Welcome to the Nursery webpage...please check our page regularly for updates regarding learning, as well as general information...
Spring Term 2023
Welcome to the Spring Term.
Please remember to scroll down for our weekly learning focus.
We are here to help everyone settle into our routines and are available to answer your questions, so please ask one of us if there is anything you don't understand or just need a bit more information about.
Our Routines:
- We open our doors at 8.45am and encourage you initially to bring your child in and settle them at an activity that will be set out.
- Our PE day is Thursday morning - your child does not need a school PE kit, however you can send them in wearing trainers (velcro please) and joggers/leggings that day.
- We go to the library on a Friday morning.
- Also a reminder that toys from home should not be sent into school.
A few other reminders:
*Please send in a named water bottle daily for your child too.
*Please make sure your child is in labelled school uniform.
*Please send your child in with a named book bag - especially on a Friday for library.
We are here to help you all. If you need anything or have any questions - no matter how trivial they may seem to you - we are always available to talk.
Our email addresses are:
Mrs Mottram (Class Teacher): smottram@cranborne.herts.sch.uk
Mrs Bhatt (EYP): nbhatt@cranborne.herts.sch.uk
Our Learning:
Each week we will be sharing our learning focus on this webpage - it will be released on here at the end of each week so you have the opportunity to talk about the upcoming learning/weekly focus with your child.
Below is a slightly more detailed overview of the learning focus for the current half-term in Nursery.
Our learning for 30th January - 3rd February 2023 
This week we are celebrating National Storytelling Week. across the week we will be reading and sharing several stories each day and our focus will be on oral storytelling.
We will be giving the children opportunities to re-tell their favourite stories alongside some chosen by the staff. We will look at storytelling language and how we can bring stories to life using our voices! We will also be using drama and role play to help re-tell our stories.
If your child wants to bring in their favourite story to share with the class they can, but please help them to re-tell a part of it, maybe just the first couple of pages.
We will definitely be reading the following stories, but these are not the only ones!
- The 3 Little Pigs
- Owl babies
- The Gingerbread man
- The Little Red Hen
In Maths we will be continuing our work on Cardinality - which is understanding that the last number used to count a group of objects represents how many are in the group.
In Phonics each week we will be playing some listening games which focus on several areas of listening discrimination. These will help the children develop their:
- Auditory discrimination – tuning-in to sounds
- Auditory memory and sequencing – listening and recalling sounds
- Vocabulary and language comprehension – talking about sounds
Alongside oral segmenting and blending sounds within simple words.
The Learning Environment in Cranborne Early Years Foundation Stage
In the Early Years at Cranborne we strive to create an environment that promotes a sense of curiosity, awe and wonder in the children.
An environment that also enables plenty of opportunities for them to self-select and demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning, and where the children can practise, consolidate and rehearse taught skills.
We aim to provide the children with areas that are accessible to them and are organised in a way to promote independence and purposeful play.
The seven areas of learning are as follows:
Communication and Language*
Physical Development*
Personal, Social and Emotional Development*
Literacy
Maths
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Expressive Arts and Design
*Prime Areas of Learning
Below you can watch a video of our classroom and see some pictures of the Nursery class and outside learning area.
Our classroom - Nursery
Our Learning Environment
Supporting Maths at home.
Below are some ideas for how you can support the different areas of the EYFS maths curriculum at home, and when out and about with your child.
Previous learning...Spring 1 2023
Our learning for 23rd - 27th January 2023
This week our focus story is 'The Gruffalo'.
In Literacy we will be using the story to encourage and support the children with their oral storytelling. We will be focusing on the characters in the story this week, and how we can use describing words (adjectives) to say what they are like.
Our Maths focus is counting. We will be looking at how we can count out objects and match them to a number. We will also be thinking about Cardinality - which is understanding that the last number used to count a group of objects represents how many are in the group
Our Topic work this week is all about homes and habitats for different animals, starting with the animals in our story.
In Phonics each week we will be playing some listening games which focus on several areas of listening discrimination. These will help the children develop their:
- Auditory discrimination – tuning-in to sounds
- Auditory memory and sequencing – listening and recalling sounds
- Vocabulary and language comprehension – talking about sounds
Alongside oral segmenting and blending sounds within simple words.
Our learning for 16th - 20th January 2023
This week our focus story is Goldilocks and the Three bears'.
In Literacy we will be using the story to encourage and support the children with their oral storytelling. We will be introducing storytelling language and thinking about the sequence of events that happen in both the story.
