During the year children, families and staff have enjoyed growing together.  Our relationships have developed, we have reached new milestones, discovered new interests and learned new skills. Over the past few weeks in the garden children have been supporting each other with challenging climbing: climbing the tree, the fallen log, the high beam, climbing up the rope swing to touch the girder and somersaulting over the bars.  It is recently that many children have been supported to develop the skill, confidence and dexterity to use the fire fighter pole. Conquering the fire fighter pole is a right of passage for many of our children at Rachel Keeling. Seeing children persevere, support each other, take risks and find their own way of doing something is such a privilege. When asked how it makes her feel, Hanifa said "It makes me feel so happy!" Inaaya added "When you do the fire fighter pole you have to be brave."
Yaseen told Syeda "It makes me feel happy. Happy ever after!"

Children are beginning to prepare their exhibits for the Rachel Keeling Annual Art Exhibition. Some sustained work has been taking place over the past few weeks: children have been supported to plan, design, make and develop their creations. Wood has been the selected material children have worked with, developing skills with tools such as hack saws, hammers, nails, hand drills, glue guns and the vice. Children have been stimulated and inspired using Nick Sharratt's 'You Choose' book to think about designs they would like to make. Amongst the incredible exhibits taking shape are hot air balloons, cars, photograph frames, buses, bikes and a grand piano! Children have demonstrated dispositions such as perseverance, problem solving (how do you get your balloon to float?), collaboration and resilience (when things fall apart, quite literally!) When creativity is nurtured and children are provided with the encouragement, inspiration and tools then beautiful things happen! Our Summer Exhibition is at 3.30pm on 8 July here at Rachel Keeling.