This Term

Below you will find information about what the Nursery classes are learning about this term.  

Please also read our topic page to find out more about our Topic Work.

Spring 2024

Communication and Language Development

We discuss our question of the day at snack time through a circle time approach. This develops children’s communication and language; we also have time to share our news with peers.  Every week we send a talk ticket home via SCHOOP linked to our learning in Nursery.  Throughout the term children will listen to stories, participate in small group games, activities and singing to develop their communication, interaction and listening skills in a language rich environment.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development. 

This term we will continue to develop children’s independence through putting their own coats on and fastening where possible, using the toilet independently and washing their hands. Children have access to a visual timetable to reassure them of the structure of the Nursery session.  Children are encouraged to recognise their feelings through our emotions board and the ‘Colour Monster’ characters, where children will learn the words to label their emotions. We have small world colour monsters and puppets to support the children in recognising their feelings. Staff will spend time talking and listening to the children, building relationships, and developing children’s confidence. Staff model play throughout our provision to enable children to use the resources independently.  Our positive behaviour management strategies include our high five, super star chart, star of the day, and specific praise and we continually reinforce the Nursery rules and routines. ‘Achievosaurs’ are used to support the children in recognising the characteristics of effective learning.  During snack time children are chosen to be milk and fruit monitors to give out the snack to their peers.

Physical Development

In our movement room we use several resources to support the development of children’s gross motor skills. We also have a specific weekly enhancement to develop children’s fine motor control in our funky fingers area. Gross and fine motor skills are developed through our provision such as ribbon sticks, weaving, hoops, threading beads, peg boards, writing in crazy foam, tracing on tactile letters, the interactive white board, using tweezers to pick up small objects and building with bricks. We have introduced the children to yoga and ‘dough disco’ and are aiming to complete regular sessions linked to our topic. We promote healthy eating through our snack time and cooking focuses.

Literacy

We have a specific mark making area with a range of mark making resources and super hero writing capes, which encourage the children to mark make with super powers. All children have a name card to support them in recognising and writing their name, where appropriate we use letter formation rhymes to support this.  We have mark making proformas throughout our role-play provision in the Home Corner; our Toy Shop and Garage during Spring one and in our Garden Centre and Building Site during Spring two. Focus mark making activities include writing labels for plants and dinosaurs, making Mothers Day and Easter cards and creating posters and invitations for our end of term Ball.  We have a daily story time, during the Spring term our talk for writing units are ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear’ and ‘The Enormous Turnip.’ Children take books to share at home form the Nursery library every week. This term our focus rhymes are ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’ and ‘Humpty Dumpty.’  Regular phonics sessions will support the children in sound discrimination, oral blending, alliteration, voice sounds and rhythm and rhyme.

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Mathematics

Children will learn about shape and space through provision in the sand, malleable, water and construction areas and will go on a hunt around school to look for shapes in the environment. Children will measure themselves to discover who is the tallest and will measure objects around our Nursery. We will also learn about size through the stories ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ and ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’.  We continue our ‘Star Numbers’ throughout the year. Children are encouraged to complete several activities relating to this including recognising the number and its value in numicon - a resource used throughout our foundation stage. Children will practise number formation in crazy foam, coloured sand, glitter and paint.  We will complete jigsaws, maths games and contribute towards making number lines for our provision areas including a beanstalk.

 Understanding the World

We will celebrate cultural events at Nursery including tasting pancakes on Shrove Tuesday; making lanterns and cards and tasting Chinese food during the Chinese New Year. Children will make cards for Mothers Day and Easter.  All children will be involved in planting activities including planting seeds and recognising the changes that take place.  Children have daily access to the computers, interactive whiteboard and light panel. They will use the iPad in focus activities to take their own photographs.

 Expressive Art and Design

Children are encouraged to develop their own creativity throughout Nursery. Specific focuses to support children’s creative development include making puppets, creating box craft robots, painting dinosaurs, colour mixing with powder paints, making homes for superheroes, designing costumes, creating crowns and tiaras, box craft modelling, using the puppet theatre and creating music on the music wall. Children will continue to use their own mini me’s to support their imaginative play in the construction and small world areas. We will have a pe