Forest School fun!
Nursery LOVE going to the forest school. To celebrate a fabulous year of fun in our forest we had a bonfire!
In Early Years, children learn through playing, exploring and being active, and much of the learning in the EYFS is child initiated. All seven areas of the curriculum are used by our Early Years teachers to plan learning activities suited to each child’s individual needs. All children have access to a range of learning activities both inside and outside the classroom that support their own progress. Children are encouraged to work both independently when making their own learning choices and also to work collaboratively with others.
EYFS staff make regular detailed assessments of all children to ensure that good progress is made by all children. These observations are recorded on Tapestry which is an online platform that parents have access to view from home. Observations from home and school can be shared on this platform by video, picture and written observations. The children also have a Folder to save and share the hard copies of their valued work.
Our Early Years classes follow the national Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework, which has seven main areas of development. Through developmentally appropriate play, including both adult and child initiated learning activities, we offer learning experiences that will enable all children to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding to progress towards their early learning goals and to be ready for the next stage of life and learning.
The Early Years framework is divided into seven areas. Three ‘prime’ areas are crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. Children start to focus on these prime areas between the ages of three and four and they are the most essential for your child’s healthy development and future learning.
Communication and language – Development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations. Children are encouraged to extend their vocabulary and fluency by talking and listening and by hearing and responding to stories, songs and rhymes.
Physical development – Children are encouraged to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food. A range of equipment and opportunities both indoors and outdoors allows children to develop confidence and enjoyment in the use of their bodily skills. Adult support enables children to safely create and meet physical challenges, developing increasing skill and control in moving, climbing and balancing. Physical skills are taught through a clear sequence of progression by the school’s PE coach once a week. Children are also supported in the development of fine motor skills required to use tools, including pens and pencils and to handle small objects with increasing control and precision.
Personal, social and emotional development – Children are taught to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others, to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities. Within a nurturing environment, children are individually supported in developing confidence, autonomy and self-respect. They are encouraged to work and concentrate independently and also take part in the life of the class, sharing and co-operating with other children and adults. We use the “Zones of Regulation” to help support children in identifying and regulating their emotions. We teach children strategies to help self sooth and thus enabling them to manage their feelings and behaviour. We deliver a programme called “MindUp” which teaches children the function of the brain and how to care and look after their mental health. The children practise Brain Breaks three times a day which is a mindfulness practise.
As children grow, the prime areas are strengthened and these will help them to develop skills in the four specific areas.
Literacy – Development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to read and write. Children are taught to read and write through by use of phonics. Click here for more information about phonics. Children are given access to a wide range of reading materials to ignite their interest giving every child the opportunity and encouragement to become familiar with books. They learn how to handle them carefully and be aware of their uses, both for reference and as a source of stories and pictures. Books are shared daily in small groups and as a whole class, and individual reading books are sent home to be shared at home.
Mathematics – Children are given opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces, and measures. By means of adult-supported, practical and child initiated activities, children become familiar with sorting, matching, ordering, sequencing and counting activities which form the basis for early mathematics.
Understanding the world – Children are encouraged to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment. A safe and stimulating environment allows children to explore and experiment with a range of natural and manufactured materials. They learn to observe the features of objects and substances, recognising differences, patterns and similarities, and to share and record their findings. Children explore and understand their environment within the class and within the wider community.
Expressive arts and design – Children explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, and are encouraged to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology. A variety of art equipment is available for all children to explore, including paint, glue, crayons, pencils, pens, chalks, pastels and natural/man made materials. Children participate in specialist teaching of music weekly where they practise rhythm, rhyme, explore instruments and build a repertoire of favourite songs.
Please click on a heading below for more.
Nursery LOVE going to the forest school. To celebrate a fabulous year of fun in our forest we had a bonfire!
This week Reception class have been focusing on a delicious recipe, the Empanada. We chose cheese and jam as our filling for the Empanada.
Great news! The Nursery class now have three new arrivals; however, these new children are very small, a little wobbly on their feet and are
Nursery class at DKH Primary are extremely happy today as they have some new friends in the classroom; our chicks!
