Reception Weekly Newsletter

Term: Summer 2 Date 01.07.13

This week, we will be concluding our Summer topic, ‘Buckets and Spades’, as next week we will start our transition unit. Our focus of learning this week is ‘Water’. Your child will be taking part in the following activities within the seven areas of development (activities are subject to change, depending on the children’s interests; however, the skills remain the same):

Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
Organising new tidy up teams for this week.
WATER SAFETY – Discussing appropriate behaviour near water/ dirty water, clean water etc…

Communication and Language 
Introduce our theme for the week – WATER. Whole class - Brainstorm what we know about water. Understanding water conservation – where children can identify the importance of water in their lives. 

Physical
Exploring our outside area.

Literacy
The children need to be bringing in their reading books daily. We praise the children who regularly read at home to an adult and have a reward system in place. 
Name writing using chalks, pens, paint brushes, foam etc…
Following on from discussions about water, encourage children to make booklets and posters about saving water.
We will be continuing our daily Read Write Inc sessions.

Maths.
Discuss with the children how much water they think they use when brushing teeth, going to the toilet etc….Capacity activity outside – guessing how many cups of water to fill containers and recording on laminated sheets.

Understanding of the World
Using the posters, discuss water cycles. Encourage children to use correct vocab – evaporation, precipitation and condensation. Look at poster with the children, and discuss the journey of the water.

Expressive Arts and Design
Enjoying our daily dance warm up to the ‘5 a day’ fitness programme. 
Role play – Under the sea. Home corner.
Children to paint different parts of the water cycle: sun, sea, river, rain, reservoir and a pipe leading to a tap. Can the children sequence their pictures to form the water cycle?

Messages:
Please follow Broadford on facebook (remember to press the ‘like’ button) and twitter. We update the Early Years blog regularly with photos and information.
Show and tell this week should be linked to the theme of ‘Water’.
Date for your Diary:
On Wednesday 3rd July, we are inviting Parents to come and have a picnic with us at lunchtime from 12 noon until 1pm. Children should have a packed lunch on Wednesday.
Sports’ Day – Tuesday 9th July. We are aiming for a 9.15am start.
Wednesday 10th July – sharing assembly - 9.00am start
Friday 19th July – Reception Graduation at 2.00pm.

Ways to help at home:
Sharing books to encourage story language and imagination.
Playing letters and sounds phase 2 and phase 3 games on the computer.
Encourage your children to use the correct pencil grip using ‘froggy fingers’.
Looking at shapes around the home: cereal boxes, tins of food, clocks, doors, windows etc…. try and discuss how many sides, corners, faces they have.

Homework this half term is ‘Summer Fun’. You might decide to make a poster about keeping safe in the sun, the importance of drinking water or the water cycle. You could make a poster about holidays you have been on or days out to the seaside or maybe a poster about now and then, comparing days out long ago to now. If you are feeling creative maybe you could do some sand art. As usual, you have until the end of term to complete your homework.

Thank you for your continued support.

Yummy sandwiches

The children in reception enjoyed making delicious sandwiches as part of their maths learning. They were thinking about how to share ingredients fairly and learning about halves and quarters. Once the sandwiches were made, the children enjoyed a picnic outside in the beautiful sunshine.

The librarian visits

Today, Jo the librarian came to visit the Nursery and Reception children. She read several books and sang some songs with the children. The library service is a free service that is great for children of all ages. Why not pop down to the library during the 6 weeks summer break and join the summer reading challenge.

Nursery 100 % attendance for May

Well done to all of the children that got 100% attendance for May

Nursery100% attendance for April

Well done to all the children who got 100% attendance for April.

Flowers for all occasions

The children had a fantastic idea to set up a florist. They spent the morning busily writing orders, sorting out bunches of flowers, ordering different sized pots and role playing being shop keepers and customers, encouraging good communication and language skills. One group of children decided to take it a step further and make bouquets for a wedding. Great fun was had by all.

Lighting up the Lighthouse

The children have been enjoying the story of the  'Lighthouse Keeper's lunch'. They have investigated how to make circuit to get the bulb to light up, to go on top of the lighthouse.
Well done to Fabian, Lilly and Finley for working it out.

Nursery Phonics Activity

The afternoon children had lots of fun learning a new letter sound 'n'. They sat in a long line and used a magic pen writing on the person in front of them 'down Nobby and around the net'.

