What a wonderful 2 weeks back we have had in Cherry class! The children were very excited to talk about their Christmas experiences and the toys they got for Christmas. 

We have been learning all about seasonal changes over the last two weeks. Thinking and exploring nature outside and the changes in the temperature and weather we see. We have also been exploring nature changes in our woodland area, thinking about plants and animals we are seeing when we go there. 

We have been reading the story 'Lost and Found' by Oliver Jeffers. The children had the surprise of a penguin arriving at school. They were very interested to find out more about Penguins and Antarctica. They have been labelling penguins, creating penguin fact books and writing about 'cold places'. 

Our role play area has been a hot chocolate cafe. The children have loved acting in role in the cafe and writing order forms and paying with plastic money. 

In Maths we have begun learning about addition. They have been solving addition problems using concrete resources and learning about the = and + symbols. 

In phonics the children have learnt the sounds "ai, ee, high, oa, oo, oo, ar and or" over the last two weeks. Please remember to read with your child regularly and record this in their yellow reading records. 

The children have been exploring winter through sensory tuff trays and have been creating using multiple resources. They have made winter wonderlands, using paints and chalks, penguins using printing and exploring gradient and shades. 

The children have begun PE - please remember that they can wear their P.E kits on a Friday to school. 

This week in Cherry class we started with 'Advent day'. The children learnt about what advent meant and why/ how Christians celebrate advent day. Each of the children drew their own advent pictures to be opened each day of December for our class advent calender. 

The children took part in Knife and fork training, where Chartwells came in to teach them how to use a knife and fork safely. 

We read the story 'the snowman' and the children then drew a picture of their own snowman in drawing club. The children have been labelling snowmen, explaining and writing instructions on how to build a snowman and writing lists for Santa for posting. 

Our role-play area has been transformed into a Santa's workshop. The children have enjoyed acting in role as cheeky elves building toys, designing and wrapping toys.

In Maths, children have been measuring, ordering and comparing sizes of objects and pictures. 

In phonics, we have continued to consolidate the digraphs; ch, sh, th, ng, and nk. The children have been writing simple words and sentences containing the sounds they have learnt. 

Cherry class have been very busy practising for their Christmas Nativity worship for the parents. Thank you for bringing in their costumes this week! We are very excited to show you!

This week in Cherry class we read the story 'Baby owls' and we had a little baby owl in the tree with a letter for us. We have been looking after the baby owl as it was scared because he missed his mum. The children have been making the owl nests and creating art work of owls.

We have begun 'drawing club' this week. The children all drew a picture and setting for Baby owls. As this progresses, the children will begin to apply their phonics and maths to enhance their drawing club pictures. 

In phonics the children have learnt the sounds qu, z and ch. They have been reading words containing these sounds. When two letters make one sound, we call this a digraph. The children have also learnt the tricky words "go, no, to". 

In Maths we have been consolidating the children's knowledge of finding one more and one less than numbers within 10. They have been using concrete resources, number lines and drawings. 

The children have been writing labels for owl parts (beaks, claws, feathers), they have been retelling the story of 'Baby owls' by writing words or phrases for pictures. 

Our role play area this week has turned into a vets, linking to our recent visit from Brent Lodge animal hospital. The children have loved acting in role as vets, receptionist and pet owners. They have been caring for our sick animal teddies very well- giving them injections and wrapping bandages.

Next week we will be walking to the post box to post our Christmas letters to Santa. Please don't forget to bring in a stamp! 

We have had a wonderful week back in Cherry class. This week we have been settling back into the rules and routines of school. The children shared what they did over the half term holidays with their class and some children shared what they found on Autumn walks from over half term. 

This week we have been learning about fireworks night. The children have been creating firework art by painting, printing and using chalks. Lots of the children linked what they learnt to their own experiences of seeing fireworks. Some of the children have been writing a list for a firework party and have been describing fireworks and writing simple words such as 'pop' and 'crash'. 

We have also been learning about how Hindu's celebrate Diwali festival. The children have been looking at pictures, exploring traditional clothes, exploring rangoli patterns and looking at divas lamps. The children have been creating their own creations, including rangoli patterns.

In phonics the children have been learning the digraphs ss, ll and ff. They have been sounding out and blending to read words such as bell, tell, puff and hiss. Our tricky words have been put, pull and full this week. 

In Maths we have been learning about the numbers within 10. The children have been recognising, making and ordering the numbers. 

Our role play has turned into a campsite this week. The children have enjoyed acting in role and going on camping trips. 

This week we have learnt all about the changing seasons and Autumn. The children enjoyed going on Autumn spotting walks. In the woodland this week, the children took a check list and bag to spot and collect Autumn items, including pine cones, leaves and twigs. See if you can spot the signs of Autumn on a walk this weekend. 

The children read the story 'It was a cold, dark night'. We retold the story and used role play to help us. The children then created story maps for the story, drawing the different dens the animals lived in. Some children labelled the animals, applying the phonics they have learnt. The book is all about a hedgehog hibernating, so we look forward to finding out more about hibernation from our visitor at Brent Lodge on Wednesday next week. If you have any donations for Brent lodge, please bring them to school. 

In Maths we have been learning all about patterns. The children have been creating 2-step patterns during lessons and in provision. They have used a range of resources. Why not see if you can make an Autumn pattern at home this weekend. 

In phonics the children have been learning the sounds h,b,f,l. They have been reading simple 3 letter words such as - log, bat, hop. Support them by reading their phonics book 5x a week. 

We have created a school role play area, after some of the children were interested in playing 'schools' in the classroom. They have been making great teachers and students! They have been teaching each other phonics and reading stories to one another. 

Brighton and Hove football coaches came in for a taster session on Thursday. The children loved it! If you are interested in the football club, speak to the school office. 

This week in Cherry class we have been learning about the Harvest festival. The children have been singing Harvest and Autumn songs, ready to perform at our Harvest worship on Monday 14th October to parents/carers. 

We have been reading lots of stories including, the little red hen, the squirrels who squabled and pumpkin soup. The children have enjoyed retelling the story of the little red hen through role play and small world tuff trays. 

They have learnt about what Harvest means and the fruits and vegetables that the farmers have ready to pick at this time of year. The children have painted, washed and scooped out the seeds inside pumpkins. They have printed with vegetables and have used observational drawings of vegetables. Cherry class have particularly enjoyed the sensory and messy farm tuff trays, which have sparked imagination for play and sensory discussions. 

Cherry class have enjoyed the addition of a farm shop role play area. They have been acting in role as the shop keepers and shoppers. They have been exploring the fruits, vegetables and breads and 'paying for the items'. Some children have created lists and used already made lists to check off what they need. 

Some children have begun to apply the phonics they have learnt to label initial sounds, write lists and write CVC words. 

In phonics we have now learnt the following sounds:

s, a, t, p, i, n, m, d, g, o, c, k

The children have been reading simple three letter words containing these sounds. Segmenting and blending the words to read them. They have been sorting items into which sound they begin with, listening carefully as they sound out the words. They have been practising the letter shapes by writing, tracing, drawing in sand/glitter. 

In Maths the children have been securing their number knowledge in numbers 1-5, recognising, making and exploring different representations and resources. We have been ordering numbers in numeric and resource form. We have been finding one more than different numbers within 5. Next week we will be learning about finding one less than numbers within 5. 

Cherry class enjoyed their trip to the woodland on Thursday with Mrs Sheppard and their weekly visit to the school library.