Cait

whoops!

Does that mean you did?

I wonder, could I print this out and use it for a reference?

That's what I was meaning! Tee hee

I do everything in the washing machine and they're fine. Bricks go in pillowcases with the tops double tied. Remember not to put detergent in with the painting pinnies or they lose waterproof-ness

Hi, do you mean additional people who just come in peripatetically, or utilising additional talents of staff?

We got a lot of cakes this year. Boxes of 2, 4, and even 6 cupcakes each. Seems to be more popular than boxes of chocolates. Is this a local thing, or a national trend?

 

Oh no.....if you are baking and have set up the roof slide I am there :lol: :lol:

Well that's ok then. Got lots of Pimms ready too

I wonder how our lovely Cait is feeling - have you finished yet?

Ref Cait - she isn't 'completely retiring' - she is going back for at least part of the autumn term - sure she will be along sometime soon to enlighten us all :1b

That's right. I retired as Manager last Friday, got a lovely engraved vase and flowers and loads of cards and gifts. I'm back in next year on Tuesday and Thursday mornings till Christmas to help with ratio as they are so busy, and to do some admin. Then from Christmas to Easter, just going in on Tuesday mornings, then that's it. They will let me know if they don't need me if children are off

wot....we not going to Caits again....got my wellies and thermals all ready

Oh come on peeps! I was counting on it!!!! I've got time for baking this year! I've dusted and everything. Got the sledges out ready for the roof slide. GUTTED!

Hi Beeching. There are a couple of useful forms on the Forum as it's one of those things we discuss from time to time. I used a couple of these myself, alternating them as they are slightly different. If you do a search of the forum you should find them. If you can't find anything, pop back and I'll find them for you

Thank you all for your generous and kind words. You have all supported and helped me too and I am proud to call you friends. I often quote you all and show off your planning and other forms so that we can trial, amend and discuss at staff meetings. I'm really grateful to you all, and I don't plan to go anywhere! I'll still be here reading all your posts and sticking my two-pennyworth in!

We would do one of your daily activities over a whole week, revisiting for some, and visiting just once or twice for others. As Suer says, some children only attend two afternoons a week, so would miss a lot if we tried to do it differently each day.

It seems to be one of those perennial problems, and one we often struggled with earlier on too, until we unravelled it a bit.

Planning for children's interests is a much 'smaller' thing than we were struggling with. So, say you are broadly covering the next steps of exploring colours with the group, you paint dinosaurs or princess dresses etc. Just use something that they have an interest in to help make the learning relevant.

So you don't need to rewrite all your planning, just make notes about how you are approaching something for each child.

Happy retirement Cait. I hope you'll have more time for adventures of the the flying helmet and celery kind from now on! Whatever else you get up to, be sure to stop by and let us all know! :1b

Is that with the whisk as well? Hehe

Awwwww! Thank you both! How very, very kind.

We didn't have any, but after reading through an Ecers a few years back, I brought in a couple of old ones from our loft, and some Action Man dolls too. They were an immediate hit! The girls quite often brought their own barbies in, but were reluctant to share, so this meant that they could play easier. They don't come out a lot, they have phases on them, but they are there if they want them.

Jocrow, another very useful piece of work! Thank you

It looks really good!

P.S. did I get this completely wrong - are you returning to 'help out' in September?

Yes, just on Tuesday mornings for a bit to help with ratios and do some joint admin

Hahaha. Well done!

Ooh that was my 8888th post! Haha!

Hi jocrow, if you click on 'more reply options' you get a screen that has an area where you can attach a file. You browse, find it and then click on attach to post (I think it is) and there you are. Quite simple. Have a go!

Well fingers crossed. We can always hope!

How's your list looking, Sunnyday?

Mine is going to be showing how to do all the summer jobs on the list I made last year! It's also going to be nice to be able to have time to do other things as well for a change.

Well, here we go, done a spot of tidying and decided to do a washload. Got everything in the machine and the liquid and softener and went to switch it on. Nothing. Sigh. Checked I had switched the switch the right way, yes. Must be the fuse. Out into the garage to find a fuse, dismantled the plug, luckily not a sealed unit. Changed the fuse, plugged it in, still nothing. Ok, could be a duff fuse, did it again, still nothing. I go and stroke the machine gently, mourning its demise, when I notice that somebody has switched off the button on the front, that I never do - I switch it off at the wall. Somebody being a bit helpful, sigh. So, I switch it on, and off it goes on it's merry way.

I hope this isn't going to be a foretaste of things to come!