Westminster School Highlights - November 29, 2024

Important Reminders and Updates

Safety First

Please remember to close the gate securely behind you when entering or leaving the premises. For safety reasons, kindly ensure you do not let others in; if someone needs access, they should use the buzzer. This helps us keep all our children safe.

Christmas Holidays

Our Christmas holidays will begin on 24th December and reopen on Friday 3rd of January. For fully funded children we are closed Monday 23rd Dec and reopen 6th of January. Please make a note of this in your diaries, and we’ll provide further updates as the holidays approach.

Christmas Lunch for the Children

We’re excited to let you know that our special Christmas lunch for the children will take place on 20/12/24. It’s always a lovely celebration, and we’ll share more details soon.

Preschool

Phonics

This week, the children were full of excitement as they explored the letter of the week, “L.” With lively songs, creative tracing activities, and hands-on games, they practiced identifying the letter and its sound. Circle time was a hit as they searched for objects starting with “L”—like leaves and lions—sparking curiosity and joy!

Excursion to Tate Britain Museum

Our trip to Tate Britain was an absolute highlight! The children were mesmerised by the beautiful artworks, and their creativity was sparked as they tried out painting techniques inspired by the exhibits. Along the way, they also collected autumn leaves, linking art and nature in a truly magical experience. This outing combined creative expression, art appreciation, and seasonal exploration—a perfect mix of fun and learning!

Understanding the World

The children’s imaginations soared as they embarked on an incredible journey through space, discovering the seven planets in our solar system! Captivated by stories about the stars, they also created stunning planet- and star-themed crafts. Our adventure continued closer to Earth as we explored South America, chatting about its landmarks and geography—broadening their understanding of our amazing world.

Mandarin

This week in Mandarin, the children explored fascinating sky- and weather-themed words such as 天空 (sky), 星星 (star), 月亮 (moon), 云 (cloud), 风 (wind), 雨 (rain), and 雷 (thunder). They loved connecting these new words to their surroundings, using them in play and even forming simple sentences. It’s been a wonderful way to learn language while sparking cultural curiosity.

Mathematics

Our budding mathematicians have been hard at work mastering their numbers! Using colourful beads, blocks, and other fun materials, they practiced recognising numbers, counting objects, and grouping them. These activities made learning math an adventure full of excitement and discovery.

Personal, Social, and Emotional Development

The excitement is truly in the air as preparations for our first-ever nativity play begin! The children have started rehearsing their roles, singing songs, and practicing movements. This activity is building teamwork, confidence, and a sense of pride as they work together to create something magical.

Looking Ahead

Next week, we’ll dive into winter and Christmas-themed Mandarin vocabulary, introducing seasonal words to the children’s growing repertoire. In phonics, we’ll review the letters “u” “b” “l,” and “f,” helping the children build confidence as they connect sounds to shapes.

Blue Dragons

Mandarin-Sky

We learned the Mandarin words for Dolphin (海豚) and Pink (粉色), blending cultural learning into the fun!

South America: Pink River Dolphin Adventure!

This week, the Blue Dragons discovered another incredible animal from South America—the fascinating Pink River Dolphin! The children were enchanted by this unique creature and took part in a variety of creative activities inspired by it. To add a special touch. We learned the Mandarin words for Dolphin (海豚) and Pink (粉色), blending cultural learning into the fun!

Pink Play Dough Fun

After meeting our dolphin friend, the children dove into some sensory play, using pink play dough to shape dolphins, including their fins and tails. This creative activity supported fine motor development while letting their imaginations swim freely!

Painting and Counting Dolphins (Math)

Next, we combined art and math by painting dolphins pink and counting them on printed sheets. The children practiced number recognition and counting in both English and Mandarin (1 to 3). This vibrant activity added a splash of colour to their learning while reinforcing early numeracy skills.

Amazon Jungle Adventures

The excitement continued with an Amazon-themed obstacle course! The children crawled through tunnels, hopped between bricks like they were navigating forest paths, and leapt onto pillows to discover hidden Amazon animals along the way. They were thrilled to identify creatures like jaguars and toucans, building their physical coordination and sparking curiosity about the rainforest. It was an action-packed jungle adventure!

Our partnership with Little Village

As an early years education and childcare institution, we put great value on helping children in need.

This is why we partnered with Little Village, an organization that helps babies and young children living in poverty all across London.

Want to help children in need? Donate to Little Village below!

Baby Room

This week in the Baby Room, we've had a wonderful time engaging in a variety of activities that have supported the babies' growth, development, and learning.

It’s been a week filled with excitement, discovery, and plenty of sensory exploration!

South American Culture Through Sensory Play

This week, our Baby Dragons had so much fun continuing their journey into South American culture! They created bright and colourful feather collages inspired by tropical birds, exploring all sorts of textures. It was a fantastic way to get creative and work on their fine motor skills at the same time.

Circle time

During circle time, we sang “Rainforest Dreams” together and practised the Makaton sign for “sorry”. It was such a lovely way to support their language and communication skills while having lots of fun. The children were really engaged and curious, making it a wonderful week of learning and discovery!

Puppet Show with South American Animals

Our babies were delighted by a special puppet show featuring South American animals! They loved watching the puppets come to life, introducing them to creatures like jaguars, sloths, and parrots.

South American Sensory Exploration

The babies also enjoyed a sensory bin activity inspired by South America, filled with sand, water, and greenery. This hands-on experience encouraged them to explore different textures, sparking curiosity and promoting sensory development.

Parenting in the age of AI

Are you curious to learn about how modern technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), can positively or negatively impact parenting in this day and age?

If so, you might be interested in subscribing to our CEO’s blog on Parenting in the Age of AI.

Check out his blog here!