The Investigation Hub at Sidney Grove

Week Beginning 27th April 2026

Characteristics of Effective Learning

The children showed high levels of fascination with the cherry blossom which was floating down from the trees in the Blossom garden. They jumped and tried to catch pieces of blossom saying “it’s snowing!” Staff supported the children’s vocabulary with words such as floating, twirling and falling.

When the blossom had fallen to the ground the children began to gather it up in their hands, then explored blowing it to make it float again. They also started to throw it up in the air happily observing it fall to the ground again!

Parents as Partners

In our second week sharing the core text Jack and the Beanstalk and this week we explored some props from the story including giant keys and beans, with a focus on using vocabulary to describe an object.

The children decided that the Giant must have lost his keys and solved the problem by creating a new beanstalk. They collaged paper towels around a branch and then cut out their leaves to add on. “We can leave the keys at the top…in the clouds!”

Outside Learning

In small group time we visited the mud kitchen and allowed the children to explore learning opportunities such as using the water pump, filling and pouring the water and using leaves, flowers and natural materials to create a variety of imaginative concoctions!

In Plan Do Review the children have shown interest in some of the mini beasts they have observed outside. There have been lots of hover flies which created lots of discussion as no one was sure initially what they might be. Some children observed small eggs on leaves and as there were ladybirds nearby we wondered if they might be ladybird eggs.

We have some new equipment for our outside area including crates, small tyres and planks. The children have loved investigating new learning opportunities and have shown great awareness of risk as they have played.

We need your help!

We are running very low on spare clothes, can you help? If you have any spare clothes at home which are no longer needed we can always use them for our collection. We need underwear, socks, T-shirts and shorts if possible!

We always accept any donations of wool, bottle tops and any other recycled materials if possible! Please see Susan to find out more!

If your child has a sun hat at Nursery could you please write their name on the label, just to help us to get them back to you!

Could our new Rising 3 families please check through your child’s cloth bag and take home anything which does not need to be stored at Nursery, the peg spaces are quite congested right now and this would be a huge help!

Wishing you all a lovely long weekend!