This week
We have been thinking about initial sounds in words and names, and have been practising orally blending and segmenting sounds to make words. Thank you for your support with the phonics books. Please feel free to email at any time if there is anything you are unsure of or if you are not certain of how the children should complete the tasks. They do not need to complete any pages during half term.
In maths, we have been looking at the Numicon (number plates that we use throughout the school to support maths learning) and matching, sorting and comparing amounts and sizes. There is more information here, if you would like to see how this approach works:
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/maths/numicon-guide-for-parents/
We had another classroom assembly from Mrs Cooper about difference, and have been thinking about how we are all friends and how we can show friendship to others.
Next term
Our focus is on light, dark, colour and celebrations, starting with Bonfire Night and Divali.
Home learning
Please explore the two programs: teach your monster to read and Numbots over the holiday if you can.
Teach your monster fits in with the phonics program at school and can be played on a desktop for free. There is a downloadable app for a small fee. I suggest playing for only 10 minutes at a time a few times a week. This is better than a longer session as the game is designed to be repetitive.
Numbots is the precursor to Times Tables Rockstars which the children play from Year 2 upwards. It encourages number recognition and the idea of the game is that you get faster and beat your own times, earning rewards for your character. The nature of the game is very repetitive as it is teaching children to quickly recognise amounts in varying arrangements without needing to count. Again, little and often is better than a long session.
Parents evening phone calls
I will be phoning you for a 10 minute chat about how your child has settled in and for you to ask any questions on these dates and times:
Monday 2nd November 11am-1pm (INSET DAY-no pupils in school)
Friday 6th November 12.45pm – 2.45pm
As I said before we will attempt to make contact several times, so please don’t worry about staying by the phone. Also, if I call and it is not a good time, please say and I will call back. Please also let me know if there is a preferred contact number to call on from the ones we hold on file at school.
Supporting your child at home
I have been adapting my presentation from last year so that it is more accessible without me actually talking to you face to face. This is taking longer than anticipated as I am trying to find extra links etc to explain what I am trying to say! I will have this uploaded to the website by the end of half term, ready for children to bring sound cards and books home in the first week. Thanks for your understanding.
Notices
*Please don’t forget to order your child’s lunch on Parentpay. Even though you don’t have to pay for their dinners at the moment, this is the way the kitchen know what has been ordered each day. There will be more choice of meals after half term and it is much easier if children are not choosing when they get to the hatch. Thanks.
*The cloakrooms have to be emptied for cleaning at the end of each term, so the PE bags have come home, even if they may not have been used. We will start to get changed for PE from the first Wednesday back, so please practise with your child over next week if you think they may find this difficult. Of course we will support them with getting changed, but we always ask them to have a try themselves before we will help, so it’s a good idea if they can do at least some of it by themselves. This includes getting clothes the right way round and sorting out clothes that are inside out. It is surprising what they can do for themselves after a few weeks!
*If you would like to send in wellies, waterproof trousers etc for your child to keep at school next term, please feel free to send them back in on Tuesday 3rd November to keep on their peg.
Thank you so much for your support this term. It has been a different sort of transition for us, but the children have responded well and are in a really good place now to begin their more formal learning after half term in terms of phonics and other whole class sessions. They are gelling together as a class and are making lots of new friendships, which is lovely to see.
We hope you have a lovely break with your families,
See you all on Tuesday 3rd November,
Best Wishes,
Mrs Greening, Mrs Warrener and Mrs Young
