Newsletter

2nd January 2014

Dear everyone

Welcome back to the spring Term. I have to say from where I'm sitting it does not look like Spring outside but I am ever hopeful and am sure that soon we will be seeing the snowdrops breaking through and buds forming on the trees.

Warm clothing and wellies

Please could everyone remember to bring warm outdoor clothes and wellie boots as we will be making the best of any time we can get outside. It is quite exciting for children to explore inclement weather as well as good weather and leads to much discussion and experimentation

Please could these also be clearly named as many of the children have the same shoes, boots, hats etc and it is hard to encourage the children to be independent if they don't know which items are theirs.

Book bags

Please could children bring their bookbags and home school diaries each day. If you have lost your bookbag then replacements are available at £3.99 each. If you have lost your diary please do let your keyworker know and we will replace it free of charge.

The chldren really do value their bookbags and it provides a point for them to leave pictures, modes they have made etc.

Website -

This terms diary dates are on the website. Additional trips are currently being arranged and will be uploaded as soon as possible. Please keep watching.

Forest School

This term it will be Blue Groups turn to go to Forest School. This will be on a Thursday morning. Parents are invited to join us for the first part of the first session. A separate letter will be sent out to those children involved. Details of dates are on the diary page of the website.

Sporting Dynamics

We are fortunate to have again secured the services of Heather from Sporting Dynamics. She will come in on a Wednesday morning and each group will have a session. For more information and to find out what else they offer please look at the Sporting Dynamics section of our website.

Red Group News

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Libby and I am delighted to be keyworker for Red Group. I am planning a range of achievable yet challenging activities over the next two terms with the aim of encouraging the children to explore, think outside of the box and become active, excited learners. Some of our main focuses will be:

  • Independence skills - finding coats, shoes and outside clothing, being able to put it on independently and do up fastenings. Using the toilet and washing and drying hands independently
  • Problem solving - finding the inner confidence to be self reliant both physically and emotionally, whilst being aware of the feelings and needs of others. Using games and stories to develop the processes of thinking skills and independent thinking.
  • Starting phonic work - Listening to sounds and recognising letters 'satpin'
  • Numbers - recognising 1-20 and counting accurately 1-10 in a variety of mediums
  • Trips and outings to the supermarket, library, doctors surgery, dentist and police station to develop knowledge of the local area and the world around them.

I will be putting up a chalk board / white board with Red Group activities on it weekly, showing letter of the week, story of the week and any special activities we will be doing. I will be writing in the diaries less than in previous groups and will be encouraging the children to share their day with you. I will still be feeding back verbally to you and writing special things in the books.

Please do come and find me if you have any questions at all and I am really looking forward to working with your children.

Best wishes Libby

Blue Group News

Welcome back after the Christmas Holidays. Blue Group are looking forward to an exciting term. We have Sporting Dynamics sessions on Wednesdays with Heather (Marjons). This includes lots of physical exercise, ball skills and team games. On Thursdays from 16th January we will be going to Forest School at Buckland Abby. We will be doing activities such as making (supervised) campfires, outdoor cooking, exploring the woodland, creating miniature gardens and going on scavenger hunts. A separate letter giving more details will be given to those children who attend on a Thursday.

At Group times during the week we will be focusing on listening and concentrating skills and enhancing our physical fine and gross motor skills. Each child will have their own next steps set and these will be found in the back of their home / school diaries. Please can these be brought each day together with your child's bookbag. Quite often, as part of their independence skills, children are asked to go and put something on their bookbag.

large group I am delighted to say that Jan has moved up with the children and will provide a much needed extra pair of hands. Please do talk to either of us if you have any questions.

Best wishes Lisa and Jan

Green Group News

Welcome back to Spring Term. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

This term we are going to be focusing on concentration and listening skills for those new to Green Group and extending the expectations for those who are 'old timers'. We will be doing lots of turn taking games, focusing on following instructions, making a range of art and craft, cooking and music and movement.

We are looking to make some trips to explore our local environment (separate letters will be sent), based around our weekly topics.

Our first topic is 'All about me'. Please could each child bring a photograph of themselves so that we might look at what is the same and what is different about them now.

Over the next two weeks I will be putting the children's individual next steps into their Home / School diaries. Please do put a home target in there also if you would like. This could be as simple as putting on their own wellington boots or trying different foods.

As we are quite a small group this term, Jan has moved up to Blue Group with the older cohort of children. Sally will be working with me in Green Group so please do feel free to talk to either of us.

Best wishes Sharron and Sally

Yellow Group News

Welcome back to Spring Term to our existing and new families. We are looking forward to a fun filled term.

Our main focuses this term will be

  • Independence skills - finding bookbags, coats and wellies
  • Fun with our story and song sacks
  • Cooking
  • Exploring sensory and tactile activities
  • Outdoor play
  • Having fun!

Over the next two weeks we will be setting individual next steps for each child. These are tiny targets designed to be easily meetable over the next half term. We very much appreciate it in Yellow group if you as a parent also set a next step that you would like to see your child achieve. This can be anything.

We are looking forward to working with your children. Please do feel free to come and talk to us at any time. We will be delighted to see you.

Best wishes Katherine and Lyndsay.

Happy New Year!

Best wishes from

Anne-Marie and All the Team at Penmoor