Reception- Physical Development- I Hear Thunder
The school hall was alive with energy as the Reception children transformed their PE lesson into a rhythmic exploration of the elements. Using their basketballs to mimic the sounds of the weather, the children practiced focused ball control to narrate a passing storm. To represent a gentle spring rain, they used light, pitter-patter fingertip taps, before transitioning into heavy, rhythmic bounces that echoed like loud claps of thunder. The highlight of the session was the drop and catch sequence; the children released their balls to the floor and caught them sharply on the rebound, perfectly synchronizing the "crack" of the ball hitting the wood with the visual of a lightning strike. Their coordination improved with every "storm," showing impressive concentration as they balanced the imaginative storytelling with the physical skill of keeping their balls steady and secure.
Reception- Science-Colour Changing
In the vibrant buzz of the science corner, the Reception children transform into mini-scientists as they explore the magic of color mixing. With focused expressions and developing fine motor skills, they carefully use perpets to squeeze, suction, and release primary-colored water onto soft white cotton pads. This hands-on experiment allows them to observe capillary action firsthand as the fabric drinks up the liquid. As the vibrant reds, blues, and yellows bleed into one another, the children witness the "wow" moment where new secondary colors emerge. These dyed pads aren't just an experiment; they serve as the delicate, marbled petals for their handmade flowers. By blending scientific inquiry with creative art, the children learn to make predictions and observe changes, all while crafting a beautiful garden of their own making.
Reception- EAD- Going To The Shops
There’s a lovely buzz in the Reception classroom at the moment, especially around the role-play shop, which has quickly become a real hub for working and playing together. The children are developing their social skills so naturally through this, and it’s clear how much they’re enjoying it. There’s a real sense of excitement as they take on the roles of shoppers and shopkeepers, chatting away as they “buy” and “sell” items. Whether they’re scanning wooden food or deciding how much a plastic pear should cost, their conversations are becoming more detailed and confident, helping to move their play along. The till and pretend money have been a big hit too, giving them a chance to explore early maths in a hands-on way as they count coins and make sure everything is “paid for” before leaving. Just as importantly, they’re learning to take turns, listen to each other, and work together, showing real care and understanding in their interactions. It’s been a joy to watch their confidence grow as they turn a small area of the classroom into a busy little shop full of chatter and teamwork.
Reception- Maths- What Time Is It Mr Wolf?
The Reception class enjoyed a lively game of “What Time Is It, Mr Wolf?”, which gave them a fun and purposeful way to practise counting beyond ten. As the “Wolf” called out times like thirteen or fifteen, the children counted aloud together, taking one careful step for each number. This combination of speaking, listening and movement really helps to strengthen their understanding of number order and one-to-one counting. Moving across the space while working through the “teen” numbers made the learning feel exciting and meaningful. It was great to see their confidence grow as they became more comfortable counting larger numbers in such a playful and engaging way.
Online Safety - App and Play Stores
With millions of apps available and children accessing them from an increasingly young age, app stores can present a range of risks. From malware and copycat apps to inappropriate content and persuasive in-app purchases, this Wake Up Wednesday guide highlights how easily young users can encounter issues – even when using official platforms. It also offers clear, practical advice to help parents and educators manage these risks. From setting up parental controls and checking app credibility to having open conversations about safe usage, the guide supports adults in building children’s awareness, encouraging safer choices and promoting more balanced, responsible app use
Reception- PSHE-People Who Help Us To Keep Safe
In our PSHE lesson today, we became safety superstars as we explored the many wonderful people who help keep us safe. We began by identifying the trusted adults at home and school, as well as the heroes we might meet when we are out and about in our community. The children’s curiosity shone during our "What’s in the Bag?" game, where they used clever clues to guess different helpers. We then brought these roles to life through imaginative role-play, dressing up as police officers, firefighters, doctors, and teachers—even practicing how we can be good friends and help each other! To wrap up our learning, we worked together on a jigsaw challenge, successfully matching our community helpers with the tools they use to look after us.
