Early Years Update

Over the past two weeks in our Nursery class, we have engaged the children in a variety of activities that support their mathematical development, alongside our broader curriculum in English, phonics, and cross-curricular areas. Our maths learning is guided by the Birth to 5 Matters UK framework and White Rose Maths, ensuring a balanced and effective approach. A key element of our maths learning is integrated into continuous provision, tailored to each child’s interests and thoughtfully facilitated by the teachers.

Over the last two weeks, our maths lessons have focused on building the children’s understanding of counting and cardinality (knowing how many) through interactive activities. For example, outside they enjoyed using their whole bodies to count aloud as they jumped from one numbered chalk circle to the next. This hands-on activity helped them recognise numerals and develop an understanding of quantity in a physical and fun way. They also practised drawing the number 1 with chalk on the ground, which progressed into great drawings and mark making, encouraging fine motor development.

We incorporated familiar stories such as The Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks and the Three Bears to provide meaningful contexts for numbers. When the children counted three bears, they linked this to everyday items like plates, cups, and chairs, reinforcing practical number use. Role-playing parts of these stories has been particularly effective in supporting both number skills and language development, as children gain confidence speaking and interacting with their peers.

Nursery rhymes continue to be a vital part of our learning, with songs like Five Little Ducks and Zoom, Zoom, Zoom helping children to practise counting up to five and ten. These activities also support the use of fingers to represent numbers, strengthening fine motor skills and number recognition simultaneously.

From Ms. Shauna McCutcheon, Nursery Class Teacher and Year Lead