If you would like breakfast/after school club next half term, please returns forms by this Friday and payment if applicable. 

Here is the information from the Dorchester primary schools of some virtual look arounds and videos. Here are the details for Damers First school 

There is a virtual video tour of St Marys Catholic First school. Here is the link for this:- 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6SwMyVJNjY&feature=youtu.be

If you would like your child to have a Christmas Dinner on Wednesday 16th December and they don't normally have a hot lunch, please email Caroline @ preschool@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk for a code to login to the Local food links page. Please see letter for more details.

You can order your child's Christmas cards they have made at https://www.myschoolart.co.uk

This has been kindly organised by POWSA as a fundraising event. 

Please always remember you can  call or email  us anytime if you have a question or need anything.

My email is: j.nineham@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk

Here's to another magical week.

Julia, Helen, Colleen, Sharon and Karen

Winter wonderland surprise

 Evening everyone,

This morning all the children enjoyed the winter wonderland surprise at Pre-school. Here are some pictures of the winter wonderland . If your child was not in Pre-school today, we look forward to welcoming them tomorrow for the Winter wonderland surprise. 

The children have really enjoyed exploring and being imaginative within the different areas of winter wonderland today.

Here's to lots more magical Christmas fun.

Julia, Helen, Karen, Colleen and Sharon

Stickman

 

Last week we enjoyed sharing the story of Spinderella by Julia Donaldson. It was all about spiders and football. It had lot's of amazing number language in and problem solving. We talked about 2 groups having the same number in and how many legs a spider has on either side of it's body and altogether. We also enjoyed sining the song There's a spider on the floor and Incy Wincy Spider with our own pet spiders. On Monday at group time we looked at our
odd socks and we talked about how we are all unique and special and being kind to each other. We have continued to do lots of rhyming. 

On Monday we created our own spider webs using a paper plate and would. We threaded the wool through the holes on the plate and then draw a spider on the plate. In the afternoon outside we made a enormous spider web using wool between the tree's and had to go over and under to get through it. 

On Tuesday we created our own spider biscuits and had to cut the legs with scissors to make 8 legs. We had to put 4 legs on each side. Lot's of number language used. We also had PE with Mr Treble and played some games in the hall to develop our spatial awareness along with some ball skills. 

On Wednesday morning we went to soft play in small groups and in the afternoon we did a science experiment using foil, whiteboard pens and water. We drew spiders on the foil using whiteboard pens. We poured water over the foil and slowly our spiders came away from the foil and moved around. It was very exciting.

On Thursday morning we played the game of Incy Wincy spider number board game. We took turns and worked out the number of dots on the dice and mode our spider up the drainpipe. We also drew some large spiders webs and spiders using chalk outside. In the afternoon we went and played football on the school field.

On Friday morning we made pizza's for our snack and they were delicious. We also went to see Rudolph and the sleigh but we couldn't work out where Santa had gone. We came up with some great ideas about where he might be. When we got back to pre-school we found some clues to follow. In the afternoon we went to soft play and had a great time. We also played in the hall.

Throughout the week we have enjoyed making spiders and different bugs out of play dough, playing with the spiders in the spaghetti and cutting the spaghetti with scissors. We have also enjoyed catching the pretend spiders from the webs using the tweezers. On the number table we have been exploring matching numerals to the numicon pieces and unlocking the padlocks. We enjoyed playing with the diggers and stones on the floor. We have been creative with the wooden blocks and dinosaurs and creating dinosaurs houses and enclosures.

Here are some photos of our displays this week:-

This week we have got a surprise when we come to pre-school. The elves have been very busy over the weekend and we all can't wait to see the children's faces. 

We will be sharing the story of stickman this week with lots of fun activities based on the story. Also we will be adding to our Christmas display and lots more exciting adventures and learning to do.

Home Learning

Can you go on a number hunt around your house or a walk outside and see what numbers you can find? Can you make a collage of the numbers you found?

Notices

Please bring any WOW's for our WOW board you have. If you would like some WOW slips, these can be found on the outside notice board in a wallet.

If you great to meet you either on Tuesday or Thursday for parents evening and to share with you how your child has settles into pre-school Year 2, all about their learning and next steps. If you were unable to attend one of these session, please let me know a time which is good for you.

On Wednesday 2nd December there is a POWSA virtual meeting via zoom at 7.30pm. If you would like more information please let me know.

This week I have received some information from dorchester primary schools of some virtual look arounds and videos. Here are the details for Damers First school 

There is a virtual video tour of St Marys Catholic First school. Here is the link for this:- 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6SwMyVJNjY&feature=youtu.be

If you would like your child to have a Christmas Dinner on Wednesday 16th December and they don't normally have a hot lunch, please email Caroline @ preschool@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk for a code to login to the Local food links page. Please see letter for more details.

You can order your child's Christmas cards they have made at https://www.myschoolart.co.uk

This has been kindly organised by POWSA as a fundraising event. 

If you have any small  boxes we would greatly receive them as we have a surprise for the children tomorrow and in one of the area's the children can enjoy having a go at wrapping up the boxes as presents.. Please bring them in over the next few weeks. Also if anyone has any spare wrapping paper, ribbons and bows we would love them.

