My Under 5

Fitness, fun and fundamental skills

On Thursday 21 September, the children from Jellybabies Nursery took part in the most active day of the year: National Fitness Day, which encourages the whole of the UK to celebrate the fun of fitness and physical activity. They enjoyed a range of activities, testing out a variety of new and challenging physical play activities both indoors and outdoors.

The week also included some fun balancing activities as part of Balance Awareness week. A fundamental skill, balance is necessary for maintaining controlled positions, such as sitting in a chair or engaging in physical activities like running or riding a bike. Having balance makes motor skill development easier, reduces the risk of injury and helps children focus on academic tasks.

At the end of the week, the children were presented with a ‘Well Done’ certificate for participating in these events!

Total teamwork and dedication

In September, Park Hill Nursery Ltd in Devon celebrated the 15-year tenure of two dedicated members of the Park Hill team – a fantastic achievement that’s testament to their collective passion and commitment to children’s early education.

Heidi Burton, owner and manager of Park Hill Nursery, said: “Congratulations to Tracey and Laura for achieving 15 years working at Park Hill Nursery. They have both been absolutely wonderful team members over the last 15 years, always showing me such dedication and support.

“I would like to say a massive thank you to both for all that you do in nursery and at home in preparation for the day. I hope you enjoy treating yourselves with your Pandora voucher!”

Rosh Hashanah-ready

Children at Yeladenu Preschool, Muswell Hill, had a busy week preparing for Rosh HaShanah, or the first Jewish New Year celebration out of four, which kicks off the cycle of autumnal religious festivals! They spent the week making honey pots, honey cakes, and shofars, culminating in a trip to the ‘Bee Lady’ at the end of the week to see how honey is made.

It sounds like a very bee-usy, fun week of learning and creating!

Simply outstanding

Buttercups Nursery Chalfont Park in London has been rated Outstanding again by Ofsted – their third Outstanding since opening in 2012! The nursery in Chalfont St Peter has gone from strength to strength and is now so popular with local families that there’s a long waiting list for a place.

Nursery head Sam Renshaw believes that this success is due to the hard-working and caring team coupled with Buttercups’ philosophy of child-led learning: “The children are allowed to set the pace, with their natural curiosity driving their learning.”
The Ofsted inspection cited the benefits of this approach, saying that “children flourish and succeed in this exceptional nursery” and describing children as “incredibly independent”.

As well as Montessori, the nursery has a secret forest school area, gardens filled with play equipment, and offers additional activities such as French, football and Science Club – all of which introduce Buttercups children to a wide range of learning experiences.

What's been happening in your setting?
The team at Under 5 want to know! To share your good news, success stories, and fun events with us, please email editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk with the subject line ‘My Under 5’.