Headteacher: Anna Moss

Dear Red Class,

This week, at Forest School, we explored leaves and why some trees lose their leaves in the autumn. We performed a counting song called ‘10 Little Leaves’ and added new actions with the leaves turning, tumbling and even jumping through the air. Every Forest School session, the children are invited to explore their own interests. Today, some children were looking at stories inspired by nature,  another group of children decided to look for animals (puppets and other soft toys) hidden around the site and some children created a pretend fire.  

Phonics lessons focused on h, b, f and l. We tried very hard to spell words using these letters and their sounds.  At this stage of the year, we use letter tiles and magnetic letters for spelling activities. We also read our keywords daily: to, into the, I. See if you can find these keywords in your reading books. In Literacy sessions, we sequenced story events from ‘The Little Red Hen’ and compared the story to ‘The Very Helpful Hedgehog.’ We thought the hedgehog could help the hen’s friends to be helpful!

In Maths, we talked about the idea of doubles and doubling using a picture stimulus board. We then made the link between doubles in the world around us (double yellow lines, double-decker bus) to finding simple doubles with equipment, for example, putting two of the same Numicon tiles together. During the rest of the week, we investigated patterns in the environment and used equipment to explore colour and shape patterns. You might like to try this game at home: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/ordering-and-sequencing/shape-patterns

As a warm up in Music, we clapped the rhythm of our names and then played an untuned instrument to Mrs Webb’s pulse (beat). The children listened carefully and tried very hard to play together. After our performance warm up, we explored the sounds of the instruments before creating a class composition about falling leaves.

What a busy week! It’s now time to rest, play and enjoy your weekend. See you all Monday.

Mrs Webb, Mrs Reid and Mrs Cain x

Hello Red Class,

It was a wet and windy week. We started our new topic ‘Autumn’ and enjoyed a nice walk through Blackwell. The children had a special Blue Class partner to show them the way and it was lovely to hear the older children talking about the signs of autumn. We created a mind map of autumn words using objects from the walk as a stimulus. How many words can you think of linked to autumn? 

Our focus letter sounds this week were ck (duck), e, u and r and we’ve been learning to read words using these sounds. In Literacy, we listened to the story of ‘The Little Red Hen’ and used a story map to retell key events.

In Maths, we’ve been learning number bonds (pairs of numbers) up to 4. We’ve used songs, Numicon and counters to make number bonds and we’re starting to recall some pairs too, for example, 2 and 2 make 4. 

Today, the children enjoyed a super first Forest School session. They were fantastic at collecting their warm clothes and they were great at learning new rules and routines. We played 1,2,3 Where are you? This game helps the children to learn about boundaries and where we can play in the forest.  We also shared a story called ‘Leaf Man’ and the children created their own leaf pictures ranging from a leaf man and lady, a leaf worm, a leaf dog and even a leaf cabbage! Well done Red Class!

We also opened the painting table this week and Mrs Allen helped the children to find out about printing. Next week, we’re opening the workshop. Please be prepared to find  ‘junk’ creations in book bags. We will ask the children to keep their work in school until Friday so they can make changes to their work during the week.

Rest, play and enjoy a wonderful weekend Red Class,

Mrs Webb, Mrs Reid and Mrs Cain xxx

Dear Red Class,

Well done for completing your first full week with clubs. You’ve been stretching in yoga, listening to stories and weaving in fine motor club. From learning letter sounds to using new equipment in Maths and meeting new people in club time, we’ve enjoyed a very busy week. I’m really pleased with how independent you’re being in the morning. Most of you are now completing your jobs without any help from a grown up and some of you have visited the tuck tray too.

This week, Literacy lessons were filled with storytelling. We found out how to use role play props to retell the story of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’. We played games in phonics to learn new letter sounds and actions for i, n, m and d and we started to read 2 and 3 letter words e.g. an, pan, tin. We enjoyed reading words on the board and then drawing pictures to match.

In Maths, we explored ten frames in lots of different ways. On Monday, we made a ten frame on the floor using tape and pretended it was a bus. The children enjoyed sitting on the bus to explore numbers to 10. Our class teddies enjoyed riding on the ten frame bus on Tuesday. Later in the week, we used counters on small ten frames. Working in these different ways will help us to identify and understand numbers.

