Welcome to Pines Class!

Pines is our EYFS Reception class and is taught by Miss Ensbury.

We are supported by Mrs. Wray in the mornings & Mrs. Ellis in the afternoons.

Our Pines class have had an amazing start to school and we are all so proud of them! They have learnt our school routines, such as how to come in and settle, making a good start in phonics and at lunchtimes. They have initiated lots of imaginative play! Pines class are busy building car ramps, building big models in the construction area, writing messages, playing pirates and role playing in the home corner. Outside, the children have created all sorts of imaginative bakes in the mud kitchen and water courses in the water play.

Autumn 1: Marvellous Me!

Settling in:

Starting school is a big step for our new starters and our main priority is to ensure they settle in feeling safe, happy and cared for. We ensure they have lots of opportunities to play with what they love and that their time here is filled with joy. The first two weeks focus primarily on getting to know each other, coming into school happily, learning how to access their choice of resources in play, building new friendships and learning our simple routines. During the first half term we share photos of each other as babies, share photos of our families to help us talk about what we know and start to think about what makes each of us special. We each paint our self portraits and start to learn about famous artists. We begin 'Music Mondays' following the SingUp units which the children love! We have 'Wildlife Wednesdays' where we visit the large wildlife area or our on site allotment. The perfect time for apple picking!! We even have the chance to create our own 'Pumpkin Patch Cafe' in the outdoor area and have a special session carving and tasting pumpkins before we end the term with our spookily amazing Halloween Disco put on by the wonderful Parent Partnership. 

Autumn 2: Let's Celebrate!

Celebrations & Remembrance:

The second half of the Autumn term is a very busy and fun filled time in Pines Class. We learn about a variety of celebrations and remembrance. We learn about the festival of Diwali - the Hindu festival of lights - creating Diya lamps and enjoy Diwali yoga. For Bonfire Night, we role play with our own 'pretend' homemade bonfire and sparklers, learn about safety on Bonfire Night and have an introduction to Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. We celebrate Remembrance Day, create poppy art and learn why we wear poppies. We celebrate diversity and inclusivity for Odd Socks Day - all wearing our odd socks and thinking about what makes each of us unique. Throughout December we have lots of festive celebrations! We learn the Christian story of The First Christmas, have a Santa's Workshop, decorate our own class Christmas tree in the home corner and enjoy playing with our small world Winter Wonderland. We bake our own gingerbread and paint Snowman peg dolls as part of our whole school enterprise to sell at the Christmas Fair. The most joyous part of all is when we perform our very first Nativity for family and friends.

Spring 1: Winter & The World.

Spring 2: Once Upon a Time...

Summer 1: Amazing Animals! (Farm, Food & Growing)

Summer 2: The Seaside!

Talk Through Stories

Talk Through Stories is designed to extend and deepen children’s vocabulary so that they can understand the books they will be able to read for themselves.

How Talk Through Stories works

– In Story week, we help children to get to know the story really well: the plot, the characters, and their actions and motives. Children spend 20 minutes each day doing this.

– In Vocabulary week, we explore eight words from the story, specifically selected to develop children’s understanding of each word in the context of their everyday lives. The eight words selected for focus in each of the stories are called ‘Tier 2’ words. These are words that children are unlikely to hear in everyday conversation but are likely to come across in stories. Children spend 10 minutes every day on this.

Pines class will read a variety of texts across the year that include specific Talk Through Stories texts, fact/topic books, children's interests and seasonal stories.