Our Maths focus is size. We will be looking at the objects from our story and the children will be ordering them and talking about them using the mathematical vocabulary for sizes: small, smaller, smallest, big, bigger, biggest.
Our Topic work this week is all about Chinese New Year. We are lucky to have a reception parent coming in to talk to us about how their family celebrates this time of year.
In Phonics each week we will be playing some listening games which focus on several areas of listening discrimination. These will help the children develop their:
- Auditory discrimination – tuning-in to sounds
- Auditory memory and sequencing – listening and recalling sounds
- Vocabulary and language comprehension – talking about sounds
Alongside oral segmenting and blending sounds within simple words.
Our learning for 9th - 13th January 2023
This week we will be reading one of our favourite books in class - "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" We love this book because it is a great one for joining in with the reading of the story.
In literacy the children will be making their own story maps to show their understanding of the story sequence. Then we will be looking at each of the places they go in the story and thinking about the sounds the places might make. The children will be adding their own sound effects to a re-telling session. In our PE session we will be acting out the story, the children will be asked to think about the movements made at each step of the journey to find the bear.
In maths we will look at positional language (prepositions), describing where objects around us are. We will be using specific vocabulary for this - under, below, above, on top of, next to, beside, behind and in front of.
Our topic work will be linked to map making, designing and following routes around the learning environment.
In Phonics each week we will be playing some listening games which focus on several areas of listening discrimination. These will help the children develop their:
- Auditory discrimination – tuning-in to sounds
- Auditory memory and sequencing – listening and recalling sounds
- Vocabulary and language comprehension – talking about sounds
Alongside oral segmenting and blending sounds within simple words.
In the next few weeks we will be introducing the children to their new "Busy Fingers Groups". These groups will rotate through a series of planned fine motor skills activities through the week, to enable every child to practice the specific skills that week. The children will, from Wednesday have to come in, post their name cards, then find their group - each group will be a colour, and each group sign will have photos of the children on to enable them to independently find their group.
Previous learning...Autumn 2 2022
Our learning for 12th - 16th December 2022
This week in our Topic work we are going to be looking at Winter. We will be talking about the seasons, and how they are different as the year goes on. The children will be learning about the changes that happen and what we can see around us at the moment that tells us it is Winter.
We will also be thinking about about Christmas traditions, and talking about the things we do to celebrate Christmas in our own families. Maybe you put up decorations and a tree, have a special meal together and get gifts. Do you write a letter to Santa? Do you leave any treats for Rudolph?
It would be lovely if you could have a chat with your child about the things you do that make this time of year special to you, so they have something to contribute to our class discussion.
Our Maths this week is continuing our work on shapes! Shapes we can see around us in our environment and basic 2D shapes, such as square, triangle, circle and rectangle (to name a few). We will be using mathematical vocabulary to talk about the shapes, e.g. sides, corners, edges. This week we will be making patterns and pictures with shapes.
In Phonics each week we will be playing some listening games which focus on several areas of listening discrimination. These will help the children develop their:
- Auditory discrimination – tuning-in to sounds
- Auditory memory and sequencing – listening and recalling sounds
- Vocabulary and language comprehension – talking about sounds
Our learning for 5th - 9th December 2022
This week in our Topic work we are spending time thinking about why some people celebrate Christmas, and what makes it a special time of yera for people of the Christian faith.
We are incredibly lucky as we are going to visit our local church to learn all about the Christmas Story, and take part in a Crib Service.
Our Maths this week is all about shapes! Shapes we can see around us in our environment and basic 2D shapes, such as square, triangle, circle and rectangle (to name a few). We will be using mathematical vocabulary to talk about the shapes, e.g. sides, corners, edges.
In Phonics each week we will be playing some listening games which focus on several areas of listening discrimination. These will help the children develop their:
- Auditory discrimination – tuning-in to sounds
- Auditory memory and sequencing – listening and recalling sounds
- Vocabulary and language comprehension – talking about sounds
We are continuing to learn and sing our Christmas songs, and are so excited to see you all for our concert on Friday 9th December.
Our learning for 28th November - 2nd December 2022
This week in our Topic work we are looking at Police Officers and Vets and how they help us. We are lucky to have a visit from both of them this week. We will be helping the children to think of some questions they can ask both the police officers and vet who come to see us about the job they do. We will also be talking about stranger danger with the class.
Our Maths this week is all about numbers! We will be looking at numbers around us in the environment and how we use numbers all the time at home and school.
