Teaching & Learning Weekly Summary
Below you will find our weekly teaching and learning summary to find out how we develop and enrich your child's teaching and learning whilst they are with us.
If you would like to keep up with what your child is doing in class, please follow our EYFS instagram account where we share lots of photos of our day to day learning @darley_dene_eyfs.
| Week ending | What we have been learning about |
|---|---|
| 26/04/24 | This week in Robins we learnt a new sound 'l.' Outside we drew lollipops and wrote the sound in chalk. We have heard the story 'Lulu and the library.' We have our own library role-play area in class now, so we have enjoyed being librarians. In maths we have learnt all about positional language: in/out, under/on and behind/in front of. We have enjoyed writing our names in pencil and counting the letters in our names. We have also enjoyed using tweezers to pick up coloured gems. |
| 19/04/24 | This week in Robins we have been learning the new sound 'f.' We have been very good at clapping out the syllables in some words beginning with this letter. We have also been revising all the other sounds that we have learnt previously. In maths, we have been sequencing pictures of the nursery rhyme 'Incy Wincy Spider' into order. We have also been filling up cups of sands and emptying them to revise our work on capacity. We have heard the story 'Lulu loves the library' and we enjoyed listening to this. It reminded us of when we walked to Addlestone Library. In P.E we have been travelling in lots of different directions including forwards, backwards and sideways. We have also been learning about taking it in turns. |
| 28/03/24 | In phonics this week Robins have learnt the new sound 'b.' In preparation for Easter we decorted using different collage materials some Easter eggs and we also painted Easter eggs. In maths we have been learning all about capacity: full/empty and nearly full/nearly empty. For our topic work we sequenced pictures of a human growth timeline from a baby picture to an elderly person picture. |
| 22/03/2024 | This week Robins have been learning the sound 'h.' We have been reading the poetry book 'Out and about' by Shirley Hughes. In maths, we have been comparing the weights of two objects using balancing scales. In art, we have been drawing and painting tulips. In P.E. we have been learning to take turns and travel in lots of different ways. We have also been practising writing our names. |
| 08/03/24 | We had lots of fun dressing up as our favourite book characters on Tuesday and Thursday. Then on Monday we learnt all about the author Nadia Shireen. We heard two stories from this author. Then we spent time writing our own version of a story called ‘Billy and the Bear.’ We drew pictures for each page of our story. In maths, we have been learning all about short/tall and long/short. In phonics, we have learnt the new sound u. |
| 01/03/24 |
In maths this week, Robins have been learning all about the number 6. We have been drawing number 6 using our fine motor skills and we have been using 6 colours to draw a picture. We also had fun using foam shape stickers to make a repeating pattern. In our topic work, we heard a story about how a seed grows. Some of us had fun outside using wooden tweezers to pick up seeds and transfer them into a plant pot. |
| 23/02/24 | Welcome back! This week has been a busy, but fun week. We did some observational drawings of daffodils. We looked closely at the shapes. We used felt pens for this. In maths we have been learning all about the number 5. We enjoyed designing a t-shirt with 5 items on. In phonics, we have played lots of fun games including one where we had to make our voice make funny sounds! We enjoyed playing with the yellow playdough and duplo in continuous provision. |
| 09/02/24 | This week Robins have been celebrating Chinese New Year and participated in many activities throughout the continuous provision. We have made beautiful lanterns, decorating them with sequins and glitter. For Maths we have continued to learn about numbers 1-5, matching and counting to the corresponding number. For Phonics, we learnt the letter sound, ‘c’, and explored all of the things beginning with the sound. Robins have been working hard with building their writing skills and tracing and copying over patterned lines. Have a lovely half term and we hope to see you all soon. |
| 02/02/24 | This week the children have enjoyed many activities within the continuous provision. We have been building our fine motor skills, using scissors, following patterned lines using loose parts. Robins have loved exploring the texture of Gelli Baff and watching how the Gelli expands when we pour water over it. For Phonics, the letter sound of the week was, 'o' and we played many games to develop our knowledge on things that begin with the corresponding sound. Writing has also been a big focus. We have been writing the first initial of our first names in sand and developing our pencil control using various materials. For maths week it has been SO exciting to make our very own playdough to sell at the NSPCC fundraising stall, using our number knowledge to measure out the ingredients and thinking about how much we can sell our item. Have a wonderful weekend! |
| 26/01/24 | Robins enjoyed exploring two new books this week, 'My Hair' and 'Pete the Cat and his four groovy buttons'. The children have been pretending to be at the hairdressers, thinking of what hairstyle they would like. In Maths, we have been working on numbers up to 4 where we have been learning to count and recognise numbers up to 4. The children also made some delicious cookies, carefully measuring out each ingredient and placing 4 raisins on top before they baked in the oven! |
| 19/01/24 | This week in Robins the children have continued to learn about the number 3 and subitising up to 3. The children are becoming confident in recognising how many dots they can see and match this to the corresponding number. In Phonics, the children have learnt the letter sound, 'd' and engaging in many fun games. They have also been building their fine motor skills and making marks using sand and play dough. For art the children have been exploring colour, making beautiful pictures using a range of coloured paint and textures. We hope you have a wonderful weekend. |
