NURSERY

What an absolutely fantastic two weeks it's been in nursery! The children have been so engaged and enthusiastic, and it's been a joy to see them learn and grow.

We've been focusing a lot on developing those all-important fine motor skills, practicing our cutting along both straight and wiggly lines. It's amazing to see how much their control has improved! Our imaginations have been running wild as we explored the jungle with our story, "Walking Through the Jungle." The children have created some wonderful paintings of the animals we met along the way.

Number 4 has been our special number, and we've explored it in so many different ways – through songs, games, and hands-on activities. We've also been getting creative with patterns, making some beautiful designs. And who could forget the fun we had in the mud kitchen, creating some truly spectacular (and messy!) mud pizzas?

Our voting wall has been a big hit! The children loved choosing what we should build each day, and the first vote was a resounding win for...cars! We had a great time constructing our car creations.

A real highlight of the last two weeks was our Lunar New Year celebration. It was wonderful to learn about the traditions and customs associated with this special occasion. We were especially lucky to have two of our classmates wear their traditional clothing to school, which the children were absolutely mesmerized by. We all enjoyed learning about what Lunar New Year means, and we had the chance to smell, touch, and even taste some delicious prawn crackers and egg noodles.

To finish the week on a high note, the children had their first experience of Now Press Play! It was a completely immersive experience, transporting them under the sea. They met pirates and dug into rock pools – a truly magical adventure!

It's been such a joy to see the children learn and grow over these past two weeks. Their enthusiasm and curiosity make every day a new adventure.

RECEPTION

What an amazing two weeks it has been in Reception! Our exciting topic book, "We're Going on a Monster Hunt," has taken us on a whirlwind tour around the world, exploring all the different continents and the incredible animals that live there.

The children have been busy with lots of fun, animal-themed activities. We have seen some fantastic artwork as they drew and painted their favourite creatures, and they have been working hard on labelling animals and writing some brilliant sentences about them. It's been wonderful to see their vocabulary grow!

Our role-play areas have also been a hive of activity. The pet shop and vet surgery have been particularly popular, with the children enthusiastically taking on the roles of vets and customers. We've heard some wonderful imaginative play and seen some real empathy as they cared for their animal patients. It's been a joy to watch them learn and grow through play.

Our learning adventures haven't been confined to the classroom walls lately – we've taken the fun outside! Our budding architects and designers have been incredibly busy transforming the construction area with our brand new den making kits. It's been amazing to see their imaginations come to life!

From secret monster-hunting dens to exclusive clubhouses, the creativity has been flowing! One of the absolute highlights has been the spontaneous creation of a child-inspired Pizza Restaurant! Our little chefs have been busy "making" pizzas, taking orders, and serving their happy "customers." The role-play has been so engaging and it's wonderful to see them working together and developing their communication skills. 

Our brand new outdoor writing area has also been a HUGE hit! The children have been absolutely buzzing with creativity, and it's been wonderful to see their imaginations come to life. We've had budding authors writing letters to their friends, designing beautiful cards, and practicing their writing skills on the giant blackboard. It's amazing to see how much they're enjoying forming their letters and even writing whole sentences

Our budding mathematicians have been on a number bond adventure! We've been consolidating our knowledge of number bonds to 5, discovering all the different ways to make that magic number. Hands-on activities and playful games have helped solidify this important foundation. This week, we also delved into the fascinating world of "more than" and "fewer than." The children have been exploring these concepts with gusto, comparing quantities and using mathematical vocabulary to describe the relationships between numbers. We've seen some fantastic problem-solving and some truly insightful observations!

Our animal adventure learning has continued, and this week it took a thrilling turn as we celebrated Lunar New Year!

We embarked on a cultural journey, diving into the fascinating story of The Great Race. The children were captivated learning about the reasons behind the order of the Chinese Zodiac calendar. We discovered all about this year's special animal: the snake!

Celebrating the Year of the Snake, our little learners have been busy creating beautiful traditional decorations and pictures. We've seen stunning blossom tree crafts, vibrant Lunar New Year greeting cards, and some seriously cool paper craft snakes!

The day culminated in an exploration of traditional Chinese artefacts. We marvelled at traditional clothing, examined exquisite crockery and chinaware, and admired colourful decorations like Chinese lanterns. The real highlight, though? Tasting yummy prawn crackers and egg noodles! Many children bravely tried using chopsticks, adding an extra layer of fun to the experience. What a delicious and exciting way to learn!

EARLY YEARS