Class blog

Welcome back Beavers. 

We have had a very busy start to the term. 

In Beavers we have started reading 'We're Going on A Bear Hunt'. Children have worked hard on describing different animals including the bear with a 'big wet nose'. Children have also started learning about Exclamation marks and using them to form different sentences. 

In Maths we have started our learning on multiplication learning about times tables, 2,5, and 10. Children have used a range of different resources to help make pairs and equal groups.

In Science we have started our learning on plants in reception and year 1/2. Children have explored what a bulb and a seed is and what the difference is. Reception have learned about the key parts of a plant and what things plants need to grow.  Reception had a chance to plant a range of different plants including strawberries and cucumbers. All children have had a go at planting some seeds, keep an eye out to see the progress of our peas and lots of other seeds we are going to plant in the coming weeks. 

In Computing, children have started their learning on using algorithms to give instructions. Children have learnt new compass directions and signals, in which they will need to use to instruct a bee bot.

Spring 2 

We have had a brilliant 2 weeks in Beavers after our week off. Our class story over the past couple of weeks has been 'The Hungry Caterpillar'. We have been learning lots about the life cycle of a butterfly in our lessons and writing instructions on this. 

Children have created vocabulary pyramids on key words from the story and used these within their writing, they did brilliant. 

In Geography we have been finishing of our learning about Kenya and have started to learn all about London and some of the famous landmarks that have bee built there. Children have created posters with lots of brilliant facts and drawings which are on display for everyone to see. 

In science we have been carrying on our work on habitats with a focus on animals from 'The lion King', the children have loves drawing and learning about what they eat and where they live. 

Reception have started their learning on animals and habitats this term, they have learnt lots about farm animals and their young. Children have sung songs, made music, explored our outdoor area for mini beasts and then used tracing paper to draw lots of animals from different habitats.

Spring 1 continued...
We have had another jam packed two weeks in Beavers. We have had lots of brilliant visitors come to talk to us all about what they do in our community and how they help us. We have had our local PCSO Andrea come in, we have had a visit from a paramedic who bought the children an extra special treat. We have had a road safety talk discussing how we can keep safe when we are out and about. We have also had the pleasure of a local nurse and GP come and talk to the children on how they help people. Safe to say the children have asked lots of questions and learnt lots of brilliant information and even tried on some amazing uniform and equipment. A big thank you to all those who came in and spoke to the children.

In English we finished our writing on 'Handa's Surprise'. Children re-created their own stories by adapting parts from what we had read. There were some brilliant stories including fairy surprise and some even included sweet treats. This week we have started a new class story of 'The colour monster', in light of Children's mental health week. We have been doing lots of writing about our emotions, including what makes us happy, sad, scared or calm. Our reception children have been discussing emotions and writing short captions about how they feel and explaining why. 

Children have undergone some short phonics assessments in which they have all made brilliant progress and are able to recognise lots of different sounds and tricky words. Reception are working hard in particular on writing their sounds and focusing on their letter formation.

In maths we have moved on to place value to 50. Children have been counting forwards and backwards to 50.

Children have been focusing a lot on representing numbers in different ways including part whole models, tens frames, counters and numicon. Reception have been working hard on subitising to 5 and beyond. Children are able to recognise and complete sums up to 5 both written and pictorial.

In science we have been carrying on with our work on habitats. Children had a visitor from the farm, in which she spoke to the children about a range of farmyard animals, what they need to survive, what they eat and what they produce. The children had fun creating their own farm together. 

In computing children are solidifying their computer skill knowledge. They have learnt how to log on and off independently and access the internet and other applications.

Spring 1 in Beavers 

We've had a busy few weeks since returning back from our Christmas holidays. 

We have been re furbishing our early years area, with all of the lovely donations we have received from parents and carers. We have had a doctors surgery for our reception children as they are learning about people who help us this term. We now currently have a home corner with lots of dolls and babies, kitchen equipment and utensils, which the children love accessing. 

We now have a calm corner in which we have a beautiful Tee-Pee where children can cuddle down and read a story under the twinkling lights. We have refurbished our construction and maths area with lots of new equipment and turned it into an interest centre for the children. Keep an eye out for more exciting updates on the classroom and our outdoor area.

