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Week beginning 12th October 2026

Deserts – Exploring a Different Environment 

This week, we continued our journey around the world by exploring deserts. We investigated what these environments are like, how the weather and landscape differ from our local area, and which animals live there. Our topic activities and practical challenges encouraged us to look closely at desert animals, describe their features and consider how they find shelter, water and food in hot, dry conditions. We used talk, pictures and creative exploration to share ideas about desert habitats and how people and animals adapt to living there, developing our geographical vocabulary, observation and reasoning skills.

Week beginning 5th October 2026

Fairtrade – Making Fair Choices

We explored Fairtrade and discovered how choosing Fairtrade products can help farmers and workers around the world. We recognised the Fairtrade logo and compared and sorted Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade products, explaining our choices. Our enhanced Fairtrade shop encouraged imaginative role-play as shopkeepers and customers, using price labels, coins and everyday language about buying and selling. Through practical challenges, we practised identifying products, making choices, handling money and discussing how fair trade can help people in other countries. 

Week beginning 28th September 2026

Maps and Directions – Finding Our Way

As part of our Journeys topic, we explored how we could travel to CBeebies Land and Alton Towers. We located destinations on maps, considered different types of transport and discovered how maps and sat navs help us find a route. We used words such as forwards, backwards, turn, past, next to and stop to give and follow directions. Using a theme park map, we planned journeys between rides, identified landmarks and practised sequencing instructions. Through our enhanced Create and Tell area, we built theme park routes with vehicles, figures, signs and attractions; in the Digital area, we explored programming, testing and improving routes with Bee-Bot or Blue-Bot; and in Sand, we created pathways with bends, obstacles and landmarks. Our challenges encouraged us to describe routes clearly, plan journeys to several attractions and help others find their way. 

Week beginning 21st September 2026

Mystery Suitcase

We began our new topic, ‘Journeys – Here, There and Everywhere’, by exploring a mystery suitcase filled with clues about different journeys. We shared our ideas and questions and introduced our Big Question: ‘Where can journeys take us and what can we learn along the way?’ We then explored maps and globes, beginning to identify familiar places and places further away. We talked about different ways we can travel and began to understand that maps, routes and landmarks can help us find our way from one place to another.

Week beginning 14th September 2026

Harvesting Our Apples

This week, the children enjoyed harvesting apples from our own garden. We explored the apples together, talking about how they had grown and looking carefully at their different sizes, colours and shapes. The children helped to pick and collect the apples and began thinking about the different things we could make with them. This provided a lovely opportunity for learning outdoors, developing curiosity about the natural world and making connections between where our food comes from and how we can use it.

Week Beginning 7th September 2026

Our First Full Week

This week, the children have continued to settle confidently into their new learning environment and have been getting used to our daily routines and challenges. We have introduced regular activities including Guided Reading, Finger Gym, phonics and mental maths, alongside lots of opportunities to explore, play and learn together. The children have also been busy outdoors, working together to clean, tidy and weed our garden area ready for planting. It has been lovely to see everyone becoming more independent, learning where things belong and growing in confidence with our new routines.

Week beginning 1st Sept 2026

Exploring Our Learning Environment

This week, the children have enjoyed exploring their new learning environment and becoming familiar with the different areas and resources available to them. Through play and exploration, they have been developing independence, making choices, sharing ideas and learning to work alongside others. It has been lovely to see the children growing in confidence, building relationships and beginning their learning journey together.