Weekly Bulletin 10 November 2022

10th November 2022

Dear Parents and Carers

It was very nice to see so many of our Nursery parents at our information sharing session on how we learn and play at Homerton last night. I hope you enjoyed hearing a bit more about Homerton and the importance of play, as well as meeting staff and other parents. We have meetings with key workers for children in The Nest coming up in the next few months, and a more formal individual parents evening for Nursery parents in the Spring Term.

Raffle We are having our annual Christmas Raffle on Wednesday 14^th December. Tickets, costing £1.00, are sold in the morning, and the raffle is drawn in the afternoon. If you are able to, please donate a prize to go into the raffle. Please take it to the main office or give it to class staff by 30^th November. Thank you to Tracey and her sister Sharon for organising the raffle for us.

Music I am delighted that Davina Shore has started to deliver music for us here at Homerton. The children clearly had a great time with her – please see the photos below.

Messy Play also started last week and was very successful – a big thank you to Isa and Stefania, our parent Governors, for running it for us.  The session is mainly for younger children, and their parents, who are not attending Homerton, or other settings, on a Friday morning.

Garden Roleplay Boxes We are still looking to restock a couple of our garden boxes, so if anyone has spare dolls clothes, pairs of children socks, plastic picnic plates, or pretend walkie talkies, that they could donate, that would be very welcome. The pictures below show children using items from our music, explorers and builders boxes this week.

Children in Need Friday 18^th November

We thought it might be fun for children and staff to join in with this national fundraising event on Friday next week by wearing something yellow, or something with dots or spots on, just like Pudsey Bear.

Please see BBC Children in Need for a variety of ways to make a donation online, or over the phone. You can also donate at your local bank or building society.

Our Language of the half term is Spanish – thank you to Liz for putting together this information sheet attached and for the recipe from East Room Mum, Marisol. Children in classes will be learning some words in Spanish as well as counting in Spanish, perhaps you could have some fun doing the same at home?

Here are some of the photos from Music in East and West Room this week

The children played egg shaped musical shakers as they sang and danced to     the music.

The children learned about high and low in music using a giant hair scrunchie!

During the week I also took photos of various activities in the Nest and Nursery reflecting how we learn and play together at Homerton.                                

As you will see from the photos, adults in the rooms join in with all the children’s activities supporting them in their learning.

The Nest staff and children developing fine motor skills by drawing and rolling and cutting playdough

Developing Gross and Fine Motor physical skills by playing catch and building with blocks.

Core Story – Whatever Next by Jill Murphy

We are continuing to enjoy hearing, and roleplaying the story of the bear going off to the moon with his friend owl, who he meets on his journey to the moon. Please see the visual version of the story below for you to share with your child.

Whatever Next! By Jill Murphy

Dear Parents / Carers,

This half term our core story is Whatever Next! by Jill Murphy – a book about imagination and role play and reaching for the moon.

Baby Bear looks out of his window and asks “can I go to the moon?”       and when his mum tells him he will need a rocket he finds some space boots ,  and a helmet and dresses up      ready to fly off in his rocket (a cardboard box!). He packs a teddy    and some food       and sets off on his journey  .  An owl   flies past him on the way and they picnic together on the moon before Baby Bear flies back down the chimney  . Back at home Baby Bear is in need of a bath  and ready to go to bed  .

Children often like to

chat about the picture showing the bear covered in soot:

– did he really come down the chimney?! Your children no doubt have their own imaginative ideas about what to do with a cardboard box as well and probably enjoy packing up their own picnics too. Now it is dark in the evenings maybe you will spot the moon together …

The Whatever Next! “Story Sacks” are now in the library for you to borrow & enjoy at home.

Thank you for sharing this story with us. J

Wednesday 7^th December – Christmas Story trail for parents and children around the garden 8.45am-9.30am – East Blue children, and any children from the Nest who attend on a different day/time, please come in to enjoy this event with everyone. 

Wednesday 14^th December – Christmas Raffle.

Please can you ensure that our office and class staff have up to date mobile phone contact details, and that we have a contact who is based here in Cambridge to ring, in the event that your child becomes ill, or has an accident, whilst at Homerton.

Please remember to provide your child with warm and weather appropriate clothing, including 1-2 spare sets of clothes in their bags as we go out in all weathers.

Please also remember to sign up for your class ‘Whats app’ group if you would like to.