Class R newsletter Summer 1 Class News no. 5
Hello again and welcome back to the new term. We are now two-thirds of the way through your child/ren's first year at school ~ goodness doesn't time go quickly! I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for your support with your children; your help is invaluable so do please spend some time with them on the little activities/games suggested at parents' evening alongside reading, sharing books and practising words and letters.
As you are probably aware we support the pilgrim partnership with teacher training and as part of that we will be having Miss Kirsty Ashby working in class as she completes her training. She will be here for the last two weeks of this half term (from the 17th May) and then will be teaching for four weeks from 7th June. Please feel free to come and talk to her or any of the practitioners in class if you have any questions, concerns or cause for celebration. We are still checking the little red ‘learning journey' books so do let us know when your child/children have shown an interest in their learning and talked about it at home, or even when they have been particularly interested in something (topic or event) so that we can plan appropriately. It is lovely to know when they are sharing their learning with you and when you notice their developments; this feeds into their profile and we value your comments.
Over this first half of the term we will be working with the topic of water. We will be talking to the children about this in order to gain ideas of what they want to learn about as well as find out what they already know. As you may know we will be presenting an assembly towards the end of the term, to which you will be invited. Further details will be passed to you, but so that you can organise your diaries it will be on Wednesday 20th May at approximately 2.45 in the afternoon.
Physical Development
Please could I remind you that our outdoor PE session is on a Wednesday and children should all have an old (or cheap) pair of jogging bottoms, a sweatshirt and some trainers in a draw string bag. Most of you are very good with this and it is useful if it stays in school for the half term. As usual white p.e kit should also be in school in a drawstring bag and it is helpful if this is returned to school the first week of each half term as the children really do enjoy their p.e sessions and we can only store a few spare kits.
Show and Tell
This will continue on a half-termly basis for the children and I must say we have had some lovely objects and little projects brought in by the children. This does make a difference and gives them an opportunity to develop their self-esteem as well as speak and listen in topics which interest and motivate them. We will continue to post the lists on the door each week in advance of the Tuesday.
Reading
Please continue to read with your child and give them the opportunity to read to you. As you are all aware they are making good progress, but your support is invaluable in encouraging them to learn their letters and/or words as appropriate. Using their words to make a range of sentences will enable them to read the words in context. Your children will continue to need their book bags in class each day as we do not know when we will have the opportunity to read with them.
Safety
Thank you also for letting us know when your child/children are being collected by another parent; your own letters plus the use of our forms are effective in ensuring the safety of your children. Please continue with this practice.
This Half Term
As previously mentioned we will be learning more about water and will focus on weather, water cycle, growing plants, water in the house, what live in different water environments and water journeys. We will be sharing a range of stories with the children. In our knowledge and understanding sessions they will be developing skills within Time (history), Place (Geography) Science (observations and experiments) through very practical activities. In PE the children will be developing their movements and response to music as well as learning and practising basic ball skills. Creative activities will be linked to the themes we are studying as well as developing skills of printing.
We are hoping to set up a garden centre/flower shop in our outdoor area. As part of this we would like to concentrate on growing and caring for plants in addition to the learning which can take place through role play and selling. For this reason we would like to ask if you have any plants or bulbs you could spare for the children to look after and observe. Perhaps if you are planting in your own garden you may have a spare seedling, plant or bulb you would be willing to donate to us. Also if you have any spare colourful plant pots that would brighten up our outdoor area that would be greatly appreciated.
This newsletter is currently shown on the school website, on Class R's page along with an updated timetable. I do hope you are using the website as it is very easy to navigate and does hold a lot of information as well as school photographs. I have spent some time trying to update the photographs on our website; here is a little taster of some of your children having fun both indoors and outdoors.
Role play of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Practising jumping skills on the field: 
Have a good term.
Mrs Dicocco
Reception Class Teacher
Spring overview of learning
