This term, our EYFS children will begin their learning journey with us as they settle into school life. A key focus during the first few weeks will be supporting the children through the transition process, helping them to build confidence, establish routines and develop positive relationships with both adults and their peers.

Our topic, "Houses and Homes," will provide opportunities for the children to explore their own experiences and learn about the world around them. They will talk about their homes, the people they live with and what makes their families special. Through discussions and activities, we will celebrate our similarities and differences and explore what makes each of us unique.

The children will enjoy listening to a range of stories, including traditional tales such as The Three Little Pigs, which will help them investigate different types of homes and compare how people and animals live. They will also spend time getting to know one another by sharing their interests, experiences and family traditions.

In Mathematics, the children will begin developing their understanding of number by exploring and recognising numbers 1, 2 and 3 through practical activities, games and hands-on learning experiences.

Our Phonics journey will also begin, with the children learning their first sounds: s, a, t, p, i and n. They will practise listening carefully to sounds, recognising letters and taking their first steps towards becoming confident readers and writers.

We look forward to welcoming the children into EYFS and supporting them as they embark on an exciting year of learning, discovery and growth.

Week 7

Week 7 Owl Board

We have put our learning about numbers 1-4 into action in the home corner! The children helped set the table for the three bears and counted that there were 3 places set. Then Goldilocks arrived, so we talked about how 3 + 1 = 4. We also explored number bonds to 4 by thinking about how many more cups were needed when there were already 2 on the table. The children confidently worked out that 2 more were needed because 2 + 2 = 4.

We have been practising our phoneme knowledge using magnifying glasses to hunt for the tiny graphemes. Once they spotted one, they carefully said the phoneme aloud and then practised writing it independently.

Week 6

Week 6 Owl Board

This week in Maths, we have been learning all about the number 4. The children enjoyed gathering groups of four objects and exploring the different ways that 4 can be made. We talked about number combinations such as 2 + 2 and 1 + 1 + 1 + 1, helping to develop our understanding of number composition in a fun and practical way.

In EAD, we explored colour mixing! We read the story Mixed and sang The Rainbow Song. The children learned that red, blue and yellow are primary colours and discovered how mixing them together can create new colours. They had lots of fun experimenting and predicting what colours would appear when different colours were mixed!

It was lovely to welcome so many adults to our Reception lunch this week! The children were incredibly proud to show just how independent they have become. They confidently collected their trays, chose and used their own knife and fork, cut up their food, and even tidied everything away afterwards. We are so proud of how responsible and grown-up they have become! What superstars they are! ⭐😊

Week 5

Week 5 Owl Board

This week, we have continued our learning about plants. We explored the different parts of a plant, including the flower, roots, stem, and leaves. The children enjoyed learning about what each part does and how plants grow and stay healthy. We had lots of great discussions and developed our understanding of the natural world around us.

For fine motor activities this week, the children enjoyed threading and placing elastic bands onto sponges. These fun, hands-on activities helped to develop their hand strength, control, and coordination, building the important muscles needed for early writing skills. We were impressed by their concentration and perseverance as they completed the challenges.

In phonics this week, we have been learning the phonemes m, d and g. The children had lots of fun creating their own shiny disco balls by sprinkling glitter and sticking on sequins. This exciting activity helped them to recognise the phonemes while developing their creativity and fine motor skills.

Week 4

Week 4 Owl Board

We have been continuing to develop our fine motor skills to help get our hands ready for writing. The children have enjoyed a range of fun activities, including balancing bears and sorting sequins, which are great for strengthening hand muscles and developing their pincer grip. We have loved seeing everyone concentrate carefully and build their confidence through play-based learning!

We have been learning about our feelings through the wonderful story The Colour Monster. The children enjoyed making their own Colour Monsters and talking about the different emotions we experience. As part of our daily feelings check-in each morning, the children have been sharing how they feel, using words such as “happy” and “loved”. It has been lovely to see everyone growing in confidence as they learn to recognise, understand, and talk about their emotions.

In Maths this week, we have been learning all about the number 2. The children discovered that 2 is made up of 1 and another 1 and enjoyed exploring different ways to represent this number. We went on a hunt around our classroom to find sets of 2 objects and talked about how the items could be the same or different. The children did a fantastic job understanding that as long as there were two items, they made a set of 2!

Week 3

Week 3 Owl Board

This week in Phonics, the children have had a great start and have been learning the phonemes s, a and t. We have been practising saying the sounds, recognising the letters, and beginning to form them correctly. The children have worked hard and enjoyed joining in with lots of fun phonics activities, including making silly soup!

This week, we had great fun developing our fine motor skills! The children enjoyed lots of activities to strengthen their hand muscles, including practising using their pinching fingers. These important skills help us build the strength and control needed for writing.

Week 2

Week 2 Owl Board

Apple Class has had a fantastic week getting to know our new friends and exploring our classroom, both indoors and outdoors. The children have enjoyed playing together, discovering all the different areas of learning, and beginning to settle into their new routines. We are so proud of how well everyone is adapting and making new friendships! 🍎😊

This week, we have enjoyed reading stories such as Elmer and talking about how we are all unique, exploring the similarities and differences between us. We have also started drawing our own self-portraits, thinking carefully about the shapes, colours and features that make us special.

Week 1

What a wonderful start to the year! This week, we have been spending time getting to know our new classroom, making new friends and learning the routines that help us have a happy and successful day at school.

The children have been introduced to our three Pendle rules: Be Ready, Be Respectful and Be Safe. We also met our special teddy friends, Ready Raffy, Respectful Ruby and Safe Sammy, who help us remember how to make good choices every day. Through stories, discussions and play, we have been exploring what these rules look like in our classroom and around school.

We are so proud of how well the children are settling in and look forward to many more exciting learning adventures together! 🌟