Reception- English- Create A Front Cover
During a literacy session, the Reception class embarked on a creative journey by selecting their very own favorite stories to explore in depth. After listening closely to the tales and discussing the vibrant illustrations, the children were tasked with designing their own unique front covers based on what they had seen and heard. This activity served as a fantastic workout for their fine motor skills, as they carefully manipulated their pens to bring their visions to life. Beyond the artistic effort, the project provided a wonderful platform for the children to communicate their personal interests, explaining why certain characters or scenes resonated with them. By translating auditory and visual information into their own tangible creations, they not only strengthened their early literacy comprehension but also gained confidence in expressing their individual identities.
Nursery / Pre-School - Literacy - Using Gross And Fine Motor Skills To Put The Fires Out
Oh no! The nursery was "on fire" this week, and our brave children jumped at the opportunity to act out their firefighter dreams to help save the day. This high-energy role-play was a fantastic way for the children to develop their communication and language skills as they worked together to shout "Help!" and "Fire!" To "put out the fires," the children used a variety of tools that provided a brilliant workout for their fine motor skills and hand strength. They practiced different movements to build up their muscles by squeezing spray bottles and sponges, pinching pipettes to drop water onto the "flames," and gripping paint brushes to "paint" water over the fire. It was wonderful to see the children so engaged in their mission. By using these tools, they are not only being heroic firefighters but also developing the essential coordination and strength needed for their future writing journeys!
Pre-School-P.E-Yoga
In P.E. last week, the children really enjoyed and engaged in our yoga session. It was a fun and energetic way to learn new skills using our bodies to develop both gross and fine motor skills. The children all tried their very best to achieve each yoga pose, using their upper body strength in some poses and lower body strength in others.
Reception- Literacy- Reading
Watching Reception children engage with guided reading books on a daily basis is like witnessing a series of small, brilliant light bulbs flickering on in real time. As the children transition from simply "reading" the pictures to decoding phonemes and blending sounds with growing confidence. This daily consistency is key; it transforms the daunting task of literacy into a predictable, rewarding adventure where high-frequency words become familiar friends. The magic lies in the structured support—by revisiting carefully leveled texts every day, children don't just improve their fluency, they build the "reading stamina" necessary for more complex stories. You can see their pride swell as they realize that the squiggles on the page carry meaning, turning every session into a significant milestone in their journey toward becoming independent readers.
Reception- Expressive Arts and Design- Sparking Creativity
In a vibrant burst of curiosity, the reception classroom transforms into a miniature botanical studio as children dive into the world of floral painting. By observing real-life flowers including tulips and daisies alongside vivid photographs, the children learnt to bridge the gap between nature and art, noticing the intricate patterns of a petal or the deep green of a stem. This hands-on exploration does more than just fill a page, it sparks their creative confidence as they experiment with color mixing—discovering how a dash of yellow transforms blue into the perfect leaf-green. Each brushstroke is a lesson in sensory play and fine motor development, allowing their imaginations to bloom as they translate the beauty of the physical world into their own unique, colorful masterpieces.
Nursery/Pre-School - Maths - Matching Shadows
This week, the children in Nursery and Preschool have been busy working in our classroom "Vets" to help identify hurt animals that need their care. The children entered a special "X-ray room" where they were challenged to look at images of animal shadows and bones. This activity focused on their observation skills and their ability to recognize shapes and properties. The children looked closely at the silhouettes to spot identifying features, such as a long tail, big ears, or a sharp fin. Using these visual clues, the children then had to search the veterinary clinic to find the matching animal. This task encouraged the children to use mathematical language to describe what they could see and to use comparison skills to link the 2D shadow to the 3D toy animal. It was a wonderful way to develop their problem-solving skills and attention to detail while engaged in purposeful role-play.
Nursery/Pre-School-Chinese New Year
This week in Nursery/Pre-School we have been celebrating Chinese New Year- The year of the horse. The children have really engaged in our chinese restaurant, cooking up some lovely chinese food from our chinese menus. The children have been learning new fine motor skills to help them when using the chopsticks to pick up the chinese foods. Children have also enjoyed creating and decorating chinese lanterns which are on display around our environment.
Reception- Maths- 1 More
The reception classroom buzzed with excitement as the children embarked on a cosmic mathematical journey, focusing on the concept of "one more" for numbers up to 10. Using a vibrant space rocket as their primary tool, the students took turns placing a digit in the rocket's window and then determining the next number in the sequence to launch their craft. It was wonderful to see them move beyond simple counting; they seamlessly retrieved their prior knowledge from previous lessons, demonstrating a solid understanding of how numerical values grow. By physically writing "one more" to the window, the children didn't just recite numbers—they applied their logic to bridge the gap between abstract counting and concrete addition, proving they are ready for even greater mathematical adventures.
Reception- Music- Teddy Bears Picnic
The Reception children hosted a Teddy Bears’ Picnic during music class this week. The children showcased their hard work by performing the classic song with enthusiastic hand gestures and impressive rhythmic timing. The atmosphere was heartwarming as each child sat proudly on their blanket alongside a "special guest" brought from home—ranging from well-loved, tattered bears to vibrant plush dinosaurs. To wrap up the lesson, the music transitioned into a peaceful background melody while the children shared a snack with their stuffed companions, perfectly blending musical education with a sweet moment of social bonding.
Nursery And Pre-School - PSHE - Valentine's Stay And Play
This week, Nursery and Preschool were delighted to host a special "Stay and Play" session, inviting the children's grown-ups into the setting to celebrate Valentine's Day together. The children took great pride in being "tour guides" for their visitors, showing their grown-ups their favorite areas to play and explaining their daily routines. This provided a wonderful boost to their confidence and communication skills as they shared their learning environment with their families. Throughout the session, the children engaged in various collaborative crafts, working side-by-side with their grown-ups to create Valentine-themed art. It was lovely to see the children interacting so positively with each other and their families, demonstrating their ability to share resources and work together on creative tasks. The morning was a beautiful celebration of the bonds between home and school, filled with happy faces and a wonderful sense of community.
Nursery And Pre-School - PSHE - Valentine's Stay And Play
This week, Nursery and Preschool were delighted to host a special "Stay and Play" session, inviting the children's grown-ups into the setting to celebrate Valentine's Day together. The children took great pride in being "tour guides" for their visitors, showing their grown-ups their favorite areas to play and explaining their daily routines. This provided a wonderful boost to their confidence and communication skills as they shared their learning environment with their families. Throughout the session, the children engaged in various collaborative crafts, working side-by-side with their grown-ups to create Valentine-themed art. It was lovely to see the children interacting so positively with each other and their families, demonstrating their ability to share resources and work together on creative tasks. The morning was a beautiful celebration of the bonds between home and school, filled with happy faces and a wonderful sense of community.
Nursery - Art - Valentine's Flowers
This week, the children in the nursery class have been busy creating beautiful vases of flowers as special Valentine’s gifts for someone they love. The project began with the children focusing on their mark-making skills to decorate their vases. Using a variety of tools, including dabbers and felt tips, they practiced their control and intentional design to make each vase unique and colorful. To create the flowers, the children engaged in a tactile sensory experience by painting their hands with bright red paint. They then carefully used handprints to represent the flowers growing from their vases. This activity was a wonderful way for the children to explore the properties of paint and see how they can use their own bodies to create art. The finished pieces are a lovely celebration of the children's creativity and the spirit of Valentine's Day!
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