Nursery
Friday 26th April 2024
This week the children really enjoyed painting farm animals for our display.Our role play area has turned into a stable and we have been learning about how to take care of a horse. We went to visit the school pond this week and were lucky enough to meet a duck and her ducklings.
In Phonics, we played lots of different blending games. We are really getting good at blending words in our heads. We had to listen to our teacher's sound talk a name of an animal and then blend it in our heads and make the sound of the animal. We have also begun to recognise the grapheme for s, a, and t by matching the phoneme to the grapheme. It was so much fun!
Our Nursery Rhyme focus this week was Hey Diddle Diddle.
In Maths, we have been learning about 3D shapes – Cube, Cuboid, Cone, Cylinder, Sphere and Pyramid. Go on a 3D shape hunt at home and see what you can find.
This week's story was the traditional Tale ‘Three Little Pigs,'.
Friday 19th April 2024
The children have settled back well after the holidays. They were very excited to hear all our new topic 'Farm Animals' and that they were all going to become farmers.
This week we have been identifying the names of the animals and through the noises they make. We have also been learning the Makaton sign for each animal. Please ask your child to show you the sign for pig, horse, cat, dog, chicken, cow, duck and sheep.
The children have begun to paint their farm animals for our Farmyard display.
The children also enjoyed hearing the story 'Noisy Farm' by Rod Campbell
We have been following our Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Phonics scheme since September. The first stage is Foundation, where the children learn to listening, speaking, rhyming and oral blending skills. We have made really good progress with our oral blending skills and really enjoy playing games with Mrs Giordmaina such as ‘What’s in my box?’, ‘Can you touch your …?’ ‘What’s that noise?’. We have learnt the first set of phonemes (sounds) s, a, t, i, p and n. This we learnt the phoneme 'm' and are now using the first set of sounds to read words. This week we learnt to sound out and blend the word sat. Please practice these sounds at home with your child.
Our Nursery Rhyme focus this week was Baa Baa Black sheep.
Friday 28th March 2024
We had a lovely week this week learning all about Easter. Mrs Giordmaina read us the story of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and learnt all about Palm Sunday, The Last Supper, how Jesus died on the cross for us on Good Friday and then rose again on Easter Sunday. We also learnt that we decorate eggs and give chocolate eggs because they symbolise new life.
Throughout the week we did lots of Easter activities, but we really enjoyed making Easter chocolate nests and wearing our Easter Bonnets, which we made ourselves on the last day of school. Please see our Nursery Gallery.
We listened to two stories this week, 'The Enormous Turnip' by Ladybird Tales, and 'We're going on an Egg Hunt' by Bloombury.
Happy Easter Everyone!!
Friday 22nd March 2024
This week's story was 'Baby goes to Market' by Atinuke. Lots of us recognised the basket on Mama's head and remembered that people in Africa carry their shopping in baskets on their heads. Some of us also linked it to 'Handa's Surprise', which we read together in Autumn.
Our home Corner was turned into an African Food Market, and we learnt all about different foods from Nigeria like Chilli peppers and chin -chin biscuits. We even noticed how different the taxis were, as in the story they were motorbikes and here in England they are cars.
In Phonics, we played 'Simple Simon Says', it was so much fun. We also continued practising our oral blending skills and Rhyming skills.
In Maths, we looked at patterns around the nursery and tried to make our own patterns through vegetable printing. We also did some simple subtraction using the story, as baby liked to eat one of every amount of things the market sellers gave him.
Friday 15th March 2024
This week we read ‘Oliver's Vegetables' by Vivian French. Our role-play area turned into a fruit and vegetable shop. We enjoy buying different fruits and vegetables.
We would like to thank you all for your kind donations of seeds, compost and plants. The children really enjoyed sowing the seeds and planting the plants.
This week we continued learning our phonemes s, a, t, i, and p. This week we learnt a new phoneme ‘n’. Some of us were able to say words that we know that begin with the phoneme ‘n’. Why don’t you encourage your child to go on a ‘n’ sound hunt and see how many things they can find.
In Maths, we have been learning about full and empty, which are linked very well with planting.
Our Nursery Rhyme this week was Pat-a- cake. The children really enjoyed this week’s rhyme and are really able to spot words that rhyme.
