Repetition is important for our little ones as it builds their confidence through familiarity. Therefore, our week started with a visit to the Old Hall to collect our groceries. The Robins did great listening and they were able to listen and follow the instructions before picking up the shopping and placing it in the reusable bags. As always, there is a learning opportunity in everything we do. I held up a variety of items and they were able to point to the biggest and smallest. We also identified the different coloured peppers. 

Lots of fun was had during our sensory PE circuits in the Russell Hall. The children explored the equipment independently and by doing this weekly session, it supports the Robins' confidence, coordination and balance. They navigated their way around the circuit after following my instructions and demonstration. There were cheeky sharks in the middle so they had to ensure they stayed on the circuit. The Robins are all looking forward to sharing their physical activities with you during our Pre-Prep Coffee Morning. 

An emphasis is placed on personal, social and emotional development, along with communication and language. Therefore, the children enjoyed joining in with many circle songs. Their favourites were The Farmer’s in his Den and Five Little Men in a Flying Saucer. We regularly sing songs but at present we are also focussing on  supporting the children’s social connections, cognitive growth and language acquisition. Not only is it fun, but singing circle songs also supports and develops children’s listening skills. 

Miss Ruby and I build secure relationships with the children during their time with us and at every opportunity, we play with the children on their level. This includes roaring like dinosaurs, making lunch in the home corner and most importantly, being big Robins ourselves! These connections provide emotional safety whilst creating safe spaces supporting children to regulate their emotions. 

This week’s topic has been enjoyed by all and it has been lovely reading the comments from parents in the children’s Contact Books, sharing that they also love this week’s topic. Once again, a big thank you for all your parental support. Our first story of the week was The Tortoise and the Hare. The Robins sat very nicely during carpet time and a short while later, we watched it on the CTouch which was great for our more visual learners. The moral of this story was slow and steady wins the race and therefore, don't give up and keep trying. Our next story was one of my favourites, as the moral to the story supports the children’s personal, social and emotional development. It was The Stork and the Fox and the moral behind this story is to treat others as you would like to be treated. This is something of great importance. Therefore, I have decided to focus on a fable each week as the morals are extremely relatable and good lessons for children. 

There were many lovely items brought in from home which ranged from soft pom poms (characters from Aesop's Fables), books and animals, etc. It was great sharing all the topic-related objects as this supported the children’s learning. Carrying on with our topic, we had a brain-storming session during carpet time and shared what activities we find difficult and need to keep trying. 

Form 6 visited class and spent time reading to the Robins and joined us for snack. They are always such good role models and they remember their manners, such as please and thank you. The Robins also like spotting the older children around the school grounds during our many walks. The older children always stop to high-five our little ones.

This week’s cooking activities consisted of jam sponge, focaccia bread, yogurt with fresh fruit and granola pots, sourdough rolls and cupcakes...  

The children did a great job of chopping their fruit and they listened very well to the instructions. 

The birds have been busy outside our viewing window and we were very lucky to spot two robins feeding together on the station. They could be a pair, as robins are known to be very territorial. There were also blue tits, magpies and wood pigeons. 

Our afternoons were spent exploring the school grounds and we packed our bags and enjoyed a picnic on the bench, along with a warm drink. Lots of fun was had venturing around the field wearing waterproof suits whilst holding identification sheets to spot a variety of spring flowers. Other outdoor activities included visiting the Pirate Ship and driving around the school grounds on their ride-on bikes.

Next week’s topic is Storytelling and My Favourite Book. We will also continue to explore nature by carrying out some more birdwatching tasks. We encourage children to bring in something from home (just not too big please). This can be related to our weekly topic or anything else they would like to share or celebrate with us. The children enjoy sharing their objects from home during carpet time and it is a fantastic way to build effective communication and listening skills. Have a lovely weekend.