Busy Zone - Pre-School and Reception

  • Ms Emma Sumpter

    Class Teacher (Mon - Wed)

  • Mrs Rosanna Nisbet

    Class Teacher (Thurs - Fri)

  • Mrs Natasha Butcher

    Teaching Assistant

  • Mrs Lucy Probert

    Teaching Assistant

  • Mrs Jo Thorniley

    Teaching Assistant

Busy Zone

 

Welcome to the Busy Zone, where the youngest children  begin their learning in school.

The children are encouraged to be strong independent learners. Following their interests and guided by positive adult support.

The classroom and outside area are full of rich learning opportunities for play and playful teaching.

The teaching staff ensure active and challenging experiences are explored fully.

We encourage the children to talk about their learning and to be reflective about the next steps along their learning journey.

 

  

Family Learning

Teach your monster to read!

A fun and interactive game to help children recognise and use phonics

Oxford Owl Reading - An excellent source of Phonics information and support, with the added advantage of free ebooks to download and share as a family.

Busy Zone - Autumn 1 2023 - Marvellous Me!
 

To start the new academic year our topic is 'Marvellous Me!' Throughout the term we will share what is special and unique about each and every one of us and how our similarities and differences make us special. We will explore themes of belonging which will include the belonging to a family and how different faiths welcome new babies into their family. We will share who is special to us in our own families, sharing photographs and create our own family tree.

In computing we will start to develop mouse and keyboard control using a computer with the programme ‘Paint’

We will learn about what our bodies need to keep healthy and clean and start our PE curriculum- beginning with locomotion. In outdoor learning we will explore the woodland and themes of awe, wonder and thankfulness will be the basis for our activities as we observe the change to the season.

Throughout the term we will have opportunities to explore colour and colour mixing and share our creative ideas through a variety of art mediums.  We will study the work of Jackson Pollock, using our gross motor skills to large scale collaborative pieces.

Busy Zone Summer B 2023 - Where in the World!

Busy Zone Summer A - Marvellous Machines 

 

In our topic ‘Marvellous Machines ’we will start by exploring the history of trains with an exciting visit to Helston Railway. We will learn about trains old and new and how these have changed over time. This will lead into a scientific enquiry around forces - exploring the concepts of floating and sinking with boats, gliding with paper aeroplanes and movement with vehicles and ramps. 

We will discover some art work from Matisse and have an introduction to abstract art. The story ‘Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry’ will be used as an inspiration for texture and mixed media based art exploring printing as a medium and linking our artist study to our own art work. 

In our PE we will explore gymnastics and also ball skills. The focus of the learning in gymnastics is to apply 'champion gymnastics,' exploring movements and shapes in different ways, transitioning between different zones.  Within ball skills we will explore catching a beanbag and a small ball and explore different ways of throwing and rolling a ball with our hands, developing  accuracy when aiming towards a target. 

Within our RE learning we will be thinking about the question ‘what places are special and why?’ where we will share about significant places that are special to us and learn about special places of worship for Christians and Muslims.

 

Busy Zone Spring Term 2 2023 – Once Upon a Story

In this term's topic, ‘Once upon a story’, we will hear the traditional tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. We will be inspired to retell the story using story mapping and then hear of the Cornish version of the giant Cormoran at St Michael's Mount. We will discover places of local importance including Sithney Church as a place of worship and explore the question ‘Why is Easter special to Christians?’ as we observe the changes to the season from winter to spring. 

As part of our discovery in science and understanding of the world we will plant our own beanstalks and vegetables in the garden beds, observing their growth and caring for them. Making the connections between all of our learning we will then create our own mini Easter gardens and have been invited to explore the Easter garden at our local church. 

In our PE we will explore dance and movement and will have the opportunity to appreciate different expressions of music. We will also be starting our weekly swimming sessions to develop water confidence through the STA school swimming award scheme. 

If there are any key gardeners or any families that are able to help us with planting, sharing your skills or donating seeds or bulbs we’d love to hear from you!

