Minibeasts

Our Topic this half term is Minibeasts. To link to this we are learning the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar in our English lessons. There is a link below to a video of Mrs Day teaching the talk 4 write story and actions.

The children have been looking around our school area for signs of Spring and also searching for minibeasts. If you would like to do some minibeast hunting at home in your garden or in your local area below are some examples of a minibeast or Spring scavenger hunt - I wonder how many things you will be able to find?

Don't forget we always put minibeasts back into their natural environment and be very careful when handling them. 

Talk 4 Writing - The Very Hungry Caterpillar

This half term our talk 4 write story in Reception is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The children will learn the story by using actions to help them to remember the words. 

Here is a link to a video of Mrs Day performing the talk 4 write story which you can use to help your child to learn the story at home. Over the coming weeks the children will be practicing the story by performing using actions and playing games and they will also be asked to complete some writing.

https://abbey-federation.primarysite.media/media/talk-4-write-the-very-hungry-caterpillar-1

Easter Activities

If you need some inspiration for activities to do during the Easter holidays then have a look below and you will find some delicious recipes and some craft ideas to keep your little ones busy.

We hope you have a lovely break and that the sun comes out to play too!

Recipes

Gingerbread Easter cookies

Ingredients

65g plain white flour

55g plain wholemeal flour (use all white if you don't have wholemeal)

60g brown sugar

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp golden syrup

1 tsp ginger

Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.

Mix in the egg yolk and golden syrup.

Stir in the ginger.

Mix in the flour until it forms a dough.

Place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.

Then, roll out the dough and cut out shapes ( you could use Easter shapes or any shapes you have)

Bake for 10 minutes at 180 degrees.

Leave to cool and then decorate with icing and other decorations - sprinkle, chocolate drops, raisins etc

You could make a cookie sandwich by sticking 2 cookies together with chocolate spread.

Spring Cupcakes

Ingredients

4oz butter

4oz sugar

4oz self raising flour

2 eggs

tsp Vanilla essence

Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.

Slowly stir in the eggs and vanilla essence.

Fold in the flour.

Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases filling each half way.

Bake at 180 degrees for 15 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.

Decorate with icing and flowers or colourful sprinkles. 

Crafts/activities

Phonics Easter Egg Hunt

Ask an adult to draw some egg shapes onto a piece of paper, you then decorate them and have a go at cutting them out.

Ask your adult to write a word onto the back of each egg.

Your adult then needs to hide the eggs around your house or your garden for you to find (no peeking).

Can you find all the eggs and read all the words?

(this could be made into a number hunt by replacing the words on each egg with numbers).

Painting eggs

With the help on an adult, hard boil some eggs.

When the eggs are cool you can decorate them using paint and paintbrushes, paint pens, glitter.

Spring Nature Picture

Can you go on a hunt around your garden or your local area and see if you can spot any signs of Spring?

It might be Spring flowers - snowdrops or daffodils or birds, baby animals, blossom, buds or green shoots.

How many things can you find? You could take photos of them or draw pictures of them when you get home.

You could collect some leaves and sticks and make a nature picture. 

How creative can you make your eggs?

Home Wow Moments

We understand that your children will have many wow moments and special achievements at home and we would love to add them to their Learning Journey. This is optional for parents/carers - if you would like to share with us anything your child has achieved then please fill in the sheet attached below or ask your child's class teacher for a copy.

Spring 2 Planning

Attached below is more in detail planning for Spring 2. It includes activities and learning opportunities that the children will be completing for each area of the EYFS. 

National Science Week

Last week was Science Week, due to it being the children's first week back we have moved science week in school to this week instead (w/c 15.03.21).

We will encourage the children to become little scientists and carry out some different experiments. We will also be talking to them about their predictions and observations. 

In school we will be - 

• Placing celery in coloured water and observing what happens
• Ginger biscuit experiment - chn will put 1 biscuit in water, 1 in oil and 1 in milk. They will predict what will happen to each biscuit and use their senses of touch and sight to observe after 20 minutes.
• Coins in vinegar - place old pennies in vinegar and salt mixture and see what happens to them. What do they look like now? 

If you would like to continue exploring science with your children at home you could try these experiments again at home - the children will love to tell you what they have learnt or you can choose some other experiments from the examples below. 

We would love to see what you get up to - there is a wow sheet attached at the top of this page you can fill in or send photos into school and we will add it to your child's learning journey. 

Have fun!

Reception team 

Dancing raisins

Pour sparkling water or lemonade into a glass. Drop in raisins and watch how they move. 

Volcano

Pour water, washing up liquid, vinegar and food colouring (optional) into a clear bottle and mix. Pour in some bicarbonate of soda and see what happens!

