Welcome to  Sandcastles Nursery! 

Hello! My name is Miss Somerfield and I am the Nursery teacher. This is my seventh year here at Castlefort school teaching in the Early Years Foundation stage! Being your child’s first teacher is a big responsibility and I feel very privileged that I can be part of this big step for you and your child. I will do my very best to ensure that they are safe, cared for and happy.

All children are special and unique, and all children will settle into school in different ways. Our Early Years setting provides the children with a stimulating, exciting and challenging curriculum in a caring and supportive environment. We want them to love school and we want to make our classroom a place of laughter and learning!

In the EYFS we love being creative, a little bit messy and a little bit noisy, but don't worry- it's all to help us with our learning! We do lots of singing, dancing, playing and creating. Children have the chance to work with their teachers and well as find out things on their own. I have lots of exciting activities planned and cannot wait to share these experiences with the children!

We want the very best for your children and hope that by working in partnership with you as parents, we can help your child achieve their full potential. If you have any queries or questions, please do not hesitate to come in and see any of us.

Meet the Sandcastles Nursery Team!

                               Mrs Woodall-Williams                    Miss Somerfield                         Miss Woodhams

                                  Teaching Assistant                          Class Teacher                           Teaching Assistant

We're really lucky to have such a supportive, friendly team in the Early Years. This year, our Nursery class will be supported by two wonderful Teaching Assistants, Mrs Woodall-Williams (pictured left) and Miss Woodhams (pictured right).

Our learning environment!

Take a look at our Nursery learning environment, we have so many things to be getting busy with!

A Day in Nursery!

A typical day in Nursery will generally involve the following things:

- Outdoor play – We really value outdoor play experiences and therefore use our outdoor area in all weathers. Our outdoor areas offer us space to explore and take risks as well as encouraging natural curiosity and developing our gross motor skills while benefiting from healthy fresh air.

- Indoor play – Our indoor learning environment has a nurturing atmosphere with environments thoughtfully planned and equipped with resources to meet and exceed our needs through exciting activities every day. Children are free to work in all areas of the nursery, exploring materials, learning new skills and trying out their ideas. 

- Snack and Chat – Snack times at nursery are a great opportunity to introduce us to different flavours and textures. We enjoy sitting with our friends and discussing a range of exciting and interesting topics. This helps to develop children’s communication and language and literacy skills.

- Master the Curriculum and Ten Town Maths – This involves lots of physical and practical activities, including singing, games and moving around!

- Read Write Inc. – After Christmas, we will begin our Read Write Inc. phonics sessions. This helps us to learn our sounds and to help us read. We work in small groups based on the sounds we know.

- Creative Curriculum - this is our ‘topic’ based work, with lots of understanding the world (science, geography, history links) and art and creative activities. Example of topics we will be exploring this year are, ‘What happens in the dark?’, ‘Are eggs alive?’ and ‘Did dragons exist?’.

Our Learning!

All of the work we do in Nursery goes towards developing your child in the 7 key areas of learning; Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language, Physical Development, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design. All of our work in these areas will be documented by photographs, mark making, artwork and other pieces of evidence in Learning Journeys and books. These activities will develop key skills for your child, as well as being fun and interesting to engage them with their learning.

We also follow the a 'creative curriculum', which is a thematic approach to delivering aspects of the curriculum. We have a different topic each half-term, and provide lots of stimulating activities for your child to choose and explore based around this topic.

Our topics include;

Cycle A:

- Autumn 1 - ‘Why do you love me so much?’ - In this topic we will be finding out all about ourselves, our families, making friends, our emotions and the special qualities we have.

- Autumn 2 – ‘Why do leaves go crispy?’ - In this topic we will be finding out all about weather, trees, harvest, autumn treasures, scarecrows and woodland animals.

- Spring 1 – ‘What happens in the dark?’ - In this topic we will be finding out all about routines, night time, light and dark, the moon and stars and rockets.

- Spring 2 – ‘Are eggs alive?’ - In this topic we will be finding out all about spring, the farm, baby animals and living things.

- Summer 1 – ‘Did dragons exist?’ -  In this topic we will be finding out all about princes and princesses, kings and queens, knights, castles, fairy tales, birds of prey, horses and reptiles.

