Nursery - Summer 1

The children have been exploring the theme 'we are caring'.

They have been learning about Animals, discovering different types and their characteristics. We’ve also focused on People Who Help Us, including community helpers like firefighters and doctors, helping children understand their important roles.

In addition, we have covered Oral Health, teaching children about the importance of brushing their teeth and taking care of their smiles.

Our Personal, Social, and Emotional Development (PSED) work has supported children in understanding their feelings, sharing, and cooperating with others.

A highlight was a special 'Bug Fest' brought into the school, where children had the opportunity to meet and learn about many different unusual creatures like Giant Snails, Tarantula's and Centipedes!

In maths, children have been developing key skills, including:

• Reciting number names in sequence

• Joining in with number rhymes

• Recognising and correcting simple patterns

• Understanding simple comparisons such as ‘less’

• Taking one object away when asked

• Using informal language like ‘stripy’ and ‘pointy’ to describe objects

• Knowing that the last number counted represents the total quantity

• Quickly recognizing groups of three objects without counting

We are proud of the progress the children are making and appreciate your continued support at home.

Nursery – Spring 2

During the Spring 2 half term, our nursery children have thoroughly enjoyed exploring our topic, “We are growing!” We began by learning about life cycles, focusing on plants and animals. The children were fascinated by how things grow and change over time, especially when we planted our own seeds and watched them begin to sprout. They took great care in watering them and were excited to observe the changes each day.

Our key stories this half term included The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Jasper’s Beanstalk. These stories supported our understanding of growth, healthy eating, and the changing seasons. The children loved joining in with repeated phrases and were eager to retell the stories using props and during role play. Acting out the life cycle of a butterfly was a particular highlight, with lots of imaginative movement and discussion.

In maths, we have continued developing our counting skills, with a focus on recognising numbers and counting groups accurately. The children have explored patterns, size, and simple sequencing through practical, hands-on activities. We also began to introduce simple addition through songs and real-life scenarios.

Our creative area has been very busy, with the children enjoying painting, junk modelling, and creating spring-themed artwork. We made flowers, butterflies, and colourful collages, linking to our learning about the natural world. The outdoor area has also been full of exploration, with children engaging in water play, obstacle courses, and group games that support turn-taking and cooperation.

We have continued to support mark-making and early writing, with many children becoming more confident in writing their names and giving meaning to their marks. Role play has remained a favourite, especially our garden centre and café, where children have enjoyed taking on different roles and acting out familiar experiences.

We ended the term by celebrating Easter, learning about why it is special to many people. The children took part in an Easter egg name hunt, which was a very exciting way to finish a fun and engaging half term.

It has been a lovely term full of curiosity, exploration, and growth. We are very proud of all the children and how much they continue to learn each day.

Nursery - Spring 1

During the Spring 1 half term, our nursery children loved exploring our topic, “We Are Story Tellers.” We focused on traditional tales including The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff and Little Red Riding Hood. Through these stories, the children developed their listening skills, confidence in speaking and ability to retell familiar events. They especially enjoyed joining in with repeated phrases and acting out parts of the stories during their play. Our favourite story was The Gingerbread Man. When he “escaped” around school causing mischief, the children loved investigating clues and predicting where he had gone.

Every Friday, the adults performed the stories in the school hall in a fun pantomime style, using costumes and props. The children were completely captivated! They laughed, joined in enthusiastically and became more confident in retelling the stories themselves. These performances really brought the stories to life and inspired lots of imaginative play back in the classroom.

In maths, we have been developing our counting skills, focusing on careful one-to-one counting and recognising numbers. The children have practised ordering numbers and matching numerals to quantities through practical activities and games. We also explored 2D and 3D shapes, going on shape hunts and identifying shapes in our environment. Positional language such as “under,” “behind,” and “next to” has been introduced through both play and adult-led activities.

We are continuing to practise writing some letters from our names and are becoming more confident with mark-making. Role play has been very popular this half term, particularly the home corner, shop and vet, where children have enjoyed acting out real-life experiences.

Nursery - Autumn 2

We had a lovely and exciting Autumn 2 in Nursery! The children enjoyed lots of fun learning and making special memories together.

We began the term by sharing the story Meg and Mog. The children loved dressing up, acting out the story, and retelling it using puppets. We also had a special EYFS dress-up day, where the adults performed Room on the Broom in a fun theatre-style show, followed by a dance in the big hall. The children really enjoyed watching and joining in.

Throughout the term, we went on adventures around the school grounds, looking closely at changes in the natural world. We searched for signs of Autumn and, more recently, signs of Winter. We spotted frost and holly—but sadly no robin yet!

We also learned about celebrations. The children talked about birthdays and how people celebrate special days. As Christmas got closer, there was great excitement when a cheeky elf came to visit our classroom! We loved finding him each day and chatting about his mischief.

In maths, the children practised counting, recognising shapes, and comparing groups to find who had more or fewer objects, using lots of hands-on activities.

We ended the term with our Christmas Nativity. The children sang beautifully, wore their costumes proudly, and were very brave performing in front of others. We are so proud of them!

It has been a wonderful term full of fun, learning, and happy memories. Well done, Nursery! 🌟

Nursery – Autumn 1 

This Autumn 1 term at Ainslie Wood Nursery has been full of exciting learning, discovery, and new friendships. As we welcomed both new children and familiar faces back to the setting, we spent lots of time getting to know each other, the adults, and our learning environment. It has been wonderful to see the children settling in, building confidence, and forming positive relationships.

Our theme this half term has focused on Autumn and all the changes it brings. The children have explored the natural world around them, collecting leaves, observing colour changes, and learning about woodland animals. Our favourite learning has been all about Autumn animals – from squirrels gathering food to owls flying at night. This tied in beautifully with our class story Owl Babies, which helped us talk about feelings, family, and being brave when things change.

We also enjoyed reading So Much, which supported our learning around families, celebrations, and emotions. Another highlight has been learning about Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Through stories, songs, and creative activities, the children explored light and dark and created beautiful artwork inspired by Diwali traditions.

In maths, we have been focusing on matching objects, exploring size and height, and developing our number knowledge through play-based activities. Outdoor learning has been just as exciting. In the garden, the children have enjoyed bird watching, going on number hunts, and challenging themselves with balancing activities on beams and stepping stones.

The children have shown great curiosity and enthusiasm this half term. They are developing their independence, communication skills, and a real love of learning. We are so proud of how they have embraced all the opportunities Autumn has brought, and we can’t wait to see what the next term has in store!