In English, we did some writing about our hopes and dreams for 2023, and what we enjoyed the most about 2022, but also what we could improve at or try again in 2023. This looks super on our new display in our classroom for the children to refer to throughout the year.

We have been doing some brilliant work on the story Handa's Surprise. Children have undergone taste tests of lots of different fruits from the story, lets just say avocado was the least favourite! Children have been able to re-tell the story in many different ways including creating their own story maps. We've got quite the artists. Children have been working hard on writing descriptive sentences re telling the story using adjectives to describe the fruits and animals from the story.

In Maths we have been focusing on addition and subtraction to 20, where children have been using different manipulatives such as numicon, number lines, cubes and other Maths equipment. Children have been using part whole models to help find number bonds to 10 and then all the way to 20.  

Children in reception have been building their confidence with numbers to 5. children have been practicing writing numerals and showing the numbers 1-5 in lots of different ways. 

In Art we have been focusing on the artist John Constable where we have been looking at landscapes. Children went outside and observed the clouds and then had to draw what they saw. We have also been completing some sketches of different landscapes which the children took great pride in. 

In Science we have been looking at habitats of lots of different animals. The past couple of weeks we have been looking at things that are alive, dead and never alive and categorising animals accordingly.

Reception have had a new theme each week revolving round 'people who help us'  We have covered police officers, doctors and nurses and firefighters so far and children have enjoyed getting into the role of each person. Children have watched videos, sang songs and even wrote captions about how these people help us. Keep your eyes peeled for some exciting visitors in the next coming weeks. 

Reception children have also taken part in balance ability this week. They all did brilliantly and were so engaged in the activity. 

Wk commencing 21st November 2022

In Beavers this week we have been looking at the book 'Supertato, Evil Pea Rules'. Children have worked hard in reception on saving supertato from all the evil peas. Children in reception have also been working hard on writing captions about superheros and Evil Pea, they did brilliant.

Reception have been working hard on numbers to 5 in different forms whether it be using fingers, number blocks or marbles.

In year 1, children have worked hard to describe different vegetables and Evil Pea, so by the end of the week the children created their own superhero vegetable in which they were able to describe themselves they did brilliantly. 

We have been carrying on with our work on 'seasonal changes' with writing about animals in winter, children have learned about adapting, hibernating and migrating, and what these words mean in relation to animals in the winter.

In RE children have finished their work on learning all about Diwali, where they have created Diva lamps out of clay they look amazing. 

Wk commencing 14th November 2022

In reception children have been working hard on being kind, sharing with each other and taking turns by playing games with each other. 

This week has been Nursery Rhyme Week and in Beavers we have looked at a different nursery rhyme every day, children have been making music to go with the rhymes, re telling the story, and writing their own opinions on which nursery rhymes was their favourite.

Wk beginning 7th November 2022

This week children have done a lot of work on remembrance day, where children looked at the importance of wearing poppies and why we wear them. We created some wreaths that we took over to our remembrance day service to show our respect. Children in reception made a lot of their own poppy wreaths and drawings in their provision this week.

We carried on with our book Room on a Broom in English this week, we made and used puppets to re tell the story and we also had a go in reception at coming up with our own ideas to make a class story, while in year 1 children had a go at writing a short narrative on their story of choice using 3 characters.

In computing this week we learned all about what an algorithm is and why and what we use them for. After this children then consolidated their knowledge by following an algorithm to make a Lego house under specific instructions.

Wk beginning 31st October 2022

We had a busy first week back at school, with the autumn fair and the Halloween party. 

Beavers carried on with their learning of addition and have solidified their learning on number bonds and fact families. 

In English, we have started the book 'Room on the Broom', where children have sequenced and made a story map all about the book. 
In art we we all made salt fireworks and children had lots of messy fun and created some beautiful work.

Reception children have been learning about numbers 1-3 and have had a go on the chrome books exploring number blocks. 

In science we have started a new topic of seasonal changes where children took part in exploring the school area for autumnal signs.

Wk beginning 17th October 2022

This week we have been busy exploring patterns in Reception. We have made patterns with cubes, autumnal items, playdough and our play food. 

