Longtown Pre-school News February / March 2014 Welcome! A big welcome to the children who have started Pre-school this term. Its been great to see them settle in and make new friends. People Who Help Us We had visits from Longtown Mountain Rescue and the Police this half term. The cake sale held after the visits made a brilliant £62 for Longtown Mountain Rescue, many thanks to everyone who baked and / or bought cakes. Mountain Rescue – finding out about Mountain Rescue. Trying on the equipment, listening to the siren and sitting in the vehicle. Police – the children were told a story about keeping safe by CSO Kate Middleton and each child was given a police teddy, which have been knitted by ladies in the Golden Valley. Following on from the two visits the children have drawn their own pictures of the Police and Mountain Rescue and made cards to say thank you with their own words of their memories of the days included in the cards.

What A Lot of Rain! What a lot of rain! But on the plus side where there’s rain there’s puddles and where there’s puddles there’s mud! Topics for This Half Term In the hope of bringing out some sunshine we will be looking at growing with the children after half term – starting some growing projects that will last through to the summer term – sunflowers, beans, potatoes. We will also be following the children’s interest in mud and worms to create a worm home. We will hopefully be able to watch the worms as they make tunnels in the soil and feed on dead leaves. World Book Day – 6th March We will be celebrating World Book Day on Thursday 6th March – details to follow later this week. Small Group Work The children are all part of one of three small groups – either a Rabbit, Caterpillar or Butterfly. During these groups we focus on aspects of communication, PSED, maths and have regular activities such as stories, songs and games. On a Monday Mrs Irving (Reception Teacher at Longtown Primary) is working with the Butterfly group to help support Transition to school in September. Guinea Pigs As we now only have two guinea pigs it is possible for children to take them home for the weekend or holidays. Please let us know if your child would like to take the guinea pigs home, we have an indoor hutch for them and can supply all the food and bedding they need. We will have a little book going home with them this half term to keep a diary of their different holidays! Lunches The children have really enjoyed helping to make the soup for lunch on Tuesdays and we will be continuing this after half term. Lunches on Monday and Thursdays will continue as usual. Squeak Fudge

‘Our Lives’ Book Over the next few weeks we will be sending the Pre-school camera home with the children. Please could you take a few photos of life at home with your child that we can then use to make into a group book which will be about family life and the differences between familie. Examples of things to record could include - helping on the farm, looking after younger siblings, a special walk or activity they enjoy, a weekly event eg church or a club. We will probably only be able to use a few photos from each child in the book, but if you can take more they will be great for looking at with the children and using as part of their Magic Moments books. Easter Egg Hunt We will be having an Easter Egg Hunt at the end of this half term – the exact date is still to be set, but it is likely to be in the last week. We have run this in previous years for the school and Pre-school children and it has been great fun. Collecting Children at 3pm Please try to ensure your child is collected by 3pm. At 3 o’clock a number of staff finish work and the remaining staff need to clean Pre-school, set up for the next session and complete observations and planning. We are always happy to discuss your child’s day, but please arrive before 3pm if you wish to do so. If there are matters that need more time, or that you would like to discuss in private then please arrange an appointment with your child’s Key Person. Payment of Fees Our Bank Account Details are as follows: Lloyds TSB Sort Code 30-80-83 Account Number 17718560 We are always happy to come to individual arrangements with parents for paying fees. For example paying in weekly instalments rather than each half term. Please let us know if you would like to pay by a different method. Staff News Rebecca Sheen is studying for her CACHE Level 2 course in Childcare. Laura Morris will be with us on a Thursday afternoon, linked to the CACHE Level 2 course in Childcare that she is studying for. Sally-Ann will be attending the ELKLAN Speech and Language course over this half term. Come and Play Sessions We will be holding a number of parent sessions at the end of term. The purpose of these sessions is for parents to spend time in Pre-school and to share with their child their achievements recorded in the Magic Moments Books. There will also be time for parents to discuss their child’s Termly Developmental Review and to create a plan for their next steps with their child’s Key person. Due to the number of children we would ask that parents attend only one of the sessions. The dates will be given out later in the term. Stay and Play Toddler Group The group meets on the first and third Wednesdays of the month, during term time. Further details of the group and flyers are displayed on the Pre-school notice board. The dates for this half term are Wednesday 5th March Wednesday 19th March Wednesday 2nd April Dates for This Half Term Tuesday 4th March – Shrove Tuesday Thursday 6th March – World Book Day Thursday 10th April - Last day of Term Monday 28th April - First day of the Summer Term