Current Topic
This half term we are learning all about Water and the Seaside in our topic ‘Splish Splosh!’. We will be centring our work around the following stories – We’re Sailing to Galapagos, Noah’s Ark, Tom & Lucy at the Seaside, The Rainbow Fish, Pig in the Pond and The Snail and the Whale. The children will be looking at these stories and using them to learn about writing for different purposes for example lists, invitations, recipes, poems and stories. Our main focus this half term will be retelling stories. The Reception children will begin to write captions and simple sentences. Of course, we will also be finding out about what REALLY is in the sea and learning lots of fascinating facts! Our Science work this half term will be focused on the topic of floating and sinking and the children will be doing lots of practical investigations – looking closely for patterns and change. In numeracy we will be working on counting in 2s, 5s and 10s, sorting and identifying 2D shapes, addition by counting on, subtracting 1 and 2, doubles to 5, repeating patterns and finding one more and one less.
The children will be continuing with their daily phonics work. the Reception children will be working at Phase 3 of Letters and Sounds on learning the double letter sounds and beginning to blend them together to make and read longer words whilst the Early Years children will be working at Phase 1 during the mornings and phase 2 during the afternoons, learning to listen carefully to the sounds around them and about creating sounds themselves before beginning to learn some of the letter sounds.
The Reception children will be doing their P.E. with Mrs. Hainsworth on Thursday afternoons. The Early Years children will be doing their P.E. on Wednesday mornings with Mrs. Morrow. Please note that we will be visiting the school allotment regularly through the term and this may happen on any day of the week. As such, please ensure your child has a bag of old clothes on their coat peg and a named pair of wellies on the shelves in the outdoor area at all times.
Learning Through Play
In Mrs. Morrow’s Class we follow the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) Curriculum which puts a large emphasis on learning through play. Each day the children have opportunities to explore their own interests through carefully planned activities both inside and outside.
Fun with the puppets
Working on the Computers
The curriculum is split into 6 areas of learning with equal importance given to each area. The areas are as follows:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Communication, Language & Literacy
- Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
- Knowledge & Understanding of the World
- Creative Development
- Physical Development
Phonics
In Reception, the children participate in daily phonics sessions following the government Letters and Sounds guidance. We also use Jolly Phonics actions to help the children to remember the new sounds. In the Autumn term we learn a new sound each day as well as beginning to practise the skills of blending. In the following terms the children begin to apply their skills of blending to reading and writing. The Nursery children also access phonics sessions at phase 1 which involves auditory discrimination and listening skills which then develop into learning letter sounds in reception.
Learning about Letters
The children also have a learning log to take home each week. There will be a different task each week which is related to what we have been doing at school. The children have complete create flexibility in how they go about completing their learning log – we just ask that the learning intention (WALT) is fulfilled!
Learning Log
Starting School
Woburn Lower School accepts children into the Early Years from the term after their third birthday. Children are then able to come on a part-time basis (mornings only) until the term after their fourth birthday. At this point, if parents wish, children can stay all day on some or all days (with the exception of Friday due to the whole school going swimming) until they begin their Reception year. Statutory Reception children usually attend full time from September.
Reading in the tent outside
Hugo Says Hello
The Early Years and Reception Class children at Woburn Lower School are joined by their class bear Hugo in their learning each week. Hugo has his own website to let the parents know each week what the children have been doing. It is an opportunity for parents and children to talk at home about what is being learned at school and Mrs. Morrow also lists activities to do at home in preparation for the next week. The children also take Hugo home for the weekend and tell the class about it every Monday.
What has Hugo been up to?
You can check out Hugo’s website by clicking on the link below.
http://www.hugo-says-hello.co.uk
If you have any photographs or some text for Hugo’s website then please click the link above and navigate to the ‘About’ page to find Hugo’s email address.
Keeping Warm & Cool
As part of the EYFS, the children have opportunities for learning both inside and outside every day, whatever the weather. As such, it is imperative that children come to school each day with a warm coat as well as hat, scarf and gloves if it is cold. In hot weather they need to wear sun cream and bring a sun hat and water bottle every day. Thank you!
On the bikes