School News

Hi!

On Thursday 18th March parents and staff met to discuss Montessori provision for children over the age of 4 years old.

Among issues discussed were the drawbacks of targets for children at 5 years old as currently dominate the New Early Years Foundation Curriculum. Parent, Lisa (Oscar and Alice), found email literature on the Open EYE campaign that you might also be interested in and via this you can look at a thought provoking film or just go to:

We went over how the Montessori curriculum covers and extends the principles and cognitive development of the New Early Years Foundation Curriculum.

Parents enquired about what gaps in opportunity there could be if their child remains in the relatively small peer groups here as opposed to the 30+ groups of children of the same age who can benefit from shared team games and such like. We talked about how we can still work on a range of skills here, how we will try out further collaborations between the groups. Children and parents may also be able to recommend out of school groups for some specialist interests such as football, martial arts, dance, extended music and much more.

We outlined our practice on Information Technology.

Some parents are interested in Morning Only schooling and would like to collaborate with other parents and teachers to consider how Home Schooling can compliment the Montessori morning.

An information pack about Montessori Education for children over 4 and about our new Montessori Home Schooling initiative can be picked up from the office. We can easily set up a meeting with your child’s class teacher or you are welcome to discuss any other queries with me.

Best wishes

Daisy

Brighton and Hove Montessori Fundraiser

Do you know your Semillon from your Sangoivese?

Sample a selection of award winning wines, test your taste buds and maybe win a prize.

Friday 26th March at 8pm

14 Railway Street, Brighton, BN1 3PF

Email : ruth at gardenasylum dot com

£15 donation which includes wine and nibbles.

Advanced tickets only - Places go fast so please contact us soon

We're participating in Sainsbury's Active Kids 2010 and Tesco’s for Schools and Clubs. This presents a fantastic opportunity to collect vouchers for a range of additional equipment and experiences that gives our children the opportunity to learn new skills.

This year, we want to take full advantage of these schemes and hope we can count on your support!

You can collect Active Kids vouchers from Sainsbury's until 8 June and collect Tesco for schools and clubs vouchers until 9 May. You'll receive one voucher for every £10 spent.

The teachers have created a wish list and we are collecting for gardening and outdoor play equipment for the children.

So please remember to collect your vouchers and donate them to us and help spread the word to friends, colleagues and neighbours that we're collecting! Every voucher is greatly appreciated, and with your help we're looking forward to a great year.

The Home-School association (with help from Laura-Alisa) have organised a school trip for the Otters and Pandas to Coombe Farm, Lancing on 24 March. This trip is also being funded by the Home-School Association.

The children will be traveling to the farm by coach, leaving school at 9.30am, and returning to school at 3pm. At the farm the children will have a tractor ride tour of farm, they will talk with the farmer about the farm, and will have the chance to look at the sheep and cows, and spend some time with the new lambs. You can find out more about the farm at www.coombes.co.uk.

All children will need a packed lunch, drink, and warm clothes. Coombe farm is a working farm, not a farm park. It will be COLD up on the hills- please make sure your children have coats, hats, gloves, and scarves. Please also expect your children to get muddy, and make sure that they wear wellies.

If you would like your child to join this trip please complete the permission slip that your child should have received from school, and return it to your childs teacher as soon as possible. There will not be any costs involved to parents, as the HSA is funding the trip.

We will also need 8 parent volunteers to help on the day. While school is ultimately responsible for the children’s welfare, volunteers will be caring for three children each, including their own. While we are grateful for all offers of help with HSA events, if you do not feel confident about doing this, then please don’t volunteer for this activity. There are lots of other HSA events we need help with! Also, please don’t volunteer if you are, or might be, pregnant. Thank you.

The friends of Blackers Park are having a spring clean on Sunday 21st March to clean up the park. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated:

• Sweep the paths so the rollerbladers and skateboarders can show off their skills again
• Dogs of the park gather to clean up your mess
• Find the rubbish that has been left to rot
• Clean the benches ready for the summer
• Get together with your community and neighbours and have coffee and cake with friends
• Learn about the nature in the park
• Kids claim your certificate for participating and prize for completing the park quiz

Please bring gardening/thick gloves and brooms if you have them.

For more information or offers of help call Mel (15 Cleveland Road) on 07973 341559 or Dominique on 07772 040733