Reception Class recently had a very special egg delivery as part of their latest learning journey.  But these eggs were not to destined for their plates; they were part of Reception’s learning journey about growth and life cycles and, within 21 days, would hatching into baby chicks!

The eggs arrived with their very own incubator to ensure they were kept at 37 degrees Celsius and in a humid atmosphere to ensure the shells stayed soft for hatching.

Reception children, along with staff and parents, provided helpful “clucks” around the incubator to encourage the chicks and stood amazed when faint “cheeps” could be heard through the shell.

Word quickly spread around the Junior School and for two days there was a constant stream of visitors to the Reception classroom eager to see the first fluffly arrivals.

On Day 20, movement and tell-tale cracking appeared on the eggs and when the children arrived at school the next day they were greeted by the first chirping chicks. They were then fortunate to watch second batch of chicks hatch. In total there were 12 chicks from the 15 eggs – eight pullets (females) and four cockerels. They were fascinated by the hatching process and those who missed the actual events were able to watch video footage at a special Chick Hatching Assembly, run by Reception teacher Ms Morris.

Over the following seven days all the children had the opportunity to observe and hold the chicks.

The chicks left Sydenham High Junior School on Thursday 9 March to be looked after by The Clarke family in Cambridgeshire on their small, free-range farm.

Reception’s learning journey has already looked at the different ways that the children themselves have changed from birth and they are now beginning to look at the life cycles of frogs, butterflies and chickens.