On Wednesday, we welcomed the last of our new starters into RS: a very warm welcome to everyone.

Snack time under our class tree – the mighty willow at the front of school – gave us the opportunity to make observations about the leaves, bark, size and shape. Jemimah thought that the tree “looks a bit bendy” and Rory described the bark as “lumpy”. The children also considered what type of creatures might inhabit the tree. Not sure about the tiger suggestion but we might see an owl, squirrel, ladybird or pigeon at some point! We will revisit our willow regularly to notice and discuss seasonal changes. Rio-Bailey wonders if “the leaves might go down” as we move into Autumn.

Is there a tree at or near your home that the children could choose to follow? We would love to hear about any comparisons with our willow tree.

We thought that Eliza’s comment about the apple she spotted in the orchard was very amusing but also symbolic in the first week of Reception. The children, who joined RS this week, have made a wonderful start to their year. They have been exploring indoors and out, building relationships with friends, buddies and teaching staff and launching their Reception learning journeys. Here we all are in the orchard, where we talked about what we noticed before returning to the classroom to smell the apples and talk about how we might cook or eat them: apple pie was a popular choice.

I wonder if the children can recall what crawled out of bug-loving Mia’s apple?

We are looking forward to welcoming the remaining children into RS next week. Your teddies can’t wait for their first cuddle.

Thank you, parents, for all of your support in naming items coming into school.