2025/26
Fish
Over two weeks we have been exploring the natural world, looking at similarities and differences around the world. We have been creative using different materials, looked at sinking and floating objects and we discussed what they can see in the world.
Our trip to Hastings Aquarium
We went on a trip to the aquarium to look at all different types of fish and how they are looked after.
Phonics
Over the past two weeks we have been introduced to double-letter digraphs and new characters to support this learning.
Whiterose Maths
During maths this week we have looked at mass and capacity using a variety of maths objects.
This week we have started to look at 6,7,8. We have been able to find 6,7,8, represent 6,7,8, 1 more and 1 less.
Colour Monster
While covering this book we will look at expressing feelings and emotions and moderate their own feelings socially and emotionally. Also we will talk about things to support own mental health and wellbeing. We will also explore and use a variety of artists effects to express their ideas and feelings. Furthermore, developing fine motor skills using a range of tools such as spatulas, brushes, toothbrushes, lollysticks and combs. We will be experimenting using paints and different textures to create mixtures.
Spreading Kindness
We went out into the local community to hand out flowers to spread kindness and to make people smile.
We had snow!
Phonics
In phonics this week we have had assessment week so plenty of recapping and refreshing after Christmas break. We continued to blend sounds to form words and continued to develop our ability to read small captions.
Whiterose Maths
In Apple trees over the next two week we will be looking at 'Alive in 5', looking at the number zero, being able to subitise, composition, 1 more and 1 less.
Reading with Maples
We joined Maple tree's to achieve a reading challenge.
Reading with Sycamores
We joined Sycamore tree's to achieve a reading challenge.
Art Gallery
We produced colour monsters using different resources to show to our parents during our parent engagement.
A Christmas Story
Our last book of 2025 is 'A Christmas Story'. We will talk about religious stories using new vocabulary, recognise some religious words and recognise that people have different beliefs and celebrate special times in different ways. We will be creating our own scenes from the story using model-making, puppets and role-play. We will also discuss the benefits and responsibilities of friendship and the ways that people care for others.
Our trip to Leeds Castle to see the magical story of 'Neverland'
12 Days of Christmas
The 12 days of Christmas has continued with a Panto performed by Valley Park, our Christmas performance, Christmas shop, Christmas crafts and Santa dash.
Phonics
In phonics this week we have continued to recap all sounds from Chapter 2 sets 5-7 using letters to Santa to form CVC words, creating a list and using baubles to find sounds.
Whiterose Maths
This week in maths we have consolidated all of our maths knowledge linked to circle and triangles and it's me 1,2,3.
How to catch a star
This week we have planned our dream catchers, built our dream catchers and completed our dream catchers with feathers and beads. We have also been getting into the Christmas spirit by decorating the Christmas tree and starting the 12 days of Christmas count down.
12 Days of Christmas
The count-down to the end of term has begun. Over the final 12 days of the term we have Christmas events on every day for children to take part in.
Phonics
In phonics this week we have recapped all sounds from Chapter 2 sets 5-7.
Whiterose Maths
This week in maths we have consolidated all of our maths knowledge linked to matching and sorting, patterns and measure.
This week we have started to develop our ideas and decide what materials we need to create dream catchers. We had discussions about different materials and what changes they notice.
Phonics
During the week we looked at sounds 'y,z'and our second diagraph 'qu'. We also looked at the voiced 's' and 'a' as in 'ar' for lava.
Whiterose Maths
This week we looked at 4-sided shapes and how we could sort them into groups and create a shape using paper.
Sycamore Trees came to visit
To help sycamore with their guided reading and fluency. Sycamore children came to read our story of the week to apple children.
Good Little Wolf
This week we looked at book 'Good Little Wolf' which is linked to music by listening to different types of music identifying beats and rhythms.
We also created a tea party and explored different smells. Within the construction area we built different houses the pigs.
Phonics
During phonics this week continued to develop our knowledge creating jewels, maps for jungle jack and looking at blending sounds together.
Whiterose Maths
In maths this week we looked at numbers 1,2,3,4,5 and how we subitise, 1 more and 1 less.
We're going on a bear hunt (Computing & Geography)
We're going on a bear hunt - Computing KO
This week we focused on looking at maps, programming beebots and being able to follow simple instructions as a group.
We went on our second trip to Cobtree to going on a bear hunt. We had our own maps of Cobtree, we created our own maps and we use compresses to see which direction we were travelling in.
