Levenhall Nursery School was placed first in the Nursery Category of the Eskmills Christmas Tree Decorating Competition. Several of the staff and pupils were able to attend the Carol Singing at Eskmills on Friday evening where the winners were announced. The tree and gold certificate are proudly displayed in the school. The prize of solar powered lights will be used for decoration in the nursery garden.
Preparations for Christmas continue in the school. Last week children from the school went to Strawberry Corner Garden Centre to choose Christmas Trees to be decorated and displayed in the playrooms. Later this week some of us are going to Levenhall Nursing Home to sing some of our Christmas Songs to the residents.

Preparations are well under way for Christmas in the Nursery School. Last Friday,
we held a very successful Christmas Fair which raised approximately £860 for the
school fund. There were a variety of stalls including children’s crafts made in nursery.
This week we have been busy making Christmas Tree decorations from recycled
materials as we are taking part in the Eskmills Christmas Tree Decorating Competition.
An amazing variety of hanging and chain type decorations have been made from all
sorts of things including corks, CDs, curtain rings, etc. On Thursday six children will
go, with their parents and Mrs McNeill (Headteacher), to Eskmills and decorate the six
foot tree provided by them. The result of the competition will be announced on Friday
at a Carol singing event to which everyone has been invited.

Levenhall Nursery pupils went to the Lickety Spit production of the Green Whale at the Brunton Theatre and prepared for this with lots of play about sea creatures and pirates. The pre school pupils have recently visited Pinkie school for a singalong with Miss Ireland the music teacher. They have met with the community policeman who tells them about his job and to promote safe places to play outdoors. Parents and carers will be joining the children for an Easter Fun Day. The adults will take part in activities with their children and will be great fun for all. There will be a Daffodil Tea for Marie Curie Cancer Care before Easter, when the Mini Pots of Care, which were planted by the children with daffodils, will be on sale.

At Levenhall Nursery School we are half way through our Dental Health Week. Carol Golightly (Oral Health Promoter) has visited the nursery to talk and tell stories about toothbrushing and looking after your teeth; she has given out toothbrushes,leaflets and other resources; and has advised parents about diet and good dental hygiene. Throughout the week the children have helped to prepare a variety of Good Dental Health Food for snack including lots of vegetables and fruit. As usual we visited our local fruit and veg market run by Roots and Fruits in the Musselburgh East Community Learning Centre to buy our supplies. Roots and Fruits also kindly donated 3 pieces of fruit for each child as part of this promotion. We have also introduced the Scottish Executive’ s Toothbrushing Initiative in nursery this week and every child now has their own toothbrush to brush their teeth every day during their nursery session.

As well as all of this we are celebrating Rabbie Burns’ Birthday with a Burns’ Supper! We will also be singing traditional songs and having a wee bit of a Ceilidh.

Looking ahead, the school is 30 years old this year. We are already gathering ideas from the parents and, of course, we will ask the children how they would like to celebrate this occasion!!

Ann Burton – Principal Teacher and Enterprise Coordinator