In Phonics each week we will be playing some listening games which focus on several areas of listening discrimination. These will help the children develop their:
- Auditory discrimination – tuning-in to sounds
- Auditory memory and sequencing – listening and recalling sounds
- Vocabulary and language comprehension – talking about sounds
We are continuing to learn and sing our Christmas songs, we hope that they are entertaining you all as they practice at home too. Not long to go until our concert on Friday 9th December.
Our nursery rhyme/song from last week was: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
We still need extra parent helpers to come to King Charles the Martyr Church with us on Tuesday 6th December for our Crib Service - please let one of us know if you can help - thank you to those that have already let us know that they are coming.
Our learning for 21st - 25th November 2022
This week in our Topic work we are looking at firefighters and how they help us. We are lucky to have a visit from the firebrigade towards the end of the week. We will be helping the children to think of some questions we can ask the firefighters about the job they do. We will also be talking about fire safety.
In Maths we will be revisiting counting to 5 and being able to count out up to 5 objects when asked. The children are deepening their mastery of number by exploring the first five numbers in greater depth.
In Phonics each week we will be playing some listening games which focus on several areas of listening discrimination. These will help the children develop their:
- Auditory discrimination – tuning-in to sounds
- Auditory memory and sequencing – listening and recalling sounds
- Vocabulary and language comprehension – talking about sounds
The children are enjoying singing our Christmas songs, we hope that they are entertaining you all as they practice at home too.
Our nursery rhyme/song from last week was: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Our learning for 14th - 18th November 2022
In Topic work, we are continuing our look at people who help us. This week focusing on people at school and home. We will be talking to some of the people that work in school.
We are also taking part in World Nursery Rhyme Week. We will be learning a new rhyme/song each day. You can join in at home too. Click the link to find out more information: World Nursery Rhyme Week If you scroll down there is a link for parents/carers.
Our Maths focus will be patterns. We will be looking for patterns all around us and making some of our own.
In Phonics each week we will be playing some listening games which focus on several areas of listening discrimination. These will help the children develop their:
- Auditory discrimination – tuning-in to sounds
- Auditory memory and sequencing – listening and recalling sounds
- Vocabulary and language comprehension – talking about sounds
It is also getting to that time of year again, so we will be starting to learn our Christmas concert songs in school and will be sending words home for you to practice at home too.
Our nursery rhyme/song from last week was: Aunt Polly had a Dolly...
Our learning for 7th -11th November 2022
This week in Topic work we are beginning to think about "People Who Help Us". We are starting with people that help us stay healthy.
We have got a visit from one of our parents, who is a doctor, on Monday to start our learning off! We will also look at other healthcare professionals, such as dentists, nurses and paramedics.
In Maths we are revisiting group recognition, or Subitising. Which is when the children are able to recognise the number of objects in a small group and tell you how manythere are before they count to check. An example of this might be recognising the patterns on dice, and not needing to count to know what number you have rolled.
On Friday we will be thinking about the meaning of Remembrance Day.
In Phonics each week we will be playing some listening games which focus on several areas of listening discrimination. These will help the children develop their:
- Auditory discrimination – tuning-in to sounds
- Auditory memory and sequencing – listening and recalling sounds
- Vocabulary and language comprehension – talking about sounds
We are also learning a nursery rhyme or song each week, so far we have learnt: The Grand Old Duke of York, Incy Wincy Spider and Wind the Bobbin Up. We are also teaching the children the Makaton signs that go alongside the songs. Below I am linking the Mr Tumble videos that show this, please play them and help your child learn them. A new song or rhyme will come home each week this term.
Links to songs and rymes:
Our learning for 31st October to 4th November 2022
Welcome back!
This week in Topic we will be finishing off our work on Diwali, and hopefully learning about some of the celebrations that you celebrate at home as families.
We will be focusing on how light is important in lots of different festivals and celebrations.
In Maths we will be looking at comparison of amounts, whether groups of objects have more, less or the same amounts in them.
We will spend a little time on Bonfire Night. Where will be talking about firework safety.
At the start of the week we will be mixing and making potions, and exploring the inside of a pumpkin!
Our Phonics focus will be a mix of environmental sounds and body sounds.
In PE we will be turning into fireworks! Our focus will be different styles of movement to match the type of firework.
Don't forget our firework display on Friday 4th November from 5pm onwards.
Our learning for the week of 17th - 21st October 2022 
This week we are thinking about celebrations and festivals.
We will be looking at Diwali, which takes place over 5 days between the 22nd and 26th October this year. The children will learn about the way that the festival is celebrated and the significance of light, colour and pattern during this special time.
