The Old School House Nursery & Pre School

This week in our Preschool Forest School session, we engaged in a range of activities all centred around Wind.

The children had great fun blowing their own bubbles and watching them float and drift away in the breeze. With close adult supervision, they also used saws to carefully cut their own sticks and create little sailboats. Using larger sticks, the children made colourful streamers and enjoyed watching them twist, turn and dance in the wind.

Alongside these activities, the children explored water play, using natural materials to mix and create their own imaginative potions.

It was a wonderful session filled with exploring, experimenting and creating. The children enjoyed learning through play while making the most of everything our outdoor Forest School area has to offer! ✨

We were so touched to receive this wonderful feedback from one of our Twos parents recently 💙

"We just wanted to send an email to say how incredibly impressed we are with the Otters team.

The team are absolute stars, and we couldn't be happier with everything they do for our son and how supportive they are of us as a family. They always make his sister feel so included too, which means a lot to us.

Our son absolutely adores Caragh, Ellie, Amna and Ella (as do we all!). They go above and beyond, especially with supporting his eczema, helping him with his potty training, and encouraging his interests. He was so excited to share his fossil with his friends the other week, and he loves telling us every time we drive past or visit Poole Park how he went there with his Otter friends.

He is learning and growing so much in this room, and it is so lovely to see. If it were up to us, he'd stay there for as long as possible!

We really do appreciate everything the Otters team—and everyone at the nursery—does for our son and for us as a family.”

A huge thank you to this lovely family for taking the time to share such kind words. 💙

We are incredibly proud of Caragh, Amna, Ellie and Ella and the whole Otters team for the care, dedication and enthusiasm they show every single day. Seeing children grow in confidence, develop new skills and create wonderful memories is exactly what Early Years is all about. 🦦✨

✨ Little Stars, Big Benefits! ✨

Did you know that even our youngest babies love getting involved in drama? 🎭💛

At The Old School House Nursery & Preschool, our baby drama sessions are all about exploring sounds, movement, music, stories, and imaginative play in a safe, nurturing environment. These fun experiences help little ones build confidence, develop communication skills, and strengthen their social and emotional development from the very start.

Every activity is carefully planned as part of our purposeful provision, ensuring that each invitation to play has a meaningful purpose. Whether it's discovering new textures, copying facial expressions, joining in with songs, or acting out simple stories, our babies are learning through joyful experiences that support their curiosity and development.

We believe that learning should be fun, engaging, and filled with opportunities to explore the world around them. Watching our little learners smile, laugh, and express themselves is one of the most rewarding parts of our day! 💕✨

🎭 Because every giggle, every movement, and every moment of imaginative play is helping to build the foundations for a lifetime of learning

Safe Sleep ✨

We're always looking for ways to enhance the safety and wellbeing of the children in our care.

As part of our ongoing commitment to safe sleep, we've upgraded from a camera monitor to a large TV display in our sleep room. This allows our team to have an even clearer, continuous view of our sleeping children.

Of course, this doesn't replace our regular physical sleep checks. Our practitioners continue to carry out frequent in-person checks in line with our safe sleep policy, ensuring every child is safe, comfortable, and sleeping soundly.

This new addition simply provides an extra layer of reassurance, helping us maintain the highest standards of care and giving families even greater peace of mind.

The safety of your little ones will always be our top priority. 💙💤✨

Communication Friendly Spaces ✨

A Communication Friendly space is a space for the children that encourages and promotes good communication. This approach focuses on the role of a space in supporting speaking and listening skills, emotional well-being, physical development and general engagement. It is a cosy safe space for the children to enclose themselves into, and engage in activities of their choice, so that they are able to really focus and concentrate.

This basket is only one of the many communication friendly spaces we have on offer to the children in our rooms. We love seeing the children get comfy, and engage in what they love. ✨

Bay Owls Sports Day! ✨

What an incredible Sports Day we had! ✨

A huge well done to all of our amazing little athletes who took part with such enthusiasm, determination, and lots of smiles. From running races to the egg and spoon race, every child showed fantastic effort and sportsmanship – we're so proud of each and every one of them!

A big thank you to all of our wonderful families for coming along to cheer the children on and help make the day so special. Your support means so much to us.

Finally, thank you to our dedicated staff for all their hard work in organising such a fun-filled event. It was a afternoon full of laughter, confidence-building, and unforgettable memories.

Well done, Bay Owls! We can't wait for next year's Sports Day! ✨

Tawny Owls Sports Day! ✨🏅

This morning, our Tawny Owls had a fantastic time taking part in their annual Sports Day! The children showed so much enthusiasm, determination, and teamwork as they participated in a variety of exciting races, including a running race, an egg and spoon race, and hurdles.

It was wonderful to see everyone cheering each other on and celebrating each other's achievements. Every child gave their best effort, and it was lovely to watch their confidence and enjoyment shine throughout the morning.

The fun didn't stop there—the parents got involved too! We held a Mum and Dads race, which brought lots of laughter, smiles, and friendly competition. The children loved watching and cheering on their grown-ups!

A huge thank you to all of our families for coming along to support the children and helping to make the morning so special. It was such a lovely event, full of fun, encouragement, and happy memories for everyone involved. Well done, Tawny Owls!

Bring on Bay Owls Sports Day!✨

🌟 A Huge School Readiness Achievement! 🌟

Sometimes, the biggest achievements aren't learning to write your name or count to 20—they're the moments that show just how much children have grown socially and emotionally.

Yesterday, one of our Preschool children showed incredible independence and problem-solving skills. She had been sitting on a stool during an activity and briefly walked to the other side of the table to collect something she needed. When she returned, another child had sat in her chair.

She calmly explained that she had been sitting there. When the other child was hesitant to move, she independently thought of a solution. She collected another chair, brought it over and kindly said, "This chair is for you, so you can have your own chair."

What a fantastic example of communication, conflict resolution, empathy and independent thinking.

At our nursery, our School Readiness Programme is about so much more than letters and numbers. We work hard to help children develop the confidence, resilience and social skills they need to thrive at school and in everyday life. Through everyday experiences like this, children are encouraged to think independently, communicate their feelings and work together to find positive solutions.

The best part? At the end of the day, she was so proud of herself that she couldn't wait to tell her parents what had happened. Her parents were equally thrilled to share the story with us, making the achievement even more special.

We are incredibly proud of moments like these. They may seem small, but they represent huge milestones in a child's personal, social and emotional development. 💛

Did you know our baby rooms are a shoe-free zone? ✨

At our nursery, this is something we feel really strongly about, as it reflects how much thought we put into every detail of our environment.

Our babies spend a large part of their day on the floor — crawling, rolling, stretching, and exploring. These early movements are so important for their physical development, helping to build strength, coordination, and confidence as they grow.

That’s why we’ve created a warm and welcoming space with a thick, soft grey carpet throughout our baby rooms. It provides a comfortable, cushioned surface for little hands and knees, making it a lovely place for babies to move, play, and explore safely. It also helps create a calm and cosy atmosphere where children can feel settled and secure.

Keeping our rooms shoe-free helps us maintain this clean, soft environment, ensuring it remains a safe and nurturing space for every child. It’s just one of the many ways we support children’s development and wellbeing in everything we do. ✨

Happy Friday! ✨🫧