Busy Zone - Pre-School and Reception
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Ms Emma Sumpter
Class Teacher (Mon - Wed)
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Mrs Rosanna Nisbet
Class Teacher (Thurs - Fri)
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Mrs Natasha Butcher
Teaching Assistant
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Mrs Lucy Probert
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
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 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
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.
Spring 2021
Tell us a tale.....
This terms topic is going to focus on stories, tales and fables, exploring a range of traditional and modern tales. We will begin the term recapping the story of ‘Stick Man’ thinking about the world around us and how winter affects the local wildlife, helping them to prepare for the season ahead. We will then move on to thinking about the weather. Using the story ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ as a focus for exploration, we will make our own rain gauges and collect data on rainfall, as well as using water for some creative activities. We will then use our understanding of weather to compare and contrast with the story ‘Handa’s Surprise’, exploring weather around the world and using the food within the story as a focus for D&T. In art we will be looking at colour mixing and collage (keep hold of those chocolate wrappers!). Using the story of the Mixed up Chameleon as an introduction, we will think about the different animals and their offspring as well as creating representations using colour mixing. Finally, we end the term with the story of ‘Dogger’ thinking about our own favourite toys. We will think about how toys have changed over time, looking a toys of the past and making our own timelines using family toys.
During the second half of the Spring Term, we will focus on more traditional tales. Starting with The Three Billy Goats Gruff, we will think about story language and music, making our own accompaniments to the story. In science, we will be learning about Materials and linking this with the story of The Three Little pigs, building our own houses and testing materials. Finally, we will end the term with the story of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.