Welcome to class 1

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Class 1 loved their topic on ‘Knights and Castles’ and also enjoyed finding out about Space. ​​​​

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In class 1 we offer the children lots of opportunities to learn and explore through play within our continually changing provision areas (indoors and outdoors). The children will learn through a mixture of adult led and child initiated learning, both of which are as equally important in a child's development.

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​ This half term the children's topic will be based around 'Science and Animals'. Below is a brief outline of the areas the children will cover: Jack and the beanstalk Flowers and plants Habitats The very hungry caterpillar The farm

How to help your child summer term 1.pdf

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Reading logs will also be used to send home messages and for school to receive messages please make sure reading logs are in school every day and children should place the logs in the basket each morning, located in class 1, this will give me the opportunity to check for messages or pass on messages to parents.

For further information see your child's how to help your child sheet.

​​​Outdoor learning The children will take part in outdoor learning every Thursday afternoon. The children will have the opportunity to explore the outdoor area, work as a team, go on bug hunts or complete an art project outdoors. Please remember to send your child in with some old trousers on a Thursday afternoon.

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​ Homework ​ Your child will receive a cross curricular choice board each half term you will be expected to complete a minimum of 4 activities per half term but you may complete as many as you wish. There will be an end date for the 4 activities to be completed by. You may also receive small questionnaires or asked to share information on your child some weeks. This will then help to contribute to your child's final assessment in the summer term.  Homework summer 18.pdf Phase 2 to 5 Tricky Words Word Mat Precursive Sound Mat High frequency words

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​ Wow Moments You will be a​​sked to complete a 'wow moment' sheet each week. This will then be used to contribute to your child's learning journey by telling us about anything special or significant that your child has done during the week. This can vary and can include the following: if your child has completed a swimming grade, read a word, wrote a word or even won a football match this can then be added to your child's learning journey. One 'wow moment' sheet will be handed out on a Friday and should be returned to school no later than the Wednesday of the following week.  WOW Mome​nts Letter

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PE C lass 1's PE lesson will be on a Wednesday afternoon. The children also access physical development opportunities through continuous provision. Children may take their PE kits home with them on a Friday but they need to be returned with them on a Monday ready for the week ahead. If your child does not have their PE kit in school they will have to use a spare kit from the PE kit box. They will not be allowed to borrow another child's kit. If your child does not have a kit in school a note will be put in their reading diary, if they continue to forget their kit a text message will be sent home. After this it is a phone call home and then if this  ​

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​ Things to do at Home Things that you can do at home to help your child are: Reinforce the sounds covered each day in class by completing their sound keyring. Practise the sound of the letter and the correct formation of the letter (Letter formation sheets will be sent home). Practise name writing. Please make sure your child uses lower case letters except for their initial letter. Share reading books, discussing plots, characters and their feelings Look over key words (in your child's plastic wallet) with your child and encourage the recognition of these words in any order. If your child is ready you may begin to write the words together Draw your child's attention to numbers in their environment e.g. telephones, door numbers, car number plates etc. Count things around the home. How many windows do we have?  Encourage your child to dress themselves for school and take their uniform off at the end of the day​ how to help Summer 1.pdf How to help your child summer term 1.pdf

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Reminders

• • • ​Please bring in book bags, water bottles and reading records every day and encourage the children to empty their bags independently
    • Please name everything
    • PE kits should be in school everyday
    • We change guided reading books on a Friday
    • We change our class library book every Tuesday
    • Remember to check your child's online learning journey through tapestry. The children also have a learning journey in school. Remember you can come and see their books on a Wednesday afternoon between 3.15 and 3.45
    • Please support your child with being as independent as possible at home and when entering the classroom. 

Tapestry

Tapestry is an online learning journey which allows you to view your child's observations and photographs from their time in class 1. You can even choose to receive an email telling you when a new observation or piece of work is available for you to view and you can upload your own observations at home. We will also reference your child's learning to the EYFS profile. This will keep you informed of the areas of learning in which your child is achieving, also, the age band they were working in for the observed activity. Please note this is just one of the many forms of assessment we use, so whatever is on Tapestry is not the only information we use to assess your child's development. We intend to keep pieces of work and short observation notes that show your child's achievements in your child's learning books and online.

​ Maths In order to help the children improve their Maths skills please work on the following: Forming numbers with the children and writing number sentences Finding double and half of a number Sharing amounts into groups Finding one more and one less than a number Adding two amounts together Counting confidently to 20 Ordering numbers to 20 Counting in 2s, 5s and 10s (with support) To help the children with their counting we have been using the Mr Mc counting song.   Recognising 2D and 3D shapes in the environment and discussing their properties Weighing and ordering different sized objects Looking at different coins Discussing the time; o'clock ​ Spelling

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​​​	​ In order to help the children improve their writing skills please work on the following: Writing CVC words Writing phase 2 and 3 high frequency and tricky words

Apps

• • ​Pocket Phonics
  • Doodle Buddy
  • Jolly Phonics
  • Twinkl
  • Toca Boca apps
  • Beebot
  • Pocket phonics
  • Sparkle Paint
  • Hickory dickory dock
  • Bugs and numbers
  • Phonics with letter lilies
  • Hairy letters ​

Next steps

Your child's next steps will be clearly displayed in the classroom and you may come and see these on a Wednesday during open classrooms after school. 

In the foundation stage there are 7 areas of learning ( 3 prime areas and 4 specific areas):

The prime areas

Communication and language

Listening and attention: children listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity.

Understanding: children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They answer 'how' and 'why' questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events.

Speaking: children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners' needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events.

Physical development

Moving and handling: children show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements. They move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. They handle equipment and tools effectively, including pencils for writing.
Health and self-care: children know the importance for good health of physical exercise, and a healthy diet, and talk about ways to keep healthy and safe. They manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs successfully, including dressing and going to the toilet independently.

Personal, social and emotional development

Self-confidence and self-awareness: children are confident to try new activities, and say why they like some activities more than others. They are confident to speak in a familiar group, will talk about their ideas, and will choose the resources they need for their chosen activities. They say when they do or don't need help.
Managing feelings and behaviour: children talk about how they and others show feelings, talk about their own and others' behaviour, and its consequences, and know that some behaviour is unacceptable. They work as part of a group or class, and understand and follow the rules. They adjust their behaviour to different situations, and take changes of routine in their stride. Making relationships: children play co-operatively, taking turns with others. They take account of one another's ideas about how to organise their activity. They show sensitivity to others' needs and feelings, and form positive relationships with adults and other children.

The specific areas

Literacy

Reading: children read and understand simple sentences. They use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. They also read some common irregular words. They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read.
Writing: children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds. They also write some irregular common words. They write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others. Some words are spelt correctly and others are phonetically plausible.

Mathematics

Numbers: children count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number. Using quantities and objects, they add and subtract two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find the answer. They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing.
Shape, space and measures: children use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. They recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them.

Understanding the world

People and communities: children talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members. They know that other children don't always enjoy the same things, and are sensitive to this. They know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions.
The world: children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes.
Technology: children recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools. They select and use technology for particular purposes.

Expressive arts and design

Exploring and using media and materials: children sing songs, make music and dance, and experiment with ways of changing them. They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
Being imaginative: children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role-play and stories. 

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