Reception- Maths- 2D shapes
In Reception the children have been constructing a christmas tree design using a hands-on opportunity to recognise and name simple 2D shapes. They applied the taught language of the shapes properties to a purposeful task. As the children selected shapes for their tree, they actively used mathematical vocabulary to justify their choices. They intuitively understood that a triangle—which has "three straight sides" and "three corners"—was the most appropriate shape for the main foliage, while a rectangle—having "four straight sides" and "four corners," with two pairs of uneven sides—was correctly chosen for the tree trunk. The children showed their understanding of 2D shapes being flat and defined by the number of sides and corners they possess, turning a fun craft project into a solid mathematics lesson.
Reception- Independent Learning
This week we have had a Christmas-themed activities in the Reception class promoting all the learning that has taken place over the last few months. Showing off our skills in independent learning across the seven areas of learning. During the pom-pom pattern activity, children were intrinsically motivated to continue and extend complex sequences entirely on their own, demonstrating self-regulation and problem-solving skills without direct adult input. At the magnetic letter station, the goal was to locate and build CVC words hidden within Christmas vocabulary, encouraged independent decoding, phonological awareness, and self-correction as they worked through trial and error to form the correct words. We also had the task of telling a Christmas story by intentionally incorporating mathematical language (such as "more than," "less than," "equal to," and using ordinal numbers like "first," "second") required the children to independently connect two different concepts—narrative and numeracy—showcasing their ability to apply abstract concepts creatively.
Nursery - Music - Christmas Songs
This week, our music lessons centered around seasonal exploration through our Christmas Song Bag. This activity was highly engaging and encouraged early decision-making and participation. The children thoroughly enjoyed the element of surprise and choice, taking turns to select an item from the bag, which prompted a new seasonal song. They have been enthusiastically learning the new songs and the actions that pair with them. This activity successfully develops memory skills, listening and attention, and rhythm, all while building their confidence in singing and moving in response to music.
Important Update: Breakfast Club Bookings Moving to Arbor!
????️ Important Update: Breakfast Club Bookings Moving to Arbor! Dear Parents/Guardians, We are excited to announce that all bookings for Breakfast Club will be moving to the Arbor platform immediately after the Christmas break! This change will make the booking process much smoother and more efficient for everyone. Key Information: Bookings Now Open: The full Spring Term is now available to book through Arbor. Limited Spaces: Please note that we have a limited number of spaces available for Breakfast Club. We strongly encourage you to log in and book your required sessions as quickly as possible to secure your child's spot! ???? Getting Started with Arbor If you are not yet familiar with the system, please take some time over the holiday period to familiarise yourself with the Arbor platform. For easy access, please remember that the Arbor App is available to download on both iOS and Android devices. ⚠️ Login Support Existing Users: If you have used Arbor before but are having trouble logging in, you can simply click the 'Forgot Password' link to regain access. Need Help? If you encounter any problems logging into your account, please do not hesitate to contact me during the holiday period for assistance. We appreciate your cooperation as we transition to this new booking system.
Pre-School-Decorating The Christmas Tree-Gross And Fine Motor Skills
We officially kicked off the festive season today by decorating our classroom Christmas tree! The children absolutely loved getting into the Christmas spirit. This wasn't just fun, though—it was a fantastic workout for their physical skills: Gross Motor Skills: The children used their large muscle groups, stretching high onto their tiptoes and reaching their arms wide to carefully wrap the tinsel around the whole tree. Fine Motor Skills: Great care and concentration were needed to grasp the delicate baubles, unhook the small metal hangers, and carefully place them onto the tree branches without dropping them! It was wonderful to see their teamwork and excitement as they transformed our classroom into a winter wonderland! They did an amazing job!
Reception- Physical Development- Actions to Music
The Reception children have been enthusiastically taking part in a fun and active unit on Dance during their Physical Education (P.E.) lessons. This unit has been a wonderful way to develop their gross motor skills, coordination, and rhythm through musical movement.The class has been focusing on creating movements to the familiar and catchy tune, "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes." Understanding Body Parts: The song naturally reinforces their knowledge of major body parts, which is a great cross-curricular link. Following Instructions: The children are practicing listening skills by moving in time to the music and stopping or starting as the song dictates. Developing Coordination: As they follow the sequence of touching their head, shoulders, knees, and toes, they are actively working on their hand-eye and full-body coordination, trying to maintain balance and control.
Reception- Maths- Recognising Different Ways To see 1-5
The Reception children have been actively engaged in a fun, festive activity to deepen their understanding of how to represent the numbers 1 through 5. They were tasked with finding the Christmas objects around the classroom, when a number was shown on the screen they went to find that amount of objects. Once found the children demonstrated the concept of each number in multiple ways, using their fingers or the dice. This hands-on, multi-sensory approach ensures a strong foundation in early number sense, helping them to connect the abstract numeral to concrete quantity and different forms of representation.
Nursery - Art - Christmas Trees!
To kick off our Christmas preparations this week, the children accessed the craft table for our first festive project: creating Christmas trees! Each child was given a green triangle template to decorate. They used multicoloured glue and various Christmas sequins, carefully selecting which sparkly additions they wanted to use on their tree. This activity provided excellent practice in fine motor control and encouraged intentional design as they chose and placed each small sequin. The children particularly enjoyed the sense of community when they saw all of their completed trees standing up together, proudly spotting their own creation within the "magical forest" they had collectively created.
Nursery - Computing - Drag And Drop
This week, we moved beyond digital mark-making to introduce the new skill of drag and drop. Using an interactive screen, the children decorated a digital Christmas tree. The challenge focused on executing the new skill with precision. Children were encouraged to use their index finger or board pen for slow, controlled movements: picking up decorations, moving them to the tree, and accurately releasing them. This exercise successfully enforced precision and control, vital components of digital literacy. By practicing the sequence of pressing, holding, moving, and releasing, the children made great progress in mastering the 'drag and drop' function.
Pre-School-Our Nativity Performance
What an absolutely wonderful treat we had! Our brilliant pre-school and nursery children performed their annual Nativity play, and we could not be more proud. They were all so confident and amazing standing up in front of all the grown-ups, telling the Christmas story with such enthusiasm and charm. Every single child remembered their lines, sang their hearts out, and truly brought the magic of Christmas to life!
Reception- PSHE-Healthy Eating
In our PSHE lesson, our wonderful Reception children became super Healthy Eating Experts! We focused on learning all about healthy eating and making good choices to keep our bodies strong and full of energy. Introducing the Healthy Food Plate We used the Healthy Food Plate (sometimes known as the Eatwell Guide) to help us understand the different types of food and how much of them we should eat. It was a fantastic visual tool! The children learned that foods can be sorted into groups, and that some foods are like 'everyday fuels,' while others are 'sometimes treats.' We had a brilliant hands-on activity where the children worked together to sort various food pictures onto the plate. They had to decide: ✅ Good Choices: Foods we should eat lots of every day (like fruits, vegetables, and starchy foods). ❌ Sometimes Choices: Foods we should only eat in small amounts and not all the time (like sugary sweets, fizzy drinks, and some processed snacks). It sparked great discussions! We talked about why milk and water are the best drinks, and how crunchy carrots and juicy apples help us grow big and strong.
.jpg)
Pre-School-Literacy-Story Map
In literacy, we’ve been enjoying We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. The children worked together to create a story map, marking out the key events from beginning to end. Everyone added their own part, drawing the moment they remembered came next in the story. They were completely absorbed in the task, and it sparked lots of rich vocabulary. I was really impressed with how much they could recall.
.png){kind=logo}