In PE you were very good at moving in different ways around the hall and finding safe spaces. In Write Dance, you created pictures of a volcano using different media (chalk and wax crayons). Can you draw a volcano at home? 

Make sure you rest over the weekend and we’ll see you next week Red Class,

Mrs Webb, Mrs Reid and Mrs Cain xxx

Dear Red Class,

Well done for completing your first full week.  You’ve settled well into your lunchtime routine and even tackled a jacket potato today. You’re working well with your learning partner and making new friends during play and explore time. You’re confident at selecting resources in the classroom and choosing where to play.  

Next week, you will start afternoon clubs. Each day you will attend two clubs. 

Monday: Playground Games/Stories

Tuesday: Construction/ Rhymes and Songs

Wednesday: Big Art/Smart Moves (activities to develop balance and coordination)

Thursday: Craft/ Yoga and Dance.

Friday: Fine Motor (for example threading beads to make bracelets)/ Film

Lots of children walked through the door independently today.  Please try walking down the path without a grown up on Monday and Mrs Reid and Mrs Cain will walk down to meet you. Have a super weekend and enjoy a good rest. 

Mrs Webb, Mrs Reid and Mrs Cain xxx

Wednesday

During Phonics, we played a robot game. I segmented a word, the children listened carefully to the sounds and then we performed the action. Try speaking like a robot at home by segmenting a few action words, for example, j-o-g, h-o-p, c-l-a-p. We also shared the sound, song and story for ‘t’.

Later in the morning, we identified characters from the children’s picture books. We were able to spot Mum, Dad, Chip, Biff, Kipper and Floppy. We played a game of bingo with our learning partner to make sure we could find each character.

In Maths, we listened to a song about dancing flowers and the children really enjoyed performing the song with their friends. They’re growing in confidence, each day, to show me numbers in different ways.

As part of our Write Dance work, the children looked at a picture of a volcano, listened to a piece of music and then performed a volcano dance. The children were fascinated by the volcano and asked lots of questions. Write Dance is a music and mark making programme. The children listen to music, learn a dance and then draw pictures to match each topic. The children learn to draw using both hands at the same time and therefore develop their control and coordination skills.

Thursday

Today, we shared a picture book called ‘The Haircut’. The children identified each character and I showed them how to tell a story using the pictures. We looked at each character's face and described how they felt at different points in the story. We started to think about why they felt this way. We explained new words and thought about why certain words had been used, for example, why the hair salon was called ‘Snips’. Visit www.oxfordowl.co.uk if you would like to use the e-books at home.

In Phonics, we shared the sound, story and song for ‘p’. On Friday, I will send home the children's phonics books. You will find 4 letter cards in their books. Please think of objects beginning with each sound and ask your child to draw a little picture in their book. Every Friday, I will send home new letter cards.

In Maths, we revisited our dancing flower song but this time we used egg boxes to match the number name to the correct number of objects. We also looked at different arrangements of spots on the whiteboard and the children used their fingers to show me how many spots they could see. This game will help the children to ‘see and say’ the number without having to count. They will also understand that a number can be displayed in many different ways. 

Later in the day, Mrs Allen joined us to share a story. Mrs Allen will teach the children on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, for an hour each afternoon, while I complete some very important teacher jobs! J

Well done to all the children walking into the classroom independently. I know some children are walking in from the classroom door and some children are walking in from the main gate. If you’re saying ‘goodbye’ at the classroom door, please try to leave as soon as possible as sometimes it can make the children feel a little wobbly if they can see you through the glass. Don’t worry if they forget part of their morning routine, we will help them to organise their belongings later in the morning. It’s also a good idea to send your child into school with a friend. They often feel very grown up if they can walk down the path with a friend. You can always watch them from the wooden gate.

See you in the morning Red Class.

Mrs Webb, Mrs Reid and Mrs Cain xxx

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Dear Families,

It was lovely to see some of the children walking through the door independently this morning. If your child decides to do this, the adults in the classroom will help them with their jobs. During the morning, we will check every book bag so don’t worry if they forget to take out their bottle or their snack. Just remember to say 'goodbye' before leaving. 

Today, we discovered the song, story, action and sound for ‘a’ and we named objects starting with ‘a’. The children met their learning partner and found out a little bit about each other by sharing their shoe boxes. The children now have a carpet space where they learn alongside their learning partner. Remembering their space will take a little bit of time! 

