Reaching high for the best for your child

This morning, we had the pleasure of welcoming the Mayor of Stevenage, Councillor Sandra Barr and her daughter the Mayoress, Louisa Barr to our Nursery. We were lucky enough to be the first school that the Mayor and Mayoress has visited since being appointed in their new roles. Our visitors commented on the children’s exemplary behaviour, we were so proud of our Nursery children. 

The children thoroughly enjoyed listening to a story chosen by the Mayor, ‘In a Minute Mum’. We were delighted when the Mayor gave us a copy of her favourite story, to share at Nursery!  

At Fairlands, we have used the catch up funding to invest in high quality picture books that the children have enjoyed sharing with their parents, at home. We have also invested in books with matching resources to promote a love of reading and promote language and vocabulary.  

During the pandemic, children engaged well with our remote learning offer but we understand the importance of children spending time with their peers to develop their communication and language skills and social interactions. Many of the children have benefitted from the additional small group interventions, since returning to school. Interventions included Early Talk Boost and Nuffield Early Language Intervention. The NELI programme helps children to make excellent progress, for some children this can be an additional 4+ months.  

Finally, we shared the creativity our staff team have shown throughout the pandemic and the first hand opportunities that have been planned for the children returning to school from hatching chicks to the Big School Camp, which will be taking place at the end of the Summer term. The Nursery children invited the Mayor and Mayoress to meet our chickens. The children explained so articulately how they have watched the eggs hatch into chicks, this will support their transition to Reception in September where they will continue to care for them. 

We would like to thank the Mayor and Mayoress for visiting and look forward to welcoming them to our school in July, for the school raffle!