The Investigation Hub at Sidney Grove

Week Commencing 8th September 2025

Characteristics of Effective Learning

The children have shown a broad interest in mark-making since their return to Nursery. We noticed that many children are beginning to give meaning to their marks. For example, some children have been forming letters in their names, practising a variety of patterns, drawing around their hands and feet or even drawing some of their favourite foods and favourite people. We have offered a variety of mark-making experiences such as drawing on cardboard, water painting with a variety of brushes, using chalks and paint rollers for gross-motor development and using felt-tips on large paper.

Mark making develops both fine and gross motor skills. Children can use mark-making to express their feelings and imagination. Mark-making also lends itself to the development of early writing and early mathematics.

Parents as Partners

We have focussed our planned group times around settling in and learning the expectations of a group time! In welcome time we sing hello to everyone present and share special news and any home observations on Famly. We count how many children have arrived, find out who is the “special helper” of the day and we look at the visual timetable pictures to know what to expect. We also discuss the weather and seasonal changes and think about which clothes might be appropriate for outside time. Our older children will also experience some early phonics and Maths focus activity in this time whilst for our younger children we might focus more on listening and attention skills. In snack time we discuss healthy eating choices, we count out the cups and bowls and focus on sharing and turn-taking with the snack box. We love to share stories in group time and soon we will begin sharing our core texts, returning to them several times over the week to consolidate the children’s knowledge and understanding of the texts. We deliver short, planned and playful maths and literacy activities, all delivered in an age-appropriate way and all following our bespoke curriculum plan.

Outdoors Learning

The children have been taking part in races and competitions in the garden, inspired by lots of excited discussion about the Great North Run at the weekend. We are so proud of our young runners taking part in the Mini Great North Run as well as those who supported family members as they took part! In the garden the children explored rolling their hula-hoops the furthest and enjoying running races together. We have also followed the children’s curiosity in seasonal changes, looking closely at the sky, examining the leaves we find with magnifying glasses and making predictions about further changes to come.

“I think the leaves fall down”

”changing from green to orange”

”red, yellow, orange”

We then developed the children’s interest in leaves further by offering the creative opportunity to make leaf crowns. The children searched for leaves they liked then threaded the stem of the leaf into the cardboard to make a crown. Lots of concentration and fine-motor control required!

Staff CPD

The Investigation Hub Team began some Gateshead LA Online Training focussed on working with families effectively, which is so important as part of our daily practice. We look forward to working together with you this year to achieve the best possible outcomes for your children.

Many thanks to those of you who sent through family photos! Much appreciated! Have a lovely weekend!