Latest News
August 2009
Hello to all existing and new Parents and Children!
September is a really exciting time, with new children joining us as well as welcoming back children who are used to coming to us. This term we will be following many of our usual activities, which include the children helping the staff to prepare lunch once a month. The children are involved in the menu selection and this is a great opportunity to show how raw ingredients are transformed into an edible lunch.
Last term we spent many Thursday mornings in a nearby small copse, climbing trees and getting very muddy. This was so successful that we intend to continue this from September whenever possible. We do regularly take the children out in the rain and have a supply of waterproofs and wellies, it seems that the children love nothing more than splashing in puddles!
We will be launching our social events for the coming year in the next edition of the Chalkstream, so please do all you can to support the pre-school by coming along to them. We are a charity and rely on every bit of funding we can get, including the money we raise at events.
There are still some places left for the autumn term, we can take children from two years old. If you would like your child to start, please call me on xxxxx for more information. You are welcome to come along for a session and see first hand what we do.
If your child is not yet pre-school age, don’t forget we run a toddler session every Wednesday during term time from 10 am to 12 noon in Sydling Village Hall. No need to book, just turn up (£1.50 per week, plus please bring a piece of fruit to share at snack time).
And finally, our AGM will be on Weds 23rd Sept in Sydling Village Hall. Please do come along if you want to know more about the pre-school as this meeting is open to anyone.
February 2009
The provisional fund-raising programme for Sydling Springs Pre-school has been set for the rest of this year. As a charity, we rely very heavily on funding and on local support from parents and other people.
On 28th March we will be holding an Easter Egg hunt in Sydling St Nicholas. These are always great fun and the children love them. We will be starting from the Village Hall - doors open at 2pm. There will be other fun and games to take part in on the day and we will be serving teas, coffees and home-made cakes.
We will be holding another quiz night in Cerne Abbas following the success of the last one, watch this space for more details.
In June we will be holding a sponsored walk around Sydling with children who attend the pre-school. Please do sponsor one of the children if you can as they will have to work hard to earn their money!
As always, if you are interested in finding out more about the pre-school, or would like to send your child, please contact me on the mobile 07944 830370.
December 2008
Autumn has brought more opportunities for us to explore and seek treasure outside; conkers and leaves of many colours have been collected and turned into marvellous art. We have enjoyed breath-taking walks, watched tractors at work and danced in the mud left by their tracks. On one of our walks we identified poisonous and edible berries and came back with elderberries and blackberries to make paint with. If you get an opportunity to look at it, a display of the pictures made from the berries is in the main hall. You really had to be there to see the experience that came from making these pictures and hear the squeals of delight as elderberries were squashed to exploding point under tiny fingers and thumbs We were delighted to be invited to join in with ‘Messy Play’, the new Mobile Piddle Valley Children’s Unit run by Barnardos. They run a monthly session at Sydling Village Hall - ring 01305 852843 for more information. As well as this, there are many other activities locally, such as Baby Massage, Stay and Play in addition to First Aid.
Over the next half term we’ll be continuing to go with the flow of children’s interests by planning for their individual needs, with mini themes emerging of friendships, road safety and “feeling the beat”. Not knowing what we’ll be asked next is one of the joys of working with children, how to answer questions is more difficult:
Child: “What does the tooth fairy do with all the old teeth?” Adult “Well, that’s a very good question, what would you do with all the old teeth if you were the tooth fairy?”
It may sound like a politician’s response, but our reply extends the child’s thinking, language and imagination all at the same time - try it next time you’re stuck for an answer!
We’ve welcomed more new faces than we anticipated this term, therefore spaces are limited for the spring term, please do ring as soon as you can to reserve your child’s place (07944 830370).
October 2008
We took part in the re-chalking of the Cerne Giant and managed to get onto Breakfast News for our efforts. It was a very steep climb, but the little legs of the children did not let them down and not one of them complained! We were intending on doing our bit on the giants’ feet but felt it was too far for the children to climb down and up again, so yes we ended up sitting on “that” bit! One of the children was interviewed & the quote ended up in the Guardian Newspaper, Is it a boy or a girl giant? It was really interesting to know what needs to be done to keep the giant looking so good as well as getting up close and personal with him.
We had a visit from the Community Dental Team who talked to the children about oral hygiene and let the children practice brushing the teeth on a soft toy.
We still have some places available, so please call us if you are interested in finding out more (07944 830370). If you want to try us out, the first session is free.
We are planning to hold a social event with a local band, details to follow in the next Chalk Stream.
September 2008
Here we are again at the start of another new term, we said good bye to a number of children at the end of July and sent them off on their way to "big school". We had a leavers' do for them where the children all played games and were given treats (of the edible kind!) to take home - although most didn't make it that far! Those who were leaving also had a portfolio of the things they had done during their time at pre-school to keep.
Welcome to everyone who has joined us this year. We do still have some places left at the moment for pre-school, so please do call us if you are interested in finding out more (07944 830370). If you want to try us out, the first session is free. This term we are starting with a new curriculum - The Early Years Foundation Stage. This is something that will apply to all pre-schools from now on.
We have recently had an OFSTED report and received a good in all categories You can read the full report on their website (www.ofsted.gov.uk) or contact one of the committee for full details. We will be having our Annual General Meeting on 24th September at 8.00 pm in Sydling Village Hall. We encourage everyone to come along who has some connection with the pre-school or who is interested in helping in some way.
Sam Mercer (Preschool Leader)