Communication, Language and Literacy

Speaking and Listening: Freya contributes a great deal to the nursery group and readily shares her experiences with adults and children. She is an attentive listener, both when holding a conversation and when working in a large group. Freya is now showing great maturity in taking turns. She often knows answers but appreciates that sometimes other children need to speak. She has learnt to recognise that some situations need whole group contributions and some need one-to-one responses.

Reading: Freya has a delightful enthusiasm for looking at books and listening to stories. She shows a real interest in print and illustrations and is beginning to be aware of story structures. She is able to retell stories and poems and can answer questions on the stories that we share. She has show a preference for fiction material rather than information books. Freya's love for books is a special quality to have and I am sure that she will develop into a confident and very able reader.

Writing: For a while now Freya has been writing her name independently and her formation of letters is now becoming smaller and more controlled. She enjoys working in the writing area more and more and will engage in activities with concentration and care. She recognises most letter names and sounds.

Mathematical Development

Freya enjoys joining in with number songs and learns new rhymes very quickly. She is very confident when working with numbers and is secure in her counting to 20 even when objects / pictures are in irregular arrangements. She enjoys the challenge of new problems and is able to discuss her work as she solves. Freya recognises all the digits and can copy numbers to record the amount she has counted. Freya is very methodical in her approach and has recently produced some very good work that involves repeating coloured ducks in a pattern. Freya's use of language in this area is also exceptional. She knows the names for basic 2-D shapes, including a rectangle, and enjoys making pictures with resources such as tap-tap and magnetic tiles. She can put models and pictures in order of size and uses vocabulary to make comparisons. Freya has a natural flair for mathematical activities planned in the nursery and I know she will continue to go from strength to strength as she faces the challenges that lay ahead in her new class.

Knowledge and Understanding of the world

It has been a tremendous pleasure in listening to Freya talk about her family and the things that happen to her. She has developed a natural curiosity for the activities in nursery and comes to school everyday with a willingness to learn and a thirst for knowledge. This quality is delightful to see and is one that I am sure will be closely nurtured as she continues through the school. Freya notices change and patterns in our work on 'new life' and enjoyed activities that involve observations through magnifying glasses. She can use a wide range of tools with skills and control and understands the need for safety.

Creative development

Freya has developed a real enthusiasm for the different roles in play situations we have had in the nursery and last term could often be seen parading around the nursery dressed up as 'a lady'. She enjoys pretend play immensely and motivates other children in a caring and co-operative way. When working with different art materials Freya is confident to experiment with colours and textures and combines media in her work. She knows all her colours and is now able to mix colours together to make new ones. Freya also enjoys singing and has looked at different percussion instruments as part of our work on 'sound'. She knows how sounds can be made and can copy simple rhythms.

Physical development

Freya enjoys the vehicles outside but her enjoyment of role-play leads her to most of her time being spent in the playhouse. She likes the climbing frame and is able to move in different directions on it. Freya showed a particular enjoyment when we played parachute games in the gym and became quite animated as we used it to experiment with different movements. Freya's skill and control when using smaller, one-handed equipment in nursery is excellent She has enjoyed using the more difficult construction kits such as Geo-Mag and Cleversticks and is able to build with a particular purpose in mind. What a super year, Freya.

Personal, Social and Emotional development

Freya started the nursery as she meant to go on - confident, full of enthusiasm and with a delightful approach to learning. She has continued to brighten our days in nursery and I know she will carry on doing so as she moves to 'big' school.

Freya has developed some very good relationships with children and adults and moves to her new class with a lot of friends. She is very popular with her peers and always shows consideration and co-operation when working in small groups. Freya is a very independent little girl who, in her morning, finds the balance between working others and working by herself. She works with an excellent level of concentration and participates in a range of activities.

It has been a real privilege to share Freya's first year at Monks Abbey. It is a delight working with this bright, caring young lady and I know her new teacher will think so too.

Sarah Hall (Nursery teacher)

What a wonderful report. Well done Freya

Vicky Johnson (Deputy Principal)