Preschool News: Term 1 Week 8

Hello everyone,

It’s been another whirlwind of events in preschool this week with children showing interest and involvement in storytelling, and Lida has been supporting this with ongoing engagement in dramatisation and puppet play. Through creating props, retelling familiar stories, and performing for their peers, the children explored narrative, expression, and collaboration in meaningful ways. These experiences support the development of language, confidence, and the ability to share ideas within a group context.

We also acknowledged both Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, and Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan for Muslim families. Our Nowruz table display sparked curiosity, with children closely observing and discussing the symbolic items. In addition we learnt about Eid, offering a meaningful opportunity for children to learn about celebration, generosity, and community. Engaging with these cultural events supports children to develop a sense of belonging and respect for diversity, allowing children to connect with and contribute to their world, as they begin to understand and appreciate different perspectives, traditions, and ways of being.

During Summer Hill Day, we explored the wider school environment, visiting classrooms and observing the variety of activities available. While the children showed curiosity about these spaces, many expressed a clear preference for returning to preschool. This reflects a growing sense of belonging and security within our environment, as well as increasing confidence in navigating both familiar and new spaces.

Throughout the week, small groups of children visited shared areas including the library, and the Blue Umbrella space. The library offered a new environment for shared reading and quiet engagement with books, while spending time in St Elmos was an opportunity for children not in TBU to experience what it’s like.

Music on Monday continued to be a highlight, with children actively participating in singing and rhythm-based experiences, strengthening their sense of connection and
group participation.

Daily group times were an important part of our rhythm. Children are offered a choice of two or three small group experiences, supporting agency and decision-making.
Across the week, we have continued to follow the children’s interests, supporting their engagement, confidence, and growing independence in both familiar and new
environments.

From week 9, we will be making a small change to our end of day routine to support children’s safety. At 3:00pm, educators will wait with children inside preschool and only support them to leave once their parent or authorised adult has arrived, rather than children moving out to meet families independently.

We understand that parking and construction can make pick up challenging, and we will continue to approach this with flexibility. However, as part of our licensing requirements, preschool hours are 9:00am to 3:00pm, and we ask that children are collected as close to 3:00pm as possible. If this is difficult to manage regularly, you may wish to explore options such as enrolling in The Blue Umbrella, Currambena’s OOSHC service.

Thank you for your support in helping us ensure a safe and calm end to the day.

Warmly,
Katrina, Lisa, Meeta and Lida.