| 12/01/24 | This week the children have really enjoyed exploring our new story called, 'Amazing'. It is about a little boy and his pet dragon who are the very best of friends. They laugh, they sing, they dance, they snooze. They are both amazing - just like everyone else! The children enjoyed making their own pet dragon and naming him Zibbo! The beginning of the week, the children all met our new friends that had joined us in the nursery, and they have been getting to know them and learning new names. For Maths, we have been focusing on Subitising numbers up to 3 and we have been developing counting skills. For Phonics, we have been learning about the letter sound, 'm' and playing games such as, Bertha the Bus and What's in the Box? To develop listening and attention skills, the children have been introduced Bucket Time. Have a lovely weekend! |
| 05/01/24 | Welcome back everyone. It has been so lovely to see all of the children arrive. They have settled in so well, ready to start the Spring Term. We have had new children join and everyone has been so welcoming and making new friends. The children have started to learn their new letter sound, 'm' and learnnig about many things beginning with this sound. Next week, we will be focusing on a story called 'Amazing' and learning about dragons. We hope you all have a wonderful weekend and we look forward to seeing the rest of our friends on Monday. |
| 15/12/23 | In Robins, we have continued doing lots of fun Christmas activities. We have decorated our own little pine cone Christmas trees and made a beautiful tree using a variety of collage materials. Throughout the week, the children have been developing their fine motor skills by using tweezers, fingerprinting, using scissors and many more fun activities. For maths, we have continued to work on patterns and for Phonics we have been focusing on recognising our first names and also having a go at writing them. Please continue to work with your child in writing their first name. We have also played some rhyme games where the children had to recognise which words rhyme and sound the same. If any parent is having trouble with logging on to Tapestry (Your child's online journal), then please speak to Mrs Bashir. Have a wonderful weekend. |
| 08/12/23 | We have had a super busy week with our Christmas show. A big well done to all the children as it was their very first time on stage. All the teachers are super proud of everyone in Robins. Alongside our show, Robins have been busy with lots of Christmas-filled activities. We have made shortbread biscuits in the shape of Christmas trees, stars and snowmen. I am sure the children will be just as excited to tell you all about it. We also had a special visit from the Police where the children had an opportunity to learn about the role of a police officer and learn the emergency telephone number. They were all so excited to see the police car with flashing lights. We look forward to having lots of more fun next week, and we will continue with our topic, Christmas! Have a wonderful weekend. |
| 01/12/23 | This week the children have continued learning about ‘The Colour Monster’ story, and they have all shown an interest in learning about the different types of emotions. For maths, we have continued to learn about patterns. Some children have been making AB pattern using various types of materials and some children have gone on to making ABC patterns. For Phonics, we have been focusing on the letter sound ‘i’ and learning the rhyme when writing the letter ‘i’. Robins have also been practising for the Christmas Show and they are all doing so well. Please remember to bring in your Christmas jumpers and hand bands by the end of the week. Have a wonderful weekend! |
| 24/11/23 | We have had a wonderful week exploring our new story called, 'The Colour Monster'. The children have learnt about the different feelings in the story and can really relate to some of the emotions that the monsters are feeling. We have made a collaborative art display based on the story and we have taken some great pictures of children showing different types of emotions, such as, happy, sad, angry and scared. For phonics, this week the children have been focusing on the letter sound, 'p'. We played Bertha the Bus throughout the week, so the children become confident in recognising things beginning with the letter sound 'p'. We have also started to work on letter formation and encouraging children to hold a pencil to write. For Maths, we have continued to learn patterns and making different types of patterns using sticks, leaves, teddy bear counters. This week the children have come home with their Christmas Show lyrics. Please practice these at home with your child as we are getting really excited for the show! Have a wonderful weekend. |
| 17/11/23 | This week the children have continued with the dinosaur topic and we have continued to explore 'Mad about Dinosaurs' story. Robins learnt about ice and hid dinosaurs in the ice so that the children could capture them. This was a fun activity for all the children, and they enjoyed watching the ice melt so that the dinosaurs were released. For phonics, we have focused on the letter sound, 't' and learning things beginning with the corresponding letter sound. For maths, we have been working on patterns and noticing patterns in our environment. The children worked on colour recognition and had to notice which colour would come next in the pattern. Have a wonderful weekend. |
| 10/11/23 | This week the children started their week with some Bollywood dancing during a Diwali Workshop. We also continued to learn about this throughout the week and created some wonderful firework pictures. The children also had a brilliant time participating in role-play by Little City. They had an opportunity to become hairdressers, become a vet, visit a café, become a builder and much, much more. Robins were developing their imagination and learning new vocabulary throughout the experience. We have also started our topic on, ‘Mad about Dinosaurs’, and all of the children have participated in many activities with dinosaurs. In maths, we have been developing our number recognition and counting the dinosaurs. They have also been learning about colours and matching the dinosaurs to the correct coloured bucket. Next week we will be continuing to learn all about dinosaurs! If you child has any exciting facts around dinosaurs or pictures they create over the weekend, we would love to see this on Tapestry. Have a wonderful weekend and we look forward to seeing you all at our Stay and Play sessions next week. |
