Miss Somers is the class teacher in Hedgehogs. She really enjoys the creative area and maths. Miss Somers loves to use her imagination to create different models and pictures. In the Autumn Term, Miss Somers is really looking forward to nature detectives, exploring the school grounds and completing different art works out of natural resources.

Miss Bousfield works alongside Miss Sommers in Hedgehogs. She is excited about all the things planned for Hedgehogs that they can't wait to share with you. Miss Bousfield is particularly passionate about phonics and reading. She can’t wait to get stuck into this year, make lots of new friends and showing everyone how amazing we can be! Miss Watson is a teaching assistant working across the two reception classes. Miss Watson is looking forward to getting to know the children, and the Christmas nativity. She enjoys maths, music, playing dodgeball and getting creative with paint and glitter. 

Our Autumn Term learning in Badgers and Hedgehogs is all about 'Amazing Me!

Communication and Language  

Throughout the term, children will be supported to develop spoken language, listening and understanding by: 

• Understanding how to listen and understand why listening is important.  
• Responding to ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions.  
• Beginning a conversation with an adult or friends and begin to continue by turn taking.  
• Developing some social phrases which include, ‘good morning,’ ‘how are you?’  
• Using a range of tenses when speaking.  
• Using new and learnt vocabulary linked to topic and themes.  
• Explaining, ordering and stating what happened or what might happen when speaking in sentences.  
• Listening and talk about what I have heard from stories and Non-Fiction Texts.  

PSED/RSHE 

Throughout this term, children will be supported to develop crucial skills to lead healthy and happy lives and develop fundamental personal, social and emotional skills. Children will continue to develop skills in forming and maintaining friendships and attachments with others. Children will be taught strategies on how to manage impulses and big feelings, and will be supported by nurturing, caring adults in these situations. Children will check in their feelings daily with adults who can support them when needed.  We will follow the Zones of Regulation, in line with school, to teach, monitor and discuss how children are feeling each day.

Physical Development

Our children will develop their all-round physical development to enable them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives. Children will develop their gross motor skills through weekly PE sessions with trained coaches and through high quality activities and invitations in the continuous provision, and Nature Detectives time. Children will be able to move energetically in different ways whilst using their space well and safely. Children will continue to develop fine motor skills and pencil control that will support them in using a pencil and other tools effectively.  

Literacy

We are excited to share what your little ones will be diving into this term! Throughout the term, children will continue to develop their reading, writing, and comprehension skills through an array of engaging activities.

They will participate in a daily Super Sonic Phonics Friends session, kicking off four sessions a week from week three. Each day, our shared reading sessions will bring stories to life, while our reading for pleasure time will foster a love for books! In addition, your child will have access to high-quality reading and writing opportunities within our classroom provision, enabling them to explore their creativity. Every week, we’ll ensure that each child enjoys a one-to-one reading session with an adult. We will also encourage them to understand that print can serve many purposes, name different parts of a book, and start conversations with their peers and adults. We can’t wait to see their vocabulary blossom!

Numeracy

This term, we are thrilled to embark on an investigation into the world of numbers, shapes, and measures! Children will develop their understanding of numbers and numerical patterns through daily cool count sessions, where they’ll build number sense, counting fluency, and subitising skills. Our daily visual register sessions using ten frames will also enhance their mathematical knowledge. Additionally, we’re pleased to provide access to a high-quality maths area filled with engaging resources and a weekly maths challenge to inspire curiosity. We can't wait to see their confidence grow as they explore these concepts!

Understanding of the World

The autumn term will see our children begin an exciting journey of discovery! They’ll talk about special events and times in our lives, explore characters from stories, including historical figures, and share their own customs during various celebrations. Together, we’ll understand that there are other countries in the world and appreciate the beauty around us. They’ll describe what they see, hear, and feel while exploring the outdoors, identify signs of Autumn, and learn about seasonal changes. Our weekly Nature Detective sessions will provide an exciting opportunity to investigate local wildlife and plants. Let’s embrace this learning adventure together!

Expressive Arts and Design

In our creative world, the children will explore how to select the correct tools and materials for various purposes from our continuous provision. They'll develop artistic skills through our mini-maker activities and enjoy regular singing sessions featuring their favourite songs and nursery rhymes. Movement is key as we engage in dance and follow simple routines! Imaginative play will flourish as they use props to create stories in role-play, including both domestic and themed setups like a builders' workshop based on our weekly topic. What an exciting time ahead!