Children have a snack and we then begin continuous provision where children have access to both indoor and outdoor play. During this time we provide practical activities to develop their developmental needs as well as their own interests.

The indoor and outdoor classroom is divided into areas ie construction, water, mud kitchen, small world, music, physical, reading, home corner, writing area, malleable area, maths and creative. These areas each have resources that are there permanently, we enhance the areas with resources each week to cover specific themes. The majority of our day is spent in continuous provision as children in early years learn best through play.

We have a maths session before lunch with lots of practical opportunities. We use White Rose scheme to support our planning and ensure progression.

In the afternoon children come back to class and complete a “funky fingers” activity. As with all areas of development, each child will develop the skills needed to hold a pencil at different times, however they will work through a number of stages. This includes strengthening their hand, shoulder and arm muscles, and mobility. Below is a guide to the different pencil grip stages. Funky fingers activities support your child to strengthen their gross motor skills and fine motor skills.

Early years pencil grip development guide for parents

After Funky fingers we use the afternoon we explore the wider curriculum. We use Power of reading, Tales Toolkit, Charanga music and Jigsaw PHSE schemes to support children’s learning.

We are lucky to have outside enrichment for our PE lessons. During Autumn term we have dance lessons with Diddi dance, in Spring we have Rugby sessions with Saints Rugby team and in Summer we have gymnastics with Beth Tweedle gymnastics school.

Ways to help your child at home

• Speak positively about school and encourage children to have a positive attitude to learning.
• Reading stories to your child, creating your own story using yours and your child imagination.
• Speaking to your child about interesting things to extend their vocabulary.
• Sing nursery rhymes
• Promote independence within your daily routine eg. Dressing themselves, putting on coat and fastening it up, cutting own food and using the toilet independently
• Notice numbers and shapes in the environment. Practice counting to 20 and beyond.
• Practice the sounds we have taught in school, share reading books when children bring them home.
• Encourage writing when you can. Example shopping lists, writing birthday cards, writing CVC words like c-a-t.

Engage with class dojo, talk about what your child has been doing in school. Share any achievements or special days through dojo.