PXL_20230302_085455499

1/1

Ducklings

Welcome to Ducklings Class (Year R)

Number Tracks

Ducklings have been developing their early maths skills by exploring and recognising number patterns. The children focused on identifying numbers using dice patterns, helping them to link quantities with numerals. To apply this learning, the children worked in pairs to play a simple track game. They took turns rolling a dice, counting the spots and moving their counters along the track. The aim was to reach number 10 first. This engaging, hands-on activity, supported the EYFS

Golfing Fun

The Ducklings were excited when a sports coach came to visit and introduce them to the fun side of golf. The children learned the basics of how to hold a club and were encouraged to explore the game in a relaxed, playful way. With lots of smiles and laughter, they practised guiding the ball and discovering how control and movement work together. The session was filled with enthusiasm as the Ducklings gained confidence, tried something new and enjoyed learning through active p

Three Hills Fun Day

Last week, our Ducklings enjoyed a very exciting sports morning as we headed across to the Three Hills to join the Play Leaders from Turner Free School. The children had the opportunity to explore 14 different activity stations, each carefully designed to get them moving, active and having lots of fun. Throughout the morning, the children developed their gross motor skills as they practised bouncing and catching balls, stacking speed cups, running and jumping and dribbling an

Christmas Tree Trail

Before Christmas, the children took part in a wonderfully creative Artist Day, which blossomed into a truly special festive event for our whole school community. During the day, each class learned about a famous artist, explored their unique style, and used this inspiration to design and create their own beautiful Christmas tree decorations. These unique pieces of artwork were then displayed on Christmas trees throughout the church for our after-school Christmas Tree Trail. S

Tuned Differently!

Have you ever thought about the differences between sounds that musical instruments can make? Some are loud, some are quiet, some are tricky to play, others appear more simple! In our assembly today that's exactly what we did! We had a range of instruments and thought about the sounds these made, were they the same or were they different? After this we played together as a band - our instruments made very different sounds but they worked together. So what was the underlying m

Christmas Carol and Christingle Service 2025

We ended the term in the most special way with our annual Carol and Christingle Service, held on Friday afternoon at St Mary and St Eanswythe’s Church. As we arrived, families were welcomed into the church by our school Christmas choir, who have spent much of December spreading festive cheer throughout the local community. The choir have been visiting care homes and supermarkets, sharing popular Christmas songs and traditional hymns, and it was a joy to see them open our serv

Zootopia 2

Today the whole school went to our local cinema, Silver Screen, to watch Zootopia 2. We were very lucky to still be able to visit this side of Christmas as the cinema has been closed for ages to accommodate some building works, they just re-opened in time for us this morning. Everyone had a great time and were extremely well behaved.

Duckling's First Nativity

This week, the Ducklings took to the stage for their first nativity. They were all true stars and performed with such confidence and courage. They were brave, learned their songs and actions brilliantly, and put on a terrific show. The children who had lines worked especially hard to remember them, come in at the right time, and speak loudly enough to be heard. We are so proud of how well they all did, and the true message of Christmas shone through as they retold the birth o

Ducklings Exploring Winter

This week in Ducklings we continued our exploration of winter and began our Christmas festivities. We started with our Nativity performance, where the children have been practising their lines and songs to retell the story of Christmas and the birth of Jesus. This gave them plenty of opportunities to build confidence, practise speaking and listening and enjoy performing together. In the classroom, the children took part in Santa beard trimming, frozen musical statues and lots

Vegetable Soup

Last week, as part of our preparations for making our own delicious soup, the children had the opportunity to taste an example. They began by looking closely at the soup and smelling it, talking about what they noticed. If they felt happy and confident, they were then invited to taste it. We were so proud of how brave many of the children were, especially those who weren’t sure if they would like it. Only a few chose not to taste, and lots of the children even went back for m

2 3 4 5

Ducklings Class latest blogs

Term 3 - Space

Happy New Year! We hope you all enjoyed a lovely and relaxing Christmas break.
A special thank you to everyone for the Christmas wishes, cards, and gifts. They were incredibly thoughtful and truly appreciated by the whole Ducklings Team.
Our topic for this term will be ‘Space’. This is always a fascinating theme and one that never fails to spark the Ducklings’ imagination. We can’t wait to see how inspired the children become as we explore this exciting topic together.

We are always happy to hear from you, no matter how small your question or concern may seem. You can call the school or send an email at any time and we will get back to you as soon as we can. We will also be at the door during drop-off and pick-up. These are busy times as our focus is on ensuring every child is safe and settled, and we appreciate your patience. Please know we are always here to support both you and your child.

