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This Week in Westbourne

Westbourne

28 June 2024

Nursery girls have been looking at all things summer this week as we finally saw some sun. They talked about how we can keep safe in the sun and what items we may need as they went on a walk around school to find signs of summer. They practised their fine motor skills in numerous ways, using a brush to sweep the sprinkles onto ice creams, using tongs to move ice cubes and they wrapped wool around sticks collected in the outdoor classroom to make rainbows. They investigated what happens when tiptops are put in the freezer and then enjoyed eating them! Water play, both inside and outside has been enjoyed and they even tried to make giant bubbles using a hula hoop.

The focus in Kindergarten this week has been the phoneme ‘v.’ The children quickly thought of words beginning with ‘v’ and helped compile a list. ‘Vegetable’ was one of the first words listed, and the girls spent time discussing which vegetables they like and dislike. All the girls understand the importance of healthy eating and that a good variety of fruits and vegetables is best. They were interested to learn that some vegetables grow underground while others grow above the ground.

Kindergarten were also very interested in learning about volcanoes. They looked at the globe and talked about countries that have volcanoes. After reading non-fiction books about volcanoes, the girls completed a writing task and enjoyed adding lava to their volcano pictures. A highlight was building their own volcano out of clay and then watching it erupt in the playground! The children were also given the opportunity to create a vase of flowers in the shape of a ‘v.’

Reception's little classroom caterpillars have now started the transition stage and are on their way to becoming butterflies. Girls have been engrossed in their journey from the moment they arrived. To coincide with this learning journey, Reception pupils visited the Butterfly House at the Botanical Gardens. It provided the year group with a hands-on-learning experience that enhanced their understanding. Girls had the opportunity to observe butterflies feeding on nectar from flowers and fruit providing a demonstration of their feeding habits.  The photographs of the butterflies, inside the house, were taken by Reception pupils and, it seems, we may have some future photographers in school.  Back in the classroom, we learnt about symmetry and coloured beautiful butterflies in our Topic lessons. 

Role Play is a vital aspect of early childhood education, particularly in Reception. It encourages interaction, negotiation, creativity and much more. Therefore, when the dressing up comes out girls take full advantage of using it. Our new Willy Wonka outfits are a huge hit as well as the traditional Belle outfits.  
 
With the Butterfly trip, Safari Park trip and a visit to the Music Block, we have had a very busy week in Reception!

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This Week in Westbourne

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