School newsletter 24/25 – Term 1, newsletter 8

Hi All

Here is an overview of our week at Nursery School:

Wow experience – This week the children made cinnamon swirls with Marlena, the learning intentions were for all children to use a range of tools independently with little support; to understand and respond to questions or conversations that interest them; and to begin using key vocabulary linked to this activity. Here is the link to the recipe so you can have a go at making these at home – https://bakingwithgranny.co.uk/wprm_print/easy-cinnamon-swirls 

Indoor focus – The children embraced the Halloween theme (along with the staff) and had great fun in the witches’ kitchen making spider cobwebs, matching the correct number of legs to numbered spiders, finding out factual information about spiders, using tweezers to collect spiders from the water tray and mark making with a range of media.

Outdoor focus – The children had fun completing the Halloween scavenger hunt, making pumpkin ice tea, experimenting with cinnamon gloop, exploring different textures. They enjoyed practicing their fundamental skills such as throwing, catching, kicking, balancing and aiming, initiating and completing obstacle courses. The children had fun adding Autumn collections to the water tray and discovering if they float or sink and helping to wash equipment ready for next term.

Maths focus – This week the children have been recapping on counting and cardinality. During group times the children have been identifying numbers 1-6 (by rolling a dice) and then building a tower using the correct amount of bricks to represent the number. For our other maths group time we played ‘The Box Game’ where we counted a number of toys into a box, the children were then asked to represent the number using their fingers and the teacher wrote the numeral / pattern of number on the whiteboard for them to see. We did this several times using a range of numbers (1-5), at times the teacher added 1 more / less to embed and discuss and embed the concept of comparison between numbers of ‘more’ and ‘less’. The learning intention this week was for children to begin to count by rote by saying numbers in the correct order.

Phonic focus – The learning intention this week has been for the children to initiate a conversation through verbal / nonverbal communication and begin to use key vocabulary linked to their learning. Using the interactive white board / iPads the children were invited to choose a button and discover a mystery sound and think about what it could be, sharing their knowledge and understanding. For the other phonic session we used onomatopoeia farm sound cards and asked the children in turn to match the sound given them with the correct picture.

Core Song – Incy Wincy Spider (along with Tincy Wincey and Hugey Wugey) – See if they can remember these along with the actions and expression.

Poem – Pointed Hat

A little old lady with a tall pointed hat,
Knocked on my door with a rat-a-tat-tat.
I peered through the window to see who was there,
And off on her broomstick she flew through the air.

*This linked in well with our Halloween theme, see if your child can remember the words and actions to this short poem.

Reminders / Information

– Inset Day on Monday 04.11.24

– Term starts Tuesday 05.11.24

– Parking – Thank you again for not parking in the car park, although we are aware a few parents are still using the car park. We will continue to monitor the parking again next term at different drop off / collection times. We are spending a lot of time in discussions with the neighbours and they are sending daily emails with reports that parents are still using the private drive way. We are asking you to do this due to health and safety regulations and to safeguard everyone involved. I can’t express how much time is being spent trying to sort the current parking situation out. If problems continue we will have to look at further permanent measures to prevent this from continuing, which will impact the staff and the centre financially. Also, if walking up the private drive can we please ask that you take care and use the path provided. We are even at the point where we considering closing the back entrance meaning that everyone would have to use the front entrance, we do not want to do this but we are running out of options.

– Voluntary contributions – Thank you this is very much appreciated 😊

We have had a great term and you should all be proud of your children, they have settled back / into Nursery School well and are doing SO well. I hope you all have a a lovely break this half term and we look forward to seeing you next term.

Kind regards

Zoe