EYFS (F1) Preschool: Gallery
Cereal Domino Foodbank Collection
Date: 16th Oct 2026 @ 2:38pm
We held our annual Foodbank collection again this year and set up our cereal domino train in the hall. This year everyone joined in together and we managed to collect 155 cereal boxes to donate!
Thank you to everyone who brought some boxes in the last few weeks.
Date: 12th Oct 2026 @ 12:28pm
This half term in EYFS, we have been developing our physical development skills through a range of fun and active PE lessons.
The children have been practising how to find and move into a space safely in the hall, helping them to become more aware of themselves and others around them. We have enjoyed moving to music, exploring different ways of travelling such as walking, marching, tiptoeing and jumping.
We have also been playing our traffic lights game, where the children respond to different colours. Green means go, orange means move carefully and slowly, and red means stop. This has helped the children develop their listening skills, control their movements and follow instructions.
One of our favourite games has been "Out of the Box", where the children use their imaginations to move like different animals. We have stomped like elephants, hopped like frogs, slithered like snakes and stretched up tall like giraffes. This activity has encouraged the children to experiment with different ways of moving while improving their balance, coordination and confidence.
Date: 12th Oct 2026 @ 12:25pm
In EYFS, we have been working hard to develop the skills needed for successful writing by strengthening both our gross motor and fine motor skills.
Outside, the children have been building their strength and coordination through a range of practical activities. They have enjoyed moving heavy crates, balancing on and carrying planks, and using nuts and bolts to twist, turn and fix objects together. These activities help to develop the large muscle groups that support good posture and control when sitting and writing.
Inside the classroom, we have continued to develop our fine motor skills through lots of engaging hands-on activities. The children have been practising mark-making and letter formation in sand, writing on whiteboards, taking part in our daily Dough Disco sessions with playdough, improving their cutting skills, and using tweezers to pick up and manipulate small objects. These activities help to strengthen the muscles in the hands and fingers, preparing children for writing.
In phonics, we have now learned the sounds s, a, t, p, i, n, m and d. We have been practising how to correctly form each of these letters, carefully starting and ending in the right places. It has been wonderful to see the children's growing confidence as they use their phonics knowledge in their mark-making and early writing.
Keep up the fantastic work, EYFS!
EYFS - UTW Autumn and Life Cycles
Date: 6th Oct 2026 @ 10:20am
This week, we have continued learning about the signs of autumn and the changes taking place around us. The children enjoyed exploring and feeling some conkers that Miss Rankin found on a walk. We talked about how they looked and felt, and the children were particularly interested in how smooth and shiny the conkers were.
In Understanding the World, we have been learning about life cycles. Together, we discussed how people change as they grow, thinking about the different stages of life. We talked about being a baby, a toddler, and the children we are now. The children enjoyed sharing their own experiences and discussing the things they can do now that they couldn't do when they were younger.
We also explored who we know at different stages of life, identifying family members and friends who are adults and those who are elderly. This led to some wonderful discussions about our families and the important people in our lives.
Well done, EYFS!
Date: 5th Oct 2026 @ 12:27pm
This week in Music, we have been exploring a range of nursery rhymes and counting songs. The children have enjoyed singing and joining in with actions for 5 Little Speckled Frogs, 5 Little Peas in a Pea Pod Pressed, 5 Little Ducks and 5 Current Buns. These familiar songs have helped the children develop their counting skills whilst building confidence in singing and performing together.
We have also been learning "Mmm Mmm Frog", listening carefully to the rhythm and joining in with the repeated phrases. To accompany our singing, the children explored the güiro, learning how to create different sounds by scraping the instrument and keeping in time with the music.
Date: 5th Oct 2026 @ 12:23pm
Over the last couple of weeks, our English text has been Peace at Last by Jill Murphy. The children have thoroughly enjoyed listening to the story and have been developing their understanding by retelling the events and discussing the different things that happened to Mr Bear throughout the night. We have also enjoyed talking about our own bedtime routines and sharing how we get ready for bed at home.
