Tadpoles, elves and dinosaur bones in the sandpit!

As I sit writing this end of term review I can hear the dawn chorus. My dog has just leapt up to greet me with her usual, over-excited “has it only been one night, it feels like longer?!” morning greeting.

She has no idea of the uncertainty of the world around her at the moment, and nor do our youngest children. They do not understand why we are a little subdued or why things are not quite the same.

Our children love routine and familiarity. They perform at their best when surrounded by security and positivity. It may be hard for them to understand the changes but we need to help them embrace them. They may ask some difficult questions but we need to help them understand without fear.

Over these last few weeks, with so much change, the presence of normal days with the children has kept the Early Years team smiling. As I think back over the term just gone, I am reminded of the children’s innocence.

There was so much excitement in the Nursery classroom when the children discovered miniature footprints around the room after reading The Elves and the Shoemaker.

A recent delivery of frogspawn created curiosity as tiny tadpoles began to emerge, helping the children to understand the concepts of growth and changes over time. The children were in awe as they used hosepipes to create real rainbows in the Spring sunshine and they were delighted when they unearthed dinosaur bones buried in the sandpit.

As I look forward to the Summer Term, I am keen to ensure your children are still accessing the activities we had planned for them whenever possible. Already this week my inbox has been filled with images of your home learning. Thank you. We will continue to provide you and your child with resources and ideas to support you at home.

In Pre-School, our next topic is based around nature so we will be making the most of your gardens! In Nursery, the children are moving on to an animal-based theme which is always enjoyed by the children and I know Mrs Forman is already thinking up some exciting ways for our youngest children to embrace this topic.

I am hoping many of you will join in with our three Easter home challenges of egg decorating, natural art and baking. More details will be shared on Tapestry as well as being added to the Early Years folder on the Pupil Hub. It would be lovely to continue to maintain an Early Years community feel by creating a gallery of your creations. There is no limit on how many times you can attempt a challenge!

As we come to the end of term like no other, I would like to thank you all for your continued support. I would like to thank your children for their positive approach and I would like to thank the Early Years team for their continued hard work.

I wish you all a safe, happy and healthy Easter break.