Reception Weekly Newsletter

Term: Summer 2 Date 24.06.13

This week, we are continuing with our Summer topic, ‘Buckets and Spades’. Over the next few weeks we will be focussing on books linked to the seaside and water. Last week we started our ‘Lighthouse Keeper’ stories and the children had so many ideas of their own which meant we changed our planning. We will be continuing with the activities this week. Your child will be taking part in the following activities within the seven areas of development (activities are subject to change, depending on the children’s interests; however, the skills remain the same):

Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
Organising new tidy up teams for this week.
In circle time, we will  be reinforcing our 4Rs.


Communication and Language
We will be reading the story of ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’s Picnic’ and discussing the beginning, middle and ending of the story. We will be asking the children ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions.

Physical
Exploring our outside area and how to use the equipment.

Literacy
The children need to be bringing in their reading books daily. We praise the children who regularly read at home to an adult and have a reward system in place. 
Name writing using chalks, pens, paint brushes, foam etc…
The children will be making a list of things to put in Mr Grinling’s picnic basket
We will be continuing our daily Read Write Inc sessions.

Maths.
Working out how many objects have been taken from Mr Grinling’s basket. Can the children record their findings?
Making sandwiches – working out halves, sharing equally. 

Understanding of the World
Using purple mash on the computer, designing under the sea scenes.
Investigating how to make a circuit. To see if the children can make a circuit to make the bulb light on top of the light house.

Expressive Arts and Design 
Enjoying our daily dance warm up to the ‘5 a day’ fitness programme. 
Role play – Mr Grinling’s cottage/boat/ seaside cafe
To make lighthouses out of junk materials/clay. To cover with strips of sticky paper

Messages:

Please follow Broadford on facebook (remember to press the ‘like’ button) and twitter. We update the Early Years blog regularly with photos and information.
Show and tell this week should be linked to the story of ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’.
Date for your Diary: On Wednesday 3rd July, we are inviting Parents to come and have a picnic with us at lunchtime from 12 noon until 1pm. More details to follow this week. 

Ways to help at home:

Sharing books to encourage story language and imagination.
Playing letters and sounds phase 2 and phase 3 games on the computer.
Encourage your children to use the correct pencil grip using ‘froggy fingers’.
Looking at shapes around the home: cereal boxes, tins of food, clocks, doors, windows etc…. try and discuss how many sides, corners, faces they have.
If you are feeling creative, have a go at making a lighthouse out of junk materials. 

Homework this half term is ‘Summer Fun’. You might decide to make a poster about keeping safe in the sun, the importance of drinking water or the water cycle. You could make a poster about holidays you have been on or days out to the seaside or maybe a poster about now and then, comparing days out long ago to now. If you are feeling creative maybe you could do some sand art. As usual, you have until the end of term to complete your homework.

Thank  you for your continued support.

Nursery visit to South Weald

The Nursery children and their  parents had a fantastic day at South Weald . We fed the deer, ducks and explored the forest. To end the great day we all enjoyed an ice cream.

NURSERY NEWSLETTER

Term:  Summer 2                          Date 17.06.13

We  are excited about our up and coming South Weald Country Park trip, thank you for all your support with that.  This week our story is ‘Commotion in the Ocean, our focus song is ‘A Sailor went to sea sea sea’and the sound we will be learning is ‘i’. 

Personal, Social and Emotional

·         Confident to talk to other children when playing and will communicate freely about own home and community.

·         Initiates play, offering cues to peers to join in.

·         Aware of own feelings and knows that some actions and words can hurt others feelings.

Communication and Language                                                    

• Beginning to be aware of the way stories are structured.
• Suggest how the story might end.
• Describes main story setting, events and principles of characters.

Physical Development:

• Holds pencil with thumb and two fingers no longer using whole hand grasp.
• Runs skilfully and negotiates space successfully, adjusting speed or direction to avoid obstacles.
• Draws lines or circles using gross motor movements.

Mathematics

• Separates a groups of three or four objects in different ways beginning to realise the total is still the same.
• Sometimes matches numeral and quantity correctly.
• Uses some number names and number language spontaneously.

Understanding of the World

• Talks about why things happen and how things work.
• Develop an understanding of growth, decay and change over time.
• Knows that some things make them unique, and can talk about some of the similarities and differences in relation to friends of family.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Explores colour and how colour can be changed.
• Captures experiences and responses with a range of media, such as music dance and paint and other materials or words.

Literacy

• Learning about the sound ‘i’.
• Copy some letters from their name.
• Beginning to be aware of the way stories are structured. 

Messages.

The children have been enjoying learning there sounds. This week the sound will be ‘i’.  Please bring in something beginning with this letter.

As I’m sure you are aware the weather has been very strange lately, changing constantly.  Please ensure your child is coming to Nursery dressed suitable, as you know they do go outside in all weather.

