Foundation Class have been settling well during their first week! We have had lots of fun getting stuck in the first topic of the term 'All About Me'. We have enjoyed exploring the outdoor area, as well as the creation station, creating our very own self-portraits. We have started reading 'The Mood Monster' and explored the different emotions that we feel. This week, we have also met our Year 6 buddies this week and had a super time getting to know them! Next week, we will start to learn new sounds in Phonics and different concepts in Maths.

Well....what a busy week 2 we have had already! The children have settled in so well into their new routines and have already begun to learn their first Phase 2 sounds this week in Phonics: SATPIN. We have been learning to identify and form these letters correctly in different ways.

In Maths, we have been learning to Match and Sort different objects into groups and discuss new vocabulary.

Additionally, we have read lots of different texts such as "The Mood Monster" and began to think about how we regulate our emotions throughout the school day, "You Choose" which discusses how we are all different and like and dislike different topics as part of PHSE. The children created a collage of likes and dislikes which were individual to them.

As a class, we also became artists and drew our own reflections as part of our "All about me" topic and incorporated the works of Piet Mondrian into our pieces, designing and creating portraits based on his artistic practices.

In Geography, the children have been playing pirate map bingo and learning to locate and name features on a pirate map. 

What another week we have had! The children have done incredibly well in settling into the daily routine. We have been reviewing the SATPIN sounds we learnt last week and becoming confident at identifying and writing these sounds. We have been focusing on letter formation and holding our pencils correctly using the Nip, Flip, Grip technique.

In Maths, we have been using simple sorting skills to now explore different sorting techniques. We encourage the children to sort objects and discuss how they have been sorted i.e. by colour, size or shape. We have also been comparing amounts and using vocabulary such as more and fewer when comparing sets. Children have been building on their previous skills of sorting. They learnt that sets can be compared and ordered. We built towers that had ”fewer” blocks and towers that had “more” blocks than the height of ourselves.

In Science, we have been learning about our bodies, we played “Head shoulders, knees and toes”, and “Simon Says” to identify parts of our bodies.

In Geography, we drew information from simple maps and discovered how our school looked from above (an aerial view) and identified familiar places in Elworth. We identified and chose which shapes to use and moved them around to create our own aerial view maps! 

ProjectEvolve helps to support children with the use of technology online. This week, the children have been learning about how you can name your work so others know it belongs to you. 

This week has been both busy and exciting in Foundation. The children are making significant strides in writing independently, using their phonics knowledge to construct CVC words and confidently blend sounds as they begin to read. They are also showing increased proficiency in letter formation, having covered sounds such as ck, e, u, and r. Additionally, they have now been introduced to their first digraph, ck (two letters forming one sound).

In Maths, we have been exploring more complex patterns, such as ABBABBA and ABCABC, through various activities integrated within the continuous provision.

In Science, we have begun our study of "Seasons" by examining environmental changes during Autumn. As part of this, we went on a learning walk to observe seasonal changes in our local environment. The children discovered that animals like hedgehogs begin preparing for hibernation in the winter, which we used as inspiration for our art activities. 

In Geography, we went on a walk with our Year 6 buddies around the school to create a journey stick. We enjoyed exploring the school grounds to add natural and interesting objects objects to our sticks! We used these to explain our journeys to each other. 

What a busy week of exploring and role play in the outdoor area we have had this week, making the most of the good weather whilst we still have it! The children have been fixing and mending our bikes in the role play garage, making Autumn soup, mud cakes and acorn cakes in the Mud Kitchen and rolling & racing wheels down the tire ramp.

In phonics the children are continuing to build confidence in blending and writing CVC words independently. Our letter formation is looking amazing! Children are reminded to begin and end their letters in the correct places, as well as keep them the same size and written on the line - well done Foundation!

In Maths this week, we have been reading the story Noah's Ark and linking pairs of animals to the story, they are also been pegging Mrs Knott's daughters stinky socks to the washing line in pairs and finding sea life creatures in the water tray and adding pairs to the ark. We also learnt the term "subitising" which is the ability to see how many objects are in a group without counting them.

In Art, we have been exploring the artistic effect of leaf rubbing by using crayons to rub sideways on paper with the leaves underneath and making our own Leaf People!

In Geography, we have been exploring a range of different maps and comparing them by asking questions and investigating how they are similar or different.

The highlight of the week was inviting our families into school and allowing the children to share their work with parents and show off all the work we have been doing over the last few weeks. Thank you to all of those who attended :)

Maths this week consisted of "One more and one less". We read the traditional story of "The Gingerbread Man" to explain adding one more. We sang lots of songs such as, "Five Little Ducks", "5 Little Speckled Frogs" and "5 Little Men in a Flying Saucer" to introduce one less. The children took part in a range of activities to practise adding one more and taking away one less. We followed The Gingerbread Man theme into literacy. As a group, we re-told the story through a Story Track, made face masks and actively re-told the story outside in the Foundation Garden.

We also had a visit from the Educational Book Bus, where pupils got to pick their own books and take them home to read for pleasure.

In Religion and Worldviews, the children have been learning all about Diwali (the celebration of light). We made our own tea light lanterns (Diyas) out of salt dough which we will decorate and created beautiful Rangoli patterns in different creative ways.

In Geography, we have been using our knowledge of maps to make our own with the help of looking at the aerial view of Elworth and recognising familiar features. 

