Happy New Year!!

Date: 25th Jan 2019 @ 6:47am

OK, so it is almost February and it is possibly a little too late to wish you happy new year but ... ‘Happy New Year’!!!

I have to start by addressing our changes in staff which has taken a bit of getting used to.  As some of you are aware, Mrs Donoghue is now working in Foxes as a HLTA so simply isn’t able to commit to club as well (not logistically possible) so has had to step down from her role as play leader and toast maker extraordinaire! As sad as we are to see her go we are thrilled that she has been given such a great opportunity down in Foxes and we wish her all the best (and hope she will return to us one day!)  Adam has come to join us on a more regular basis and you will also get used to seeing Diane and Elaine join us from time to time.  We also have a couple of Whitby High students doing work experience with us over the next 2-3 months who have gone down great with the kids so I hope you can see that we have all bases covered (but we do miss you Mrs D!!)

Having been back for nearly 3 weeks children have already enjoyed playing with some new resources (by request), have taken part in a number of ‘seasonal’ arts and craft activities and have enjoyed a healthy start to 2019 by joining in with both football and gymnastics which have gone from strength.  Sadly, we have had to put dodge ball on hold this half term due to lack of interest (and I think that you'll agree - just 1 child playing dodgeball by themselves kind of defeats the object!)

Our first week back was based on 'New Year' where we made new year hats and cards and talked about our new year wishes and aspirations – resulting in a number of infants aspiring to be unicorns by 2020!  Children also shared wishes for their club which resulted in a rather long shopping list for me.  I think we have just about got the majority of things requested although Lego Avengers was a little over our budget!!

Our favourite new items have to be the white boards (including a large ‘teachers’ board) and the children literally sit for hrs in after school club playing … you guessed it … school!!

Over on the juniors, children have been treated by staff to a number of new games as well as obtaining footballs, skipping ropes and hoops resulting in another healthy and active start to the new year.

Last week saw the start of our ‘snowy’ themed crafts with staff bravely opening the polystyrene balls to make snow-globes (and I am pleased to say that the majority of polystyrene balls did actually make it as far as the snow globes before going up the hoover!)  We also made some beautiful snowflake bracelets which lead to another item going on our wish list as the children discovered a new found love for all things ‘threadable’!  This week saw the creation of ‘Melting Snowman Cookies’ (even if they did resemble Angry Birds), winter colouring and winter window art.

Next week we are having a complete change as we celebrate Australia Day so, weather-wise, we will be going from one extreme to the other!

Toddler group had a slow start after Christmas, but word seems to be getting around and numbers are now picking up again.  Having lost a lot of our regulars to 'big school' we are pleased to be able to welcome a new generation of toddlers and I can't wait to unveil some new tricycles this coming Wednesday!

February brings with it Chinese New Year and Valentine’s day so there will be a lot of crafts based on the 'Year of the Pig' followed by a couple of weeks of 'Love and Friendship'. Squeezed into that we have our February Half Term Holiday club which will be based on ‘The Wild West’ and include activities such as Cowboy Puppets, Totem Poles, Bows and Arrows, Rodeo Cakes, Canoes, Totem Poles, Tepees, Sheriff Hats. Held at Whitby Heath Primary School it promises to be a fun week.

We are also pleased to introduce our new and improved sports course over at Christ Church this half term which is offering some weird and wonderful sporting activities that can’t be missed.  Further information is available online and leaflets will be on their way to your child’s class over the next week or so.