Welcome to Dragonfly Class...

Hello and welcome to the Nursery's Dragonfly Class. I am Mrs Childs the class teacher, and I work alongside Miss Chatten-Berry our experienced Early years practitioner and Mrs Ellis, together we form the Nursery Team.  As part of our daily routines your children will get the opportunity to work with all of us in a range of child led and adult focus play. 

Key Information about Leiston Primary School Nursery:

Our Nursery sessions run between 8:30 - 3:30

A 3 hour morning session: 8:30- 11:30

A lunch session 11:30-12:30 (There is an additional charge for these sessions). Parents will need to provide their child with a packed lunch and pay £2.50 for a lunch session or purchase a school meal for £5.20, this includes a school meal and the lunch session. 

A 3 hour afternoon session: 12:30-3:30

Further information about our Nursery can be found by following the link below...

Personal belongings, spare clothes and water bottles:

Please ensure that all children's belongings are named so that any misplaced items can be returned to your child. Please ensure that your child has a clearly labelled water bottle. Your child will have free flow access to the outdoor area so we ask that your child has appropriate clothing for the weather (coats in the winter and hats in the summer). We also ask that your child leaves any toys at home. 

Spring Term at LPS Nursery

Welcome back to all our families, and a warm welcome to our new Nursery children joining us this term!

This term, we will continue to build on the children’s interests while exploring our new learning theme:
“I wonder what happens next…”

Our lines of learning enquiry this term include:

• Nursery rhymes
• Traditional tales
• Wintertime
• People who help us
• Transport
• Celebrations such as Shrove Tuesday, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Chinese New Year, and Easter

Our key goals for this term are:

• To perform a nursery rhyme
• To visit or speak with someone whose occupation is to help us

Sharing Books
Children and parents who joined us last term will be familiar with our Sharing Book scheme. This term, Sharing Books will continue to be sent home weekly, allowing children to enjoy a variety of stories with their grown-ups. Please help us by keeping the books safe and returning them each week so your child can bring home a new one.

Additionally, your child has a name card—please support them at home in recognising their own name to build confidence and early literacy skills.

Communication and Language – This Term at LPS Nursery

At LPS Nursery, we foster strong communication and language skills by immersing children in a rich environment of stories, songs, conversation, and new vocabulary. We focus on listening carefully, understanding instructions, and expressing thoughts clearly.

Our Communication and Language learning intentions this term are:

• I can listen and join in with rhymes and familiar stories.
• I can anticipate key phrases and join in with repeated refrains.
• I am starting to speak in 4–6 word sentences.
• I can follow simple 2-step instructions.
• I can take turns when talking and listening in a conversation.
• I can answer ‘who’ and ‘what’ questions about stories we share.
• I can use words I have recently learned when talking with others.
• I can understand and respond to questions, instructions, and simple commands.
• I know that stories have a beginning, middle, and end.
• I can remember and talk about parts of a story I’ve heard.
• I am beginning to pay attention to more than one thing at a time.
• I can categorise objects based on their features (e.g. colour, shape, use).
• I can join in with repeated refrains and respond to rhythm and rhyme.
• I am starting to give meaning to the marks I make.
• I can express my likes and dislikes about a shared story.
• I can clap syllables and hear initial sounds in words.
• I can respond to stories and sounds through mark making.

This term, we continue our Phase 1 Phonics journey through playful sound activities:

Weeks 11–16:

• Body percussion
• Blending and segmenting
• Rhythm and rhyme
• Alliteration
• Voice sounds

Weeks 17–22:

• Environmental sounds
• Instrumental sounds
• Body percussion
• Continued blending and segmenting

By embedding phonics and storytelling into daily routines, we support children to become confident communicators, ready for the next stage of their learning.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development – This Term at LPS Nursery

At LPS Nursery, we support children to build confidence in themselves, develop independence, and form positive relationships with others. Through play, storytelling, circle time, and everyday routines, children learn to understand and manage their feelings, share and take turns, and follow simple rules and boundaries.

This term, our Personal, Social and Emotional Development intentions are:

• I can usually manage delay when my needs aren’t met straight away.
• I can begin to understand that sometimes my wishes might not be met.
• I am learning to share and take turns with support.
• I can play alongside one or more children, contributing to shared play experiences.
• I can sit and listen during group times, such as circle time.
• I am learning ways to express myself assertively and kindly.
• I am able to follow simple 2-step instructions.
• I can follow rules and routines, showing that I know what is expected.
• I know that I can approach an adult if I need help or support.
• I understand that resources must be looked after and tidied away when I’m finished.
• I am learning to recognise and talk about different feelings like happy, sad, angry, or worried.
• I understand that others have feelings too and that we can all take turns and share.
• I can explore the areas of the nursery safely and confidently.
• I am learning that there are boundaries and that they help us stay safe and happy.

Through warm and supportive interactions, we help children manage their emotions, become more independent, and build respectful relationships with others.

Physical Development – This Term at LPS Nursery

At LPS Nursery, we support children to grow in confidence as they learn to move, explore, and take care of themselves. This term, we’ll be helping children strengthen both their gross motor (big movements) and fine motor (small hand and finger movements) skills through a variety of fun and active experiences.

This term, our Physical Development learning intentions are:

• I can move my body in different ways, showing control, balance, and coordination.
• I can jump and land safely from a height.
• I can control a ball in different ways and balance on a range of equipment.
• I can move with confidence on bikes and scooters and use climbing equipment safely.
• I show a preference for using one hand and am beginning to develop a comfortable pencil grip.
• I can use one-handed tools such as scissors, hammers, and glue sticks with increasing control.
• I can fill and carry containers with different materials like water and sand.
• I am learning how to safely use tools and materials in creative and practical play.
• I can follow a simple sequence of movements to music or rhythm.
• I can dress and undress with help and am developing independence in using the toilet and washing my hands.