Our shared reading text has been Whatever Next!, also by Jill Murphy. The children have loved joining Baby Bear on his adventure to the moon and have continued their learning through a range of provision activities. In our space role play area, the children have used small world figures and their imaginations to create their own space adventures, blasting off to the moon and exploring outer space.
To develop their creativity and fine motor skills, the children have been making funky space shapes in playdough and practising their scissor skills by carefully cutting out space-themed shapes. It has been wonderful to see the children using vocabulary from the story and incorporating their learning into their play.
We are looking forward to beginning our next shared reading text, A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson. We can't wait to discover the characters and join in with the repeating phrases as we explore another exciting story together.
Date: 28th Sep 2026 @ 3:37pm
Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design: Signs of Autumn
This week in EYFS, we have been continuing to explore the season of autumn and learning about the changes we can see in the world around us. The children enjoyed going on an autumn walk where they collected a variety of colourful leaves and talked about the signs of autumn they could spot.
Using the leaves we had collected, the children created beautiful autumn fairy pictures. They carefully practised their cutting and sticking skills, cutting leaves into the shapes they wanted and using glue to attach them to their artwork. This activity helped to develop both their creativity and fine motor skills.
We have also continued to enjoy singing our autumn songs, 'Autumn Leaves' and 'Big Red Combine Harvester', which have helped us learn more about the season and life on the farm during harvest time.
The children have shown great enthusiasm in their learning and have loved exploring the colours, textures and natural materials.
Date: 28th Sep 2026 @ 3:33pm
Maths in EYFS
This week in Maths, the children have been developing their counting skills by consolidating counting to 4 through a range of practical and engaging activities.
We have enjoyed singing number songs and rhymes to help us remember the sequence of numbers and build confidence when counting. The children have also been applying their mathematical understanding independently within our continuous provision, finding opportunities to count objects, compare quantities and use number language.
During our group work, the children took part in a fun challenge where they each wore a numbered hat and worked together to order themselves from 1 to 5. This activity encouraged the children to recognise numerals, count in order and discuss their thinking with their friends.
We are very proud of the enthusiasm the children have shown towards their Maths learning and look forward to building on these skills over the coming weeks.
📸 Take a look at some of our mathematicians in action below!
Date: 22nd Sep 2026 @ 12:07pm
This week in EYFS, the children have been exploring the signs of autumn as part of our Understanding the World learning. We have been discussing the changes we can see in the environment, including the different colours of the leaves, cooler weather and how nature changes during this special season.
The children enjoyed creating beautiful autumn wreaths using paint and printing techniques. They carefully selected autumn colours and experimented with different tools and materials to create their own designs.
In our music sessions, we have been learning and performing our autumn songs, Autumn Leaves and Big Red Combine Harvester. The children have loved joining in with the actions and singing together.
In phonics, we have learned the sounds 'a' and 't' and have been busy practising recognising, saying and forming these sounds. Thank you to all families for supporting your child's reading at home. We really appreciate the time you spend sharing books and practising phonics, as this makes a huge difference to children's progress and confidence.
In maths, we have been developing our counting skills and have been learning to count reliably to 3 through a range of practical activities, songs and games.
We are incredibly proud of how engaged and enthusiastic the children have been during their learning this week. They are continuing to settle well into school routines, make new friendships and demonstrate our school rules: Be Safe, Be Proud and Be Respectful.
Next week, we are looking forward to going on an autumn hunt around the school grounds to search for signs of the season. We will also be using the natural treasures we find to create our own autumn creatures. We can't wait to continue our autumn adventures!
EYFS - Our first week at St Basil's
Date: 17th Sep 2026 @ 3:26pm
Congratulations to all of our wonderful children on completing their first full week in school! We are incredibly proud of how well they have settled into school life. The children have been making new friends, building relationships with their classmates, and becoming more confident with the daily routines of the school day.
This week, we had our first PSED (Personal, Social and Emotional Development) lesson and spent time learning about our school rules: Be Safe, Be Proud, Be Respectful. The children have been discussing what these rules look like in practice and have been doing a fantastic job of following them and recieving dojos for doing so! We have also been practising important school routines, including what happens during lunchtime and throughout the day.
