Nursery R & V 2024 - 2025

We would like to begin by saying 'Welcome Back!' to our Nursery class we have a busy and exciting half term to look forward to.

We would also like to welcome Mrs Brewster who is covering Mrs Vaughan’s Maternity leave.

We are also delighted to announce that Mrs Vaughan and Miss Dunlop have both had baby boys! Both mums and babies are doing well.

On this page you will find information about the current topic, news and updates regarding special events and dates to remember as well as access to photographs of the children and the fun things they have been doing whilst in school.

The class teachers for Nursery this school year are Mrs Roche (class NR) with Miss Davies and Mrs Brewster (class NV- covering Mrs Vaughan’s maternity leave) with Mrs Hodge. Also, Miss Calvert work with the children throughout the week.

Let’s Learn through Animals

Our topic for Summer 1is ‘Animals’ this topic gives the children a greater understanding of our living world around us and how animals, insects grow and changed over time.  What their habitats are and the difference between animals e.g. domestic and wild.  We look at life cycles (Caterpillars) and our natural environment and how animals fit into them.  This including lots of experiments and lines of enquiry e.g. animals at home and in the wild, baby animals.   We also continue to look at our changing environment of the seasons around us and lots of creative fun activities e.g. making bird feeders and placing them in our outside environments. For more details of our activities please look at our medium term plan below. 

During this topic we will be reading the following books in our Literacy lessons to help engage the children into our new topic: ’Dear Zoo' by Rod Campbell; and ‘Oi Frog!’ Written by Kes Gray and Illustrated by Jim Field. Literacy lessons will build and develop children’s love of stories and extend their book knowledge skills with a large emphasis on their ‘Communication and language’ supporting them to speak using simple sentences in English and to ask and answer questions. This half term we are continuing to use our new ‘FANTASTIC Foundations’ scheme.  In line with the rest of the school.  During our investigation Mondays we will be encouraging children to explore where animals live and using lots of science experiments with lines of enquiry to ask: What do they eat? Who are animal babies? Why does the animal live here?  We will carry out some simple investigations e.g. hot water bottle experiment (linked to habitats). 

In Maths children will be developing the children's confidence with sequencing, positional language, more than and fewer, 2D and 3D shapes and number formation. We will be following the ‘mastery maths approach’ along with the rest of the school.

In Phonics this term the children will begin our ‘Little Wandle Letters and Sounds' programme. During these lessons, the children play different games and are introduced to new items that begin with the sound of the week.

This term the sounds we are learning are:

Week 1: j

Week 2: v

Week 3: w 

Week 4: y

Week 5: z

We will continue to use our 'Rainbow challenge’. This is used by the children during their ‘continuous provision time’ after adult input lessons. It is broken up into different areas/tables for the children to learn and play e.g. the ‘Construction area’ or the ‘Writing table’ or the ‘Reading corner’ and each are associated with a specific colour. Children are encouraged to explore their whole environment throughout the week and in doing so gain a coloured lollipop stick for each area they have engaged with. If they complete the Rainbow they are rewarded with a sticker and a prize at the end of the week.

We place a large emphasis on children’s personal, social and emotional development and will continue to do so as we move through the year. We are in no doubt that the Covid pandemic has had a large impact on our pupils and their lives and so our aim is to get them talking, ensure they feel safe and have confidence to build relationships with their peers.

In addition, we will continue each week to engage in a ‘Music Assembly’ whereby the children sing songs and explore sound and instruments. We will also have a celebration assembly each Friday to award our ‘Stars of the week’ and ‘Citizens of the week’. During this half term parents and carers will have the opportunity to come into school for Celebration Assembly and see their child receive their certificate on Thursday 8^th May in the School Studio at 9am.

Please see the 'Files to download' section below to find out more about your child's daily timetable and curriculum.

Reminders:

As we are now into Spring/Summer please send a coat with your child everyday as the weather can change and be sunny in the morning but may rain in the afternoon.  Please make sure your child is bringing a water bottle to school which they can access throughout the day to stay hydrated.

As the weather is changeable please also make sure with improving weather you are sending appropriate sunny weather items e.g. sun hat, water bottles and applying sun cream to your child in the morning when required.    

Please remember to send in a pair of Wellington boots for your child. We play outside in all weathers and the children really do love to splash in muddy puddles.

We would like to remind all parents that as part of your child’s school uniform.  Please have a spare set of clothes in school at all times. This is in case there are any toileting accidents or messy play mishaps. It is an expectation that children come to school toilet trained but we appreciate this isn’t always so easy and will support them as best we can in school.

Homework – Once all the children are settled we will start to send home their homework book which is sent home on a Friday and must be returned by the following Wednesday AM.  

Thank you for your support, we look forward to our continued work with you this year!

Application for Reception September 2024 Has now closed and you should have been informed by your local authority if your child has a place in your chosen Reception class for their start in September 2024.

Diary dates: 

Tuesday 6^th May visit from Aqua lease (rockpools)

Thursday 8^th May Celebration Assembly 

Thursday 22^rd May End of Term.

One final message...

Here in Early years at Ashbury meadow primary school we put every effort into building strong relationships with our pupils so that school is a place they not only enjoy, and feel safe but THRIVE and communication and Language forms the foundation of this, please take a few minutes to watch this TED talk which encompasses our ethos

How Every Child can Thrive by Five by Molly Wright

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aISXCw0Pi94