The 'BIG PLASTIC COUNT' finishes today. Please count up your tallies and upload them to our class page on Monday.
https://thebigplasticcount.com/submit/3867/nursery-8
Reminders
Book Bags are returned to school on a Thursday.
Friday 8th March 2024
This week was a fun-packed week due to it being World Book Week. We had lots of lovely activities around reading and we all dressed up as a book character. It was so much fun!!
This week we continued our learning about 'Growing'. We looked at all different types of flower seeds and bulbs. We learnt the life cycle of a plant and what it needs to grow. We all hope that the weather is much better so we can have lots of fun planting in the Nursery Garden with all the lovely bedding plants and seeds you have donated. Please keep donating bedding plants, as we now have enough seeds.
In Phonics, we played lots of different blending games. We are really getting good at blending words in our heads. We also played 'Rhyming Soup' and are now able to identify words that have the rhyming 'at' sound at the end.
In Maths, we learnt about full and empty through planting seeds. Why don't you get your child to fill up different size containers while they are in the bath and get them to tell you when they are full or empty.
Our story this week was 'We found a seed', by Rob Ramsdon.
Friday 2nd March 2024
This week we continued learning about how we grow, and we enjoyed reading, ‘When we grow up’, by Melanie Walsh. This book sparked a lovely thought in our heads about what we will want to be when we grow up. This has led to us all sharing what we would like to be and there are going to be lots of firefighters, doctors, teachers and Vets when we grow up.
In Phonics this week we played our oral blending game 'What's in My Box' - where the teachers sounded out the objects, and we had to say what they are by blending the sounds in our heads. One of the objects was a c-oa-t - coat. It was our first time playing the game, but we did really well and our teachers were very proud of us.
In Maths, this week we learnt about tall and short. We really enjoyed measuring ourselves to see who was the tallest and who was the shortest. We also measured different things around the nursery.
Friday 23rd February 2024
This week we settled back into nursery very well after our half-term holidays. We were all able to discuss what we did in the holidays. Some of us travelled to different countries on an aeroplane, and we could say whether the weather was hot or cold.
We were very excited to see lots of babies in our role play area and couldn't wait for Mrs Giordmaina to tell us what our new topic is. Mrs Giordmaina explained that our new topic is 'Growing'. This week we learnt how to be midwives and take care of babies to ensure they are healthy and growing nicely. We also discussed what we can do now that we couldn't do when we were a baby.
We also learnt all about Pancake Day, and we celebrated it in the style of Mardi Gras. We enjoyed coming into Nursery in bright colours, wearing our decorated masks, making pancakes, tossing them and of course eating them.
In Phonics, we revised the phonemes s, a, t and p. We also played lots of blending games where Mrs Giordmaina sounds out a word and we have to blend it in our heads and say the word or do the action or make the noise.
In RE we are learning about 'Gathering' and how we gather in church to celebrate mass and pray.
Our Nursery Rhyme this week was Round and Round the garden like a Teddy Bear.
In Maths, we explored heavy and light using weighing scales.
This week's story was' Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes' by Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury.
From next week the Nursery Bear will be coming home to you for a visit over the weekend. There will be a book that comes with the Bear for you to put photos in and a small written recount if needed to help your child discuss what they did with the Bear during our Show and Tell on Fridays.
Reminders
Book Bags to be returned to school on a Thursday
World Book Day – Thursday 7tht March – Dress up as your favourite book Character
Friday 9th February 2024
This week we had so much fun being Hairdressers. We read the story 'Hair Love' by Matthew A. Cherry. We learnt we all have different hair and that it is part of us and our family and makes us who we are - very special. It was very interesting learning about all the different hairstyles we can have and trying them on our friends.
We also learnt all about Pancake Day, and we celebrated it in the style of Mardi Gras. We enjoyed coming into Nursery in bright colours, wearing our decorated masks, making pancakes, tossing them and of course eating them.
In Maths, we sorted long and short objects and used this language within our Hairdressers' role play.
In Phonics, we recapped the phonemes s, a, t and p through what’s in the box and blend from the box.