This half term in Reception we have been exploring different modes of transport! We have read and retold the story of the naughty bus and sent our very own bus on some
What a great start to 2024 our Reception children have had. With a new year and a new term well underway, the children are getting to grips with the many learning opportunities available to them both in the classroom and in the outdoor
It’s Panto time here at DKH Primary and the children are very excited and looking forward to their slot for Panto today. Running from 9:15am through to 3pm, it’s Panto fun all day today. See the timetable below:
Our Early Years Christmas Carol performance took place on Monday 18th December starting at 9:30am. Our wonderful children wowed us with a selection of classic Christmas Carols. They were absolutely amazing!
What’s on this December? We are now drawing into December and our last few weeks before we break for the Christmas season so as you can imagine, we have a fun packed few weeks ahead of us with a plethora of
On Sunday 12th November, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains worldwide celebrated Diwali. In this video, our Nursery children are talking about Diwali and what they know of this festival. About Diwali: Diwali, or
You might have noticed a significant transformation to an area of our playground during the Autumn half term. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Friends of DKH, our ‘wild’ classroom is beginning to emerge.
DKH Primary School is pleased to announce the following 2023 open morning dates for all parents with children looking to start their learning journey with us.
It was a beautiful morning at DKH Primary today for our first day of a two day Sporting Extravaganza as we blew the whistle to start our Early Years and Year 1 children’s Sports Day 2023.
The sun was beaming down on early years today so what better way to spend an afternoon than outdoor learning at Forest School.
Today we had a very exciting delivery from Farmer Ben at the Farm! He has asked the Early Years to look after the eggs for him. We talked about what kind of eggs they could be.
Today our Early Years children wowed our parents with a spectacular assembly presenting everything they have learnt this term about space!
Reception Class carried out the Coca-Cola explosion experiment. We talked about making a prediction before
Its another beautiful day at DKH Primary and with Spring in the air, what better way to start the afternoon
With Spring on its way, the Forest School at DKH Primary is starting to bloom. The children have been exploring as always.
As part of maths week every class took part in the “Don’t Roll a 6” dice rolling challenge. The rules of the game are: 1) Each player takes turns to roll a dice. 2) The number it lands on is recorded on a score board.
Copleston Church and Community Centre The Reception children embarked on a fantastic trip to Copleston. A local Church and Community Centre. The sun was beaming down on the children, staff and parents as we set off on foot to
Today Dan Butt and a selection of children throughout the school set off to the allotment for our very first Gardening Club.
Today Cherry Class had the fantastic opportunity to visit Lettsom Gardens for some exciting outdoor learning.
This afternoon, Reception class were joined by “Imagine and Move” to take part in a fun workshop.
Year 2 have been going outside for their learning this week. In Science, they have been thinking about
We joined the Early Years children and team at Forest School today for the usual outdoor learning fun. Today we were on the hunt for Frog Spawn and
The DKH Primary School Forest School children have been very busy today searching for signs of winter in our
We have had such a fantastic week at forest school! We braved the cold and the mud and had so much fun starting 2022 off with a SPLASH!
This week our Year 2 children took part in a special butterfly conservation workshop and planted pollinator
DKH Primary School is pleased to offer the following open morning for parents with children starting Nursery or Reception.
A much wetter forest school session today … it’s lucky we love the rain!
A wonderful first forest school session. The children discovered a
Years 1, 2 and 3 have been enjoying growing sunflowers, peas, beans and even potatoes.
Further to our recent fossil discovery in Reception class, our very own PC Patel has come back to the reception
Our Reception Children at DKH Primary are all so very excited about their recent fossil discovery.
DKH Primary is pleased to announce a series of open mornings for parents and carers to visit the school. All start at 10am. They will consist of a tour of the school conducted by a group of current pupils followed by a talk by the headteacher or a member of the senior leadership team. Places must be booked in advance by contacting the school office.
To book a date, please click on the link below and complete our online e-form. If there is any issue with your choice of date, a member of staff will contact you.