16 August 2010

We start the autumn term on a high with our “Good” OFSTED rating. We are delighted with this result, achieved through a lot of hard work and dedication from the staff and committee. The Ofsted Inspector said “ The children develop skills for the future as they develop a positive sense of themselves and understand the wider world through their play and communications.”

We welcome everyone back, including our new starters; Daisy, Charlie, Youcef, Calum, Luca, Ella, Albert and Archer, and look forward to helping them to settle in.

We begin the term by learning ‘all about me’ and ‘colours all around us’.

The leavers' play in July where the children told the story of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ went very well, showing the confidence they had gained ready for their transition to school. It was very emotional saying goodbye to Barbara and Linda, but hope they will come back to read a story or two to the children.

On the last day of term the children took part in Barnados Big Toddle and raised £118! The sun shone for our picnic which was a lovely end to the summer term.

Our healthy snack bar is proving very popular with the children. They enjoy being independent and it teaches them to make healthy choices from the buffet table.

With our commitment to drive the Preschool forward we have extended our session times to start at 9.15 till 12.15 Monday to Thursday, and our Friday session begins with lunch at 12.30 and session finishes at 3.30. Our Admission age has been lowered to 2 years and 6 months which we hope will give parents more flexibility.

Our small community Preschool offers each child individual attention giving them lots of support to settle in. We pride ourselves on getting to know the individual child and parents alike, giving regular feedback on their progress and development throughout their time with us.

Sherington Preschool is a stimulating environment where your child can play, learn and develop, whilst having fun, preparing them well for the transition to school.

To find out more about Sherington Pre-school please take a look at our website; telephone Jo Tough on 617685/ 07866409169 or pop in and see us any morning Monday to Thursday between 9.15 and 11.15 or Friday 12.30 to 3.30. We look forward to meeting you and your child.

HEADLINE NEWS FROM SHERINGTON PRE-SCHOOL – AUGUST 2010

“Back up where we belong”

We are delighted to announce that following our recent return visit from the Oftsed inspector, that we have once more been awarded a Good grading. The staff and committee have worked tirelessly over the past six months to iron out the issues raised at our January 2010 inspection and this has clearly paid off with excellent results. The inspector was extremely impressed with the high standards achieved in a short time and left with the confidence that we will continue to develop our setting and enrich our children’s learning experiences.

Please watch this space for the imminent arrival of the inspector’s new report.

“New lower age of admission means more flexibility for parents”

Following feedback from our prospective parents Sherington Pre-school is pleased to announce that from September 2010 we will be lowering our admission age to 2 years and 6 months. If you are interested in your child attending Sherington Pre-school as soon as he/she turns 2 ½ then please contact us. Please note that your child will be eligible for Nursery Education Funding from the term after he/she turns 3 years; before this time pre-school fees of £10 per session are payable termly.

  9 July 2010

The Summer Fayre on Saturday 26th June raised over £1,000. Photos Page 1 - Photos Page 2.

The complete set of Pre-School policies has been reviewed and updated. They can be downloaded here.

  26 June 2010

The children have really enjoyed our theme of Mini Beasts. Joshua kindly brought in his pet African Snail for his friends to observe and hold. Also this term we have been looking at People who help us with a visit from Newport Pagnell Fire Brigade. Holidays have also been on the agenda giving the children lots of opportunity to get creative.

We had a very successful open morning on the 24th June. Prospective parents were able to look at our photos on display and look at the laptop over a cup of coffee, whilst their little ones enjoyed taking part in the fun and activities.

The children have also participated in the preparations for our biggest fundraiser of the year. The Summer Fayre on the 26th June was opened by KP Dragon from Activity Land much to the children’s delight. The day was a great success, much due to the hard work of the committee members, Parents, and Grand Parents who helped on the day. Thank you to all those who kindly made a donation and those that came to spend money on the day. Special thanks go to Jo Cowley who put so much effort into organising the event.

