At preschool children will engage in extended conversations about stories, learning new vocabulary. During Terms 1 and 2 we will build on this skill and support the children to:

• Ask questions about stories.

• Repeat words and phrases from familiar stories.

• Repeat new vocabulary in a context of a story.

• Have favourite books and seek them out, to share with an adult, with another child, or to look at alone.

The classroom is well stocked with an attractive collection of carefully-chosen quality literature and nonfiction books to interest boys and girls, care is taken to ensure that the individual child's interests are taken into consideration.

The children are read to daily at several timetabled opportunities from quality literature including authors such as Julia Donaldson, Oliver Jeffers, Janet and Allan Ahlberg,  Eric Carle and Judith Kerr. We have a story of the week so we can develop comprehension and this story links to our topic. For our topic 'All About Me' we will read stories such as:

• The Same But Different Too, Karl Newson

• Sharing A Shell, Julia Donaldson

• We Are All Different

• The Colour Monster, Anna Llenas

• The Girl With Two Dads, Mel Elliott

• A Superhero Like You, Dr Ranj

We will also read Autumnal stories to support understanding of the seasons with the change from Summer to Autumn. Learning will be enhanced with nature walks and observation. Stories will include:

• The Leaf Thief, Alice Hemming

• Pumpkin Soup, Helen Cooper

During Term 2 our topic is ‘Celebrations'. We will read stories which link to the topic as well as learning about non-fiction stories such as the story of bonfire night.

As we move towards the end of term, our focus shifts to Christmas and the nativity story. In addition to this, we will read stories which link to Christmas and the seasons such as:

• The Jolly Christmas Postman, Janet and Allan Ahlberg

• A Christmas Story, Brian Wildsmith

• The Christmas Pine, Julia Donaldson and Victoria Sandoy

• Mog’s Christmas, Judith Kerr

Whilst reading stories we will discuss words that rhyme, clap syllables to words and recognise words with the same initial sound.

At preschool children will begin to use some of their print and letter knowledge in their early writing, write some or all of their name and write some letters accurately. During Terms 1 and 2 we will build on these skills and support children to:

• Form lowercase letters and capital letters correctly.

• Spell CVC words by identifying the sounds and then writing the sound with letter/s.

• Copy full name from a name label.

• Use a range of small tools competently and confidently. (Physical Development)

There will be  a wide range of resources available for mark making, both indoors and outdoors.  There will be a wide variety of resources for your child to use including chalk, paint brushes large and small, crayons, pens and pencils.  It will be real world and meaningful to the unique child. Activities that support fine motor skills, such as tap a shape, will also support writing development.

During each phonic lesson we will practice writing the letters in their phonics scrapbooks to develop letter recognition and letter formation. As we develop our phonic knowledge we will learn to spell words by identifying the sounds and then writing the sound with letter/s.

We have a free writing table to support child initiated mark making and early writing. This will be enhanced with resources and writing prompts linked to our topics as well as the children’s interests. The teaching team will be available to support children with their writing in child initiated play time but writing will also be supported through adult directed teaching in small groups. In terms 1 and 2 we will focus on pre-writing skills/shapes, letter formation, writing their name and beginning to write CVC words.