| 03/11/23 | This week we have started our new topic called, 'Let's Imagine'. We have enjoyed reading, 'Room on the Broom' and had many exciting Halloween themed activities to participate in. The children created spiders using black play dough. For Maths, the children completed a counting activity where they had to count the dots and match it to the corresponding number on the pumpkin. We have also been working hard in developing our pencil control in following wavy and zig-zag lines. Name recognition is a huge focus and we are continuing to encourage children to recognise and write their first names. Next week we are looking forward to some Bollywood dancing in our Diwali workshop and also having Little City, a role play company to visit us here at Darley Dene. Have a wonderful weekend. |
| 20/10/23 | This week the children have continued with their learning and exploring the story, 'A Super power like Mine'. For maths we have learnt all about the number 1 and 2. The children have engaged in many activities around these numbers and they have enjoyed spotting those numbers around the nursery. We also made flapjacks as a group, measuring out key ingredients needing 1 spoon of everything. For phonics, we have been playing many games, helping to building letter and sound recognition. We have also continued to recognise our names and seeing what else we can name that begins with the first initial of our name. We also made a a collabrative Autumn themed art display, where we enjoyed painting with autumnal colours and sticking a range of collage materials. This has been displayed on our nursery wall and it looks amazing! We hope you all have a wonderful Half Term and we look forward to seeing you on Tuesday 31st October. We also look forward to engaging in many spoooooky activities for Halloween! |
| 13/10/23 | It has been a lovely week in Robins. We have continued to do Autumn themed activities and we have explored our new story book, ‘A Superpower like mine’. The children have enjoyed leaf printing, making nature wands and investigating all of the autumn treasures the children have been collecting. For maths, we have learnt all about number 2 and spotting all of the number 2’s they can find. Hickory Dickory Dock was our new nursery rhyme this week and we have enjoyed learning all about it during Phonics. We look forward to meeting you next week during our Parent Consultations. Have a wonderful weekend. |
| 06/10/23 | The children have has a fantastic week, filled with lots of autumn themed activities. We have been exploring the colours, going on an autumn walk in the playground, collecting lots of treasures to place in our special basket. The children have enjoyed free painting, painting with corks and using autumn colours to make pictures. For maths, the children have continued to develop their number recognition through continuous provision activities. We are also working hard to build our fine motor skills, using a range of mark making materials. We are supporting children with using scissors and cutting leaves and collage materials. We hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please do not forget to bring some autumn treasures if are going on a walk this weekend. |
| 29/09/23 | This week in Owls we have been learning all about people who help us. We have been reading a story called 'A Superpower like mine' which explains that we all have different superpowers and are super in different ways. We made ourselves into Superheroes and talk about what superpowers we have. We decided that we all have a range of different superpowers, from kindness to patience. In Maths we have been learning about more and fewer, comparing different amounts and using the language correctly. We enjoyed making Superhero smoothies and decided that they would give us even more superpowers if we drank them! Have a lovely weekend! |
| 22/09/23 | This week the children have really started to settle into their routines and we have enjoyed participating in many activities. Robins engaged in their first PE lesson this week, showing an ability to balance, jump in and out of hoops and most excitingly, climbing up steps and having a big jump! We focused on the number 1 and enjoyed going around the Nursery, spotting the number 1’s and being able to see if we can match objects to the number 1. Robins are also starting to be become confident during their phonics lessons and we have learnt a new nursery rhyme called, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, once I caught a fish alive. We worked on looking at different pictures related to the rhyme and seeing we can rhyme the pictures and words together. The children also produced some lovely pieces of artwork related to our story of the week, ‘Owl Babies’. Have a wonderful weekend and we looking forward to seeing you next week. |
| 15/09/23 |
It has been so wonderful to meet all of the Robins children and seeing them settle into their new environment. This week the children have been getting to know their teachers and friends. We have been learning each other’s names and making new friends. The children are also starting to understand and getting into a routine throughout the day. They have enjoyed making the most throughout the Continuous Provision, engaging in painting activities, sticking, making collages, playing with sand and water, making our very own special playdough using ingredients. It has been lovely to see the children developing their imaginations in the home corner and learning new vocabulary words. Next week, we will be starting our first topic, ‘All About Me’ and we will be sharing baby pictures as well as your own family pictures. Please can you provide a copy of these to your class teacher so that all children have an opportunity to have a discussion. Have a wonderful weekend and we looking forward to seeing you all on Monday.. If you would like to keep up with what your child is doing in class, please follow our EYFS instagram account where we share lots of photos of our day to day learning @darley_dene_eyfs |
