How We Learn At Nursery

At St James' Church School Nursery we learn in lots of different ways, following the Early Years Foundation Stage. We play with toys and games, experiment with art and craft materials, use play equipment and musical instruments, and enjoy new experiences with special visitors and trips out. We also encourage parents to come in and share in our learning through workshops and events.

To see what we have been learning this term, please visit the "Our Learning" page.

Sharing Stories

Sharing stories helps us to learn in so many ways:

Awareness of rhyme and rhythm

Learning new words and vocabulary

Developing our imaginations

Understanding others' feelings

Developing our listening and attention skills

Using our memories when we talk about the stories we have listened to

Please click on the picture above to listen to and watch stories from the CBeebies story time site. After watching/reading stories with your child, you could talk about what happened in the story - what was your child's favourite part? Which character did they like the best? Was it a funny/sad/scary story?

Lots of the children have been borrowing books from the Nursery library, and enjoying choosing which book to borrow next! Each child has a folder with an index card - please write on this card which book you are borrowing, and then simply return the book when you have finished sharing it with your child. If your child has not yet started using the Nursery library, and you are unsure what to do, please speak to their Key Worker.

Bible Storytelling

Sometimes we share stories together from the Bible. As a church school, part of our Christian ethos is to look at how stories from the Bible can help us remember to look after each other, be kind, honest, brave, and look after our world. Mrs Jewhurst tells us the stories in small groups using her special storytelling figures and props, and when the story is finished we ask "I wonder..." questions about the characters and story. We also have a corresponding display and table where the story basket is kept for children to play independently. The children really enjoy retelling the story and this helps to develop their speaking, listening and understanding skills.

Jonah

The Lost Sheep

Retelling the lost sheep story

Numbers

While children are learning to count, and even before then, they are developing their awareness and understanding of number names. You can really support this at home by singing Nursery rhymes that use numbers:

One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Five Little Speckled Frogs

10 fat sausages

Click here for a range of nursery rhymes we sing at Nursery!

Click the numbers above to play an underwater counting game!

Somerset Total Communication

We use a lot of sign language to help us communicate in the Nursery. Below are some of the signs we use regularly every day.

Each week we have focus signs and these will be displayed in the cloakroom. If your child is using signs at home and you aren't sure what they mean, please come and ask us!

HELLO: Thumb up, move hand out from body
STOP: Hold hand up, palm outwards
HELP: Use lower hand to lift upper hand upwardsSITTING: Move both hands downwards
WALKING: walk fingers along arm
FINISHED: Make hands into fists and place together

FINISHED: Open hands up and move downwards

MORE: Make lower hand into fist

MORE: Upper hand goes flat on top

Music

We enjoy weekly music sessions with Mr Rob Rawle and Mrs Joanna Nowak. In this session we are extending our repertoire of rhymes and songs. We also are learning to move our bodies in response to the rhythms of the music.

Forest School

We also take a trip to Forest School every Wednesday morning and Friday afternoon. Don't worry if your child isn't in on either of those days as we will try and fit it in when we feel children may need to go at other times as well.

Forest School is a great way of learning outside, whether through drawing, collecting, climbing, being imaginative or making relationships.