A wonderful year at Grace Dieu Manor Park Nursery & Charles Booth Pre-School

As the year draws to a close, we’ve been reflecting on what a truly magical and memorable year it has been at Grace Dieu Manor Park Nursery and Charles Booth Pre-School. From exciting celebrations to outdoor adventures and everyday learning, our children have embraced every opportunity to explore, create, and grow. 

One of our favourite highlights has been seeing the children bring stories to life in Forest School. Our “Room on the Broom” activities had children in both Upper and Lower Pre-School exploring the outdoors - collecting sticks, building and “riding” their brooms, searching for the witch’s hat, and mixing marvellous woodland cauldrons of leaves, stones, twigs, and berries. Similarly, inspired by The Busy Spider, they built spider webs and navigated through them, testing teamwork, coordination, and problem-solving skills in a fun, hands-on way.

Creativity has flourished throughout the year. From crafting stickmen treats, decorating festive crafts, to baking shortbread biscuits, the children have loved using their imagination while developing fine motor skills and independence. Our doctors’ role-play area proved a big hit, too, allowing Lower Pre-Schoolers to practise mark-making, dress up, bandage dolls and peers, and care for their “patients,” while Upper Pre-Schoolers explored football, dance, yoga, and even pizza-making. These activities not only encouraged creativity but also nurtured confidence, resilience, and teamwork.

This year has also been filled with meaningful celebrations. From Diwali, teaching kindness, sharing, and the triumph of light over darkness, to Easter egg hunts that promoted problem-solving and perseverance, to Remembrance Day, where our children reflected on bravery and gratitude, every occasion offered valuable life lessons. VE Day, Christmas, and our Nativity rehearsals brought joy, laughter, and a sense of community, while also helping children understand tradition, culture, and the importance of working together.

We have also celebrated milestones this year. Grace Dieu Manor Park Nursery marked its 3rd birthday with tea, cakes, music, and balloons, and Charles Booth Pre-School turned 5! These special moments allowed us to pause, appreciate our journey, and express our gratitude to families past and present for being part of our story. 

As we look back on a year full of laughter, learning, and magical memories, we are immensely proud of every child’s achievements and grateful for the dedication of our wonderful team. Here’s to more adventures, joy, and growth in the year ahead. Thank you for sharing this journey with us - we can’t wait to see what 2026 brings!