Head of School's Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
As many of our children prepare for their transition to primary school, we recognise that families want to do everything they can to help their child feel ready for Reception. However, school readiness can sometimes feel confusing, and we often assume you know more about starting school than you actually do.
Many parents/carers have not experienced school themselves for many years, some may never have attended school in the UK, and many have simply never been told what being “Reception ready” really means.
Setting clear expectations is therefore incredibly important. Being ready for school is not about being able to read and write perfectly or having the ideal pencil case. It is about developing the important life skills that help children settle, build relationships, become independent, and access learning confidently.
To support families, we would encourage you to explore the free Starting Reception guide, which offers a clear and practical definition of school readiness. It provides helpful information about the key skills children can practise at home, ideas for building confidence and independence, and guidance on where to access further support if needed.
We also encourage families to visit their child’s new school where possible. Attending open days, welcome events and transition sessions can help both children and parents/carers gain a better understanding of what a typical day in Reception looks like and why these early life skills are such an important foundation for future learning.
You can access the guide here:
https://startingreception.co.uk/
Reminders
Half Term - 26th (Bank Holiday) - 29th May
Inset Day - 19th June (School Closed)
Occasional Day - 22nd June (School Closed)
Sign of the Week
Toilet
Nursery Room
Book & Rhyme of the week
Nursery room will begin a new book called 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' written by Martin Waddell.
In this first immersion stage, the children will be exploring the story and beginning to understand new vocabulary.
Through this book, they will be:
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Learning about life cycles, especially how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.
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Exploring symmetrical patterns using butterflies and other shapes.
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Developing their fine motor skills by creating a caterpillar paper chain and other related crafts.
You can share the story at home by searching for “The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle” on YouTube and enjoying the video version of the story together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75NQK-Sm1YY
Willow Room
Book & Rhyme of the week
Willow room will begin a new book called 'Errol's Garden' written by Gillian Hibbs.
During this week’s immersion activities, the children will be:
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Designing and annotating garden plans, thinking carefully about what they would like to include.
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Looking closely at flowers and plants and deciding which ones they want to have in their own garden.
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Creating their very own miniature garden, using a range of natural and craft materials.
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Planting small seeds and observing how the flowers grow over time.
You can share the story at home by searching for “Errol’s Garden” on YouTube and enjoying the video together.
Conker Room
Book & Rhyme of the week
Conker room will continue their book called 'Jasper's Beanstalk' written by Nick Butterworth.
This week continues our learning from previous weeks. The children will be immersed in activities such as:
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Observing how far their beanstalks have grown and talking about the changes they can see.
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Drawing beanstalks using long pencil movements to develop their fine motor and mark-making skills.
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Looking closely at different plants and making observations about their shapes, colours, and how they grow.
You can share the story at home by searching for “Jasper’s Beanstalk” on YouTube and enjoying the video together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jemrWJX7xJo
Home Learning
Each Wednesday, the packs will be found outside main reception. There is a display to show you which group’s turn it is and a signing out folder for each pack.
These are to borrow and return the following Wednesday.
Groups for next week are:
Busy Fingers - Robin
Story Bags - Dormouse & Owl
Maths Pack - Woodpecker
Success Story of the Week!
Dear Parents,
This week we have been building scientific thinking in the Nursery. Focusing on noticing, predicting, and observing:
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Children compared what their plants looked like last week and this week, noticing changes in height, leaves, and colour.
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They made simple predictions: “I think my beanstalk will be taller than me,” or “The seed needs water and sun to grow.”
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They recorded what they saw by drawing pictures of their plants and talking to adults about their ideas.
Children are beginning to think like scientists—observing carefully, asking questions, and talking about what might happen next. This builds their language, curiosity, and confidence.
All absences must be reported to the school either by leaving an absence message or emailing admin@oeyc.herts.sch.uk, We politely ask that if you plan to take your child out during school time, you notify the Nursery office. For appointments, we ask where possible that these are not during the school day. If this is not avoidable, please kindly share the relevant information for this appointment in order for us to be able to authorise this. Regular attendance at Nursery is very important, as it helps children build the foundational knowledge and skills they will need as they move through school. Establishing good attendance habits now supports a smoother transition into primary school and helps ensure children develop positive routines that will benefit them throughout their educational journey. Thank you for your continued support in helping your child attend regularly and on time.
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