Nursery 2026 - 2027

Welcome to Nursery.

Mrs Young, Mrs Wilson and Mrs Slattery

8.10.26

We’ve had another busy week in class, with lots of opportunities for the children to explore and learn through different activities.

At the end of last week, the children enjoyed making paintings using conkers. They rolled the conkers through paint and then across their paper to create different patterns and pictures. This was a good activity for developing their fine and gross motor skills, as they had to carefully move and control the conkers. The children enjoyed working with the adults and were very pleased with their finished pictures.

In maths, we have been focusing on the number two. We have been practising writing the number 2, which can be quite tricky to form, as well as exploring the number in different ways. The children have been using their fingers to show two, finding two objects, doing two actions and singing songs about the number two. These practical activities have helped the children to develop their understanding of the number.

We have also started introducing Talk for Writing (T4W). This is a literacy approach that helps children develop the skills they will eventually need to write their own stories. At this stage, we are keeping it simple and using familiar nursery rhymes. The children have been learning Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and using actions to help them remember the words and join in with the rhyme. Next week, we will start changing some of the words while keeping the same structure. We will be learning Twinkle, Twinkle, Chocolate Bar! This is a simple introduction to an important skill that the children will use as they get older – using ideas they already know and changing parts of them to create their own stories and writing.

We also had another tasting session this week, where the children tried sweet potato fries. We were pleased with how many children were willing to give them a try. Around half of the children decided they liked them, while others decided they weren't for them. It was still great to see so many children having a go at trying something new and talking about what they thought.

Outside, we have introduced our new mud kitchen. The children who chose to have a go really enjoyed making mud pies and using their imaginations during their play. It was lovely to see them playing together, sharing the resources and working on their creations. Some children weren't quite ready to join in this time, but the mud kitchen will be available regularly, weather permitting, so they will have plenty of opportunities to explore it over the coming weeks.

It’s been a busy week with lots of different activities and experiences for the children to enjoy.

Have a look at the gallery below to see some of the pictures from this week.

1.10.26

We have had another really busy week in class, with lots of different things happening and plenty for the children to explore. We started the week by using the apples we picked last week. Mrs Young baked them into apple bread for the children to have their first proper tasting session. During the tasting, we explored all of our senses and thought about what we could see, smell, feel and taste. We discovered that whilst the apple bread didn't make much noise for the children to listen to, they were able to talk about how it looked and felt before tasting it and deciding whether they liked it. The vast majority ate it all, with only a few children deciding that it wasn't for them, but nearly everybody was happy to have a try, so we were really pleased with how the first tasting session went.

We also had a visit from our lollipop lady, Andrea, this week. She was fantastic with the children and showed them all of the equipment she uses before we went out into the playground to practise on our road. We talked about how to cross roads safely and the children listened really carefully to what Andrea was telling them. They also had lots of different questions for her, which she was very happy to answer. It was a really useful session and gave the children the chance to practise what they had been learning in a practical way.

Another activity this week was making our own butter. We put double cream into a tub and the children took turns shaking it between them until it turned into butter. We then had it on toast, which has become a popular part of our mornings! Thank you so much to everybody who has given us contributions for the week. It means that we can provide toast and breadsticks in the morning and also buy the ingredients we need for our tasting activities. These experiences are a great way for the children to try different foods and learn where some of the things they eat come from.

We have also been introducing our reward systems in school, so you may have noticed that some children have been coming home with stickers. If your child has not come home with a sticker, it does not mean that they haven't received one. Some children don't like stickers, so we swap these for a token instead, while others manage to peel them off during the day! All of the children are being given the chance to receive a reward when we see them following our classroom rules and showing the behaviours we are looking for.

Have a look at the gallery below to see some of the pictures from this week.

24.9.26

We have had another great week in class, with lots of opportunities for the children to explore, learn, play and get to know one another. It has been lovely to see the children becoming more confident in their new surroundings and beginning to settle into our routines.

A big thank you to you all for bringing in some lovely autumnal items for our tray. The children have had an excellent time exploring, examining and talking about everything that has been brought in. They have enjoyed looking closely at the different colours, textures, shapes and sizes, and it has provided lots of opportunities for discussion and vocabulary development. 