Also just a reminder about the trip, the children can wear their own sensible clothes and shoes and also don’t forget they must have a waterproof jacket and a packed lunch.

Thank you for your continued support.

Reception Weekly Newsletter

Term: Summer 2 Date 17.06.13

This week, we are continuing with our Summer topic, ‘Buckets and Spades’. Over the next few weeks we will be focussing on books linked to the seaside and water. Our learning this week, will be based around the story of ‘The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch’. Your child will be taking part in the following activities within the seven areas of development (activities are subject to change, depending on the children’s interests; however, the skills remain the same):

Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
Organising new tidy up teams for this week.
In circle time, we will chatting about the importance of friends and working together. We will be reinforcing one of our 4Rs – reciprocity.

Communication and Language
We will be reading the story of ‘The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch’ and discussing the beginning, middle and ending of the story. We will be asking the children ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions.

Physical
Exploring our outside area and how to use the equipment.

Literacy
The children need to be bringing in their reading books daily. We praise the children who regularly read at home to an adult and have a reward system in place. 
Name writing using chalks, pens, paint brushes, foam etc…
Writing sentences to go with the story working on capital letters, finger spaces and full stops.
Making a list of things to put in Mr Grinling’s basket or their own lunch box.
We will be continuing our daily Read Write Inc sessions.

Maths
Reinforcing capacity in the water and sand areas.
Working out how many objects have been taken from Mr Grinling’s basket. Can the children record their findings?
Making sandwiches – working out halves, sharing equally.
The children will be solving problems, including doubling, halving and sharing and learning the ‘double’ song. 

Understanding of the World
Using purple mash on the computer, designing under the sea scenes.
Modelling how to make a circuit. To see if the children can make a circuit to make the bulb light on top of the light house.

Expressive Arts and Design 
Enjoying our daily dance warm up to the ‘5 a day’ fitness programme. 
Role play – Mr Grinling’s cottage/boat/ seaside cafe
Creating a large undersea collage outside.
To make lighthouses out of junk materials/clay. To cover with strips of sticky paper.

Messages:
Please follow Broadford on facebook (remember to press the ‘like’ button) and twitter. We update the Early Years blog regularly with photos and information.
Show and tell this week should be linked to the story of ‘The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch’.

Ways to help at home:
Sharing books to encourage story language and imagination.
Playing letters and sounds phase 2 and phase 3 games on the computer.
Encourage your children to use the correct pencil grip using ‘froggy fingers’.
Looking at shapes around the home: cereal boxes, tins of food, clocks, doors, windows etc…. try and discuss how many sides, corners, faces they have.
If you are feeling creative, have a go at making a lighthouse out of junk materials.

Homework this half term is ‘Summer Fun’. You might decide to make a poster about keeping safe in the sun, the importance of drinking water or the water cycle. You could make a poster about holidays you have been on or days out to the seaside or maybe a poster about now and then, comparing days out long ago to now. If you are feeling creative maybe you could do some sand art. As usual, you have until the end of term to complete your homework.

Thank you for your continued support.

Thank you Liam!

Yesterday Liam kindly bought in his tarantulas and snakes's moulted skin to show the class. After looking at the moulted skin on our visualiser the children were intrigued to feel the skin. They said that the spiders skin felt fury and soft and the snake skin felt bumpy and ruff.

Thank you for sharing Tommy the tarantula and Charlie the snake's skin with us Liam! 

Did you know that...

For a tarantula to grow it must shed it's hard outer skin.  Adult tarantulas shed their skin approximately once a year (younger ones more frequently).  They'll usually do this within their retreat. Before a tarantula moults it will usually stop taking food.  They will shed their skin in one piece and this process can take up to 24 hours to complete.  

Snakes rub against rough surfaces to shed their skin. This happens regularly when old skin is outgrown.

NURSERY NEWSLETTER 10.06.13

Term:  Summer 2                          Date 10.06.13

The children have enjoyed the beginning of our new ‘Fun in the sun’ topic, and we look forward to exploring it further, over the next few weeks especially when we visit South Weald Country Park.

This week our story is ‘Tiddler, our focus song is ‘1,2,3,4,5, once I caught a fish alive’ and the sound we will be learning is ‘t’. 

Personal, Social and Emotional

·         Can play in a group extending and elaborating play ideas e.g building up         role play activity with other children.

·         Initiates play, offering cues to peers to join in.