In English, we have begun reading our class text, Peace at Last, and the children have enjoyed listening to the story and talking about the characters and events.
The children also enjoyed colouring our school badge and were very excited to take part in their first PE lesson. It has been wonderful to see everyone joining in and trying their very best.
In Phonics, we learned our first sound, 's'. Over the weekend, please encourage your child to look around the house and see how many things they can find that begin with the letter S?
We hope you all have a lovely weekend. Please remember to read with your child and record this in their reading record. Reading books will be checked on Monday, we look forward to hearing about all the reading that has taken place at home.
Well done, EYFS!
Date: 1st Apr 2026 @ 2:40pm
Wow! Thank you to everyone in EYFS and KS1 who made an Easter Bonnet. We enjoyed singing 'Spring Chicken' as we completed the parade.
Congratulations to our winners!
Pre School - Margot
Reception - Jack
Year 1 - Ruby Rae
Year 2 - Zach
Date: 6th Mar 2026 @ 9:09am
Our World Book Day celebrations and reading hour with parents
Date: 17th Dec 2025 @ 1:04pm
EYFS had an exciting and festive afternoon enjoying our Christmas-themed bouncy castle and soft play! The children loved running, jumping, and climbing, letting off energy while celebrating the festive season!
It was wonderful to see the children taking turns, sharing, and encouraging each other as they explored the different areas of the soft play. Their laughter and excitement filled the room!
This activity not only provided lots of fun but also helped the children develop their balance, coordination, and gross motor skills. It was a fantastic way to enjoy some festive exercise while making happy memories with friends.
EYFS had a truly magical time, and we are so proud of how the children joined in with so much enthusiasm and Christmas spirit!
EYFS and Y6 - Christmas Crafts
Date: 17th Dec 2025 @ 1:02pm
This week, EYFS had a wonderful afternoon spending time with our Year 6 prayer partners. The children loved working together, sharing ideas, and helping each other as they completed a range of festive Christmas crafts.
Together, the children made Nativity Christmas cards, cone people, spiral Christmas trees, gonks, and folding Christmas cards. It was lovely to see them exploring different materials, using their creativity, and developing their fine motor skills while having so much fun.
The children also enjoyed talking and collaborating with their Year 6 friends, who helped them with tricky parts and shared lots of Christmas cheer. It was a fantastic opportunity for the children to build friendships and celebrate the festive season together.
Date: 17th Dec 2025 @ 12:58pm
EYFS has been full of festive excitement as the children have taken part in lots of Christmas craft activities. These have given the children wonderful opportunities to be creative while developing their fine motor skills and independence.
The children enjoyed making their own Christmas baubles and snowflake ornaments to decorate our class tree, carefully choosing colours and designs. In RE, they created a Nativity scene card, helping them to reflect on the Christmas story in a meaningful and age-appropriate way.
We also made a stocking card, using finger painting and cotton wool to explore different textures and create festive effects. Another favourite activity was making an elf door hanger, which sparked lots of excitement and imaginative play.
Throughout the week, the children have loved singing lots of Christmas songs, joining in with actions and learning new festive words and rhythms together.
A very special highlight was our performance of ‘The Wriggly Nativity’. The children did a fantastic job learning their lines and joining in with the songs and actions. We would like to say a huge thank you to all the parents and carers who came along to support us — your encouragement and help with practising lines at home made the performance extra special.
Date: 17th Dec 2025 @ 12:55pm
This week in EYFS, the children have been learning all about winter and how the world changes during this season. We talked about colder weather and what we might see outside, such as frost, ice, and shorter days.
The children enjoyed being creative by making snowmen, using a variety of materials to explore shapes, textures, and design. These activities also helped to develop their fine motor skills and encouraged imaginative play.
We have also been learning about how to dress appropriately for winter weather. The children practised dressing dolls and themselves in warm winter clothing, including hats, gloves, and scarves, and talked about why these items help to keep us warm.
As part of our learning, we spent time observing seasonal changes, noticing differences in trees, plants, and the weather when outdoors. The children shared their ideas and asked thoughtful questions about how winter is different from other seasons.
