Reception Weekly Blog (16.1.26)

Date: 16th Jan 2026 @ 3:05pm

What a fantastic week we have had in Reception!

Despite the winter illnesses making their way around, the children have continued to embrace everything school has to offer as they settle back into familiar routines. It has been lovely to see their enthusiasm and curiosity shine throughout the week.

On Monday, the children were greeted with an “icy” surprise as the classrooms were transformed into a winter ice world. We spent the afternoon talking about the seasons and exploring winter in more detail. The children enjoyed discussing the weather we see during winter and learning about the different clothes we need to wear as the temperature drops.

On Tuesday, our focus moved to our new Bible story, Noah’s Ark. The children were captivated by the story and enjoyed learning about how God chose Noah to help make the world right again after people began behaving badly. They particularly loved listening to “the animals went in two by two” and exploring the story further during their play and provision time.

On Wednesday, we focused more closely on what ice feels like and continued developing our use of describing words. The children enjoyed learning about solids and liquids, as well as the process of freezing and melting. They were fascinated watching the ice slowly melt as the day went on.

On Thursday, we turned into scientists and carried out our very own ice investigation. Working in teams, the children explored different places around the school to find where ice would melt the fastest. They chose warm locations and carefully tracked the progress throughout the afternoon. At the end of the day, we gathered together to discuss our findings and discover which place was the warmest. We found that the least amount of ice melted outside, and the most ice melted in a bowl of warm water.

On Friday, we turned our attention to animals that change and adapt to live in cold climates, as well as those that hibernate or migrate as temperatures drop. The children loved learning about a variety of animals, especially those that live in the polar regions. This has set us up beautifully for next week, when we will be learning about the coldest place on Earth – Antarctica – and discovering more about Emperor Penguins.

In Maths this week, we have been learning all about comparing amounts. The children explored how to identify “more than” and “fewer than” when comparing groups of objects. We also looked at equal parts, with the children confidently showing a thumbs up or thumbs down to decide whether sets were equal or not. Why not try this at home over the weekend? You could split a paper plate in half and create two equal parts using a small weekend treat!

We can’t wait to see you all next week. Have a restful and relaxing weekend.
The Reception Team