Remembrance Day
Tuesday 11th November at 11am we gathered in the hall to think about our fallen soldiers and who have been affected by any conflict in present day and past.
Phonics
This week we continue our phonics with Chapter 2 set 5 with meeting new characters, new sounds and new songs. Our new sounds this week our h,b,f and l.
Whiterose Maths
This week we looked at 1,2,3,4,5. We looked 4 and 5, seeing if we can subitise it and to find it.
The Best Diwali Ever (RE)
This week we looked at Diwali the celebration of light. After reading the story, we created fireworks, Diya lamps and Rangoli patterns using rice. During our learning time we had Diwali themed music with colourful material to express celebration. We also created sweets in the mud kitchen.
We have continued to explore 'The best Diwali ever' with creating Mehndi patterns, role played with puppets and we celebrated Diwali with dancing with materials as a phase.
Apple trees also did a science experiment to explore fireworks and how ink reacts with milk.
Phonics
We continue to recap all of our phonics and build on blending CVC words.
Whiterose Maths
We continue to look at numbers 1,2,3 and we ensured the correct amounts are put into the correct places.
We continued our maths knowledge with investigating, identifying and exploring circle and triangles.
We also found circles and triangles in the environment during learning time.
Another session we looked at positional language.
Pumpkin Soup (DT)
This week we looked at what ingredient we need to make soup, what pumpkins look like and created our own pumpkins. We also went on our first school trip and looked at where pumpkins come from, what they need to grow and we purchased pumpkins for our classroom.
Our Trip
We went on our first school trip to Spadework pumpkin picking. We picked four pumpkins to bring back to the classroom.
Phonics
This week we recapped all the sounds we have learnt over the term. We did this with worksheets, group work and finding hidden words..
Whiterose Maths
We looked at numbers 1,2,3 and used dice to subitise.
Funny Bones (Science & PSHE)
Over the past two weeks we have looked at 'Funny Bones'. We have created our own skeletons, looked at what things look like in the dark and we have also looked at other skeletons and how we are all different. We also looked at how we keep healthy looking at food, how we keep our bodies clean including our teeth. We had a visit from a dentist who supported our knowledge of looking after our teeth.
Phonics Workshop
We had our Phonics Workshop afternoon where we welcomed parents into the classroom to experience what activities we have available for children to access during our phonics lessons and how parents can support their children at home.
Garry Parsons our illustrator visit
We had the lovely Garry Parson visit us to show us what an illustrator does and what books he has drawn for. We had the chance to draw our own monster from one of his books under his guidance.
Dentist Visit
We had two dental nurses come to visit to extend our knowledge on keeping our teeth healthy and clean. We had the chance to look at teeth and experiment with toothbrushes to show us how we need the clean our teeth.
Phonics
Our phonics this week we looked at our first diagraph 'ck,k,e,u,r'. We continue to create CVC words using all of the letters we know. Also continued to blend sounds together to make CVC words using our phonics worksheets.
Whiterose Maths
Our Whiterose maths over the last two weeks we looked at big and small objects using boxes and objects to investigate what could fit in different size boxes. We also started to look at AB patterns and creating our own.
Meesha Makes Friends (PSHE)
Meesha Makes Friends - PSHE KO
This week we looked at the book 'Meesha makes friends'. We looked at what a good friend is, how we can be a good friend and we created our own friends using leaves. We also took photos of our friends using iPads and created recycled friends with different materials. During this week we also started looking at how the season is starting to change.
Whiterose Maths
Our Whiterose maths this week we sorted animals into coloured groups and we looked at more and fewer of different liquids.
Phonics
In Phonics we continued to meet new characters, new sounds and new actions. The new sounds we learn this week are 'g,o,c/k,k/k'.
One Family (Art & History)
Week two and three we have looked at the book 'One Family'. During these two weeks we have looked at family portraits, self-portraits and different types of families. While looking at self-portraits, we have explored different emotions while using mirrors.
Whiterose Maths
We have also started our Whiterose maths which involved creating matching sets, sorting and developing rules.
Phonics
We have started our phonics following Phonics Shed scheme looking at chapters 1 and 2. Our sounds we have learnt are 's,a,t,p,i,n,m,d'.
Each Peach Pear Plum
The first week of reception has been about learning the routine, boundaries and expectations. We have settled in with our adult input sessions, child initiated learning time and our lunch time. We also explored the book with creating pies, making ingredient lists and talking about our favourite fruits.
Our New Garden
