School’s newsletter 24/25 – Term 3, newsletter 17

Hi All

Here is an overview of our week at Nursery School:

Indoor focus – The children have been busy creating cold pictures and linking this to the current weather and season. They have enjoyed discussing temperatures and sorting out hot and cold pictures to show their understanding. The children have been role-playing in the Chinese Kitchen, and identifying different foods and talking about their own preferences. The investigation station has gone down well where the children have spent time exploring and experimenting with the materials and resources available to them. Some children have been curious about the shapes in provision and have named shapes, asked questions and created pictures using the shapes. In the water tray the children have been investigating coloured ice cubes, where they have discussed the texture, asked questions, and observed what happens over time to the ice cubes.

Outdoor focus – The children created a stage to dance and perform on using the large wooden blocks, and requested to listen to a range of music where they experimented with their movements depending on the tempo of the music. The children were keen to draw shapes and include them in their play, such as when creating an obstacle course they had to identify and jump in different chalked shapes. Also, when riding the bikes / scooters they followed a chalked line where they had to manoeuvre between different shapes that had been drawn. Up at the top of the garden they have been enjoying using the wooden obstacle course, practising on the monkey bars and using the climbing frame safely. The large sandpit has also been very popular this week where many of the children have engaged in imaginative play. The children have also liked apprenticeship type work such as helping to clean the mud kitchen and resources.

Forest School – Groups A & B did Forest School this week. We encouraged them to be independent in getting into / out of their waterproof clothing and to put on / take off their own wellies. This term we will be building shelters / dens and using ropes and for our last session we hope to have a campfire where we will cook some popcorn. All the children were keen to build a shelter using roles, tarpaulins, a large stick and some pegs, they enjoyed standing under the shelter and listening to the rain as it made ‘pitter patter’ sounds on the tarpaulin. As always we came together at the end of the session to share a warm drink and a biscuit where we discussed the session. Group B decided as it was raining it would be good idea to have their snack under the shelter and helped to roll the wooden logs to the shelter to sit on.

Maths focus: Shape – On Tuesday we played a game at group time where each child had the chance to put their hand in to a bag and choose one of the shapes inside. We encouraged them to explore the shape with their hand while it was still in the bag, and then asked them what shape they thought it was and why. We went on to identify each shape and discuss its properties. On Thursday the children recalled the shape names and then went on to create their own shape picture using a range of shapes. The children were encouraged to talk about their picture and were asked questions to support their mathematical thinking and reasoning.

Phonic focus: Body Percussion – For both group times we did action songs where we supported the children to develop their awareness of sounds and rhythms, distinguish between sounds, remember patterns of sounds and talk about the sounds they can make with their body.

Core Song – On a Cold and Frosty Morning

Poem – Let’s Put On Our Mittens

Let’s put on our mittens,
and button up our coats.
Wrap our scarves snuggly around our throats.
Pull on our shoes and fasten the straps.
And tie on tightly our warm woollen hats.
Open the door, and out we go.
Out, into the soft and feathery snow.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.

– See if your child can remember this poem and the accompanying actions. I have also attached the Poetry Basket ‘Autumn’ and ‘Spring’ poem booklet for you to recall poems with your child.

Information / Reminders

– It has been lovely to welcome Lynn back this week, she has enjoyed seeing you all and spending time in session reconnecting and getting to know all the children.

– Parent helpers needed – We are planning on going to the library this term in small groups (we have swapped the theatre to next term). To do this we will need parent helpers. If you are available to help throughout the week commencing February the 3rd please do let me know your availability and I will sort out the best sessions / times to go and let you know.

– Thank you for all your snack donations, this has been greatly appreciated.

– If you have any large carboard boxes hanging around please do bring them in and we will use them in provision.

– We still have a position for a parent Governor on our Governing board. If this is something you are interested or would like to know more about please do let me know.

I hope you have a great weekend and we look forward to seeing you next week.

Kind regards

Zoe