Nursery -Apple Tree Class
Welcome to our nursery class page! We will share with you weekly what we have been doing in Apple Tree Class and you can join us on our learning journey.
Week Beginning 21/10/19
Pumpkin Carving
We have been investigating pumpkins this week and talking about where they come from and exploring what is inside them. Before we carved our pumpkins, we made predictions about what we think is inside them.
“I think it’s slime in there” Bobby
” It’s seeds inside” Isla
” Maybe a squirrel” Araya
We then designed our own jack-o-lanterns and voted for the best one before finding out if our predictions were true or false.
Halloween
We have enjoyed taking part in some Halloween themed activities this week. We became witches and wizards and created our own potions using bats, pumpkins, rats, witches finger nails and magic dust.
” It will make you invisible” Isla-Mae
” It turns you into a frog” Nevaeh
” It makes you a hedgehog” Ellie-Mae
“I think that it will go poof and then it will give me a broomstick to fly” Koral
Week Beginning 14/10/19
Self Portraits
We have enjoyed painting our self portraits this week. We have been looking very closely at our facial features in the mirror and talking about our similarities and differences and what makes us unique. We then carefully chose paints that matched our skin, hair and eye colour.
Transient Art
We have been using our autumn treasure to create transient art this week. We looked at the work of artist Andy Goldworthy for inspiration and we thought about how we could use leaves, conkers, acorns, pine cones and sticks to create art.
Week Beginning 07/10/19
Hair dressers
We have set up our very own hair dressers in nursery this week. We thought carefully about what resources we would need in our role play area.
” We need a till so you can pay” Isla-Mae
” We need some chairs” Elliott
” We need shampoo” Isla
We then gathered the resources and brought our hair dressers to life. We assigned roles and got to work!
” I’m going to sit by the phone so I can answer it” Nola
” I’ want my hair cut” Erik
” I want to wash hair” Ellie-Mae
Phonics
We have been learning about instrumental sounds this week. We have been listening to the sounds different instruments make and matching instrumental pairs.
Maths
We have been learning about numbers 0-5 this week and the different ways we can represent them. We have been learning to recognise numerals and using concrete resources such as cubes, numicon, counters as well as other loose parts to represent numbers.
Week beginning 30/09/19
Name Writing
We wrote our names independently this week for our name writing display. We have been practising writing our names every morning, making sure we are holding our pencil correctly and tracing over the letters in our names. We will continue to practise our names throughout the year. Come and take a look at our names on display in the writing area.
Phonics
This week we started phase 1 phonics and we have been developing our listening skills and awareness of sounds in the environment. We went on a listening walk around school to see what we could hear and we played lots of games involving listening to the noises that objects make and then guessing what the objects are.
Autumn Walk
We have noticed that the weather is getting colder and our natural environment is changing. We went on an autumn walk around the school grounds to look for signs of autumn and to collect autumn treasure. We were very excited to find conkers, pine cones and acorns at the front of school!
Week Beginning 23/09/19
Maths
In maths this week we have exploring numbers to five through song. We have been using puppets to sing Five Little Ducks, Five Current Buns, Five Little Men in a Flying Saucer and Five Little Speckled Frogs and we are beginning to explore representations of number. We have been using our fingers to represent the remaining quantity when singing the songs.
Phonics
We have been developing our speaking and listening and turn taking skills this week before we move onto phase 1 phonics next week. Each group has had a very special bag that is filled with different objects. We have been taking turns to pass the bag around our circle and everyone has the chance to take an object out of the bag. We then discussed the object as a group.
“It’s a duck” Erik
“Ducks like the water” Elliott
“They go quack quack” Anaya-Noor
” I saw a duck at the park” Lyla-Rae
Autumn
We have been learning about Autumn this week. Some of us have noticed that our environment is changing and it is getting colder.
“The leaves are coming off the trees” Rosie
” There are conkers on the floor” Freddie
” You need to put your coat on when you go outside now” Elliott C
We have been gathering autumn treasure to explore in our class. Some of us have been using what we have found in the mud kitchen to make some conker cakes , pinecone pies and leaf soup. If you find any autumn treasure in your garden or on the way to school bring it in to show your friends.
Week Beginning 16/09/19
We are extremely proud of how quickly our nursery children have begun to settle into the nursery routine. When the children arrive in the morning they confidently say goodbye to their families and sit on their carpet.
We have been developing our behaviours for learning through stories and singing at group times. We have shared lots of stories and our favourites are We’re going on a bear hunt, The Gruffalo, Dear Zoo and I went to the Zoopermarket.
We have enjoyed exploring our new nursery classroom and our outdoor area. We have been very excited to try new activities with our friends.
Some of us have now started to stay at school for our dinner. We have been practising lining up and walking to the dinner hall. We have enjoyed choosing our food and eating with our friends.
Class Staff
Miss Chloe Weaver
Teacher
Chloe.Weaver@E-ACT.org.uk
My name is Chloe and I am a class teacher in nursery. I have worked at E-ACT Blackley Academy for three years both in reception and in nursery and I love seeing the beginning of a child’s school journey and getting to know their families. I specialised in Early Years education in my postgraduate teaching degree and I have an undergraduate degree in geography.
Mrs Leanne Cornes
Teaching Assistant
Leanne.Cornes@E-ACT.org.uk
I gained my national diploma in early years in 2002 and have worked in schools ever since. I have worked at E-ACT Blackley Academy since it opened in 2012 and also worked at the school when it was Victoria Avenue primary school since 2006. In my ten years working in Blackley I have got to know children and families very well which is a real privilege. I particularly enjoy working in early years as I feel it’s so important to give very young children great experiences to help to create a positive attitude towards learning and school life.
Miss Cara O'Brien
Teaching Assistant
Cara.O'Brien@E-ACT.org.uk
I have been a Nursery practitioner for 6 years and I joined E-ACT Blackley Academy in 2015. I have previously worked with children under the age of 3 and I have experience working with DSEN children.
I am part of the walking bus team and you may see me around Blackley bright and early in a bright orange coat.
Miss Chloe Szulek
Teacher
Chloe.Szulek@E-ACT.org.uk
I have been a Nursery teacher at E-ACT Blackley Academy for six years, joining the team as an NQT after I graduated from MMU with a BA (Hons) in Education. I am passionate about Early Years education and have always loved working with this age group.
Miss Alexandra Kennedy
Teaching Assistant
Alexandra.Kennedy@E-ACT.org.uk
I’m a nursery level 3 teaching assistant. I have been working at E-ACT for 5 years, I started as a 1:1 for DSEN children. I’ve been a Nursery teaching assistant for just over a year and have enjoyed getting to know the children and their families.
I am also part of the breakfast club team and help run an after school art club.
Miss Olivia Neild
Teaching Assistant
Olivia.Neild@E-ACT.org.uk
I am a teaching assistant in nursery. I have been working with children for six years in private day nurseries and in a school setting. I joined E-ACT Blackley Academy in 2018 and I love working in nursery. I am also part of the breakfast club team.
