Nursery

The Foundation Stage Curriculum

Summer Term Summary

What to Expect

Summer Parent Summary Nursery 2019

This term we will be focusing on the topic of ‘Growth and Change’ and will explore in depth the texts Jack and the Beanstalk and the The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

We will also be continuing to explore children’s interests and will plan activities based on this.

Communication and Language:

This term there will be a special emphasis on using language to talk about our natural environment, the weather, and how things grow and change at this time of year. We will continue to have ‘Show and Tell’ throughout the term.

Literacy:

Continuing with our Letters and sounds phonics scheme this term, we shall be introducing the children to Phase 2 of the letters and sounds programme. This includes introducing the children to a new set of letter sounds and names each week. Consolidation of these letter sounds shall greatly benefit your child on entry to Reception.

Understanding the world:

We will be making full use of our fantastic outdoor area and woodland to engage children in our topic. The children will be involved in many planned hands-on sensory activities which will assist in providing the children with a range of opportunities to investigate and explore growth, natural processes, seeds and plants.

Maths:

This term we will continue working with numbers from 1 to 30, identifying the numerals, one more than, one less than, and continuing to identify basic shapes including introducing some 3D shapes. We will continue to provide lots of opportunities indoors and outdoors for children to explore maths through their interests.

Physical Development:

This term we will be focusing on different ways of moving following instructions in the hall and outdoor area. We will continue to develop our fine motor skills in preparation for writing through a range of fine motor activities weekly as well as practicing name writing. As part of ‘Health and Self-Care’, we will talk about different food stuff, healthy and unhealthy and the effects these have on our bodies.

Personal, Social & Emotional Development:

This term we will continue to focus on how we build relationships, treat others kindly and learn conflict resolution skills. This term also focuses on transition to Reception class. The children will be involved in a range of transition procedures to ensure they are happy and confident when the time comes to settle in their new Reception Class.

Expressive Art and Design:

We will be exploring different creative processes like colour mixing, talking about different textures and working collaboratively to build more detailed creations using different media such as clay, junk modelling and mod rock.

Please also ensure you apply sunscreen at home and send a sun hat with your child on warmer days. If you have any concerns or questions regarding your child please do not hesitate to see us.

Many Thanks

Mr Jeans and Miss Fahey

Ways to help at home

Routine

Try to establish a routine for school days;

• Wake your child in good time to have breakfast and wash and dress in peace.
• Make time after school to listen to them telling you about what they have been doing.
• Your child will be tired when he/she comes home from school. Please ensure that he/she goes to bed early. If he/she does not get enough sleep he/she will not learn efficiently.
• Speaking and Listening: always use speech as a model for your child’s language skills.

Reading

When parents share books with their children regularly reading becomes a more enjoyable experience and progress in learning to read is enhanced

• Share books as often as possible
• Talk about print you see at home or when you are out
• Let them see you enjoying reading
• Discuss stories, predicting what might happen next
• Share poems and rhymes with your child
• Talk about the cover and pictures in stories. Ask your child to tell their own story using the pictures
• Encourage your child to finish a sentence by pausing at a suitable place, e.g. Humpty Dumpty sat on a …….
• Playing I-spy, – use letter sounds rather than names

Writing/Mark making

Have fun with making marks and discussion about marks

• Chunky pencils/chalk etc. helps to develop motor control.
• Make play dough – develop arm strength
• Use chalk on pavements, outside walls, chalk can be removed by putting water over it.
• If your child is ready to write you could begin by helping them to trace shapes or letters to develop their pencil control. Try writing with a highlighter pen for your child to copy over.
• Encourage your child to hold their pencil correctly – it is better to learn slowly, using the correct technique. If your child alternates the pencil between hands don’t worry as dominance takes time to develop.
• Have lots of paper and writing implements readily available so that they can practise drawing and writing whenever they want to.
• If you choose to teach your child to write his/her name please use a capital for the first letter and lower case thereafter. Once children have formed the habit of writing in capital letters it is very hard to break.

Mathematics

Encourage your child to:

• Learn counting rhymes
• Weigh and mix ingredients for cooking
• Count in different situation e.g. stairs, buttons on coats, people at dinner table etc
• Identify shapes and colours inside and outside your home
• Describe and sort things into sets e.g. big/small, heavy/light, rough/smooth
• Recognise numbers up to 10, then 20
• Gardening (let them help you care for a small section of plants)