This week in Foundation, our little learners embraced the spirit of Halloween with a variety of engaging and educational activities that combined science, art, phonics, and math. Here’s a glimpse into all the exciting things your children have been up to:

Spooky Science Experiments: The week kicked off with our spooky science experiments! The children delighted in discovering the magic of static and magnetic electricity by creating "flying ghosts." They were thrilled to see how static electricity could make their ghostly creations dance and move. Additionally, our bubbling cauldrons were a big hit! Using vinegar and bicarbonate soda, the children mixed these ingredients to create a fizzy, bubbling reactions that mimicked a potion brewing.

Artistic Endeavors: In art, the children showcased their creativity by painting beautiful watercoluor webs. They learned about symmetry and patterns as they designed intricate webs, incorporating vibrant colors to celebrate the Halloween theme. Each artwork was unique, reflecting their individual creativity and imagination.

Phonics Fun: Phonics practice was both educational and exciting this week. The children engaged in a word hunt, searching for Halloween-themed words around the classroom. They enjoyed the challenge of blending sounds to form words, enhancing their phonetic skills while immersing themselves in the festive atmosphere.

Mathematical Explorations: In math, we focused on shapes, specifically circles and triangles. The children explored their properties through various hands-on activities, discussing how many sides and corners each shape has. To bring their learning to life, they created Kandinsky-inspired collages using these shapes, combining art and math in a fun and creative way. To finish the week, the children went on a shape hunt to discover circles and triangles within the school environment.

As you can see, it has been a week filled with exploration, creativity, and learning! We are so proud of how enthusiastically the children have participated in all the activities to end our first half term and we look forward to more fun-filled weeks ahead when we return.

Foundation Class have settled back into routine at school well this week and we have been very busy! The children have begun reading captions in phonics and learning what makes up a sentence: a capital letter, finger spaces and a full stop. The children have continued to apply their phonic knowledge by segmenting and blending sounds to read and write CVC words.

In Maths, we have been focusing on numbers 4 and 5. We practised subitising (to say the number of objects without counting) and represented 4 and 5 using various objects. We have also been practising one-to-one counting skills by counting gummy bears for sweet jars and other objects.

In Religion and Worldviews, we have been exploring the many ways people are special and what makes each of us unique. The children created a paper people chain and shared what makes them special. 

In Art, we learned about Bonfire Night and had fun "training" to catch Guy Fawkes on an obstacle course! We also tried salt drip painting, a technique where we applied glue to black card, covered it with salt, and dripped bright watercolours onto it. The results are beautiful and we really enjoyed it! 

As part of our No Outsiders curriculum, we have read, 'Red Rockets and Rainbow Jelly." We discussed how we can all like different things and can still be friends with each other. 

To end the week, Foundation Class walked to the Cenotaph with buddies to pay their respects. We are incredibly proud of how well the children represented Elworth Hall. A big thank you to everyone who joined us at the Cenotaph. 

This week in Reception, we’ve had a fantastic time exploring a range of activities and developing key skills across all areas of learning!

Phonics:The children have been focusing on the phonemes and graphemes v, w, x, and y. They practiced blending and segmenting words and worked hard on writing phrases using capital letters, finger spaces, and full stops. Their growing confidence in writing has been wonderful to see!

Maths: Our maths learning focused on representing, subitising, and finding one more and one less than numbers 4 and 5. Through engaging activities and continuous provision, the children have honed these skills and enjoyed working with numbers in practical contexts.

People Who Help Us in Our Community : We began exploring the theme of "People Who Help Us," learning about important roles such as doctors and nurses. The new role-play area has been a huge hit, with children enthusiastically stepping into these roles and demonstrating their understanding of how these professionals help us.

Art and RE: In line with our topic, the children created wonderful drawings and coloring pieces of nurses, doctors, and people who are special to them. This activity encouraged conversations about kindness and appreciation, tying in beautifully with our learning.

Creative Play:  Creative play flourished inside and outside the classroom this week! In the foundation garden, children used their imagination and problem-solving skills to build tractors in the construction area. Inside, we took part in Children in Need activities, which allowed the children to express their creativity and engage in meaningful discussions about helping others.

It’s been a busy and rewarding week, and we’re so proud of all the children’s efforts and achievements!

Foundation Class have had an exciting week with the snowy weather! The children explored changes in the natural environment, linking their observations to science as we get ready for the winter season. A highlight was building our very own class snowman! The children also enjoyed creating wonderful winter-themed artwork, including printing with blocks and finger painting. 

In Phonics, we learned new phonemes: z, qu, ch. The children have been working hard to segment and blend CVC words. They're continuing to apply these skills to writing their sentences. Mrs Clark has been impressed by their fantastic writing progress - Well done! 

In Maths, we have been learning to identify and name shapes with four sides. The children went on a shape hunt around the school to find shapes - perhaps you can spot some shapes at home? Foundation Class have also been looking at activities that we do during the day and night, focusing on the use of vocabulary: first, then, after, before, morning, afternoon, today and tomorrow. 

Our topic this term, People Who Help Us, has been a great way for the children to learn about the different occupations. From using puppets to dressing up, the children have enjoyed exploring the different roles they aspire to be when they grow up! 

This week in Foundation, the children have been very busy with a range of activities! In phonics, they have continued to write captions and phrases independently, using new digraphs such as sh, ch, ng, and nk. In maths, we have been reinforcing key skills to help the children feel confident in all areas. They’ve been practising concepts like one more, one less, weight, capacity, subitising, and number bonds to 5. We also had an exciting visit from PCSO Kim, who shared the important role of a police officer with the children, showing them parts of the uniform and equipment. To support our "People who help usin the community” topic, the children also created portraits of police officers and designed beautiful Winter Tree Silhouettes as part of our science work on seasons. It's been a wonderful week full of learning and creativity!