- Summer 2 – ‘Why is water wet?’ – In this topic we will be finding out all about rain, puddles, weather, the seaside, rock pools, pond creatures, pirates and treasure maps.

Cycle B:

- Autumn 1 - ‘Why do you love me so much?’ - In this topic we will be finding out all about ourselves, our families, making friends, our emotions and the special qualities we have.

- Autumn 2 – ‘Why do leaves go crispy?’ - In this topic we will be finding out all about weather, trees, harvest, autumn treasures, scarecrows and woodland animals.

- Spring 1 – ‘Where does snow go?’ - In this topic we will be finding out all about winter, birds and migration, snow, hibernation, squirrels, owls, clothes and keeping warm.

- Spring 2 – ‘Why do ladybirds have spots?’ - In this topic we will be finding out all about minibeasts, habitats, food chains and movement.

- Summer 1 – ‘Once upon a time…’ - In this topic we will be finding out all about traditional tales and nursery rhymes.

- Summer 2 – ‘Can we explore it?’ - In this topic we will be finding out all about treasure maps, our local community, where we live and holidays.

Please take a look at the links below find out more information about some of the fantastic activities we have planned!

General information

Session times

AM Session – 8.45am-11.45am

PM Session – 12.30pm–3.30pm

Our class doors are opened at 8.40am and 12.30pm. Class teachers/Teaching Assistants will open the doors, welcoming the children through into their classroom. We encourage parents/carers to support children to put their bags, lunch boxes and bottles into the appropriate boxes before children enter school independently and parents stand back and wave. At the end of the session, parents are asked to wait and join the queuing system, staff will then release children individually. Please try hard to get your child to school on time and to collect them promptly. If your child is late, it is extremely important that you come in via the main reception to let the office staff your child has arrived.

Uniform

 Your child will be encouraged to wear the Castlefort JMI School uniform. Please write your child’s name in each item of clothing so that we can return any lost items.  As children are very active, inside and out it is important that your child wears suitable black shoes.

We ask that the children are dressed in our school uniform of:

• White t-shirt
• Black/grey trousers/ skirt/ pinafore dress
• burgundy sweatshirt/ cardigan with logo on
• Red and white/pink and white checked school dress (Summer)
• Sensible black shoes

Water bottles

Throughout the day children are encouraged to stay hydrated by drinking.  Children should bring in a water bottled with their name label on. These will be kept in class and will be refreshed throughout the day,

Clothing and Weather

Nursery is about active learning and this involves a range of activities both inside and out. We value outdoor play experiences and therefore use our outdoor area in all weather. Please can you ensure your child is dressed appropriately for all weathers.

During winter, please try to provide wellies, gloves, scarf, hat and a suitable coat. In summer, please try to provide your child with appropriate clothing and a sun hat. We ask parents to take responsibility for applying a sun screen to all exposed areas of children’s skin before Nursery.

Book Bags

Please make sure that your child has a book bag labelled with their name and that they bring it to and from school every day. It is really important that book bags are in school so that the children are able to take home any letters.

PE

Our P.E day is Friday. Please send your child to school on this day dressed in their P.E clothing, i.e. White polo shirt or t-shirt, black shorts/jogging bottoms, and black pumps/trainers.

Spare Clothes

Please bring a spare change of clothing for your child in case of any accidents to leave on their peg. Please can we also ask that any spare clothing provided by nursery is washed and returned ASAP.

Home Learning

Home learning will be sent out on a Friday to be returned on a Thursday in a Home-School folder. I will send home some interesting ideas or activities for you to do at home with your child to make learning fun, as well as some more formal activities. We would really love to see some of the learning and exciting things your child does outside of school.

Mobile Library and Story Cards

Our ‘Mobile Library’ is open for you to access each day. Please choose a book and a story card write the numbers displayed next to your child’s initials and tick once returned.

Extra Provision at Sandcastles Nursery

We have a 52 place Nursery at Castlefort and children can start the term after their 3rd birthday. Our places are prioritised in the following order: 30 hour children, 15 hour children and then if there are additional spaces we may be able to provide extra provision. Cost is £11.00 for the three-hour session and £3.00 to cover time outside funded hours (£14.00 in total). The children are welcome to bring a packed lunch or you can purchase a school lunch for £2.15. Sessions must be paid in advance; we cannot offer any credit.

