Clitheroe Pendle Primary School
Autumn 1
As we begin the new school year, we will focus on settling the children into the Apple Class and supporting them through this important transition. It's a time for building confidence, forming friendships, and getting to know new routines.
Our topic this term is "Who Am I and Where Do I Live?." The children will have the opportunity to talk about themselves and what makes them special, as well as learn about each other’s families.
We will also take time to explore our local area of Clitheroe, helping the children to develop a sense of belonging and community. We will also be thinking about our favourite family memories, encouraging children to reflect on their own experiences and share special moments from home.
We’ll be sharing the traditional tale "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" — a lovely way to encourage storytelling, drama, and discussion about feelings, choices, and family life.
It’s a busy but wonderful start to the year, and we’re looking forward to seeing the children grow in confidence as they settle in and begin their journey with us.
Week 7
We had fun printing with Duplo blocks, creating colourful patterns and exploring textures. Then we practised writing our names, using name cards to help us recognise letters and build confidence.
We've been practising how to form numbers 1 to 4 with confidence, using our number phrases to help us, such as 'straight down the birthday candle.'
Our Reception children had a wonderful time learning about Diwali, the Festival of Light! They made their own sparkly diya lamps, designed colourful rangoli and mendi patterns, and shared stories about how people celebrate Diwali with their families.
We had great fun making our very own Guy Fawkes! The children used a mix of materials to create it and talked about the story behind the tradition. It was a creative and hands-on way to explore history and celebration.
Week 6
After reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears, we have been busy bringing the story to life through puppet-making! They've been drawing, cutting, and sticking to create their own characters—an excellent way to develop fine motor skills. We’ve also been focusing on adding detail to our drawings, encouraging creativity and careful observation.
We’ve been tuning into initial phonemes and practising writing the matching graphemes—building strong foundations for reading and writing!
We have been busy developing their problem-solving and collaboration skills through jigsaw play. Starting with 20-piece puzzles, they worked together—carefully observing shapes, colours, and patterns to find matching pieces. With growing confidence and teamwork, they proudly progressed to completing a 50-piece puzzle!
Our Apple explorers embraced the crisp autumn air during Welly Wednesday! We set off on a seasonal walk to spot signs of autumn, chatting about the vibrant colours and natural changes around us. From golden leaves to shiny acorns, the children were full of wonder and curiosity. We got creative and made beautiful autumn bracelets using treasures we found along the way!
Week 5
In Music, we explored different instruments and learnt how they can play songs. We also had fun practising fast and slow rhythms, enjoying music through play and movement!
We have been focusing on letter formation. They have been practising writing letters independently, working hard to hold their pencils correctly and use the right grip. We are so proud of how they are showing resilience – keeping on trying even when it feels tricky – and celebrating their progress as their confidence grows.
We’ve been so excited to dive into the world of Number 2! Using a fun rhyme to help us remember how to write it, the children have been practising careful number formation. We’ve also been talking about what makes 2 special—spotting pairs, finding things that come in twos, and exploring all the ways we can show this number. Our journey took us into Numberland, where we discovered the magical Number 2 Garden filled with sets of two.
Week 4
This week, we’ve been learning all about our feelings through the story The Colour Monster. The children have really enjoyed creating their own colourful monsters to show different emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and calm.
We’ve had lots of thoughtful conversations about how we feel and what those feelings might look like. We’ve also talked about the important people we can turn to when we need to share how we’re feeling—like our teachers, friends, and family.
Our children have been busy investigating the shape and size of conkers! They’ve loved sorting and matching them—looking closely at their colours, textures, and how big or small they are.
To help develop fine motor skills, we’ve been using spoons and tweezers to carefully pick up and move the conkers. This has been a fantastic way to strengthen little fingers while having lots of fun!
We’ve had so much fun playing parachute games with Miss Clarke this week! The children have loved working together—lifting, shaking, and running under the parachute with big smiles and lots of laughter.
These exciting games are a brilliant way to build friendships, practise listening carefully, and develop gross motor skills like running, jumping, and coordination.
Week 3
We have started the week by practising our scissor skills! We carefully snipped along the lines, taking care to hold our scissors correctly.
In Phonics, we learnt our first sound 's'. We then looked for things that begin with the sound 's' and made silly soup!
In Maths, we have been looking at different numbers to see which ones we know. We have been matching them too.
Week 2
We have loved exploring our classroom this week! We’ve shown fantastic patience and teamwork while taking turns using the Interactive Whiteboard—well done, everyone!
We have also been busy developing our fine motor skills in a variety of ways, including by peeling oranges for snack!
Week 1
What a Fantastic First Week! We’ve had such a wonderful start to the term—exploring our new classroom, diving into exciting activities and, most importantly, beginning to build new friendships. It’s been a joy watching everyone settle in and support one another. Here’s to many more adventures ahead!
