Al Sedra Infants - Week 8

Dear Parents,

The Importance of Play in Infant School Learning

At our infant school, we embrace a play-based learning approach because play is the foundation of young children’s development. Through play, children explore, experiment and make sense of the world around them. It supports their cognitive, physical, social and emotional growth in ways that feel natural and enjoyable.

Play-based learning fosters curiosity and creativity while helping children develop essential skills such as problem solving, communication and collaboration. Whether they are building with blocks, role playing or exploring nature, children are learning critical concepts in literacy, numeracy and science, often without even realising it.

Our teachers carefully plan and guide play experiences to ensure they are purposeful and aligned with learning goals. This balanced approach ensures that children are both engaged and progressing developmentally.

By nurturing a love of learning through play, we are laying strong foundations for your child’s future success, both academically and personally.

Yours faithfully,

Pamela Abbas

Head of Infants

Half Term Holiday

Sunday 26^th October – Thursday 30^th October

ECAs

Sunday’s 2^nd, 9^th, 16^th, 23^rd, 30^th November & 7^th, 14^th December

School Photographs

Sunday 9th November to Thursday 13th November

International Week

Sunday 16^th – Thursday 20^th November

This week, our learning was inspired by the classic tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The students thoroughly enjoyed exploring the story through a variety of fun and engaging activities. In Literacy, we read the story together, discussed the characters, and sequenced the events. The students brought the tale to life by acting it out in our small world area there were some fantastic performances!

In our creative area, students made and tasted porridge (not too hot, not too cold – just right!) and created textured bear art using different materials. In Maths, we explored size and pattern, linking to the story’s big, medium, and small items, and made repeating patterns with colours, shapes, and bear paw prints.

We also celebrated Space Week, making glittery moons and learning about rockets, astronauts, and planets. It’s been a joyful week of curiosity, imagination, and learning. Thank you for your continued support!

This week, we’ve been learning all about Autumn and Winter!
The students explored the changing seasons, noticing how leaves turn beautiful shades of red, orange, and gold, and how the weather begins to feel colder as winter approaches. We talked about how animals prepare for winter and discussed the types of clothes we wear to stay warm.

The students enjoyed a range of creative activities from leaf printing to making sparkly snowflakes! We also experimented with ice to explore what happens when water freezes and melts. The students loved touching the ice and watching it slowly change shape as it warmed up!

We ended the week with an amazing trip to Tumbles, where everyone had the chance to climb, jump, balance, and explore. The students showed fantastic energy and teamwork as they navigated the soft play area and embraced new challenges.

It was a wonderful way to wrap up a week full of learning, laughter, and adventure!

This week in Year 1, the students had a fabulous time celebrating the capture of Pirate T at their Pirate Party, enjoying lots of pirate-themed games and activities.

In Math, they have been working on number bonds within 10 and are developing their understanding of the plus and equals symbols. Many students can now use these symbols to read and create number sentences confidently.

The students also got creative by designing and making their own jellyfish, a fun and imaginative end to a fantastic week!

This week, the students have been busy writing their innovated text maps, using images and key phrases to help them sequence and explain their instructions clearly.

In Maths, they have been practising subtraction with numbers over 10, using number lines, manipulatives, and problem-solving activities to deepen understanding.

As we approach the final week of our topic, ‘From A to B’, the students have been exploring reading comprehension by learning how to follow and interpret maps. It’s been wonderful to see their confidence grow as they use directional language and apply their reading and maths skills in real-life contexts.