12th - 16th December 2016

Date: 16th Dec 2016 @ 1:16pm

Another week down and it is hard to believe there is still one more week to go!!!  Saying that, the children have been doing amazingly well, even if the staff are now flagging a bit after a rather hectic and unexpected week at Woodlands.  The children have adapted really well to all the performances and inspections this week (which generally brought with them a bit of upheaval where hall space was concerned) but, as ever, we have made the best of a bad situation and muddled through.  The infants have loved having the opportunity to utilise the back room again, especially as it has meant we have been able to do a spot of outdoor experimenting with another batch of magic snow - this week's snow being in the form of shaving foam.  Eventhough it was a little on the messy side, it was worth it just to see the delight on the children's faces as they covered their hands with foam before chasing staff around the outdoor area in a very one-sided game of tag!

As well as the usual free play and general winding down, the children have enjoyed having their new wigwam to play in and have also joined in with a number of crafts this week including sparkly pine cones, crackers, Christmas wish wands and Christmas cards.  Next week we look forward to painting baubles as well as making some mince pies.

The juniors have also had a lot of upheaval to deal with in preparation for the yr 3 production but, again, have coped extremely well.  The addition of an indoor sport continues to be a hit with some of the more energetic children, indoor hockey becoming  a firm favourite amongst many.  Others have either opted to brave the weather and head outside or remain in the warm to do some arts and crafts or spend time in the ICT suite. 

It was lovely to invite our toddler group to play in the preschool room this week.  The toddlers were delighted to have access to the role play area as well as exploring the numerous draws full of construction toys, small world animals, trains, jigsaws and cars.  They were also able to paint, create masterpieces out of play dough, join in with some Christmas songs on the big screen and make a snowglobe at the art and craft table.  There were some obvious logistical issues that will need addressing in the future (such as access and nappy changing facilities etc.) but all in all we had a lovely time.  There is still one more toddler group to go before we finish for Christmas then we will be back to normal on 11th January in the infant hall.

Club will remain open until the last day of term, Friday's afterschool session starting at 2pm when school closes for the holidays.  We have explored a number of options where opening a club in the Christmas holiday is concerned but it just isn't viable and we also feel it important that our staff recharge their batteries so they are at their best ready for a new year full of fun and mayhem in 2017 - sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.