Friday 2nd February 2024
We learnt what happens to the letters and cards we send to our friends and families through our Post Office Role Play Area. We had lots of fun writing letters, putting them in an envelope and taking them to the Post Office to buy a stamp and then post them in the big red letter box. We also took parcels and watched them being weighed before being sent off to the sorting office. Some of us even applied for our passports and had them checked and stamped.
In Maths, we posted different 2D shapes, and then we went on a shape hunt around the Nursery. We also looked at money and learnt how to pay for our stamps and parcel deliveries.
In Phonics, we played 'What's that noise?' . We learnt how to blend a word in our head by listening to our teacher segment the name of an animal, and we blended the name of the animal in our heads and then made the noise of the animal. We also learnt a new phoneme ‘p’ . It was so much fun!
Show and Tell – Our next six children did very well presenting their favourite toy to their friends. They were able to say what their favourite toy is, why they like it and a small bit of information about what the toy does. Well done Jacob K, Matteo, Megan, Max, Ola and Quinn.
This week we read the 'Jolly Postman or other People's Letters' by Janet and Allan Ahlberg.
We wonder what we will be learning next week!!!!
Friday 26th June 2024
This week Bob the teddy had a toothache when he visited the Nursery and the children helped him to become brave and visit their Dentist Surgery. Throughout this week, the children have learnt all about what happens in a Dentist Surgery. We also learnt that we must brush our teeth twice a day for 2 minutes using a circular movement and that an adult has to help us until we are eight years old. We also looked at the types of food and drink that can harm our teeth if we eat or drink too much of them.
In Phonics this week we revised our phonemes (sounds) 's and a' and learnt the sound for 't' . We also played oral blending games (sounding out a word - l -e - g etc.), which will continue to the end of the Summer term. This week we played 'Can you touch your - head, arm, neck, leg, feet. Ask your child to play the game with you at home.
Our Rhyme Time learning was on the Nursery Rhyme 'Jack and Jill'. Please log into Little Wandle's website and allow your child to watch and sing along with the Rhyme.
Our story this week was @We're going to the Dentist' by Dr Amanda Gummer
In Maths, the children enjoyed recognising their numbers 1-5 with the number puppies. Some of those puppies were very naughty and kept hiding. The children had to say which number puppy was missing and find them. Please practise this at home as it is one of the end of year targets for Nursery.
Show and Tell – Our next five children did very well presenting their favourite toy to their friends. They were able to say what their favourite toy is, why they like it and a little bit of information about what the toy does. Well done Esther, Issac, Jacob F, Jenaiah and Mary.
Friday 19th January 2024
This week we continued to learn all about our special doctors and nurses. We enjoyed role-playing doctors and patients in our role-playing area. Please check out our Nursery Gallery for photos taken this week.
In Phonics this week we learnt how to make voice sounds and voice patterns. We also recapped last week’s phoneme (sound) ‘s’ and we learnt the phoneme for ‘a’. We played 'what’s in the box?' and blending games. Our Nursery Rhyme this week was Humpty Dumpty. During rhyme time, we looked at rhyming words, and we learnt that in rhyming words the end of the word sounds the same. Please see the Little Wandle’s Website.
In Maths, we identified and named numbers 1-5. It would be great to practise these at home by having the amount shown by objects, and we have to find the number card to match.
Show and Tell – The first five children did very well presenting their favourite toy to their friends. They were able to say what their favourite toy is, why they like it and a little bit of information about what the toy does. Well done Antoni, Christina, Eily, Edwin and Diego.
This week we learnt all about Non-Fiction Books and how they tell us real information with real pictures. This week’s book was 'People who Help Us - Doctors' by Rebecca Hunter. We followed a typical day of a GP – Doctor.
Friday 12th January 2024
Happy New Year everyone!!
This week the children began their learning journey on our new 'Topic People Who help us!'. All the children were able to discuss who helps them at home and in the nursery. This week we learnt all about our special doctors and nurses. Our role-playing area turned into a doctor's surgery and the children really enjoyed role playing the Doctor and the patient. Please check out our Nursery Gallery for photos taken this week.
In Phonics this term we are learning Aspect 3 - General Sound Discrimination - Body Percussion: The aim of this aspect is to develop children's awareness of sounds and rhythms. Activities include singing songs and action rhymes, listening to music and developing the sound vocabulary. Action songs Singing songs and action rhymes is a vital part of Phase One activities and should be an everyday event. Children need to develop a wide repertoire of songs and rhymes. Be sure to include multisensory experiences such as action songs in which the children have to add claps, knee pats, or move in a particular way.
