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It was a challenging time as we picked our way through local waves of Covid and we began to emerge back into a ‘new normal’ with some exciting news! After many delays due mainly to the pandemic, we were finally been able to start our Forest School sessions for the Pre-School children.
The Forest School training for Charlotte in Pre-School moved to its practical stage prior to completion and the children were been out and about on the Lancing College estate. They – and we – were also thrilled to see our fabulous, brand-new Forest School learning space in our field behind the nursery take shape and it is starting to be used for outdoor learning experiences. We hope to have a formal opening early in the summer term so that our nursery community can see for themselves what a wonderful new addition this will be for the older children. Training for another member of staff will start soon so that we can extend our Forest School provision later in the year.
Our first official Forest school activities began with a chilly exploration of the Lancing College fields, trying to spot mini-beasts and creatures in the woodland area. The children found worms, spiders and a woodlouse and used magnifying glasses and their bug viewer pots to have a closer look. They also found some animal homes in the bank – rabbit holes we think. They found a molehill and saw a Grey Heron on their way back to nursery.
Following a rare sighting of what we believe may have been a Peregrine Falcon on our Forest School field, the children decided to explore other types of wildlife that may live in the woods nearby. They created models of their favourite animals such as rabbits, hedgehogs and squirrels using clay, twigs and wood chippings. The children then discovered some logs behind the shelter and using careful planning, teamwork and cooperation they moved them to form a giant bird’s nest!
We celebrated Chinese New Year and National Storytelling week with tigers very much on our minds. Across the nursery, the children celebrated the 'Year of the Tiger' through a variety of sensory experiences, food tasting and stories.
Our Pre-school weekly cooking workshops also got underway. These provide children with the opportunity to develop life skills and independence and to learn about the importance of healthy eating. They began by making cheese and sun-dried tomato bread rolls. The children enjoyed measuring, pouring and kneading their dough before lining the baking trays and rolling their special buns ready for cooking! They were joined by our new chef, Lesley, on Pancake Day and had a wonderful time mixing pancake batter and eating the delicious pancakes.
World Book Day is always a popular event and to mark its 25th anniversary, we launched our Little Lancing lending library to encourage our children’s love of books and reading. Children and families are invited to borrow a book to read and enjoy together at home, as well as donate books and other reading materials for others to share.
We’ve certainly come a long way in just under three years and we are now well-established with a growing reputation for excellence in our local area. The nursery numbers continue to increase with 128 children on roll. We will, slightly sadly, say goodbye to some 29 children this summer, as they leave us for their next step in their educational journey at Reception level in primary schools. This will enable the younger children to transition up into their next rooms and we are already at the stage where we will be almost full to capacity on most days with the number of new starters joining us in September. It is also pleasing to be welcoming so many younger siblings to our baby room. Time certainly flies at Little Lancing!