We have started to learn about the Four B's, which is a whole-school policy that teaches the children about our school values and helps them to develop the behaviours and attitudes that will enable them to become effective learners. Our first B is 'Be Ready'. We have talked a lot about what being ready looks like at different times of the day and in different areas of the school. We have been thinking about being ready to listen, ready to learn, ready to play and ready to join in. The children have been encouraged to think about what they need to do to help themselves and others to be ready. We have also been looking at our second B, 'Be Respectful'. We have been talking about what it means to be respectful towards our friends, adults, our school and the things around us. We have discussed using kind words and actions, listening when someone else is speaking, taking turns, sharing resources and looking after our classroom and outdoor environment. The children have been encouraged to think about how their actions can make other people feel and how we can all help to make our classroom a happy and welcoming place.

A big part of our week has also been getting to know one another and building relationships within the class. We have been playing lots of fun games designed to help the children learn and remember each other's names. It has been wonderful to see the children becoming more confident when speaking to their friends and joining in together. We are beginning to see some lovely friendships developing, with children starting to seek each other out during play, share experiences and enjoy activities together. We will continue to provide lots of opportunities for the children to play collaboratively and develop these important relationships.

We have also been playing games that encourage good listening skills. Games such as Simon Says have been a great way for the children to practise listening carefully, following instructions and thinking about whether they should respond or wait. These games are not only lots of fun, but they also help the children to develop their concentration and attention skills, which are so important for learning.

We have enjoyed games that encourage the children to ask questions and use their detective skills. We have played games such as What's in the Box?, where the children have to ask questions and listen carefully to clues to work out what might be inside. We have also played Bug in a Rug, where one child hides underneath a rug while the other children become detectives and ask questions to work out who is hiding. These games have been fantastic for encouraging the children to speak confidently, ask questions, listen to the answers and remember their friends' names. The children have particularly enjoyed the excitement of being detectives!

Check out the gallery below for this weeks pictures. 

17.9.26

We’ve had a really busy week in the Nursery! We have taught the children how to use the different areas of the classroom, so they now have full access and are making the most of all the learning opportunities. They are treating our resources with respect, and they have all learned the mantra: “Choose it, use it, put it away.”

We have also had a full tour of the school. The children enjoyed seeing where all the other children learn and finding out a little more about the different areas of our school. We visited the hall, where we will be doing P.E., and we even went to Mrs Johnson’s office. Mrs Johnson is one of our Deputy Head Teachers, and the children enjoyed going in to say hello to her!

We have explained the token system, and the children have been working together as a class to earn tokens for the token pot. They earn tokens by following our class rules, for example, everyone working together to tidy up or everyone coming to the carpet and sitting on their spots. When the tokens reach the yellow line, the class earns a treat. This might be using the climbing equipment on the Reception playground or watching something on the learning board. The children can also get stickers! We use these when we see a child going the extra mile. They might share their toys or come and tell a grown-up that their friend is upset. We try to reward all the positive behaviour we see, and we’re definitely getting through a lot of stickers!

We have two class bears called Pierre and Celine, who are from France. Over the year, they will come to visit all of you for the weekend. They have instructions in their bags and I have also added them to the 'files to download' section below, so please don’t worry. You just need to email me some photos. The bears are an exercise in patience as well as anything else! I promise that all of the children will have a turn, and the bears are equally excited to meet everybody’s family. They just can’t be in two places at once!

Over the next few weeks, we would like to set a little homework. We will be looking at the seasons over the year, and we would love to set up an Autumn tray in the classroom for the children to explore. If you manage to get outside to burn off some energy, we would like it if you could collect some signs of autumn and send them in with your child. Conkers, pretty leaves, acorns, etc. would all be appreciated. Don’t go mad, it’s only a small tray, so leave some for the squirrels!

I have added this term's newsletter to the 'files to download' section at the bottom of this page so please go and take a look, it has some interseting information for you to read over.

Have a great weekend! There are some pictures from this week in the gallery.