·         Begins to accept the needs of others and can take turns and share resources, sometimes with support from others

Communication and Language                                                    

• Is able to follow directions.
• Uses talk to connect ideas, explain what is happening and anticipate what might happen next, recall past experiences.
• Beginning to use more complex sentences to link thoughts (using and, because )

Physical Development:

• Dresses with help e.g. puts arms into an open fronted coat when held up, pulls up own trousers.
• Runs skilfully and negotiates space successfully, adjusting speed or direction to avoid obstacles.
• Draws lines or circles using gross motor movements.

Mathematics

• Uses some number names and number language spontaneously.
• Beginning to represent numbers using fingers, marks on paper or pictures.
• Sometimes matches numeral and quantity correctly.

Understanding of the World

• Talks about why things happen and how things work.
• Recognises and describes special times or events for family or friend.
• Knows that some things make them unique, and can talk about some of the similarities and differences in relation to friends of family.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Explores colour and how colour can be changed.
• Captures experiences and responses with a range of media, such as music dance and paint and other materials or words.

Literacy

• Learning about the sound ‘t’.
• Copy some letters from their name.
• Beginning to be aware of the way stories are structured.

 Messages.

The children have been enjoying learning there sounds. This week the sound will be ‘t’.  Please bring in something beginning with this letter.

We have taken on board your comments regarding the voluntary contribution for the South Weald Country Park trip.  Therefore Mr Drakes has agreed to subsidise the cost of the coach for the children.  We are now asking for a voluntary contribution of £5 per adult only, to put towards the cost of the 2 coaches.  Please return you permission slips as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support.

Reception Newsletter

Term: Summer 2 Date 10.06.13

This week, we are starting our Summer topic, ‘Buckets and Spades’. Over the next few weeks we will be focussing on books linked to the seaside and water. We are going to start with the story of ‘The Rainbow Fish’. Your child will be taking part in the following activities within the seven areas of development (activities are subject to change, depending on the children’s interests; however, the skills remain the same):


Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
Organising new tidy up teams for this week.
In circle time, we will chatting about the importance of friends and working together. We will be reinforcing one of our 4Rs – reciprocity.

Communication and Language 
Read the PowerPoint – rainbow fish. Discussing why it’s important to share and how the fish felt when the rainbow fish shared his glittery fins. "SHARING WITH OTHERS BRINGS TRUE HAPPINESS."

Physical
Exploring our outside area and how to use the equipment.

Literacy
The children need to be bringing in their reading books daily. We praise the children who regularly read at home to an adult and have a reward system in place.
Name writing using chalks, pens, paint brushes, foam etc…
We will be continuing our daily Read Write Inc sessions.
Writing about ‘The Rainbow Fish’, in fish templates.

Maths
Reinforcing capacity in the water and sand areas.
The children will be weaving blue and green materials along fence rails to create patterns.
The children will be solving problems, including doubling, halving and sharing and learning the ‘I can add doubles’ song.
The children will be measuring short periods of time in simple ways.

Understanding of the World
Using purple mash on the computer, designing under the sea scenes.

Expressive Arts and Design 
Enjoying our daily dance warm up to the ‘5 a day’ fitness programme. 
Role play – home corner/Pirate’s ship/ seaside cafe
Creating a large undersea collage outside.
Making rainbow fish using chosen art resources.
Children to create a clay rainbow fish. To use chosen tools to create indented scales.

Messages:
Please follow Broadford on facebook (remember to press the ‘like’ button) and twitter. We update the Early Years blog regularly with photos and information.
Show and tell this week should be linked to the story of ‘The Rainbow Fish’.

Ways to help at home:
Sharing books to encourage story language and imagination.
Playing letters and sounds phase 2 and phase 3 games on the computer.
Encourage your children to use the correct pencil grip using ‘froggy fingers’.
Looking at shapes around the home: cereal boxes, tins of food, clocks, doors, windows etc…. try and discuss how many sides, corners, faces they have.

Homework this half term is ‘Summer Fun’. You might decide to make a poster about keeping safe in the sun, the importance of drinking water or the water cycle. You could make a poster about holidays you have been on or days out to the seaside or maybe a poster about now and then, comparing days out long ago to now. If you are feeling creative maybe you could do some sand art. As usual, you have until the end of term to complete your homework.

Thank you for your continued support.

What a treat!

Yesterday the children got to watch a pantomime called 'Little Green Riding Hood'. The show taught the children all about the environment and how to save water. The children remembered that you only need to have a shower for 5 minutes.

 

Mr Junk

A group of children worked with Mr Junk yesterday on a music workshop. They had a chance to experiment with sound and Mr Junk taught them how to play the instruments properly. They each had a turn to play the instruments and then played together as an ensemble to create a piece of music. Thank you Mr Junk!