Mrs Bhatt will be talking to the children about how her family celebrate Diwali, including the special food they eat and clothes they wear.
Maybe some of you also celebrate Diwali. If you do it would be lovely to see some photos of your family at this time of year.
We will be making our own salt dough diva lamps, rangoli patterns and mehndi patterns throughout the week.
As October is also Black History Month and we wish to help the children to understand the impact of discrimination and celebrate the importance of equality, we will be taking some time each day to share stories with the children that have black characters, such as The Mega Magic "Hair Swap", "M is for Melanin" and "We're Going to Find the Monster".
Our learning for the week of 10th - 14th October 2022
This week we are investigating Autumn!
The children will have the opportunity to explore a range of natural Autumn objects, such as leaves that are changing colour, acorns, conkers, seed heads and other things that can be found at this time of year.
For Topic, we will be reading "Leaf Man" by Lois Elhert and making our own leaf people and other leaf pictures.
Our Literacy focus will be the book "We're Going on a Leaf Hunt" by Steve Metzger, and thinking about the rhyme and rythm to the story. As well as the repeated phrases. We may even go on our own leaf hunt around the school grounds!
In Maths our focus this week will be counting to 5 and being able to count out up to 5 objects when asked.
As always we will be reading other books linked to this week's theme, singing songs and nursery rhymes and sharing other story books.
Useful Websites
For Phonics:
http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/freeIndex.htm
Here is some more information on Read Write Inc Phonics.
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/learn-to-read-phonics/
For Maths:
http://www.early-years.org/parents/docs/maths-through-play.pdf
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/mathematical-resources/top-ten-websites-and-online-resources/
Other Websites:
foundationyears.org.uk/what-to-expect-when/
Username : student15821 Password: rocket
You can find reading books at:
https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/find-a-book/library-page/
- Friday 10th February - Last day of the half-term, normal finish times.
- Friday 10th February - Friends of Cranborne Friendship Disco - times to follow
- Monday 13th - Friday 17th February - Half-term break.
- Monday 20th February - INSET day - No children in school
- Monday 20th February - Parent teacher consultations 1pm-7pm
- Tuesday 21st February - Children back in school.
- Thursday 2nd March - World Book Day - come to school in your pyjamas!
- Thursday 30th March - Friends of Cranborne Easter Egg Hunt - details to follow.
- Friday 31st March - Last day of term.
- Monday 3rd - Friday 14th April - Easter Holidays.
- Monday 17th April - INSET day - No children in school.
- Tuesday 18th April - Children back in school.
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Link to the school calendar
Link to the school term dates
Do you need weekend inspiration?
Hertfordshire are partners in a great tool for parents. A list of 50 fun things to do with your child before they turn 5. There are lots of great ideas to do as a family or with friends. Maybe you can try some over the half-term? If you do, don't forget to take photos and upload them to Evidence Me. That way we can ask your childrne to tell us all about the fun they have had.
You can download it as an app, or use the web based version, either way it is a great resource for ideas of fun activities to do together.
Please see the link here: https://hertfordshire.50thingstodo.org/app/os#!/welcome for the web based version, or the document below for the app information.
Have fun!
Thank you to everyone who made it to our information evening.
If you were unable to attend, the slides that I talked about are below. Please take a moment to read through them, and if you have any questions please ask.
Snow Day Ideas...
There are lots of different things you can do on a snow day. Below is a list of just a few.
1 Build a snowman - Don't forget they will need eys, nose, mouth, arms...what will you use?
2 Make patterns in the snow - this will help with mark making and writing skills.
3 Make a snow castle (just like a sand castle but colder!) and decorate it.
4 Make footprints with family and compare the sizes of your shoes and boots. Who has the smallest? The biggest? The middle sized? (can you find any footprints from birds or animals?)
5 Investigate melting! Find some containers to put snow in and put them in different places, inside, outside, wrapped up outside. Which melts the fastest? slowest? What happens when snow melts?
6 Find some snowflakes - can you find 2 the same?
7 Make some snowflakes - here is a simple tutorial How to make a simple snowflake
8 Describe the snow - What does it feel like?
9 Make some hot chocolate with a grown-up - What do you have to do? Can you describe the steps to someone so they could do the same?
10 HAVE FUN!
Whatever you do in the snow today, we would love to see pictures! Please upload any to Evidence Me and we can look at them together when we are back in class.
Do you want to hear a story?
We have recorded some bedtime stories that will be added to over the year, that you can use at anytime.