Frozen toys

Put some toys or natural objects into a bowl and pour over water to cover. Place in the freezer for a few hours. Take out and see if your children can rescue the toys. What different ways can they find to melt the ice? 

Spring 1 Planning

Attached below is more in depth planning of our topic for Spring 1. It contains activities and learning opportunities for the different areas of the EYFS that your child will experience in school.

Monday 14th September

We really enjoyed meeting all of our new Reception children last week and are looking forward to lots of fun and learning with them this academic year. They are all enjoying exploring their new environment and we are focusing on lots of activities to support their social and emotional well-being.

Parents/Carers thank you so much for working with us and your patience particularly at the beginning and end of the day while we are getting used to all of your new faces. If you would like to speak to class teachers about any issues please contact school and we will respond to you as quickly as we can.

Welcome to Reception FS2!

So here it is the time has come,

To leave the little ones, that you love.

Please don't worry we will be here,

To show we care and wipe away the tears.

We will teach them lots and help them grow,

They will come home and show you what they know.

I know it's hard but don't be sad,

It really won't be that bad...

Because now you can leave your trust in me,

And go and enjoy a nice hot cup of tea!

The Foundation Stage Team

Meet the Team!

Staffing for FS2

RGD:

Mrs Day/Mrs Gould Class Teacher

Miss White LSA

RA:

Miss Saghir  Class Teacher

Mrs Jones LSP

RS:

Miss Supple  Class Teacher

Mrs Shaheen/ Miss Andrews LSP

Summer Shoe-Box Challenge!

Our Topic for Autumn is 'Amazing Me'. We would like you to make an Amazing Me Box over the Summer ready to bring into School when you start in September.

You can include pictures of your families, pets and friends. Maybe you want to include your favourite toys, characters, food or TV programmes. We can't wait to find out your favourite things from the boxes! 

Here are some examples from last year. 

Have a lovely Summer and we can't wait to see you all in September. 

Stay safe,

The Reception Team x

A typical day in Reception....

8:40am - Children arrive 

8:55am - 9:20am - Phonics session

9:20am-10:30am - CIL (Indoor and Outdoor Learning)

10:30am-10:45am - Fruit and Milk

10:45am-11:30am - CIL (Indoor and Outdoor Learning)

11:30am-11:45am - Adult Led Session (English or Maths)

12:00pm-1:00pm - Lunchtime

1:00pm-1:20pm - Number of the Day

1:20pm-2:20pm - CIL (Indoor and Outdoor Learning)

2:30pm-2:50pm - Adult Led Session (Topic, RE, PSED or Music)

2:50pm - Story and rhymes

3:05pm - Home time

We will have a greater focus on PSED and supporting your children’s mental health when your children join us in September.

Your child receives homework covering the letters/sounds taught that week.  We are impressed with the support that you give to your child at home so please keep it up, you make a difference.

Every child will have reading books to take home during the Autumn Term.  Please write in the diary once a week to give feedback on how your child enjoyed their books, in order for their book to be changed.   Blue book bags are ideal to transport reading books and letters to and from home but please do not carry water bottles in these book bags as they sometimes leak.  Any damages to reading books will be charged to parents.  This includes writing on pages or ripped/torn pages, so please be mindful of younger siblings when sharing books at home.

Books will be changed on the days below:

RA  -  Wednesday

RGD  - Thursday

RS  -  Friday

        P.E days:

RS  - Wednesday

RA - Thursday

RGD - Wednesday

P.E kits are kept in school and sent home at the end of each half term for parents to wash.  Please make sure that they are brought back to school on the first Monday back and check that all items are still clearly labelled with your child's name! 

Forest Schools in the Foundation Stage

At Abbey our Reception (FS2) children experience Forest Schools as part of their curriculum. We are fortunate to have an area of land behind our Reception unit, which we have developed into a great outside learning space.  Forest school, is not what the name suggests, it is not a school in a forest.  Rather it is the application of a certain set of principles and way of working with people in an outdoor area.  It is the ethos established by the practitioners and the use of the guiding principles which create a ‘forest school’.

The principles of forest schools are:

• Forest school is a long term process of regular sessions rather than a one-off or infrequent visits; the cycle of planning, observation, adaptation and review links each session.
• Forest school takes place in a woodland or natural environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.
• Forest school uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for being, development and learning.
• Forest school aims to promote holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
• Forest school offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
• Forest school is led by qualified Forest School practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.

Whilst we will teach various tool skills such as; using mallets, cutting tools, using saws and fire lighting, it is the behaviours and attitudes that are developed through the learning process which we believe are the most important.  Children are given the opportunity to working collaboratively as a team, make choices, become a leader, communicate with others, practise fine and gross motor skills and most important and perhaps the most important of all, we have fun and  make memories! A text will be sent out to parents informing them of the dates their child is taking part in forest school.