Reception - Mrs Jenkins
As part of our work on The Little Red Hen we made Windmills as part of our DT and understanding of the world topic.
Learning about capacity in many different ways both indoors and outdoors. Children also were estimating how much each container would hold and then measuring to see how accurate their guesses were.
This week we have been reading Traditional Tales and in parricular the Three Little Pigs. The children have had great fun role playing the story and building Dens they felt would keep them safe. They then used straw and other items to build the different types of houses. Looking at what would make the safest house.
Learning about traditions as we start a New Year and the children got to practise singing Auld Lang Syne
The children enjoyed playing in the first snow of the year.
As part of our work on the story The Enormous Turnip, the children have been working together to make their own soup. I was really proud of all the children for trying some.
Spring Term 1
Topic - Traditional Tales - we will be listening to lots of different traditional tales starting with The Enormous Turnip. We will explore teamwork and how we all work together to achieve.
We will be making Gingerbread Men and not only tasting them but using them in some experiments.
Asda Steve will be visiting this term and teach us how to make bread just like the Little Red Hen.
English - We will be progressing in our writing by recalling and writing repeated refrains in the traditional tale the Gingerbread man.
Following on from our bread making we will be discussing and writing instructions.
We will be looking at speech bubbles and thought bubbles and discuss characters.
Maths - During our Maths lessons we will look at Alive 5, concentrating on understanding the composition of 0-5. We will move on to 6,7,8 and extend knowledge of combining amounts and finding 1 more and 1 less.
Today we have been working together problem solving and completing number jigsaw puzzles.
Making our first Christmas decoration to go on the tree in St Nicholas's church. It was very tricky but with help the children showed resilience and were able to complete the project in time.
The children have really enjoyed that sensory experience with pumpkins and shaving foam. Writing their names and number formation.
Term 2
This term our Topic is Festivals and Celebrations and we will be learning more about how people celebrate.
We will have our first school disco which will be Halloween themed!
We will make diya lamps as we learn about the Diwali festival of lights and make fizzing firework pictures. In the run up to Christmas we will invite our Parents/Carers to join us to make Christmas decorations and sing Christmas songs for them. Our school Christmas Fayre will also be held in school with all invited.
We are invited to watch the KS1 Nativity performance and our famous school Pantomime.
During our English lessons we will be reading a variety of books, especially focussing on our core books - Handa's Surprise, Brown Bear, The Hungry Caterpillar and Jasper's Beanstalk. We will be developing our Phonics knowledge and completing tasks relating to initial, middle and end sounds as we learn to write CVC words.
During our Maths lessons we will be focussing on numbers to 5 and understanding how they are made up during practical tasks. We will explore shape in everyday places and discuss their attributes.
Looking forward to Halloween season and the children really enjoyed dissecting and exploring the insides of the pumpkin. We looked at the seeds and have saved some to hopefully grow our own in the future.
Working together with the large parachute, building friendships and have lots of fun.
Children have been exploring and talking about seeds today. They used the large tweezers to dissect the sunflower head.
Today the children were exploring colour mixing and creating their own paintings using shape and symmetry.
Learning about groups in Maths and sorting into different criteria using the outdoors and natural resources.
Exploring properties of shape further and patterns using different resources.
Exploring the weather using lengths of ribbon in our outdoor area. Looking at wind direction.
In Maths, we have been exploring shape and patterns. We have used a variety of different resources to create 2D and 3D shapes and repeated patterns. The children are very good at naming shapes.
Reading and phonics information powerpoint from parents session 24th September
Topic- All about me.
This term we will be working on building relationships and getting to know each other. Through a variety of play and learning opportunities, your children will discover new things about themselves and learn about others. We will get to know your child's likes enabling us to build a curriculum that will inspire your child to learn and explore in a safe environment.
We will finish the term with a Talent show, which I am really looking forward to!
Maths-Matching, Sorting and Comparing, Measure and Pattern.
In Maths we follow the White Rose Scheme of learning which is consistent with the whole school.
This year we will be working alongside White Rose and the NFER, taking part in a research project within Early Years. This will help us to gain knowledge how all children may learn differently and provide us with Professional development for all, enabling us to deliver quality teaching throughout your child's first year. This will provide them with the key skills to support their progression and readiness for Key Stage 1.
Below is an overview of what your child will learn throughout the year.
White Rose Yearly Overview-EYFS
Phonics-Read Write Inc.
Children will be learning to recognise and read set 1 sounds, learning a new sound each day. They will practice orally blending sounds in readiness for reading. The children will learn rhymes for letter formation in order to support correct orientation.
Finally we will update the class web page during the term however daily information, photographs and your child's journey will be visible to you individually on Seesaw.
Welcome to Ducklings Class 2025
Welcome to Ducklings class September 2025.I would like to introduce myself and the staff that will be working with your child in Ducklings this year. Myself, Mrs Jenkins has been at Hawthorn Tree now for over 10 years and has worked mainly in KS1. Taking on a new challenge and coming back to Early Years, where I started, I am looking forward to developing the Early Years and giving your child the best possible start they can have as they begin their journey in school.
Miss Glew also an extremely experienced teacher with a passion for phonics and early reading will be teaching on a Friday.
Mrs Rodgers and Mrs Stafford are our fantastic Teaching Assistants who play an important role in supporting us and the children in their development throughout the year and we are also lucky to have Miss Robinson on a Thursday afternoon and Friday.
The new school year starts on Wednesday the 3rd September with gates opening at 8.30 and closing at 8.45. Please try to ensure children are in school on time for the register as the first session of the day after register is phonics which is key in developing your child's early reading skills.
To settle children in we will finish the first week after lunch at 1.15p.m and the children will be in full time from the Monday 8th September. Children will need to bring packed lunch if their child has not ordered hot school dinners. Hot school dinners will need to be set up online and the information for this is in your school pack however, I will also add the details to Seesaw so that you can set this up.
As your child will be accessing outdoor learning on a regular basis they will only have one indoor PE session each week which will be on a Thursday. Please send your child into school in PE kit that day as this will help us maximise hall time.
Seesaw links will be sent out so that we can regularly send you updates of how your child is doing with photographs, This is a secure site that only you can access with the passwords we have provided you with. There you will be able to see photographs daily to help you talk to your child about their learning and play. You will also be able to message any concerns and it gives us a platform to add notifications or reminders of upcoming events. Any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
I look forward to meeting all of you again.
Thank you
Mrs Jenkins, Mrs Rodgers, Mrs Stafford and Miss Robinson.