Agroup of pre-Reception children are sitting in a circle at Ark Oval Primary Academy listening to the classic tale of three little owls sitting in a tree waiting for their mother to come home. Their expressions turn from concern to joy when the teacher turns the page to show the mother owl returning to the nest with food for her owlets.
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell is one of the first stories that children are introduced to during the stay-and-play sessions held before they start Reception.
‘What’s lovely about this book is that owl siblings Sarah, Percy and Bill feel worried and sad when mum leaves – but she comes back. It helps reinforce the message that while we say “goodbye” to our parents and carers in the morning, they will be back at the end of the day,’ explains Molly Devlin, early years network lead across Ark’s 39 schools, and head teacher of Ark Start, which runs onsite nurseries.
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