Try adding a body percussion sound to different nursery rhymes, performing the sounds in time to the beat of the song. Change the body sound with each musical phrase or sentence. Encourage children to be attentive and to know when to add sounds, when to move and when to be still.
We have also started learning our Phonemes – this week we learnt the sound ‘s’. We played 'What’s in the box?' and blending games. Our Nursery Rhyme this week was Miss Molly had a Dolly – Please see the Little Wandle Website.
In Maths, we were recognising common 2D Shapes and finding them in the Nursery environment. It would be great practise if you could play 'Hunt the Shape' at home. This week's story was 'I want to be a Doctor' by Laura Driscol
Friday 21st December 2023
Wow, what a busy craft week we had this week. We enjoyed making Christmas tree hats for our Christmas party, pattern candy canes, threading stockings and colouring Christmas trees. We even got to meet Santa and tell him what we would like him to bring us on Christmas morning. We have had so much fun!!!!!
This week's story was 'Father Christmas needs a Wee' by Nicholas Allan
The Nursery Team would like to thank you all for your support this term and the lovely Christmas gifts you gave us.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you all on Tuesday 9th January 2024.
Friday 15th December 2023
This week we have started our preparations for Christmas. We learnt all about winter and Arctic animals. We made gingerbread biscuits, made Christmas cards, Christmas baubles and wrote our letters to Santa. Our story this week was ‘The Gingerbread man’.
We will be having a Christmas Party for the Caterpillars and Ladybirds on Wednesday 20th December. On this day they can wear their own clothes.
Please send in a small pack lunch with food for them to eat. Please remember we are a Nut Free School, so no products containing nuts please.
For the children who stay all day please just add extra to their normal pack lunch.
Wednesday will be the last day for the Ladybirds (PM Nursery). Caterpillars can come in wearing their Christmas jumpers on Thursday – School closes at 1:30pm.
Friday 8th December 2023
We finished off our Transport around the world Topic in Ghana, Africa. The children enjoyed learning all about their traditional dress which Mrs Mepham, Miss Mashuta and I wore for the children to truly experience what their clothes look and felt like. To really bring this week's learning alive we read 'Handa's Surprise' by Eileen Browne. This linked well with our transport of walking. The children were immersed into the life of an African child through the story of Handa, and they reacted the story throughout the week in different ways, through using props, masks and visual cards.
The children were amazing, performing their Nursery Rhyme Nativity, and I'm sure you all agree how lovely they all looked in their costumes. Please see our photo gallery.
Friday 1st December 2023
What Another amazing week we have had in Nursery travelling around South East Asia by boat. The children really enjoyed learning about the South East Asian Culture from traditional dress, food and celebrations. Two of our children enjoyed sharing their home life cultures and songs with their friends. The children were very surprised to learn how colourful the buses are in South East Asia compared to our red London Buses. Next week is our last week of travel and the children are very excited to find out where they are going and how they are going to travel.
This week's story was 'Who Sank the Boat?' by Pamela Allen.
Next week is a very busy week, as there are lots of fun things planned for the week.
Tuesday 5th December - Tree Mulching for the morning children. Please bring wellies for your child in a plastic bag with their name on them.
Wednesday 6th December - Nativity Plays - 11am and 2.30pm. Please be at the Blue School gates by 10;50am or 2.20pm, as we will NOT be able to open the gates again once the performance starts.
Thursday 7th December - EYFS Panto at 2:30pm. Parents are invited to bring the morning children to the performance.
Friday 8th December - Christmas Jumper day.
Friday 24th November 2023
The children really enjoyed travelling on a train around India. They learnt all about Indian culture from traditional dress, food and celebrations. The children really enjoyed learning about Tuk-Tuks, which is a means of transport used in India. They also liked the Indian buses, as they are decorated with flower garlands. We wonder where we will be travelling next and what means of transport.
Our story this week was 'Engines, Engines', an Indian counting Rhyme.
This week the children also learnt about being welcomed into God's family through Baptism. Why don't you discuss your child's baptism with them and share photos of the special occasion.