10.9.26

It has been a lovely week getting to know all of the children properly, and they have done so well!

They have followed the Nursery rules beautifully, and I have been super impressed with their willingness to tidy up- long may it last! It has also been lovely to see them interacting with each other, and I have already started to see some friendships forming.

I know some of the children found it difficult to say goodbye to their grown-ups, but they all settled really quickly once they were in school. If your child is ever struggling to regulate for any period of time we will always give you a call to let you know. So, thank you to all of the grown-ups for trusting us to keep your little ones happy and safe.

Over the coming school year, I will share lots of photos and information with you on here. I have already put some pictures from the first couple of days in the gallery. Have a look through them with your child and see if they can tell you what they have been learning.

A few reminders…

Voluntary contribution: We will be collecting a voluntary contribution of £1 a week, which you can pay weekly or in a block. This will cover toast and tasting activities and might even stretch to an ice cream when we go to the farm! You can give the money to the teacher on the door; please put it in a named envelope.

Water bottles: The children have access to their water throughout the day, so please send them in with a named water bottle.

Coats: The weather is really changeable at the moment, so please make sure your child brings a coat. We go outside even when it’s raining!

Wellies and waterproof trousers: Thank you to everyone who has already brought in wellies and waterproof trousers for their child. If you haven’t brought them in yet, that’s absolutely fine, just hand them over to us at the door. We store both the wellies and waterproof trousers under the veranda rather than keeping them in the children’s bags, so that the children can have easy access to them when we need them. If your child’s wellies and waterproof trousers are currently in their changing bag, please let me know and I can take them out and put them in the correct place for you.

Lunch times: Please remember that the children don’t need to bring lots and lots of food in their lunchboxes—just enough to keep them full. We encourage all of the children to eat as much as they can from their lunchbox, but we never want them to feel pressured or forced to eat. If your child regularly doesn’t eat very much, please let us know. Equally, if you have packed a larger lunchbox to give your child a choice of foods but don’t expect them to eat everything, it would be really helpful if you could let us know this too. This helps us to understand what is normal for your child and to support them appropriately.

Mrs Slattery is with the children for the first part of their lunch and spends lots of time encouraging them to eat and making sure that everyone has had the opportunity to eat. If you have any concerns about your child’s lunch or how much they are eating, please let us know.

There are some more photos in the gallery below.

Just a reminder that it will be Mrs Wilson and Mrs Slattery tomorrow.

I’ll see you all on Monday. Have a lovely weekend!

7.9.26

What a fantastic first week we have had in Nursery!

We have been so impressed by how brilliantly the children have settled into school life. They have been busy exploring their new classroom, getting to know their teachers and friends, and learning all about our Nursery routines.

The children have listened beautifully and have shown such confidence as they have discovered their new surroundings. We have been especially impressed by how happily they have come into school each morning and how confidently they have said goodbye to their grown-ups. What a wonderful start!

There has already been lots of fun, laughter and learning, and this is just the beginning! We have so many exciting activities and experiences planned for the year ahead, and we are really looking forward to making lots of happy memories together.

But first, we know you will be eager to see what the children have been getting up to! Head to the bottom of the page and take a look at our ‘Autumn 1, Week 1’ gallery, where you will find some lovely photographs of your children enjoying their first few days in Nursery.

We hope you enjoy looking through the photos as much as we have enjoyed taking them. What a super first week, well done, Nursery!

2.7.26

Hi everyone,

Just to let you know, I have added the presentation from last week and the 'Welcome to Nursery' letter to the Files section at the bottom of this page. Please take a look when you have a chance.

I have now visited all of the children in their nurseries. If a child was unavailable, I spoke with their key worker to gather as much information as possible and help ensure a smooth transition into school. Please send in a photo of your child and a family picture so that I can start getting the classroom ready for them for September. You can send them to [email protected] thanks in advance.

We will be holding a story and song session at school on 14th July at 9:20 am and 17th July at 10:20 am. Please feel free to come along to one or both sessions.

Adults are invited to stay, but please limit attendance to one adult per child so that we can accommodate everyone comfortably.

I look forward to seeing you then.

Mrs Young