Welcome to Class One

Nursery and Reception

 

Summer 1

Welcome back to another exciting term in Class 1.

Roots, Shoots and Juicy Fruits!

 

Children love to get mucky in the garden and explore the nature around them.

Getting out and about in the garden is a really fun way of helping our children to learn more about the world around them. Growing and tending to plants and flowers or even just examining leaves and soil helps your little one start to understand about life cycles and where food comes from.

10 reasons why gardening is important for children

1. Gardening engages all five senses

How does that dirt feel against your hands? Add water. Now what does it feel like? How does that tomato plant smell? How does that strawberry taste right off the vine? Can you hear that crunch from that carrot? Incorporating sensory exploration is easy in the garden!

2. Gardening encourages healthy eating

Even the pickiest eaters won't be able to resist trying veggies they've grown themselves! Try it straight out of the garden or cook it together in the kitchen -- you might find a new favorite food!

3. Gardening enhances fine motor development

Gardening encourages the development of fine motor skills every step of the way, from picking up tiny seeds to gently caring for seedlings and plants.

4. Gardening is science

What makes leaves green? Why do plants need sunlight to thrive? Why do plants grow better in loamy soil than clay? Explore science together while gardening -- more proof learning can be fun!

5. Gardening is a great family activity

Although gardening can definitely be a lot of work, doing it together as a family makes it fun. It's a great time to have conversations without electronics getting in the way.

6. Gardening teaches responsibility

Plants require a lot of attention. Learning how to care for the plants properly -- from watering to weeding -- is a great lesson in responsibility for kids.

7. Gardening helps kids learn to plan and organize

Some plants grow better at certain times of the year. Others do well next to another specific plant. Some grow nicely in rows, while others, like wildflower seeds, can be sprinkled around. Gardening is an opportunity to chat with your kids about research and planning.

8. Gardening creates environmental stewards

Kids who understand how much time, effort, and care goes into growing food will understand how important farmers are, and why it's important to take care of our Earth. 

9. Gardening develops math skills

How far apart should seeds be planted? How many does that mean you can plant in each row? How much water does each potted planter need? How many hours of sunlight will plants get each day? Math is a big part of gardening!

10. Gardening teaches patience

The time it takes to grow a seed to harvesting your veggies takes weeks, if not months! Gardening is all about patience ... and it's always worth the wait!

 

Our Reception children will be recapping Phase 3 phonics and entering Phase 4.

Phase 4

In our literacy sessions we will be reading lots of fiction and non-fiction books about our topic. Alongside this we will be singing and learning nursery rhymes and alphabet songs. We will be doing lots of fine motor skills activities to strengthen your child’s muscles in their hands so their pencil grip will improve, making it easier for them to form letters.

This half term we will be continuing our 'Daily Sentence'. This is an activity that helps the children to think independently about putting a senetence together. The children will be encouraged to remember capital letters, fingerspaces and full-stops. 

Our work in computing focuses on computers in our everyday lives and how they help us learn. The children will be developing their keyboard and mouse skills using the creative educational website, Mini Mash.

P.E. will take place on Wednesdays and Fridays.  Please ensure your child is wearing their P.E. kit on those days (including navy joggers and sweatshirts when the weather is colder). 

Home Learning

Reading - Our aim is to develop a love of reading. We encourage you to read with your child regularly - this can be both listening to them read and by having bed-time stories read to them. Reading should be a fun and enjoyable process for you and your child to develop together. 

During class time, your child will experience listening to fantastic stories regulary and they will also have numerous oppotunities to read to an adult and discuss them. We have a wide range of exciting books within school to support each child's reading ability. 

We aim to send two reading books home weekly dependent on each child individual needs.

Phonics - Reception children will be given a Phonics book. Inside will be all the letter sounds that your child has learned in class so far. New sounds will be added when a new letter is introduced to them. Please look though the book together to help embed their phonic knowledge. Together you could look round the house for objects that begin with a paticular letter sound. Please practice the letter sounds and tricky words with your child.

Nursery children will be given a busy book to take home. Inside will be a fun task for them to complete, related to the learning that they have done that week.

Library - We have a very exciting new micro library in school this year. Each child with have the opportunity to choose a book and take it home to read. books will be changed during library sessions.

Please look at our Forest School page to find out when the Forest School sessions are!!

Kind Regards

Miss Davies

🥰

 

This years Stay and Play sessions are;

Thursday 8th October 9.30am (cancelled due to social distancing measures)

Friday 4th December 9.30am (cancelled due to social distancing measures)

Tuesday 2nd February 9.30am (cancelled due to social distancing measures)

Tuesday 16th March 9.30am (cancelled due to social distancing measures)

Thursday 6th May 9.30am

Wednesday 14th July 9.30

Useful Links

https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/group/b08bzfnh

https://foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/