I have been so impressed with the fantastic enthusiasm that all the children have shown this week towards trying new things and the kindness they have been showing towards each other. We have been trying really hard to share with others and the children have been showing fantastic listening skills when listening to their friends on the carpet. I feel very lucky to be their teacher!

Our main focus this week has been ensuring that all children are happy and settled in Transition and feel comfortable with the routines of the school day. The children have coped very well with their responsibilities in Transition, getting used to putting all of their belongings away independently when they first come into school.

The older children have been super-star helpers this week, showing the new children what to do! We started the week with a lovely circle time, where we shared stories all about our Christmas holidays. I learnt of some very exciting new Christmas presents that the children had received from Santa and we heard lots of heart-warming stories about the children’s time spent with family and friends. We also discussed some of the delicious Christmas dinners we had eaten, and I think it’s safe to say that roast potatoes and gravy are a firm favourite in Transition!

Our topic this week has been Kings and Queens. We enjoyed reading a story called The Naughty, Naughty Baddies, in which four people broke into the royal palace and tried to steal the spots of the Queen’s dog. The children were intrigued by the parachute the baddies used to land inside the palace grounds and they had some fantastic ideas of how the guards could scare the baddies away.

During their play, the children have had a go at making their own crowns, shields and castles in the creative area. We have also made some beautiful crown pictures by painting-by-numbers and the children have loved role-playing with the princesses, nights and unicorns in the small world castle.

In maths this week we have been singing lots of fun counting songs, helping us to count accurately to 10 and back. We have also practised our careful counting as we counted out the correct number of jewels to match each numbered crown. The children really impressed me with their careful counting as they said the next number each time they touched a new jewel.

In Phonics this week, we ventured out on a walk around Russell House to listen to the sounds in our environment. The children walked really quietly to make sure they didn’t miss anything and they noticed lots of different sounds, including the train line, the wind rustling the leaves in the trees, and the birds calling to each other.

Mrs Nelson and I have also been so impressed by how many of their letter sounds the children could remember after having such a long break. Everyone had a fantastic attitude and tried their best, even if they weren't sure.

We have also had lots of fun building towers, completing puzzles and cooking up some delicious treats in the restaurant. It’s been a busy first week, but what a great start!