December 2023

14 Buckden Roundabout December 2023 Pre - School & cover competition Autumn term is always filled with significant dates. To mark Remembrance Day, this year, the children made red handprints, from which we created a wreath to lay at the war memorial in the churchyard. As the children returned to Preschool just before Halloween, our Book of the Week was ‘ What ’ s in The Witch ’ s Kitchen? ’ by Nick Sharratt. We provided golf tees that the children could bang into pumpkins with a hammer—not only good fun, but great for developing for hand/eye coordination. Our squashes were first used with wheelbarrows outside, encouraging imagi- native play, then brought inside to be scooped out with various utensils. These sensory experiences with natural resources promote descriptive language and fine motor skills. Chalks, chalk pens and black card were also available to create dra- matic firework pictures. We set up a Bonfire - Night - themed science and colour - mixing experiment too, with food colouring, vegetable oil and milk for creating magic fireworks. As always, the learning opportunities have focussed on the children ’ s current interests. We ’ ve provided a wooden fire house, figurines and fire engines in the small world play area, various cereals in the home corner kitchen, and a fresh selec- tion of puzzles and stacking games every week. Our reading book scheme has proved to be a big success and the children have loved taking books home to share. Of course, Christmas is our next major event. On 7 th December, families and carers will join us for our Christmas Fun Day, with Christmas crafts, singing, a ‘ bring and share ’ lunch, and maybe a surprise visitor! While we ’ re looking forward to this, we are not looking forward to saying goodbye to Miss Emily at the end of term. She will be moving to her next Level 3 placement to gain experience with a younger age group. We are so grateful for all the help she ’ s given us. The children will miss her as much as we will. We are also very grateful to Nisa for their continued support and donation of our snack items, and to Sally, Buckden ’ s librar- ian, for all her help. Thank you! We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! Find our updates on https://www.facebook.com/ www.buckdenpreschool.co.uk/ . For our current vacancies, admissions waiting list, and more information, visit www.buckdenpreschool.co.uk . To arrange a visit or apply for a place, call 01480 810600 or email buckden- preschool@yahoo.co.uk . For committee information, please contact buckdenpreschool- committee@gmail.com . Our Chairperson, Helen, or our Treas- urer , Debs, will get back to you . Ava Trattner Runner - up in the 7 and under category Carys Bucknell Runner - up in the 8 - 11 category Heather Greenway Runner - up in the adult category We were very pleased with the number and quality of entries. Sadly we had only one entry in the 12 - 18 category. However it was a good one and was selected as the overall runner - up. The judges (Alec MacAndrew and Ian Carter, the editors of the Roundabout) said this about the winning entry by Ella and Jack Bezant: “ We were impressed by the strong graphic quality and the inventiveness of this image, and were touched by the marks made by the artists ’ tiny feet ”. They said this about the runner - up (Nicky Gibbs) - “ A seasonal image with many elements both of Christmas and of Buckden, brought together thoughtfully, and beautifully executed ”. Well done to all entrants and in particu- lar to winners and runners - up.