What a term it has been with yet another lockdown. As Early Years practitioners working in a pandemic we are so proud with all of our children and their families and how they have adapted their lifes at the drop of a hat. Many of our families have spent more time at home and have enjoyed all the lovely homepacks that we have sent home to keep them included in Ladybird’s life. Whilst the children who have been continuing their Ladybirds journey at the hall have enjoyed a quieter life and lots of countryside walks. We really missed all our Ladybirds being together making noise, mess, learning and having fun like they do best. We look forward to welcoming the last couple of Ladybirds back who haven’t yet returned after Easter along with Oscar, Rosie and Lily our new Ladybird friends. We also welcome two new members of the team after Easter, Charlotte and Dee who will join our cover staff.
We have been spending as much time outside as we can. We have loved going on bug hunts, making potions, changing the colour of snow, turning the garden into a building site to mention a few. Outside play is a key ingredient to a happy child and they learn so much outside. We will be renovating the garden after Easter. If you have any spare time and would like to build us something using pallets we would be so very grateful, we have lots of ideas from the children but just need the big helpers to work their magic. Please do let us know if this is something you could do.
Did you know that we now offer a breakfast club for our Pre-School children. We do this each morning at 8:15. You can use your funding hours to fund most of the additional hour or pay a set hourly fee. Breakfast club includes cereal or porridge, milk or water to drink, followed by fresh fruit or a fresh fruit salad then finished with toast, hot cross bun, crumpet, or crossiant. Please let us know if you would like your Ladybird to join us for breakfast.
Our Ladybird’s are really enjoying playing with loose parts for their play at the moment and we are seeing the most amazing creations being developed. We need your help in gaining more to add to our loose part boxes. If you have any of the following that you no longer need please could you kindly donate any to us.
Bangles that are soild, Planks of wood, bricks, mini figures, cotton reels, cable reels, logs, non toxic garden plants, metal pots/pans/containers, wooden spoons, trinket boxes (not glass), any old unused ICT equipment, large pieces of material, wicker baskets, metal party platters, metal pipes, large nuts and bolts, or any loose part that you think our children would enjoy.
Please share with all your local friends who have a 2, 3 or 4 year old that our spaces for September are now open! Please ask them to get in touch to save disappointment.
We had a lovely time during lockdown with our random acts of kindness and delivering them through the doors of local resisdence that had been nominated by our community on our Facebook page. We were all so pleased and suprised when we had cards and letters back to us in return. Thank you to everyone who got involved and we are hoping that this is something that we can do again in the future.
Emma has passed her Forest School Leader training which means we are very lucky to have both Stella and Emma as qualified Forest School Leaders at Ladybirds. Our Forest School sessions will run on Thursday’s after Easter until May half term. More information will follow in an email.
Reminders
Please clearly label all of your child’s belongings, including their drinks bottles and lunchboxes.
Parents must wear a mask when dropping off and collecting, If you forget your mask we will give you one to use. Without wearing masks we are not helping to stop the spread of Coronavirus.
It is advised that your family take home testing kits twice a week to help detect Coronavirus without symptoms if your child attends school. If you child attends nursery you are also able to obtain the homekits, we would strongly recommend doing these to help keep all those at and involved with Ladybirds safe. Please see the Gov.uk website for information on how to get your own testing kits.
Please keep to your designated drop off and collection times as we are trying to eliminate having groups of people waiting. Remember social distancing rules still apply.
Music and Movement
We have been doing daily music and movement sessions. After Easter we will increase our school readiness for those children who are flying our Ladybirds nest and going off to big school in September. Therefore to help prepare them for their PE lessons, please could all parents with children who are starting school bring in the following. A t-shirt, short, socks and plimsoles in a PE style bag, these will stay at Ladybirds and sent home for washing when required. The aim is for the children to learn to undress and redress themselves independently. A booklet for School Readiness will be sent home shortly, so you can see what we are working on.
Please remember to comment on the observations and photos that your child’s keyworker is uploading onto Baby’s Day’s. End of term reports will go out at the beginning of next term so please ensure you have read and commented on them. We will also be holding a virtual parents evening after Easter to share your child’s progress with you. A date and time will be sent out shortly so you can book in.
Ladybirds Pre-school 
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