Date: 17th Dec 2025 @ 12:53pm
This term in EYFS, the children have been learning about Advent as a special time of waiting and preparation as we get ready for Christmas. We have shared and talked about the Christmas story, helping the children to understand the events and characters in a simple and meaningful way.
The children have enjoyed lots of hands-on activities to support their learning. They showed great creativity while making angels from playdough, developing their fine motor skills as well as talking about why angels are important in the Christmas story.
We have also been thinking about kindness and love. The children added loving hearts to our class Christmas tree, sharing ideas about how we can be kind to others during Advent and beyond.
Another favourite activity has been looking for Sam the Shepherd, who helps us learn about making good choices and doing good things. The children have loved searching for Sam and talking about the kind actions he shows each day.
It has been a joyful and reflective time in EYFS, and we are very proud of the children’s enthusiasm, creativity, and growing understanding as we prepare for Christmas together.
Date: 17th Nov 2025 @ 3:36pm
We learnt about road safety in today's assembly and the importance of keeping safe on and around roads.
EYFS - Open Evening for 2025-2026 Intake
Date: 12th Nov 2025 @ 2:26pm
EYFS Open Evening
We were delighted to welcome parents and carers to our EYFS Open Evening, a fantastic opportunity to explore the start of their child’s learning journey!
During the evening, visitors were able to:
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Meet our dedicated EYFS staff and ask questions about the children’s experiences at school.
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Learn about our curriculum and areas of learning, from literacy and maths to creating with materials and personal development.
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Tour our EYFS classrooms and outdoor areas, seeing firsthand the stimulating and safe environment we provide for our children.
It was a pleasure to share our EYFS provision with families and show the exciting opportunities available for the children.
Date: 4th Nov 2025 @ 3:48pm
This week, the children have been learning all about Diwali, the Festival of Lights! They have enjoyed exploring the traditions and celebrations that take place during this special festival.
The children have been very creative, making their own diya lamps using plasticine and painting beautiful watercolour diya lamps. They also explored colourful rangoli patterns, creating them in lots of different ways – using shapes, Numicon, and oil pastels to design vibrant patterns full of colour and symmetry.
We watched videos about Diwali to help us understand how people celebrate around the world and even had lots of fun learning some Bhangra dance moves!
To finish our week of celebrations, the children made their own Diwali cards to share with their families.
It has been a joyful week full of creativity, colour, music, and learning – a wonderful way to celebrate the Festival of Lights together!
EYFS - The Gruffalo and Post Office
Date: 1st Oct 2025 @ 8:34am
The children have loved role-playing in our post office. They’ve been very busy sending letters, emptying the post box, and making special deliveries. They even practised their cutting skills by making their own stamps!
In shared reading, we enjoyed The Gruffalo. The children can now retell the story in their own words and had great fun using stick puppets for some sensory play. They also got creative and made their very own Gruffalo characters.
Across EYFS, the children have been busy learning in all areas and making lots of new friends. They’ve especially enjoyed exploring our new resources, including the stacking pyramids and Geostix.
Date: 12th Feb 2025 @ 1:55pm
In RE this half term, the children in EYFS have been leanring all about The Magi. We have listened to the story in the Bible and made star headbands to help us remember.
Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem. Soon afterwards, some men who studied the stars came from the East to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the baby born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star when it came up in the east, and we have come to worship him.”
When they saw the star, how happy they were, what joy was theirs! It went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. They went into the house, and when they saw the child with his mother Mary, they knelt down and worshipped him. They brought out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and presented them to him.
Date: 12th Feb 2025 @ 1:50pm
The children in EYFS have had lots of fun exploring numbers up to 20 this half term! We have some great mathematicians here at St Basil's!
Date: 12th Feb 2025 @ 1:35pm
Our new English text this half term is, A Walk in the Woods. The children have really enjoyed finding out about all of the different seasons. We were able to go outside and explore to see if we could find any signs of Winter.
The children have talked about their favourite season and have created some beautiful art work to go on their Proud Peg!