Please always remember you can  call or email  us anytime if you have a question or need anything.

My email is: j.nineham@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk

Here's to another fabulous week.

Julia, Karen, Colleen, Sharon, Helen

Spinderella

 

Hello everyone,

We hope you have all had a wonderful weekend and managed to get out for some lovely fresh air in between the showers.

Last week we continued with our theme of fireworks,  a trip to the woods, Remembrance Day and Children in Need Day.

On Monday the children made breadstick sparkles which involved a science experiment of melting chocolate. They looked delicious and the children were very excited to take them home to eat. On the drawing table we had a go at using forks and kitchen roll tubes to create firework pictures with paint. 

On Tuesday morning we went to Thorncombe woods and had a wonderful time exploring. We went on a very big bus. When we got to the woods we walk through the woods collecting lots of different natural objects like leaves, sticks, chestnuts etc to take back to pre-school. We did lots of climbing and balancing on trees, making mud pies, hiding in the dens. We had our snack all together and then we played hide and seek. A couple of the adults hid and we had to find them. It was great fun. We then walked back to the bus. In the afternoon we made a collage with some of the objects we collected from our trip.

On Wednesday morning we talked about Remembrance Day and the meaning of Remembrance Day. We watched the Cbeebies Remembrance Day video and talked about what was happening throughout. We also had the opportunity to make our own poppies using a variety of media and techniques. Outside on the grass we made a large poppy using powder paint and hoops. In the afternoon we did some firework science experiments using oil, food colouring, glitter, coffee filter paper. We had a go at predicting at what was going to happen. 

On Thursday we did lots of sweeping up of the leaves and taking them in the wheelbarrows to the compost heap.

On Friday it was Children in Need and we talked about the money we bought in and how it helps children in the UK. We also painted our own pudsey bears and made some pudsey cakes to take home. 

We also played a game of Pudsey says..

During group time this week we have enjoyed lots of stories, number songs, meeting Rose the resourceful spider, rhyming activities and talking about what we are good at.

Throughout the week the children have also enjoyed making their own cooking recipes up in the water tray with the lemons, apples and herbs and continuing to make worm and spider cakes with the play dough. 

This week we are going to be sharing the story of Spinderella and finding out all about Spiders. Lot's of the children are really interested in Spiders, so we thought it would be a great theme to do. We have lot's of exciting activities and learning adventures planned for the week.

Jennie Jigsaw

This week during group times we will focus on What and I am good at?

 What do we like to do? If you have any photos to support this at group times please send them in with your child.

Home Learning

Can you go on a number hunt around your house or a walk outside and see what numbers you can find? Can you make a collage of the numbers you found?

Some photo's of our learning and displays in the classroom. 

Notices

Please bring any WOW's for our WOW board you have. If you would like some WOW slips, these can be found on the outside notice board in a wallet.

Tomorrow (Monday 16th November) we are having an odd sock day for anti-bullying awareness week. 

On Tuesday evening it is the face to face parents evening which will be run in the pre-school hall. On Thursday evening it is the zoom meetings and a link for this will be sent out via email this week. We look forward to sharing with you about your child's learning. If you are unable to make these day, please let us know and we will arrange a time which is good for you. 

You can order your child's Christmas cards they have made at https://www.myschoolart.co.uk

This has been kindly organised by POWSA as a fundraising event. 

If you have any cardboard boxes (enormous, big and small) we would greatly receive them as we have a project planned. Please bring them in this week. 

Please always remember you can  call or email  us anytime if you have a question or need anything.

My email is: j.nineham@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk

Here's to a great week.

Julia, Sharon, Colleen, Helen and Karen

This week....

 Hello everyone,

Wow, what an amazing week we have had with some lovely fresh Autumn weather. 

Last week we had a great week exploring the story of Pumpkin soup and lot's of activities about pumpkins and towards the end of the week we began exploring the theme of bonfire night. Throughout the week we have been completing our Christmas cards. We have really enjoyed using the hammer to bang golf tee's into the pumpkins. We have also really enjoyed exploring the pumpkins with spoons, tweezers and magnifying glasses. On the play dough table we have been making cakes with spiders and worms inside them. We have also been busy sticking in our photos and gold stars into our magical achievement books, which we will be bringing home towards the end of the week to share with our families.

On Tuesday morning the photography came to take our photos. We were great at smiling. Mr Treble also came to do PE with us and we played lots of games to develop our spatial awareness. In the afternoon we made a banjo which is a musical instrument. This came from the story of pumpkin soup.

On Wednesday morning we had some great fun with a science experiment involving pumpkins, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, food colouring and glitter. We watch an explosion of colour come out of the pumpkin. In the afternoon we went on a scavenger hunt around the school grounds looking for certain natural objects like flowers, leaves etc. We also had great fun singing and acting out the old grand duke of your on the school field hill. We also had great fun throwing leaves up in to the air. 

