This year, we have had the opportunity to welcome a very special delivery in Reception — a set of eggs! The children were incredibly excited and have been carefully watching and waiting ever since. We are delighted to share that some of our chicks have now hatched, along with ducklings, which has been a wonderful and memorable moment for the class.

Reception have the special honour of helping to look after the chicks and ducklings. For now, they are being kept safely in a warm incubator, which provides the heat and protection they would usually receive from a mother hen or duck. The incubator carefully controls the temperature so that they can grow strong and healthy during these very early days.

This experience has provided a fantastic opportunity for the children to explore real-life science. They have been learning about life cycles and how animals grow and change over time. Watching the chicks and ducklings hatch from their eggs has sparked lots of curiosity, questions and conversations, helping the children to develop their understanding of living things and what animals need in order to survive and thrive. The children have also been learning about the differences between chicks and ducklings, including how ducklings are often more active in water and have slightly different needs as they grow.

The children are also learning how to care for the animals gently and responsibly. They are showing great excitement but also patience as they observe them and learn the best ways to keep them safe and comfortable. Experiences like this help to build confidence and independence as the children take pride in helping to look after our new arrivals.

As a school that values children’s rights, this experience also supports the children’s right to learn and to explore the world around them through meaningful, hands-on opportunities. Real experiences like this help bring learning to life and encourage the children to develop a sense of curiosity and care for living things.

Over the coming days, other year groups will also have the chance to pop down and visit the chicks and ducklings so that everyone can share in the excitement of welcoming our newest arrivals. It has already been a very special time in Reception, and we are all enjoying watching them grow and become more active each day! 🐣🦆