Reception- Science- Buoyancy
This week, our budding scientists in Reception took their learning into the fresh air to dive into the world of buoyancy. Armed with a variety of treasures found around the garden and indoors—from heavy stones and twigs to hollow plastic balls—the children practiced the art of making predictions, eagerly guessing which items would stay on the surface and which would sink to the bottom of the water trays. There were plenty of splashes and cheers as they tested their theories in real-time! Through this hands-on exploration, the children began to grasp the concept of density, discovering that it isn't just about size, but how "heavy" an object is for its size. By comparing how a large, light leaf dances on the surface while a tiny, solid pebble plunges downward, our young learners are already mastering the foundational physics of floating and sinking.
Reception- Physical Development- Forest Friday
Over the past few weeks, our Reception children have really thrown themselves into Forest Friday and made the most of being outdoors. They’ve loved exploring the school and nursery grounds, turning into little builders as they created bug houses and heading off on an imaginative “Bear Hunt” through the bushes. Alongside all the fun, these sessions have also supported their physical development. Moving across uneven ground and using a range of outdoor equipment has helped to build both their gross and fine motor skills. Whether they were carrying logs to build a habitat or carefully using small tools, it’s been lovely to see their confidence and coordination grow in the fresh air.
Reception- Geography- Our Town
This week, our Reception explorers have been diving deep into our literacy focus, ‘The London Bus’, using the story’s journey through the capital as a springboard for our own local adventures. Inspired by the famous landmarks in the book, we shifted our focus closer to home to celebrate our town of Darwen. The children enjoyed reflecting on the familiar spots they have visited with their families and sharing exciting ideas about where they’d like to go next. Using these discussions as a blueprint, our young architects took to the construction area to recreate Darwen’s iconic skyline. It was wonderful to see their creativity in action as they selected different-sized blocks to represent the unique shapes of Darwen Tower, the Library, and the bustling Town Centre. From the greenery of Bold Venture Park to the local Swimming Baths and even a very busy Asda, the children demonstrated fantastic spatial awareness and teamwork while bringing our local community to life.
Reception- Technology-Follow The Mouse
In the bustling environment of the Reception classroom, the children took their first exciting steps into the digital world by mastering the IT mouse. With small hands poised carefully over the device, they practiced the fundamental skill of clicking the buttons to navigate the mouse along a winding track. This activity served as a fantastic practical application of positional language, as the children eagerly called out "left" and "right" to guide their movements and keep their mouse on the path. Developing this fine motor control is a huge milestone; it requires the coordination to input information into the mouse and how many steps it would make. Taking turns in this simple game with friends to show awareness of digital literacy.
Reception- Worship- Easter Story
The children in Reception were absolutely captivated this week as Jack the Puppet joined the circle to share the vibrant story of Palm Sunday. With Jack’s help, the children "travelled" to Jerusalem, imagining the dusty streets filled with waving palm branches and joyful shouts of "Hosanna!" as Jesus arrived on a humble donkey. Through Jack’s gentle storytelling, the children learned that Jesus didn't come as a powerful king to be served, but as a friend who showed extraordinary kindness to everyone he met. Jack explained how Jesus encouraged his disciples to follow his lead—teaching them that a small act of love, like sharing or helping a friend, is the most important job of all. It was wonderful to see the children's faces light up as they realised they could be "kindness champions" just like the disciples.
Reception- Maths- Make A Double
In their latest maths adventure, the Reception children dived into the concept of doubling with a hands-on, prehistoric twist. The classroom was buzzing with excitement as the children constructed a tall wall to hide a small group of dinosaurs on the other side. To sharpen their "subitising" skills—the ability to recognize a quantity without counting—the children were invited to take a "quick look" over the wall before the dinosaurs were hidden once more. After identifying the initial number of dinosaurs they saw, the challenge began: they had to calculate what that number would be if it were doubled. This playful activity turned an abstract mathematical operation into a visual game, helping the children understand that doubling is simply adding the same amount again to create a larger total.
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