 

Busy Zone – Spring Term 1 2023

In our topic, ‘The World Around Us’,  we will be exploring the changes in seasonal weather through stories, poetry, music and outdoor observations. We will learn about how animals adapt to the change in weather and learn about their habitats. During this topic, we will be learning about farm animals, exploring information books and learning about their life cycles. At the end of January we will be taking part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch for 2023. 

We will explore questions about God and His creation and learn how we can be responsible for looking after and caring for our beautiful world. 

In our PE we will explore gymnastics. The focus of learning is to introduce 'champion gymnastics' by making high and low shapes using apparatus.  

Busy Zone – Autumn Term 2 2022

In our topic ‘My Home’, we will be having a strong Geography and History focus. We will be learning about our local area and the places that are important to us. We will be understanding the similarities and differences between places, as well as naming some of the local human and physical features. Leading on from this will be a study of homes from the past, focusing on the changes.

We will enjoy listening to a range of stories based around the home, such as The Three Little Pigs, A Squash and a Squeeze, Home and Peepo. Our role-play areas will develop according to the children’s interests, but will focus on developing the children’s oracy and conversational skills between each other. We will be providing plenty of opportunities for mark-making and writing.

The children will enjoy investigating light, dark and sound as part of our Science learning. In the lead up to Christmas, we will learn about why Christmas is special for Christians during our RE learning. There will be lots of opportunities for children to practise their joining skills learnt during Outdoor Learning when creating Christmas decorations.

Busy Zone - Autumn Term 1 2022

To start the new academic year our topic is 'This is Me!'
 
Throughout the term we will share what is special and unique about each and every one of us and how our similarities and differences make us special. We will explore themes of belonging which will include the belonging to a family and how different faiths welcome new babies into their family. We will explore our school environment and share local places that are familiar to us. In computing we will start to develop mouse and keyboard control using a computer and learn the smart rules for how to keep digitally safe. 
 
We will learn about what our bodies need to keep healthy and clean and start our PE curriculum- beginning with locomotion. In outdoor learning we will explore the woodland and themes of awe, wonder and thankfulness will be the basis for our activities as we observe the change to the season. 
 
Throughout the term we will have opportunities to explore colour and colour mixing and share our creative ideas through a variety of art mediums. 

Busy Zone - Summer B 2022

We will be finding out about the microhabitat of a rock pool along with learning about other creatures, rocks and shells that can be found at the beach. This will lead us into learning about what we like to do at the beach and how to keep ourselves safe around water with activities from the RNLI. We will look at how to be responsible beach citizens and there will be an after school beach clean to come along to and take part in together. We will then look at how the seaside was in the past compared to what it is like now. There will be lots of opportunities for creative art and music throughout the term that will be inspired from what the children discover.

Please continue to use Tapestry, so that you can see your child's learning in school and we can see their topic-linked experiences at home. 

Busy Zone - Summer A 2022
 
To kick of the Summer Term Busy Zone's topic will be 'Ticket to Ride!'
We will begin the topic exploring travelling to space, using the story 'The Way Back Home' to explore how we get to space, what we might take and investigate the people who have already been.
We will then use the story 'The Naughty Bus' to think about transport a little closer to home, learn about what transport uses the road near us, as well as how this has changed over time.
Finally we will explore the story 'The Night Pirates' to think about travelling to a destination, and what that destination might be like.  We will learnt about visiting countries around the world and how we get there. 
 
Don't forget to share any home learning on Tapestry, we love to see how your are exploring your learning at home. 
Busy Zone - Spring B 2022
 
For the final half of the Spring term we will be focusing our learning on the world around us, exploring our local surrounding and using what we find to inspire our investigations. 
Busy Zone - Spring 2022
 
For the first half of the Spring Term our topic will be 'Amazing Animals'!  We will be learning about animals from around the world, where they live, what they like to eat and how they grow and change.  We will look at the role of Zoo's and how they have changed over time, as well as considering the changes we have made ourselves since we were babies.  In Art we will explore patterns, taking inspiration from what we see around us, using paper, paint and collage techniques to recreate what we find in the world around us. 
During the Autumn term Busy Zones topic will be 'Marvellous Me!'
 
We will be finding out all about ourselves and our families, recognising our own special skills and sharing these with our friends.