Nursery

Hello, We are Mrs Etheridge (Monday - Wednesday) and Mr Leese (Thursday - Friday) and we are very excited to be your teachers in Nursery this year. Mrs Brunt and Miss Sheargold will be working with us too and we will have lots of fun both inside and out of the classroom. This page aims to provide our families with some key information about life in Nursery, useful links to help at home and examples of our fantastic work.

Meet the Nursery Team

Mrs Etheridge (Nursery Class Teacher)
Mr Leese (Nursery Class Teacher)
Mrs Brunt (Higher Level Teaching Assistant)
Miss Sheargold (Teaching Assistant)

Our Curriculum

Our curriculum in the Early Years has been developed to ensure that children acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the Early Learning Goals at the end of their Reception year and ultimately prepare them for a successful transition into Year 1. Therefore our curriculum in Nursery will ensure that children are taught the required skills to prepare them for their Reception year.

Nursery Rhymes and Songs

Nursery rhymes are important for young children because they help develop an ear for our language. Both rhyme and rhythm help kids hear the sounds and syllables in words. Many rhymes also use numbers, counting, and other maths words that children need to learn, such as size and weight. Research has shown that awareness of rhyme and the ability to sing songs and rhymes positively supports children's language development and early literacy and reading skills.

We learn a new rhyme each week in Nursery. Check out our Class Dojo page to see what rhyme we have learnt this week. Click on the link below to find our rhyme and sing along at home too.

BBC Nursery Rhymes

Physical Development: Squiggle Whilst You Wiggle

It’s time to 'Squiggle whilst you Wiggle'! Early years love this gross motor skill activity. First grab yourself two ‘flipper flappers’ (these can be two pieces of kitchen towel, tissues, napkins, dusters, whatever you can find that is similar). Hold one in each hand. Next choose a song (Disney songs always work well and are well liked). Make circles, lines and arches to the song using your flipper flappers. Once you have done this, replay the song again but this time make the same motions on a piece of paper with two crayons. Have fun squiggling and wiggling!

The video below will give you an idea of how 'squiggle whilst you wiggle' works.

Motor Skills - Squiggle Whilst You Wiggle Part 1

Shonette and the Spread the Happiness Crew demonstrate the first three moves in the Squiggle Whilst You Wiggle teaching method for writing.

Reading Books

All children have been sent home with a book bag and reading book. In Nursery we ask that reading bags are returned each Wednesday so that books can be changed and ready for you to take home and enjoy every Friday.

Click on the link below for some top tips on supporting your child's reading at home.

BBC - Top tips to support your child's reading at home

Oxford Owl

Oxford Owl is a brilliant website full of fantastic eBooks for children to look at and read. If any children want some extra reading material to their home reading book, there are more books on here to keep them going! Choose a book and snuggle up together to enjoy a good story.

Oxford Owl - Free eBooks

Playdough Disco

We love to have a playdough disco in Nursery! You might already have some playdough or you might like to make some of your own. See the link below for a playdough recipe.

Playdough Recipe

Below are some links to playdough disco videos that show you how to poke, splat, prod, roll, squeeze and pinch that playdough and strengthen your fingers for writing. Alternatively, choose your favourite song and create your very own playdough disco routine! We love this activity and hope you do too.

Fine motor development | Playdough song | If you're happy and you know it

A fun playdough song to develop fine motor control and coordination - get your kids ready for writing! Easy to follow playdough routine which is 3 minutes long. Want to download? Find the mp3 at https://sellfy.com/p/fNqW/ Sing along with the music, squeezing, rolling and splatting!

Dough dance/finger gym routine | Down in the Jungle | Nursery rhyme with playdough

Get up on your feet and bust a move on the dance floor with your playdough! This Early Years Emily dough gym/dough dance routine incorporates both fine and gross motor skills to get your child ready for writing!

Mathematics

Maths is everywhere. House numbers, car registration plates, road signs, shops, at home, everywhere we look there are numbers and shapes all around us. Children are learning maths all the time, without even realising. Number hunts when you are out walking, singing counting songs, baking cakes, counting items into your basket when shopping, there are so many fun activities that you can do that involve maths.

Cbeebies have produced a webpage full of fantastic ideas for how to help your child practise learning their maths skills at home through everyday life and play.

Cbeebies - Help your child to be epic at maths

Numberblocks

We love the Numberblocks in Nursery. The Cbeebies programme is fantastic for teaching children about numbers, counting, addition and subtraction. Take a look on the Numberblocks website where you can watch episodes of the show and take part in activities and games.

Cbeebies - Numberblocks

@Numberblocks- Count to Ten | Learn to Count

As seen on CBeebies! Watch Numberblocks full episodes on BBC iPlayer: https://bbc.in/2ZHvNtl Subscribe for more Numberblocks: https://goo.gl/rF32S8 Learn how to count up to ten with the Numberblocks! They sing and dance and play their way up to the number 10! We are the Numberblocks! Little blocks with big ideas, having a ton of number fun.

Moorcroft Wood Academy