Nursery R & V 2024 - 2025
Mrs Roche
Mrs Vaughan
We would like to begin by saying 'Welcome Back!' and a ‘Happy New Year’ to our Nursery class we have a busy and exciting half term to look forward to.
On this page you will find information about the current topic, news and updates regarding special events and dates to remember as well as access to photographs of the children and the fun things they have been doing whilst in school.
The class teachers for Nursery this school year are Mrs Roche (class NR) with Miss Davies and Mrs Vaughan (class NV) with Mrs Hodge. Also, Miss Calvert and Miss Dunlop work with the children throughout the week.
Let’s Learn through Transport
Our topic for Spring 1 is ‘Transport’ this topic gives the children a greater understanding of their differences and similarities of transport and their knowledge of old (past) and new (present) looking at how vehicles have changed over time. We look at how vehicles move and what they are made out of including lots of experiments e.g. how do boats float? We also continue to look at our changing environment of the seasons around us and lots of creative fun activities that involve Transport. For more details of our activities please look at our medium term plan below.
During this topic we will be reading the following books in our Literacy lessons to help engage the children into our new topic: ’My First Things That Go' by Dorling Kindersley; and ‘The Magic Train Ride’ Written by Sally Crabtree and Illustrated by Sonia Esplugas. Literacy lessons will build and develop children’s love of stories and extend their book knowledge skills with a large emphasis on their ‘Communication and language’ supporting them to speak using simple sentences in English and to ask and answer questions. During our investigation Fridays we will be encouraging children to explore how vehicles work and using lots of science experiments with lines of enquiry to ask: Which vehicle moves the fastest and why? How does a plan fly? We will carry out some simple investigations e.g. audit of vehicles past the school, how we get to school.
In Maths children will be developing the children's confidence with simple matching & counting activities that include numbers 3-5 and number formation. We will be following the ‘mastery maths approach’ along with the rest of the school.
In Phonics this term the children will begin our ‘Little Wandle Letters and Sounds' programme. During these lessons, the children play different games and are introduced to new items that begin with the sound of the week.
This term the sounds we are learning are:
Week 1: d
Week 2: g
Week 3: o
Week 4: c
Week 5: k
Week 6: e
We will continue to use our 'Rainbow challenge’. This is used by the children during their ‘continuous provision time’ after adult input lessons. It is broken up into different areas/tables for the children to learn and play e.g. the ‘Construction area’ or the ‘Writing table’ or the ‘Reading corner’ and each are associated with a specific colour. Children are encouraged to explore their whole environment throughout the week and in doing so gain a coloured lollipop stick for each area they have engaged with. If they complete the Rainbow they are rewarded with a sticker and a prize at the end of the week.
We place a large emphasis on children’s personal, social and emotional development and will continue to do so as we move through the year. We are in no doubt that the Covid pandemic has had a large impact on our pupils and their lives and so our aim is to get them talking, ensure they feel safe and have confidence to build relationships with their peers.
In addition, we will continue each week to engage in a ‘Music Assembly’ whereby the children sing songs and explore sound and instruments. We will also have a celebration assembly each Friday to award our ‘Stars of the week’ and ‘Citizens of the week’. During this half term parents and carers will have the opportunity to come into school for Celebration Assembly and see their child receive their certificate on Thursday 30th January in the School Studio.
Please see the 'Files to download' section below to find out more about your child's daily timetable and curriculum.
Reminders:
As we are now in Winter please send a coat with your child everyday as the weather can change and be sunny in the morning but may rain/snow in the afternoon. Please make sure your child is bringing a water bottle to school which they can access throughout the day to stay hydrated.
Please remember to send in a pair of Wellington boots for your child. We play outside in all weathers and the children really do love to splash in muddy puddles.
We would like to remind all parents that as part of your child’s school uniform. Please have a spare set of clothes in school at all times. This is in case there are any toileting accidents or messy play mishaps. It is an expectation that children come to school toilet trained but we appreciate this isn’t always so easy and will support them as best we can in school.
Homework – The children’s homework book and bag are sent home on a Friday and must be returned by the following Wednesday AM. This allows the staff to review the Homework and get the new homework ready to send out on the Friday.
This Half term we will be starting our Library Loan scheme with the parents/Carers and children. You will receive a letter allocating you and your child a day to choose a reading book together. This book is for you to share with your child at home. Please read the story to them regularly. It is so important for children to listen to a variety of books and a beautiful joint experience for you both to share in.
Thank you for your support, we look forward to our continued work with you this year!
Application for Reception September 2025.
Please find below in the 'files to download' the application form for requesting your childs place in Reception for September 2025. All Nursery children need this form to be filled in and sent to Manchester Council by the 15th of January 2024 this is the deadline for applications. Please send your form to: school.admissions@manchester.gov.uk If you have any questions about this process please ask a member of the Nursery team.
If you are unable to down load the document please follow this link to fill in an application: https://www.manchester.gov.uk/
Diary dates:
EYFS Certificate Assembly: Thursday 30th January 2025.
One final message...
Here in Early years at Ashbury meadow primary school we put every effort into building strong relationships with our pupils so that school is a place they not only enjoy, and feel safe but THRIVE and communication and Language forms the foundation of this, please take a few minutes to watch this TED talk which encompasses our ethos
How Every Child can Thrive by Five by Molly Wright
Files to Download
Nursery R & V: Gallery items
A Special Visitor, by Mrs Vaughan
Visiting the Library, by Mrs Vaughan
Oral Hygiene (toothbrushing), by Mrs Roche