Reception - Expert problem solvers

Reception have been following their own interests well this month as we learn and explore, this allows the children to really take control of their learning and fire up their passions. There has been some really positive writing in the form of cards, messages and letters. A particular highlight has been a letter to Father Christmas! “We moved here and I want him to know where I live.”

The children have been making envelopes to send in order to solve the problems of how they will get there. They have all been challenged to find the best solution, using glue or sellotape to make an envelope. “How will it open if you glue it?” “Will they be able to get the letter out?” We look forward to taking a local area walk to post them at some point soon along with the fun of designing our own stamps.

Something new at Gateway School, was our new outdoor kitchen, a small ‘pop up’ outdoor restaurant serving pancakes, which we cooked on old drinks cans! In Forest School, the children were given a stove and a tealight to cook a small pancake. They showed great perseverance and all took part in a very different opportunity. The can had been cut so there was a little door where you can push a tealight in, this creates the heat in order to cook the pancake. The children were very excited about the possibilities of what else could be cooked “Eggs!” “Chocolate” Some sadly didn’t come out as well but the children problem solved brilliantly by thinking how they could make them next time. “Don’t blow the candles out so it gets hotter” “Leave them under for longer” A great, fun experience for the children who took part.