Pre-School-PSHE-Courageous Advocacy
Today we had a super fun session all about making sure everyone feels happy, included and listened to! We talked about how we show kindness and respect in our environment, and the children had lots of brilliant ideas. They helped make decisions by voting for the story they wanted to hear—everyone added their vote to the chart and we counted up which story won! The children became the teachers for the day, choosing which activities we should do and what resources we should use. They were amazing at listening to each other, sharing ideas, and making sure everyone had a say. We also chatted about fairness and why it’s so important to be kind to everyone. Later on in the garden, the children worked as a team to move a big log—they helped each other, made a plan and got it done together. Teamwork and big smiles all around!
Easyfundraising
We’ve registered Darwen St James CE Primary Academy with #easyfundraising, which means over 8,000 retailers will now donate to us for FREE every time you use #easyfundraising to shop with them. These donations will help SO MUCH, so please sign up to support us – it’s completely FREE and doesn’t take long. https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/support-a-good-cause/step-1/?char=379393&invite=6po80d&referral-campaign=c2s&utm_campaign=web-referral
Pre-School- Literacy - Gross Motor Skills
In Literacy, the children designed their own baby chicks using a variety of paint colours and shaped marks. They practised large, sweeping movements—stretching their arms and using Write Dance techniques—to help build upper body strength. Linking to their previous learning on the life cycle of a chick, the children carefully considered the features their chick would need, such as the shape of its body, beak, and webbed feet.
Pre-School-Literacy- Jolly Postman Letters
The children have been enjoying the story of the Jolly Postman and have used their imagination to write to a character in the book. The children used their mark making skills from write dance to create features on their letter and then thought about what they wanted to ask. We invited characters to come to a party, have tea at our nursery and go to the park.
Pre School-R.E-David And Goliath
Today in R.E we listened to the story of David and Goliath, We talked about being unkind like Goliath and brave like David, we also discussed where David got his strength from by praying to God. Outside we drew Goliath on the floor and used bean bags to throw at the giant.By focusing on the core themes and using engaging activities, the story of David and Goliath can be a valuable learning experience for EYFS children, this can also teach the children about overcoming Challenges like the story children can be brave like David, even small individuals can overcome big problems.
Pre-School- Maths- Give Me 1,2,3
In Pre-School the children have been developing their understanding with number recognition (1, 2, 3) and counting, one-to-one correspondence. The children used the post box to post the teddy bears into the post box, counting along the way. We rolled the dice to see how many bears we needed to post. The activity introduced the numbers 1, 2, and 3, and more when needed and counting the number of bears clearly. When the children reached their number of bears they had been asked for they worked together to see if they needed more or less to add in the post box.
Pre-School Science Paper Cup Telephones
Today in understanding the world we looked at different types of telephones and discussed what we use telephones for, some of the children said they play games on their parents mobile phones and some said they watch tv on them. We all looked at preschools telephone and phoned Mrs Murray to say hello and had a discussion around different types of telephones and why we might use them. Investigating paper cup telephones is a classic and engaging way to explore the principles of sound and vibration in a very fun way, This encourages children to use descriptive language to talk to their partners and promotes turn-taking and listening skills through the activity.
Pre-School- Geography-Recognising Local Landmarks In Our Community
When talking about our community in the small world area, the children talked about Darwen Tower and that they had been to the top. We talked about how we can see the tower from Pre-School and went to look outside. The children then decided to create the tower using the different building blocks in the construction area. The children worked together starting with the big blocks and building on top with the smaller blocks to make the point at the top. Other children joined the task and added paths and bridges so that people could get to the tower.
Pre School-Expressive Art And Design-Live painting Of Daffodils
In Preschool the children have been getting creative and painting live daffodils using fine and gross motor skills, This encourages the children to use all their senses: look closely at the daffodils, touch their petals and stems, and even smell them and allows children to express their own interpretations of the daffodils. This also allows children to develop their creativity and appreciation for the natural world.
The Benefits of Reading Every Day!
Reading with your child every day has a huge impact on their learning and development. It helps to build their vocabulary, improve their imagination, and develop a lifelong love of books. Just 10-15 minutes of reading each day can strengthen their confidence, comprehension skills, and ability to express themselves. Encouraging daily reading—whether it’s a bedtime story, sharing a book together, or letting them read aloud—helps to support their progress in school and beyond. Thank you for making reading a special part of their day!
Online Safety - Streamers
Livestreaming is now a major part of children’s entertainment, evolving from gamers sharing screens into a booming industry with diverse personalities. While watching streamers can be entertaining, it comes with no small number of risks for children, such as misinformation, negative influences, and inappropriate content. With over 2.5 million viewers on Twitch – the current most popular streaming platform – at any one time, this guide highlights the potential dangers associated with watching livestreams and the importance of staying informed. We’ve created this free guide – also available in podcast format – to provide parents and educators everything they need to know about streamers and how to keep children protected.
Pre-School- Pre Writing - Fine Motor Skills
In Preschool, the children have been developing their fine motor skills by creating their own versions of Jasper’s Beanstalk. They carefully selected cereal hoops and placed them over a wooden stick, stacking them to build taller beanstalks. This activity encouraged precision, concentration, and coordination. Fine motor skills involve the small muscles of the hands, fingers, and wrists, enabling movements such as grasping small objects, manipulating tools, writing, and buttoning clothes. Additionally, this activity supported hand-eye coordination, helping children refine their control and dexterity in a fun and engaging way.
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