Nursery & Reception Classes – Latest News Round-up

This term in Nursery and Reception has been filled with excitement and discovery as the children embarked on a journey through the world of dinosaurs. The topic captivated their imaginations and provided numerous opportunities for hands-on learning and creative expression.

Discovering Dinosaurs

The children explored various types of dinosaurs, learning about their unique physical features, body shapes, weights, and heights. They delved into the diets of these prehistoric creatures, understanding which dinosaurs were carnivorous, herbivorous, or omnivorous. The study also included discussions about dinosaur habitats and life cycles, giving the children a comprehensive view of these ancient animals.
One of the highlights was learning about fossils. The children identified different fossils and learned how they were formed. They engaged in activities like discovering fossils in sand, ice, gel, and slime, using paintbrushes to unearth them carefully. This activity was inspired by Mary Anning, the renowned palaeontologist from Lyme Regis, known as the ‘queen of palaeontology’.

Creative and Artistic Endeavours

Art played a significant role in our dinosaur exploration. The children learned to draw pictures of dinosaurs and fossils, using watercolour paints to bring their creations to life. They built their own Jurassic Park using blocks and railway tracks and constructed dinosaurs using materials like stickle bricks and paper plates. Additionally, they made dinosaur-themed cookies, printed dinosaur footprints in paint, and compared these to their own footprints and teeth.

Physical Activities with a Dinosaur Twist

In PE, the children enjoyed moving like dinosaurs, engaging in various activities that mimicked the movements of these ancient creatures. They also participated in dinosaur yoga sessions with Cosmic Yoga, adding a fun and physical dimension to their learning.

Signs of Spring

As the term progressed, the focus shifted to the signs of spring. The children observed changes in nature, learned about animal babies, and discussed the (hopefully) warmer and drier weather. This seasonal exploration helped them connect with the world around them and appreciate the cycles of nature.

Advancing Phonics Skills

In Nursery, the children continued their phonics journey, learning new sounds, recalling previous ones, and practising how to form and write them. Name writing was a key focus, with emphasis on correct letter formation and pencil control. Phonics lessons extended into the art area, where children printed letters with Lego blocks, blew blue bubbles for ‘B’, and decorated jewel ‘J’s with sparkly gems.

In Reception, phonics learning advanced with a focus on initial sounds and digraphs (two letters that make one sound). The children also explored alternative sounds and expanded their sight vocabulary of tricky words. They practised sentence writing, paying attention to correct pencil grip, letter formation, and the use of capital letters, finger spaces, and full stops.

Engaging with Mathematics

Mathematics lessons were practical and interactive. In Nursery, children explored length, height, and mass using weighing scales and various objects, including Numicon. They learned about capacity with rice-filled containers and practised number recognition through body counting and singing.

In Reception, the focus was on securing understanding of numbers 1-10. Children revisited concepts of more and less, compared weight, length, and height by building towers, and explained their reasoning. They learned about odd and even numbers, doubles, and practised making estimates. Practical activities included combining parts to make a whole, decorating fruits on pancakes, and using various tools like cubes, Numicon, fingers, dice, dominoes, Base 10, number lines, and ten frames to represent numbers.

Looking Forward to next term

Overall, it has been an incredibly busy and enjoyable term in Nursery and Reception. The children have shown tremendous enthusiasm and creativity in their learning. We are proud of their progress and look forward to more exciting adventures in the next term. Thank you for your continued support in nurturing and encouraging our young learners.