Learning at Home...

Children in nursery will be provided with a Home-School Folder to keep in their bag every day. Each Friday, an activity sheet will be added for you to complete at home. This could be about something that we’ve learnt about, or an event that’s happened in school, or maybe just an interesting idea for you to talk about. Once you have completed the activity sheet, put it back in the folder and completed sheets will then be removed and added to your child’s ‘Learning Journey’ in school.

Throughout the year, we will also add other items to your child’s Home-School Folder such as our ‘Word of the Week’, letters, Ten Town resources, reading books, Read Write Inc. phonics resources and assessment information. It is therefore vital that this folder remains in your child’s bag each day throughout the year.

We would also love to see some of the learning and activities you and your child get up to at home and outside of school. Feel free to add photos and drawings to share any experiences, holidays and trips. You may also want to share something amazing your child has done outside of school- maybe they learnt how to zip up their coat, helped make cakes, started learning to swim, or painted a great picture!

We’d love to share your child’s experiences and learning with their friends in class.

Reading at home…

Books that your child may bring home will be based on the group that they are currently working in for Read Write Inc. phonics and accurately match their phonic ability based on recent assessments and teacher feedback. Letters will be sent out to share your child’s grouping.

‘Early readers’ - Early readers will have daily access to our ‘Story Cards’ and ‘Mobile Library’. Parents/carers are required to change these when required.

‘Group C’ - Children who are in ‘Group C’ and are learning to oral blend will continue to have daily access to our ‘Story Cards’ and ‘Mobile Library’ but will also take home a set of Set 1 sound cards and a sound blending book. These books will be changed by staff when the children are confident to read the words.

‘Ditty’ - Children in ‘Ditty’ group will continue to continue to have daily access to our ‘Story Cards’ and ‘Mobile Library’ but will also take home a set of Set 1 ‘special friends’ cards and a photocopy of the daily ditty. This will be changed by staff at the end of the 2-day programme.

‘Red’ - Children in ‘red storybook’ group will continue to continue to have daily access to our ‘Story Cards’ and ‘Mobile Library’ but will also take home a RWI Storybook and a RWI Book Bag Book. These will be changed by staff at the end of the 2-day programme.

‘Story Cards’

Each day, your child will have the opportunity to choose a ‘story card’ to take home. These ‘story cards’ contain either a story card, photo card and question card or just a photo card and question card. These Story Cards are a fantastic opportunity to promote creativity, understanding, imagination, language, and problem solving. As your child becomes an active participant in the process of creating a story, they must ask questions, make decisions, and think critically about what might come next. These Story cards can be returned next day, or at some point during the week and choose a new card.

Each ‘story card’ folder will be numbered. Please write your child’s initial, surname, and the number of the story card they have chosen on the ‘record of story card loans’ sheet. When you have returned the folder, please tick the ‘rtd’ column.

‘Mobile Library’

Our Nursery Mobile Library is available to access each day in our outdoor area. Our Mobile library will include books for children to read for pleasure. They may not be accurately matched to your child's reading ability, but are intended to be shared with families or read by parents/carers. Children love to hear adults read and learn huge amounts from this experience. Please encourage your child to select a book and parents/carers can mark the number of the book they have chosen on the sheet provided. Once this has been returned, please tick this off so that we can monitor the books that are being returned. Children can change their book as they choose to.

Useful links

Below are some links to different websites that may help you with your child's learning at home. Why not have a little look through together and find some games or activities to enjoy together!

• Busy Things We subscribe to this fantastic website at school- you can subscribe at home too! This website provides fun games and activities in literacy, maths, understanding the world, phonics and expressive arts.

• Ten Town Another great website we subscribe too at school which you can subscribe to at home. Ten Town helps us learn our numbers!

• Boowa and Kwala A fun website with stories and songs to enjoy at home!

• Maths Games A link to a variety of maths games for children in the foundation stage.

• Literacy Games A link to literacy games, covering rhymes, phonics and stories
• Ten Town Ten Town is a fantastic maths resource designed to stimulate a real interest in numbers and make maths fun! We subscribe to this brilliant website at school and send home individual student log ins for you to access it at home too.