On Thursday morning we had a bonfire snack at the forest school area. We all had a go at toasting a marshmallow over the fire. We also sang some bonfire songs. At group time we enjoyed listening to some firework poems. In the afternoon we did some fireworks art using tights with rice in and fly splatters in lots of different colours onto black paper. We also got to meet Chloe's new puppy. 

On Friday we we planted the spring bulbs in our new border. As we were planting the bulbs we talked about what they needed to grow and about the bulbs roots and how to plant them the right way up. Some of us made breadstick sparkles which involved a science experiment of melting chocolate. They looked very yummy. In the afternoon we made pumpkin soup which we all tried for snack time. We used the knives to chop up the pumpkins and onions. 

This week we will continue our theme of fireworks and colour. On Tuesday we have got our trip to the woods. On Wednesday will be talking about Remembrance Day and on Friday we will be having a Children in Need day. 

We will also be meeting Rose the Resourceful spider. Last term we met Reggie the Resilient Tortoise. The children are amazing at being a Resilient Tortoise and will keep trying at different challenges. 

Resourceful Spider

Questioning; you are curious about things and people, you often wonder why, you play with ideas, asking “How come?” and “What if?”

Making Links; you look for connections between experiences or ideas, you find pleasure in seeing how things fit together, you notice patterns.

Imagining; you picture how things might look, sound, feel, be; you let your mind explore and play with possibilities and ideas.

Reasoning; you create logical arguments, you deduce what might happen, you look for evidence.

Capitalising; you use all of the resources available, you think about how you can improve and reach your goals, you use the four B’s well.

Jennie Jigsaw

This week during group times we will focus on What and I am good at?

 What do we like to do? If you have any photos to support this at group times please send them in with your child.

Home Learning

Can you create your own firework picture using a choice of media and techniques e.g. paint, chalk, crayons, and a choice of tool to create an effect?

Some photo's of our learning and displays in the classroom. 

Notices

Please bring any WOW's for our WOW board you have. If you would like some WOW slips, these can be found on the outside notice board in a wallet.

On Friday 13th November is Children In Need day. Children can come dressed in spots or wear something red, yellow, green or blue. There will be a donation pot for Children in Need at the door. 

On Monday 16th November we are having an odd sock day for anti-bullying awareness week. 

Last week we had the photography in to take our photo's. If you would like to order them, please do so as soon as possible.

You can order your child's Christmas cards they have made at https://www.myschoolart.co.uk

This has been kindly organised by POWSA as a fundraising event. If your child's card is not online yet, it will be shortly. 

Please always remember you can  call or email  us anytime if you have a question or need anything.

My email is: j.nineham@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk

Here's to an amazing week.

Julia, Helen, Colleen, Karen and Sharon

Pumpkins and Fireworks

Hello Everyone,

We hope you have all had a wonderful half term and we really look forward to hearing all about the adventures you have been up to. If the children would like to bring in some photos of their adventures during half term to share at group time, please do. We have all really enjoyed looking at the photos of all the amazing home learning you have been doing. It looks like you have had lot's of fun.

This week we will be exploring the theme of pumpkins and fireworks and have lots of exciting activities planned. We will be sharing the story of Pumpkin Soup and some firework poems and songs. We will doing some science experiments, mixing colours, musical instruments and lots more of exciting activites.  Also we will be finishing off our Christmas Cards which you will be able to purchase whilst raising money for POWSA. If you have any jar lids at home, please bring them in as we have an exciting plan to make a banjo. Also if you have a pumpkin carved or not carved you know longer want please bring them into preschool as we have some exciting activities planned with them. 

Home Learning

Can you create your own firework picture using a choice of media and techniques e.g. paint, chalk, crayons, and a choice of tool to create an effect?

Notices

An email was sent out this morning with an update from Mr Spracklen. PLEASE NOTE: From Monday 2nd November 2020, all parents and carers (if medically fit to do so) should wear a facemask to enter any part of the school grounds. This includes all drop-off and collections.  

REMINDER: Under current and ongoing guidance, only one parent/carer can escort a child to/from school. 

REMINDER: Under current and ongoing guidance, we ask that social distancing between parents and carers is maintained at all times. This includes not standing around in small groups after drop-off.

The photographer session on Tuesday 3rd November will be going ahead. If your child does not normally attend Pre-school on this day and you have not got a slot booked , please speak to a member of staff or ring the pre-school office.

On Wednesday 4th November is a POWSA meeting at 7.30pm in the main school hall.

If you would further information please ask.Please bring any WOW's for our WOW board you have. If you would like some WOW slips, these can be found on the outside notice board in a wallet.

Primary school applications:- You can now apply for your child's place for Primary schools. The closing date for application is the 15th January 2021. Here is the link:-  https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/education-and-training/schools-and-learning/apply-for-a-school-place/starting-school-for-the-first-time.aspx

On Wednesday it is the POWSA AGM @7.30pm in the school hall. All welcome - please email powsa@hotmail.co.uk if you are planning to attend so that we can monitor numbers for social distancing.

We are all really looking forward to seeing you all next week.

Here's to an exciting and amazing week.

Julia, Karen, Sharon, Colleen and Helen