Early Years Curriculum Overview for Term 3 ‘Space’

The Early Years curriculum is organised into several key areas. Below, you will find an overview of what your child will be learning in each area during their first term. You can use this as a way to talk with them at home and share in their experiences. It’s perfectly normal if their answer to “What did you do at school today?” is “I can’t remember!” We will also aim to post a weekly blog so you can see some of the exciting activities and learning your child has been enjoying.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Our space topic will help children build confidence, work together, and understand their feelings, all while having fun learning about the universe. They will explore their own interests, share what excites them about space, and express their emotions through art, drama, and role-play.
Space can bring big feelings, like excitement or worry about the unknown. Through stories, discussions, and imaginative play, children will learn ways to stay calm, patient, and resilient, just like astronauts on a mission!

Communication and Language
Our space topic is a fun way to develop children’s communication and language skills. They will learn new space words, share ideas, ask questions, and retell stories. Through imaginative play, role-play, and discussions about space, children build vocabulary, confidence in speaking, and listening skills—all while exploring the wonders of the universe!

Physical Development

To simulate space exploration, children will engage in activities that promote both fine and gross motor skills, such as building their own rocket ships from large blocks, moving like astronauts in space (with slow, controlled movements to mimic weightlessness), and participating in space-themed obstacle courses. These activities will encourage balance, coordination, and strength while helping children practice spatial awareness. By incorporating these physical development activities into the theme, children will not only be learning about space but also building their physical confidence in an exciting, hands-on way.
In addition, children will have a PE session on Fridays with our sports coach, who will introduce new skills each week and help children gain confidence in physical activity.

Literacy

This term, we will continue developing the children’s phonics skills. Each day, they will recap known sounds and learn new ones, focusing on segmenting and blending CVC words and recognising tricky/red words. Children will begin bringing home targeted phonics reading sheets, RWI ditties, or books, and can also continue choosing a reading-for-pleasure book from the book corner.
The children are becoming more confident in using their phonics in writing. This term, we will encourage them to use their sounds on their Fred Fingers, with particular focus on initial and final sounds.
Our Talk for Writing focus book is Whatever Next!. Children will retell the story through speaking, actions, and drawing before writing. This approach builds language, creativity, and confidence, helping them plan their own stories while developing vocabulary, sentence structure, and storytelling skills in a fun, engaging way.

Mathematics

This term we will be focusing on:

Recognising and matching numbers and quantities up to 5.
Subitising (quickly seeing how many without counting).
Beginning to understand composition of numbers (how numbers can be made up of smaller parts).
Exploring number bonds (especially to 5) and using hands-on resources like Numicon and counters.
Comparing groups to talk about more, fewer or equal.

These activities help deepen children’s confidence with number sense, early addition and comparison.

You can continue to support their number work at home by encouraging your child to count different objects and talking about what 1 more or 1 less would be. How quickly can they count a group of objects, do they touch each object, can they see a certain number pattern and can they count things that cannot be seen like sounds? The children could also try writing their numbers from 0-10. If your child does any number writing at home they could bring it in to show us, we would love to see.

Understanding the World

This term the children will learn about significant space missions, such as the moon landing, and how they were milestones in history. We will explore the lives of astronauts from different backgrounds, encouraging discussions about diversity and how people from all over the world work together to achieve common goals in space exploration. Additionally, this topic will foster curiosity about the natural world, as children will learn about the planets, stars, and the solar system, sparking a deeper understanding of the universe around them. This topic aims to inspire children to appreciate the vastness of the world and encourage a sense of wonder about the universe.

Expressive Arts and Design

Our space topic will provide numerous opportunities for children to explore their creativity and express themselves through the arts. They will have the chance to create imaginative space-themed art using a variety of materials, such as painting planets, designing alien characters, and constructing rocket ships from recycled materials. Through sensory play, children will engage with textures and colors, experimenting with paints, glitter, and fabric to express their ideas and feelings about space. Additionally, the theme will encourage imaginative role play, where children can act out being astronauts, space explorers, or even aliens, further enhancing their ability to express themselves through drama and movement. This combination of creating with materials and using their imagination will not only allow children to develop their artistic skills but also foster their ability to think creatively and express their ideas freely.

Reading
Please enjoy the books your child brings home and share them together. The more children are encouraged to read and be read to, the more confident and enthusiastic they will become.

Reading is an essential life skill.
Listening to stories brings comfort and helps children focus.
It gives them knowledge and language to talk about the world.
Understanding stories helps them see how words and sentences fit together.
Exploring fiction, non-fiction, poems, rhymes, and songs builds their vocabulary and love of language.

Important Reminders

Please label everything your child brings to school (stamp, sticker, or pen) so lost items can be returned. Please check that the labels you have put in are still attached and not faded.
PE is every Friday and children will come to school in their full PE kit.
If someone different is collecting your child, let us know at drop-off, by email, or by phoning the school office.

Thank you for your support and please feel free to ask us about anything at all. We’re so excited to begin this exciting term and can’t wait to see all the adventures ahead!

The Ducklings Team