In Maths, we performed our ‘Little Soldier’ song and used counters to make numbers to 5 by copying the spots on the dice. The children were very good at seeing the ‘shape’ of the spots and representing this with their learning partner. I could see great sharing and turn taking.

During our dough disco, we moved the dough to ‘Jack and Jill’, ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ and ‘Round and Round the Garden’. We rolled, squeezed, tapped and tickled the dough.  Great exercise for little fingers!

The children enjoyed their roast dinner. They tried hard to cut their meat and potatoes and they remembered the routine well from yesterday. Our milk drinkers also found out how to wash and dry their cup with Mrs Cain. I wonder, who will remember to do this tomorrow?  

To finish the day, we listened to songs and explored the pulse of the music. We then tapped the pulse using different parts of our body. What a busy day!

Next week, the children may bring 30p to school to buy a healthy snack from the tuck shop. If you would prefer to pack a snack from home, please just pack one healthy snack. PE kits should stay in school until the end of the half term when we will send them home. 

See you in the morning Red Class,

Mrs Webb, Mrs Reid and Mrs Cain xxx

Dear Families,

It’s an evening blog tonight after the school run, swimming and then jobs around the house! I was very pleased that the children all returned after the weekend and they remembered all the class rules and routines. Well done Red Class!

Today, we started our Phonics games and found out about ‘s’ by reading a short story and singing the Jolly Phonics song. If you search You Tube, you will be able to find the song for each letter sound. This week, we will be looking at s,a,t and p.

In Maths, we used egg boxes to build pictures of numbers to 5. At the start of Reception, we spend time securing our knowledge of single digit numbers and how they can be represented. Building a strong 'picture' will ensure strong mental calculations in the future.  

We also started ‘dough disco’ where we say a nursery rhyme and then move play dough around in our hands to exercise our fingers. Later in the term, we will introduce music from Tina Turner to Pharrell Williams! All of this work will prepare the children for later writing by developing their fine motor skills.

Of course the children also stayed for lunch. I was very impressed with how they cleared the table and selected their own piece of cake. Keep up the good work!

See you all in the morning,

Mrs Webb, Mrs Reid and Mrs Cain xxx

Dear Families,

Today was fantastic Friday with lots of super singing, dancing and answering questions. After listening games, our circle time was all about looking after the classroom. The children even discovered how to wash up. I have photographic evidence! I’m really pleased with how they’ve settled into their new routines.

Next week, the children will meet their new learning partner and use their shoe boxes to find out about each other. We will also start Phonics sessions and get to know the characters in their reading books. By the end of the year, you’ll know a lot about Biff, Chip and Kipper! The children will also stay for lunch with collection at 1pm and we'll start their milk routine. If you would like to register for milk, please visit the School Office. If you've registered already then you're on my list for Monday. 

Enjoy a wonderful weekend, 

Mrs Webb, Mrs Reid, Mrs Cain and Miss Davis xxx

Dear Families,

Another good day. We always start the day with listening games and today the children enjoyed being ‘fidget monitors’ and playing their instruments every time the green traffic light appeared. At school, we talk about our listening rules a lot. We encourage the children to do the following:

1.     Look at the person speaking.

2.    Sit still.

3.    Stay quiet.

4.    Listen to all the words.

We’re also encouraging the children to put their finger on their nose when they want to answer a question, rather than calling out. By showing this sign, we can take turns fairly and listen to each other. Each day, we’re getting better at this.

Mrs Reid showed the children how to get ready for outdoor play and opened the mud kitchen. We also introduced the children to our snack and toilet routine. They were very good at finding their name peg to show they were visiting the toilet and selected their snack when they felt hungry.

In our Maths session, we performed a song called “Little Soldiers” where we practised reciting number names and linked each number name to the correct number of fingers. We also played bunny ears where we showed numbers in different ways. For example, making 2 with 1 finger on each hand or 2 fingers on 1 hand.

If you would like an appointment for a settling-in meeting, please see the sheet opposite the wooden gate on the balcony.

We’re looking forward to another lovely day tomorrow.

Mrs Webb, Mrs Reid, Mrs Cain and Miss Davis xxx