Over the next couple of weeks, the children will be learning songs for their Nursery Nativity play which will be on Wednesday 6th December.
Caterpillars and full-time children - 11am
Ladybirds and full -time children -2.30pm
There is limited space in the nursery, so only 2 members of each family are welcome to come and watch. Please make sure you have given your ticket order to the office.
Friday 17th November 2023
What an exciting week we had in Nursery. The children became Airport staff and experienced check in, passport control and flying on a plane. This week we travelled to Poland and the capital city Warsaw. The children really enjoyed comparing the Warsaw buses to London buses. The children are very excited to see where they travel to next week and on what means of transport.
Our focus stories 'Suzie goes on an aeroplane' by Charlotte Olson helped really engage the children this week.
We also helped raise money for Children in Need by coming to the nursery in our Pyjamas and donating money in a Pudsey Bear Bucket. We did lots of fun activities throughout the day. Please see our Photo Gallery.
Friday 10th November 2023
Wow, what an amazing week we have had in the Nursery. Firstly all the children returned after the holidays with a big smile, which made the Nursery Team very happy. The children quickly settled back into the Nursery routine and were excited to learn that our new topic was 'Transport Around the World'. The topic started off our journey around the world in England, where the children learnt that this is the country they live in and that the capital city is London. The children enjoyed travelling on a Red Bus all around London this week, seeing and learning all about Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, where King Charles works and lives.
Our focus story 'Naughty Bus' by Jan and Jerry Oke really engrossed the children this week. They even learnt the song.
We will continue counting objects using 1:1 correspondence.
BOOK BAGS will be sent home on MONDAY. The BOOK BAGS with the BOOK INSIDE need to be brought back on THURSDAY, for us to be able to send new books out on the following MONDAY.
FRIDAY CHILDREN IN NEED:
Children are invited to wear their pyjamas to school on Friday 19th November 2021. There is an optional donation of £1 per family that will be sent to Children in Need. Pyjamas should be warm and children should wear underwear and possibly a t-shirt under their pyjamas. Children may wear plimsolls or trainers but not slippers. Please do not buy new pyjamas. If your child does not have suitable pyjamas they may wear their school track suit. Children in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and 2 should NOT wear onesies.
Friday 3rd November 2023
The children had an exciting time exploring our autumn season. They went on an Autumn walk around the school and discussed everything they could see and hear. They enjoyed the leaf hunt and found many coloured and different shaped leaves. Outside, the children made Autumn soup in the mud kitchen using conkers, leaves, pine cones and mud. They learnt how to do leaf rubbing using the colours that represent Autumn.
Our focus book and Nursery Rhyme was 'We are going on a Leaf Hunt' by Steve Metzger and Twinkle Twinkle. During our rhyme time, the children listened to different sounds related to the song and identified what the sound was. They also learnt how to count syllables in words by clapping out the word and counting the claps, which allowed them to identify how many syllables are in the word – Star – 1 clap – 1 syllable , twinkle – 2 claps – 2 syllables. We also focused on rhyming words-star rhymes with car, up rhymes with cup, sky rhymes with pie. We had lots of fun on Friday making sparkling star biscuits; they were yummy! See our Photo Gallery.
In RE, we continue to learn to make the Sign of the Cross.
Friday 20th October 2023
This week the children really enjoyed learning about birthdays and how they are special to us. The children learnt to plan for Rosie and Jim's Birthday by writing invitations, writing a shopping list for the items and food needed for a party, making birthday cards, counting candles for different number cakes and making birthday cakes on the play dough table and in the mud kitchen. They also learnt how birthdays are celebrated in different countries and how to say Happy Birthday in their home language. Our focus book this week to support the children's learning was 'Kipper's Birthday.
In Maths, we read ‘Where’s Spot?’. We tried to familiarise ourselves with positional language using the story (in, on, under etc..)
We also had a visit from the Dental Health Nurse Adele, who showed all how to brush our teeth correctly and told us why it is important for us to brush our teeth. We are now going to be brushing our teeth in Nursery at least once a day. Please remember to bring back the consent forms after the holidays.
What a fun packed out week we have had.
