Natural Art Work

Last week the children in Reception spent some time looking at materials that do/do not belong in the ocean. The children identified straight away that rubbish should not be in the ocean but natural materials like sticks, shells and seaweed do. The children explored the texture, shape and colours of different natural objects and used these to create their very own artwork inspired by Andy Goldsworthy! 

   

Daffodil Delivery

This week the Reception classes delivered their daffodils to the local community. The children have been looking after their daffodils and watching them grow since October and were very excited to finally deliver them! They went in small groups to different places throughout Palmers Green high street and shared their daffodils with people who have helped us. This included: the train station, shops, bakeries, cafés, dentists, opticians, GPs and more. The local community were very grateful and the children absolutely loved such a meaningful experience. Please see more photos on Tapestry.

  

   

Visit from a dentist

We have come to the end of the 'Our Community' learning journey in Reception for Spring 1. The children have loved learning about the different people who help us including: lifeguards, postal workers, police officers and vets. They had the opportunity to explore different emergency vehicles including a snow plough and a fire-fighting aeroplane. The children in Reception visited Palmers Green United Reformed Church and Palmers Green library where they met with a range of different local community helpers. The children were also very lucky to have visits from a doctor and a dentist in school. They spoke to the children about their jobs and answered questions that the children came up with to learn more about how they help others. You can find more photos on Tapestry.

    

 

Reception's visit to the church

This week each of the Reception classes visits Palmers Green United Reformed Church. The children have been learning about places that are special to themselves, Christians and Muslims. They were very sensible when walking to the Church and showed the values of respect and kindness when listening to the community workers who spoke to them. The children listened to a story from the Bible and were able to explore different features within the Church, including the font, cross and stained-glass windows. The highlight had to have been listening to the organ and seeing how someone could play it! There are more photos of your child's class visit on Tapestry. 

  

 

First forest school 

The Reception classes had their first forest school session this week, and they enjoyed every minute of it! They collected autumn leaves in all shapes and colours to create an autumn soup and listened to a story about animals you would find in the forest. The children then hunted for their favourite leaf and turned it into a leaf puppet to take back to class. Reception are very excited about their next session on 7th December. 

 

                           

 

 

Fabulous first week back!

The Reception children had a spectacularly spooky first week back after half-term. They were participating in pumpkin-themed phonics activities and exploring how pumpkins grow by scooping out the seeds carefully. We spoke to the children about how to stay safe during trick-or-treating activities. The children were able to share their family traditions and costumes via Tapestry, so thank you for uploading your half-term pictures! 

 

 

Planting Daffodils

This week the Reception children were very busy planting daffodil bulbs. The children showed the values of respect and teamwork when working with an adult to plant some bulbs. They listened carefully to the instructions given by an adult and were able to scoop the soil into the pots and carefully place the bulbs in the middle. The children will continue to look after the bulbs throughout the winter and observe their growth. When the flowers are ready to be picked in a few months, the Reception children will give them to people in our local community to say thank you for all their help. 

   

 

 

Phonics Time!

This week the Reception children have started their phonics lessons and have learnt the following phonemes: s, a, t and p. They have been finding different objects that start with the initial sounds (e.g. p for penguin) and are using letter rhymes to help them write each letter. They have practised forming their letters in lots of different ways, including tracing over the chalk; on the interactive whiteboard and using their fingers in the snow! Please find the phonics homework on Tapestry to further support your child at home.

    

Reception have been enjoying their lunch this week and are beginning to settle into their lunchtime routine. They have practised using knives and forks to eat their food and asking for salad at the salad bar independently. They are particularly loving the opportunity to pick their own dessert!