We have created and written descriptions of our own monsters, linked to our film unit Marshmallows and we have used lots of exciting adjectives in Year 1.

Reception have been getting messy and painting their own monsters and recognising lots of different colours.
We had an autumnal craft afternoon in Beavers on Thursday, where children worked independently to create a pumpkin using leaves that were collected. All children had the chance to develop their scissor cutting skills, helping others and most importantly making Miss Twells' classroom a sticky, leafy mess.

Wk beginning 10th October 2022 

This week in Beavers, we have been carrying on with out instruction writing on our new film unit 'Marshmallows'. Children have worked hard on inferring how the characters feel and writing questions they would like to ask them. 

In Computing, we have been learning about keeping our information safe online, children had the chance to discuss in groups what they deemed to be safe and unsafe regarding sharing information online. 

In Science we are finishing up our topic on 'Animals including Humans'. Children worked in groups to sort animals into different habitats, food groups and types of animal.

In Reception, we have been learning lots of new sounds in our phonics. In Maths, we have been learning all about object sizes and ordering from the smallest, to biggest and shortest to longest through our continuous provision. We have also started working on recognizing initial sounds from pictures, and they all did brilliantly. 

Wk beginning 3rd October 2022

Wow, what a week we have had in Beavers! We have been incredibly busy, from meeting lots of lovely Grandparents and sharing stories to leaf printing and making instructions for jam sandwiches.

On Monday we welcomed our Grandparents into school for the morning and we talked about everything we have been learning about. It was lovely to see so many of you attend we had a brilliant morning.

In English this week, we have been carrying on with our instruction work and our focus for this week was making instructions for a jam sandwich. Children worked hard to sequence the order of making a jam sandwich and creating their own instructions, they did a fantastic job. Then to top it all of they followed their instructions and made some delicious jam sandwiches.

In year 1 for our Maths we have finished our topic of place value and the children completed their assessments in which they did so well in and all the staff in Beavers are so proud of them. 

Reception have been working on sharing and sorting buttons into different groups. They have also been  making pairs with smelly socks and did brilliantly.

We have been doing some leaf art work this week. The children went outside and picked their own leaves, and then painted them in lovely autumnal colours and printed them on to a piece of paper to go on display.

Wk beginning 26th September 2022

This week in Beavers, we have been busy learning all about different parts of our body, including having a little sing and a dance to 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes'. The children are now experts at naming and identifying parts of their body. 

In Maths we have been looking at using the vocabulary and symbols of, greater than, less than and equal too, where the children worked collaboratively together to compare numbers up to 20. 

In English we started a film unit, called 'A Cloudy Lesson' which was focused on making instructions. The children got into a right bubbly mess. The children had to follow instructions to create a cloud blower, and then at the end of the week, the children wrote their own instructions using some brilliant time connectives. 

Our Reception children have worked so hard this week, we have been focusing on our phonics sounds SATPIN. The children also completed their baseline assessments this week and we are so proud of them all!

WK beginning 19th September 2022

This week in Beavers we have been busy learning lots of new things, including lots of information about animals and their food groups. 

We have been carrying on with our fabulous Maths work on place value, where children have been able to work collaboratively to solve problems.

In English we finished our book 'Grandad's Island', and the children wrote some fantastic letters; where they imagined they were Syd and wrote a letter to Grandad using lots of brilliant adjectives. 

Our Reception children have been exploring our outdoor area. The children took the role of a fruit and veg shop assistant very seriously. The children also explored the area for lots of different sounds, including sea shells. 

WK beginning 12th September 2022

This week we have started a new book called 'Grandad's Island', in which the children made predictions of what was going to happen after reading the first few pages of the book.

This week we are focusing on counting forwards and backwards to 20 in Year 1.

Reception are focusing on counting and making different patterns. 

Children worked together to order numbers 1-20 using number trains, by recognising one more and one less.

Children were able to count forwards and backwards recognising the numbers.

We've been busy in reception this week. We have been learning lots about ourselves through singing and playing. We have been very messy and creative this week; we have been looking at parts of our body and creating our own Mr potato heads. We have been exploring shapes, colours and making patterns using lots of different things. 

We have started to develop our scissor skills this week by reinforcing 'the thumbs up' concept to help children grasp the scissors correctly.