Friday 13th October 2023
We have had a lovely week in Nursery. The children really enjoyed sharing information about their families - who is in their family, whether they were big or small, which country they come from and what their home language is. During the week the children got to explore globes of the world and maps. Our focus book was 'Love makes a family' by Lisa Sophie Beer.
Also in Maths we read ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear’. The children loved joining in with the repeated refrains (BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE?). We used the book as a starting point to explore colours and 1:1 correspondence (counting by placing a finger on each object).
Thank you to those families who have sent in their family pictures. The children have really enjoyed sharing them with their friends. We have begun to make our family album book, which the children love looking at. Next week will be the last week for you to send a photo to me by message. Please do as these children keep asking me where their family is when looking at the family album.
Next week we are exploring Birthdays through planning a birthday party for our Teddy Twins Rosie and Jim. On Friday , the children will be able to bring one teddy of their choice from home to the birthday party. I will remind you nearer the time.
Friday 8th October 2023
This week the children have been learning during Circle Time in two groups. They have been really trying hard on their listening and attention skills this week through games such as the Name game and ‘What’s in the Box’.During Circle time the children each get a turn to count all the children, the boys and the girls. The children are learning to show the amount using their fingers. We also compare if we have more girls or more boys. The children love saying which one has more. At home, it would be good for them to keep practising this by having two groups of objects starting with up to 5 objects - such as 3 oranges and 2 apples. Allow your child to count how many there are in one group and show you the amount using their fingers. Then ask them whether there are more apples or more oranges. These are both targets the children need to do independently by the end of nursery. We will move on to numbers within 10 once they can show you all the fingers to five independently. Some need support at the moment, so please support them and celebrate their success.
This week's story was ‘My First Day at Nursery’ by Becky Edwards.
Some children have still not brought in their book bags. Please can we have them on Monday.
Next week we are learning all about our families and how they are all different but all special.
Please can you message me a family photo, so that your child can share this with their friends and I can make a Nursery Family Photo Album for the children to go and look at with their friends.
Friday 29th September 2023
The children have settled into the nursery well and next week the learning begins.
The children are split up into two small groups of 8 children for Circle Time. This allows them to develop their attention and listening skills and knowledge. Each term the groups are rotated, so the children get to work with all the adults in Nursery.
During Circle time the children will learn all about the topic we are covering. For the next couple of weeks our Topic is 'This is Me!' The children will learn all about how special they are and their new friends and the differences between them and their families.
During Free Flow the children continue to develop all areas of their learning through our topic.
Snack time is where the children get to have milk or water and fruit.
Story time focuses on a book of the week. The children get to listen to the story in different ways - reading, with puppets and acting out the story. They also sing lots of nursery rhymes after the story.
Just before the end of the session, we have a Collective Act of Worship where we think about Jesus and God. The children have been learning to do the sign of the cross and recite the end of day prayer. It would be lovely if you could practice the sign of the cross with your child.
Please make sure your child has brought their book bag to school as we will soon be sending books home from the Nursery Library. Books go home on a Monday and you need to return them on a Thursday. The children get to choose a new book to take home on the Friday, so it is very important that their book is returned so they can choose a new one. We have had many sad and upset children on a Friday because they can not choose a new book like their friends.
Friday 22nd September 2023
All the children have now joined our Nursery and they are all coming in happy. Some of the children have started walking into the garden independently. Mrs Giordmaina, Mrs Mepham and Ms Mashuta are so proud of us all!
We are focusing on learning the rules and routines of our new setting and building relationships with staff and peers.
Reminders:
- Please ensure your child comes to Nursery in the correct uniform this also means socks ( white school socks for girls and grey school socks for boys ) NO Trainer socks
- Hair clips, hairbands and bobbles must be blue, white or black.
- Please ensure your child wears stud earrings not hoop earrings, as they are a danger.
- Please bring a spare change of clothes and leave at Nursery (trousers / socks / pants / shoes)
- We expect children to use the toilets independently – practice flushing and washing hands.
- Do not let your child bring toys/sweets or jewellery including watches to nursery.
- Label all your child’s belongings clearly especially water bottles.
- Register online for free school milk at ‘Cool Milk’.
- Email consent for Class Dojo to the office- admin@olovrc.com
Thank you for all your support,
Nursery Team