Our Pre-School leavers play is on Tuesday 13th July. All are invited, there won’t be a dry eye in the house! Refreshments from 10.45 for an 11.15am performance. Raffle and Tombola during refreshments.

We will be saying Goodbye to our older children on Thursday 22nd July as they prepare to start School in September. Farewell to Chloe, Robbie, Jack Jones, Jack Delaney, Emily, Ryan, Mia, Oscar, Claribel, Gemma, Freddie, Mason, Crystal and Joshua. At the end of session all the children are invited to have a Picnic in the Park, Followed by Barnados Pirate Big Toddle.

Farewell to Linda who is leaving at the end of term. We would like to thank her for her contribution to Pre School over the last two years. On behalf of the children and staff we wish her well in her Retirement. We are pleased that Barbara is going to continue with her support of covering Holidays and staff sickness, a heartfelt thank you to you both.

We start the Autumn term on Monday 6th September and welcome our new children and our two new members of staff Zoe and Nicola. Our Pre School session will now be extended. Starting at 9.15 until 12.15am Monday to Thursday. Our Friday sessions are open to all our children and begin at 12.30 until 3.30pm.

On behalf of the Pre-School Staff and committee we would like to wish you all safe and happy holidays.

To find out more about Sherington Pre-school please take a look at our website; telephone Jo Tough on 617685 or pop in and see us any morning Monday to Thursday between 9.15 and 11.45.

  16 May 2010

We have had a very busy month, starting with a surprise visitor from Australia. ‘ Dancing Donna’ presented a fun and fitness programme to music, to which the children participated in song and movement. Beginning with a yoga warm up, followed by some dazzling magic tricks, which they particularly enjoyed! The children sang hello in Spanish, French & Chinese, and finally they were encouraged to express themselves in creative movement and dance. There were lots of smiles and laughter, and the magic left them bewildered and enthralled!

To support our ‘On the Farm’ theme Mr Sharpe, Mr Line and Mr Lusted brought their red, blue and green tractors to the village hall car park. The children went out to inspect the big and small wheels and discovered how very noisy tractors can be!

Jane the librarian from Newport Pagnell Library came to read some exciting stories to the children, which they all enjoyed.

This term we welcome Megan, Polly and Ben and hope they have lots of fun and happy times with us. Our current topic is ‘Growth and Change’. The children are exploring how seeds grow and examining objects using magnifying glasses and a microscope. We have some promising scientists!

Our next Open Morning is on Thursday 24th June from 9.30 to 11.30. If you are interested in your child attending a small rural pre school, please come along and join in the fun and activities on the day. We would love to see you.

Don’t forget that our fund raising Summer Fayre is on Saturday 26th June from 1pm to 4pm in the Village Hall. ‘KP Dragon’ from Activity land will be making a guest appearance! Please come along and bring your purse for a fun and exciting afternoon for all the family.

To find out more about Sherington Pre-school please take a look at our website; telephone Jo Tough on 617685 or pop in and see us any morning Monday to Thursday between 9.15 and 11.45.

  27 March 2010

The children have so much enjoyed all kinds of cookery in our Fun with Food theme that we extended it for a week before moving onto Opposites and Easter. We have recently welcomed Emily and after the holidays Tom and Thomas arrive to join in the fun. The children have made cards for Mothers Day and have been extending their ICT skills by linking the laptop to the printer so that they can print off their work.

Come and support the pre-school on May Day Bank Holiday Monday on the Knoll where we will have a stall for you to visit with fun things to do and buy. Bring your little ones along too to join in the Maypole Dancing!

From September we will have a vacancy for a part time staff member. If you are interested in joining our team please contact Karon Sheen now on 01234 391141 or karon.sheen@hotmail.co.uk to request an application pack. Closing date for applications is 16th April.