Through movement, outdoor play, and practical activities, we help children build strength, coordination, and self-care skills to support lifelong healthy habits and independence.

Literacy – This Term at LPS Nursery

At LPS Nursery, we nurture a love for books, stories, and early mark-making through exciting and engaging activities that help children understand the world of print and spoken language.

This term, our Literacy learning intentions are:

• I enjoy listening to and joining in with stories, songs, and rhymes.
• I can join in with repeated phrases and anticipate what happens next in familiar stories.
• I know that stories have a beginning, middle, and end.
• I can answer simple questions about a story, like “Who?” or “What?”
• I can talk about parts of a book, such as the cover, pages, and spine.
• I understand that print carries meaning and can be used to give information.
• I am starting to recognise sounds at the beginning of words and spot them in the environment.
• I know that letters make sounds and are used to build words.
• I can talk about the marks I make and give them meaning.
• I can draw lines, curves, and shapes to support my early writing.
• I am beginning to hear and identify syllables and rhyming words in stories and songs.

We are also continuing our Phase 1 Phonics work, focusing on key skills that build the foundations for reading and writing:

Weeks 11–16:

• Body percussion
• Blending and segmenting
• Rhythm and rhyme
• Alliteration
• Voice sounds

Weeks 17–22:

• Environmental sounds
• Instrumental sounds
• Continued blending and segmenting

Through storytelling, phonics games, and opportunities for mark-making, children develop essential skills for communication, comprehension, and early writing in a fun and engaging way.

Mathematics – This Term at LPS Nursery

At LPS Nursery, we explore early maths through fun, hands-on experiences, songs, stories, and play. Children are encouraged to notice patterns, compare quantities, and explore shapes as they build a secure understanding of numbers and mathematical concepts.

This term, our Mathematics learning intentions are:

• I can recognise 1, 2, or 3 objects without counting (subitise).
• I can show 1, 2, and 3 using my fingers or objects.
• I can say how I know there are 1, 2, or 3 items (e.g. “1 and another 1 is 2”).
• I can count 1, 2, and 3 objects reliably.
• I am beginning to recognise numerals up to 3.
• I can say number names to 5 and am learning to count beyond 5.
• I know that the last number I say tells me “how many” in a set.
• I understand that each object should only be counted once.
• I can compare the height and length of objects using simple words like “tall,” “short,” “long.”
• I can describe objects using size and weight words such as “light,” “heavy,” “full,” and “empty.”
• I am beginning to recognise and talk about 2D and 3D shapes using everyday language.
• I can spot, create, and extend simple patterns (e.g. AB patterns).
• I can match, sort, and group objects by their features (shape, size, colour).
• I enjoy singing number rhymes and counting songs.

These early maths skills are developed through daily routines, sensory play, building activities, and interactive learning indoors and outdoors.

Understanding the World – This Term at LPS Nursery

At LPS Nursery, we encourage children to be curious and explore the world around them through hands-on discovery, storytelling, celebrations, and meaningful experiences that help them make sense of their environment, community, and cultures.

This term, our Understanding the World learning intentions are:

• I can talk about people in my family and listen to stories about my past.
• I can share simple memories and experiences from home.
• I know about different celebrations such as Easter and why they are special.
• I am learning about animals – wild, farm, and pets – and what makes them different.
• I can sort animals into groups based on their features or where they live.
• I am beginning to understand how we care for living things and our environment.
• I can talk about how things move or change, such as with push or pull.
• I know that adults have different jobs and can name some people who help us.
• I can explore similarities and differences in transport and how we travel.
• I can notice seasonal changes and explore weather in winter and spring.
• I am learning how people celebrate around the world – e.g., Easter, Mother’s Day, Holi, and Chinese New Year.

Through exploring natural materials, stories, and celebrations, children begin to understand their place in the wider world and develop respect for others and their environment.

Expressive Arts and Design – This Term at LPS Nursery

At LPS Nursery, we encourage imagination, creativity, and expression through music, movement, role play, and a wide range of art materials. Children are supported to explore their ideas, make choices, and develop their artistic voice.

This term, our Expressive Arts and Design learning intentions are:

• I can create closed shapes using continuous lines to represent objects.
• I am beginning to include details in my drawings and paintings.
• I can explore how to mix colours to create new ones.
• I can choose which materials to use and combine them in creative ways.
• I can construct with a purpose in mind, using tools and materials safely.
• I can make music using percussion instruments, changing how I play to match feelings or stories.
• I can follow instructions such as “stop” and “play” when using musical instruments.
• I enjoy singing songs I know and learning new ones.
• I can use lines and shapes in art to represent real things or my own ideas.
• I know that different types of art come from different cultures, such as Rangoli patterns and Divas from India.
• I can act out familiar stories using props and costumes with my friends.
• I can talk about what I have created and how I made it.

By providing open-ended creative experiences, we help children express themselves confidently and develop a sense of identity and imagination.

Key dates this term:

Tuesday 6th January: School reopens after the Christmas Holidays

Week beginning Monday 9th February: Nursery Stay and Play/Parent Consultations

Friday 13th February: Last day before February Half Term

Monday 23rd February: Nursery opens after February Half Term

Friday 27th March: Last day before Easter Holidays