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The children had a wonderful trip to Mudchute City Farm and were very excited to explore and meet the animals. They saw a variety of animals including sheep, goats, llamas, chickens, geese, and peacocks. A highlight of the visit was being able to gently pet a baby lamb and a chicken, which the children really enjoyed. They were also able to feed many of the animals, which encouraged confidence and curiosity. Although the pigs were too shy to come out, the overall experience was very positive. The trip provided lots of opportunities for interaction, and the children had a fun, engaging, and memorable day. Early Years had a wonderful time celebrating Eid ul Fitr. Throughout the week, we learned about why Muslims around the world celebrate this special festival and explored both the differences and similarities in traditions across various countries. The children enjoyed sharing their own family traditions and proudly showed photos of how they decorate their homes for Eid. We also took part in role play, acting out important parts of the celebration such as going to the mosque for Eid Salah and sharing food with family and friends. To finish our celebrations, we held a joyful Eid party. Parents kindly brought in delicious food to share, and the children came dressed in their beautiful Eid clothes, making it a truly memorable experience for everyone. Last week we carried out a science experiment with cress seeds to help us discover what plants need to grow healthy and strong. The children were excited to become scientists and carefully set up three different dishes to test our ideas. • In the first dish, we placed seeds in sunlight but did not water them. • In the second dish, we watered the seeds but kept them in a cupboard with no sunlight. • In the third dish, we gave the seeds both water and sunlight. Throughout the week, we observed the changes carefully, took photographs, and discussed what we noticed. The seeds that had water and sunlight grew well and were a healthy green colour. The seeds that were watered but kept in the cupboard did grow, but they were a pale yellow-green colour. We talked about how they did not look as strong as the ones in the sunlight. The seeds that had sunlight but no water did not grow at all. The following week, we used the cress that had grown to make cress sandwiches. We tasted the cress from both the cupboard and the sunlight dishes. The pale cress grown without sunlight tasted quite bitter, while the bright green cress grown in sunlight had a fresh, pleasant taste. We decided to use the healthy green cress to make our sandwiches, they were delicious! This experiment helped us understand that plants need both water and sunlight to grow healthy and strong. The children showed great curiosity, observation skills, and enthusiasm throughout the investigation. Today we visited our local churchyard to look for signs of spring. The children were excited and eager to explore the outdoor environment. As we walked around, they carefully searched the grass and flower beds for signs of new life. They were delighted to discover bright yellow daffodils, blue flowers, and purple crocuses beginning to bloom. The children showed great curiosity, pointing to the different colours and shapes, and discussing what they could see. After finding the flowers, we stopped together to stand quietly and listen. The children noticed birds singing in the trees above. We talked about why we do not often hear birds singing in the winter. The children learned that some birds migrate to warmer countries during the colder months and return when the weather becomes warmer in spring. They understood that the change in season brings changes in nature, including flowers growing and birds returning. The children were engaged, observant, and enthusiastic throughout the experience. This activity supported their understanding of seasonal change, encouraged careful listening skills, and promoted curiosity about the natural world. During this creative activity, the children enjoyed making Ramadan decorations. They used scissors and glue with increasing control and showed pride in their finished work. While decorating, the children talked about what Ramadan means to them. They shared that it is a special month for praying, being kind, and spending time with family. Some children spoke about waking up early, breaking their fast with their families, and celebrating Eid. This activity supported their communication skills and helped them learn about each other’s experiences and traditions. This week, we have been exploring the world as part of our learning. To support this, we invited parents and families to get involved by taking a country out of a hat. Families were then asked to talk about that country with their child and prepare a traditional dish to share. The response was fantastic. Parents worked incredibly hard with their children, and the effort was clear in the delicious dishes that were shared on Friday. We had a wonderful turnout, and it was a lovely way to end the week by coming together and sharing food from different countries. Thank you to all the parents and families for your involvement and support in helping to embed the learning we have done this week. Your enthusiasm and effort were truly appreciated by all staff and, most importantly, by the children This week, the children extended their learning while exploring the theme of Understanding the World. Through discussions and activities, they developed a deeper understanding that people around the world may be different, speak different languages, and celebrate a variety of cultures. The children showed curiosity and interest when learning about how countries differ and how food can be an important part of culture. As part of this learning, the children became particularly interested in making sushi. They confidently talked about where sushi comes from and discussed how it is linked to a different country and culture. The children were engaged in the activity, carefully following instructions, using tools safely, and talking with their peers about the ingredients and process. They shared their ideas, asked questions, and showed enthusiasm for trying something new. This activity supported the children in extending their understanding of the wider world, developing respect for differences, and building confidence in expressing their thoughts and experiences through hands-on exploration. This week in Nursery we explored some of our favourite rhymes, including “Five Currant Buns,” “Miss Polly Had a Dolly,” and “Polly Put the Kettle On.” We enjoyed a trip to the local bakery, where the children saw different breads and cakes, watched the bakers at work, and helped to buy currant buns. Back at school, we shared the buns together and talked about the rhyme. We also looked at how things have changed over time by exploring old objects such as traditional toys, an iron skipping rope and a yoyo. The children compared these with new versions like modern kettles, toys and dolls. This helped them talk about similarities and differences and learn more about life in the past in a fun and hands-on way. This week, our class enjoyed exploring Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The children loved joining in with the story and acting out their favourite parts. We made porridge together, starting by feeling the dry oats, adding milk, and observing how the mixture changed to become soft and sticky. The children also had the chance to chop fruit and then enjoy their own bowls of porridge. In the tuff tray, the children played with dry oats and used masks to re-enact scenes from the story. They used lots of imagination and repeated familiar phrases such as, “Someone’s been eating my porridge!” For our art activity, we created bear masks with tissue paper, giving the children plenty of practice with their cutting and sticking skills. To finish the week, we made toast—just like Baby Bear in the story. It was a wonderful week filled with storytelling, creativity, and hands-on learning! This week in Reception we have been learning about nursery rhymes, and one of the rhymes we have been focusing on is “Five Currant Buns.” As part of our learning, we visited the local bakery so the children could explore the differences between a bakery and a supermarket. We discovered that the prices of pastries have changed over the years and that many items are now much more expensive. The children enjoyed choosing a range of different pastries to share with their friends. We also used this experience to practise some maths skills. When paying for our pastries, the children helped check that we received the correct change from a £10 note. During our visit we were able to look inside the kitchen area, and we talked about where food is made and how it is prepared. This reminded the children of the time we made banana bread together in class, and they enjoyed making connections between the two experiences. |
Mirzakhani News BlogWe'll post about what's happening in our class Archives
March 2026
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