EY1 AT HOME

Picnics, talent shows, sound hunts, launching a band with our pots and pans, superhero parties - our EY1 teachers made sure that our youngest students at City Campus continued to enjoy exciting and rewarding learning experiences whilst learning at home.  

As with many of us around the world, Zoom became the one of the primary ways to connect. Via video conferencing, the EY1 classes had picnic lunches, developed our phonics and maths skills, shared highlights from our weeks, read stories, celebrated birthdays, and sang many songs together.

The learning activities set by the EY1 teaching team proved to be very popular at home. The children have loved cooking and exploring food with their families. From traditional Thai cuisine and fresh juice stalls to pancakes and cookies, the children were very busy in the kitchen.

Students also explored their artistic side, through collages, 3D large art, paintings, and photography, and teachers were delighted to hear that these creations had been proudly celebrated and displayed in family homes. 

A crucial area of learning in EY1 is language development. The children have shown determination to continue developing their English language through storytelling, videos, songs via Zoom and Seesaw. 

Staying at home did not stop our EY1 children from keeping active and fit. They have embarked on running races, mastered skills such as riding their bikes with no stabilisers, and created obstacle courses in their homes. All these activities were set by the children’s teachers, designed to continue physical development, risk-taking and independence. 

The children were also given many opportunities to explore the natural environment in and around their homes. Students planted seeds, took care to keep them watered and in the right place, they watched the growth with fascination, and even tasted the fruits of their labour.

Home learning also saw several minibeast hotels popping up in the homes of our students. After learning about insects in the Early Years Garden back at school, the teachers extended this learning at home by supporting the children to create a special environment for the minibeasts they found at home. 

Our youngest students demonstrated exceptional resilience and perseverance during this time of learning at home. Children and their families showed an impressive level of commitment towards the daily learning activities, Zoom sessions and communication with their classmates. 

Ms Hayley, EY1 Team Leader shared, “Our children developed in so many ways amidst the unusual and unexpected circumstances that we all found ourselves in. Via Zoom and Seesaw, myself and my team saw our children acquire new skills, new knowledge new confidence. One of our highlights is to have watched that growth, as they became used to the digital learning and embraced all that they could do. We are incredibly proud!”