Welcome to the Nursery webpage...The children have started to settle into their new routines and are getting to know each other...
Autumn Term 2023
Welcome to the Cranborne Nursery Class Webpage. This is where we will be sharing useful information and reminders, alongside, updates on the children's upcoming and previous learning experiences with us.
We know that starting school can be a stressful experience for some, which is why we are always here to help everyone settle into our routines. We also understand that you may have lots of questions during the first few weeks (and across the year), 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 to leave your child at the door, so they can independently put their coats and bags away before settling themselves at a busy fingers activity that will be set out.
- We go to the library on a Thursday morning - please send them in with a book bag to take their library book home.
- Our PE day is Friday 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.
- 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 Thursday 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 White (EYP): cwhite@cranborne.herts.sch.uk
Miss Jennings (TA): ljennings@cranborne.herts.sch.uk
Our Learning
Below you can find an overview of the Autumn Term learning focus. Each week we will be posting a weekly overview of what the class will be covering that week, along with a summary and photos of the children engaged in their learning from the week before.
This week (11-15/09/2023)
The children have had a fun week exploring the learning environment, and getting to know each other, and us!
We have been talking about our class rules and expectations, which are:
Kind hands,
Kind words,
Kind feet,
Look after each other and our environment, (including all our toys in nursery)
Respect each other.
The children are building lots of new friendships, and we have been talking about taking turns and sharing with each other.
We have had our first library visit (please return books on Thursday) and went into the hall for our first PE session too, where we spent some time moving around the hall in different ways. We have also been learning how to come together on the carpet, for stories and singing.
The children have had a busy week, but have coped amazingly and all been super stars!
Next week (16-20/09/2023)
We have lots of fun and exciting learning opportunities planned for the class.
Our main focus is on celebrating our similarities and differences, we will be reading 'My Nose, Your Nose' by Melanie Walsh and talking about how we can have some things the same as our friends and some that are different. Then we will be looking at ourselves in the mirror and painting self-portraits! The children will be helping to choose and make the correct colours for their eye, hair and skin tones.
We will be continuing to look through the 'All About Me' books and posters the children made during the Summer, and getting to know each other still..
Across the week there will be maths and phonics activities, alongside stories, songs, library and PE.
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 see some pictures of the Nursery class and outside learning area, and watch a video tour of the classroom.
Take a video tour of our classroom
Previous learning...Autumn 1 2023
Our learning 7th - 15th September 2023
Our first week (and a bit!) at school will be spent getting to know each other! We are hoping to be able to look through the lovely "all about me" posters and booklets you have made over the summer for us.
We will be talking about rules and expectations and asking the children what they would like to learn while in nursery at Cranborne.
We will be spending time with the children, showing them the different areas within our learning environments, both inside and out.
We will have story times, singing, circle times, counting games and lots of fun as we get to know each other!
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/
Espresso https://www.discoveryeducation.co.uk/what-we-offer/discovery-educationespresso
Username : student15821 Password: rocket
You can find reading books at:
https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/find-a-book/library-page/
Key Dates for Autumn Term 2023
- Friday 1st September - INSET day - no children in school.
- Monday 4th September - Wednesday 6th - Nursery Home Visits
- Thursday 7th September - half of nursery class in 8.45am-11.00am (please see your letter for your date)
- Friday 8th September - half of nursery class in 8.45am-11.00am (please see your letter for your date)
- Monday 11th September - Nursery class all in, and wraparound/30hrs starts.
- Tuesday 19th September - Parent Information Evening - 3.30pm - more information to come.
- Sunday 24th September - Friends of Cranborne (FoC) family photo day.
- Friday 29th September - INSET day - no children in school.
- Monday 2nd - Thursday 5th October - Book Fayre in school.
- Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th October - School photos - individual and siblings.
- Friday 20th October - FoC Spooky Disco - 3.30pm onwards - more information to come.
- Friday 20th October - finish for half-term break.
- Monday 23rd - Friday 27th - Half-term break - school closed.
- Monday 30th October - children back in school.
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Link to the school calendar
Link to the school term dates
Thank you to all the parents that made it to our New Parents Meeting on 23rd May.
Below is a copy of the slides that we talked through.
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.
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.