Please put Saturday 26th June in your diaries! Sherington Pre-school’s Summer Fayre is our biggest fundraising event of the year and we look forward to support from the whole community. All the usual fun activities and stalls will be there including some exciting new ones. (Please note 8th May date previously printed in March issue of SCAN is incorrect)

To find out more about Sherington Pre-school please take a look at our website; telephone Jo Tough on 617685 or pop in and see us any morning Monday to Thursday between 9.15 and 11.45.

  4 March 2010

In the run up to Half Term we have been encouraging the children to “create 3D structures” as part of their creative development. They have made submarines, castles, a Scooby Do house and even a Ben 10 car. They also made scooters, treasure boxes and diggers, with some needing a little help and others working independently. The children have also been gaining an “awareness of the cultures and beliefs of others” by celebrating Chinese New Year of the Tiger. Activities have included making lanterns, tiger masks, reading tiger stories and trying out chopsticks. Each child was also delighted to be given a small envelope containing a lucky penny to take home.

The staff and committee are disappointed with the recent Oftsed inspector’s report but are working hard to make improvements to our processes that bring them up to the very strict standards now required. We would like to take this opportunity to thank parents for their feedback and fantastic support, and look forward to being justifiably proud of ourselves when the inspector returns.

This term we welcome Amelie and Grace and hope they both have lots of fun and happy times with us. Our next topics are Fun with Food and Opposites which both promise exciting times ahead!

Our annual Spring Fayre has become a Summer Fayre and will now be on Saturday 26th June. Please put this date in your diaries and come and support your pre-school’s biggest fundraising event of the year, without which we couldn’t purchase new toys, books and crafts for the children.

To find out more about Sherington Pre-school please take a look at our website; telephone Jo Tough on 617685 or pop in and see us any morning Monday to Thursday between 9.15 and 11.45.

  Next Open Day: Thursday 11 February 2010, 9.30-11.30am - Further details

  3 February 2010

We continue the Spring Term with themes of Favourite Stories and Fun with Food. Although pre-school had to close for a couple of sessions as parents couldn't get to us, we have been out enjoying the snow in our play area and even bringing some snow indoors to play with and watch it melt.

We have resumed our Fun on Friday sessions for those children who start school in September. This is a valuable session to experience with lots of joint activities with "big school" to ease the transition in the Autumn. We would like to take this opportunity to wish our valued team member Barbara "Get Well Soon" and hope she is back with us very soon as we all miss her, especially the children!

Look out for notices of our upcoming annual Spring Fayre - this is our biggest fundraising event of the year and we look forward to support from the whole community.

To find out more about Sherington Pre-school please take a look at our website; telephone Jo Tough on 617685 or pop in and see us any morning Monday to Thursday between 9.15 and 11.45.

Our next Open Morning is on Thursday February from 9.30 to 11.30. If you are interested in your child attending a small rural pre-school please come along and join in the fun and activities on this day. We would love to see you.

  4 January 2010

We enjoyed our Christmas festivities making lots of things to take home and with all the children providing a memorable Nativity performance. Thank you to Reverend Mandy for coming along to see us that morning.

At our Christmas party with songs and dancing with Toddler Time we had party food and a visit from Father Christmas who took time out from his very busy schedule to bring a small gift for all of us.

We have been busy fundraising and our profit from the MK Community Foundation car raffle and our very own Christmas Hamper raffle have raised impressive sums to help us buy new books and toys. Well done to Sarah Davies and Mary Baker who were the prize winners. Thanks to everyone who supported us in these and also our stalls at the Sherington and North Crawley bazaars.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Alan and Pam Sims from Virginia House Stores who have always supported our fundraising ventures, we will miss them very much.

We say a big thank you to the pre-school staff, committee and parents who have given so much time and support this term and look forward to this continuing in 2010 when our first themes will be 'Toys' and 'Winter'.

Look out for dates of our next Open Morning in February, but in the meantime if you are interested in your child attending Sherington Pre-school please telephone Jo Tough on 617685 for details or take a look at our website. We wish everyone a safe and healthy Happy New Year.