Welcome to Nursery!

Hello everyone, my name is Miss Hardman, I am the Nursery teacher here at Grace Mary! I am joined by my two wonderful classroom assistants; Mrs Purcell and Mrs Akhtar. We would like to welcome all of our children, those who were already with and us those who have just joined us, to Grace Mary Nursery. Myself, Mrs Purcell and Mrs Akhtar really looking forward to getting to know all of the children and the exciting learning the children will experience with us.

At Grace Mary Primary School, we truly value the importance of the early years foundation stage (EYFS) in providing a secure foundation for future learning and development. We aim to make a significant contribution to that start by helping young children to develop a love for learning which they will carry with them through life. It is their right to be safe, healthy and happy and the welfare of the children is central to our provision of care, learning and play. We ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. The ‘Reggio Emilia’ approach influences our everyday practice within class. The philosophy behind the approach promotes respect, responsibility and community, and a strong emphasis on exploration and discovery. We believe all children have potential and curiosity, and it is our role as adults to observe, then further develop their natural abilities. 

If you would like more information about the topics the children will be exploring, please see our curriculum overview and end of year goals below. Please check back here to keep up to date with all the children will be getting up to this Year.

Please feel free to book an appointment with myself by calling the school office if there is anything else you would like help and support with. Please see the very useful document below, what to expect and when, a parents guide, to find out more about  typical stages of children's development. 

I look forward to a fantastic year getting to know the children!

Miss Hardman 

Key Dates:

29th April - Animal Man Visit 

6th May - Bank holiday school closed 

24th May - Last day of school for pupils before May half term 

Summer 1 - Minibeasts

This half term Nursery will be exploring the wonderful world of minibeasts! We have lots of exciting activities planned including a visit from the animal man and going on a minibeast hunt around our outdoor environment. We even have our own caterpillars and we are excited to watch them grow! 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar 

by Eric Carle 

We have began our Minibeast topic by reading the classic story of the very hungry caterpillar by Eric Carle. If you would like to listen to the story at home, click on the link below....

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Animated Film (youtube.com)

We have looked closely at the life cycle of a butterfly and enjoyed investigating symmetry by creating our own butterfly paintings. We have looked  closely at different mini beats and described their features. 

Simple Play-dough Recipe: 

You will need

• 8 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp table salt
• 60ml warm water
• food colouring
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil 

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together the water, a few drops of food colouring and the oil.

2. Pour the coloured water into the flour mix and bring together with a spoon.

3. Dust a work surface with a little flour and turn out the dough. Knead together for a few minutes to form a smooth, pliable dough. If you want a more intense colour you can work in a few extra drops of food colouring.

4. Store in a plastic sandwich bag (squeeze out the air) in the fridge to keep it fresh. You can make a batch of colours and give away as kids’ party bag favours or hold a playdough party for your child’s next birthday