What a busy two weeks... The children have enjoyed making their families using the resources from our Let's Explore area. They talked about sizes of each family member and where they were positioned in their families. The handprints generated a lot of talk about size - especially the BIG ones!

We've enjoyed being outside and making the most of the mild autumn weather. We've been learning about harvest around the world and particularly the Jewish festival of Sukkot. The children made a Sukkah shelter outside, putting branches on the roof. This is so you can still see the stars and God provide protection for the people inside. We decorated the Sukkah with paper chains and Conker strings and then ate our snacks in there. 

There have been a lot of slugs and worms to find in the mud kitchen and the children have carefully placed them in the bug hotel.

We had a visit from some Y2 children who came to read us their stories. It was nice to listen to them and to see some big brothers and sisters. 

Funky Fingers has been a hit with sock pegging, pipe cleaner poking and Conker threading. All of these tasks are good for fine motor control.

Our curiosity box has had some super interesting things.. it started with a deer skull, then a birds nest and this week some decaying sunflowers. The children have used magnifying glasses to look carefully at each item.

In the afternoons we have started our Numicon Maths sessions. Our first challenge was to fill the base board. This involved lots of talk about what shape was needed , what number and negotiating with others about which they needed.

We began class collective worship by looking at three versions of the bible. The children chose which one to read first - it was the rhyming one. We discussed how each bible tells the same stories but in a different way. We've started with the Creation. 

We began our Bug Club phonics this week and the children are picking up the first four sounds (s, a, t, p). We had two Early Years advisory teachers in school on Wednesday morning who could not believe how focussed and engaged the children were :-)

Cafe play is a HUGE hit with children creating "delicious" dishes out of loose parts (wood discs, sea glass, stones, curtain rings...) The cheeseburger is excellent - see if you can spot it in the slideshow!