Dear parents,

Just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to all of you for participating during the last few months.  You and the children have been amazing over this 2nd lockdown and the level of work has really been impressive! Participation with the online learning, via Teams, has also been very high and I thank you for all that you have done to assist in your child's learning over what has been an extremely stressful and challenging period.

Over the next 14 school days until the Easter break, we will be doing lots of assessments - reading/writing.  We will be assessing their knowledge of the High Frequency Words (First 100 and 200 word list that are posted already below). 

We will also be carrying out a full phonics assessment for each child so we can identify which children need additional support with any sounds and make sure the phonics groups are  all up to date.

We also plan to hear each child read twice before the break in order to make sure each child is at the correct reading levels since this was last carried out before Christmas.

So...lots to do! Please could you all continue to hear your child read each day (or as close to each day) as possible - 5 to 10 mins.  There has been lots of classroom based learning lost over the last year for everyone but I'm really hopeful that we can be in a really good place leading into the final term of the academic year.

Please can you also practice with the reading and writing from the HFW Lists (100 & 200).

We are are all really looking forward and excited to seeing everyone again on Monday! 

Drop off times for Year 1 is 9am and we will be finishing at 3:30pm.  These were the same timings leading up to Christmas.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

Dear Parents,

I will try and meet up with the children tomorrow (Weds 20th Jan) at 10am on teams.  We will try this as a whole group and then after this week go back to smaller groups, early next week.  It will be a good opportunity for everyone to see each other again and to make sure they are OK with the work or if there are any queries they might have.

Thanks

Mr Leonard

Dear Parents,

Firstly, I hope you all had a good break over Christmas and New Year?  I would like to say a massive thank you for the gifts before the break!.  I hope the children had fun and were able to capture the Christmas spirit despite recent times.

With the threat of school closures, we are currently getting packs ready for children to take home with them should our school end up being off the the next couple of weeks. Currently we are open as usual. You will all be notified via the school office should this change.  In the event of the school being forced into a lockdown, we shall be using the packs as well as using Microsoft Teams to upload learning for the weeks ahead.  

For tomorrow, it is business as usual.  We also have PE, with Mr Manly, tomorrow afternoon so can all children can bring in their PE kits for the 1st day back please where possible?

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard & Mrs Eder

 Our topic this term is Pirates!

Dear Parents,

Hope you are all looking forward to the Christmas break?

I just wanted to inform you that the school is changing the way we take each child's temperature in the mornings.  From today we shall be bringing all children into the classroom, getting them settled and then take temperatures during registration in class.  The reasons for the change is due to the cold weather and the thermometers not responding very well to the cold outside.  If any issues arise, parents will be contacted by the school office for any potential collections.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

Dear parents,

I thought I would inform you how our day is broken up from the start of the day to the end.  The way the school day is structured in terms of our designated break and lunch spots and I wanted to give you an idea how we are breaking up the day up (especially the morning session):

9am - Arrive

9:05 to 9:15am - registration

9:30am to 9:50am - phonics group

9:55am to 10:30am - Maths (task must be completed)

10:30am to 10:55am -  free play/daily mile track

10:55am to 11:15 - break

11:15am to 12:30 - English.  (Once task is completed they can choose an activity)

12:30 to 1:30pm - Lunch

1:30pm to 1:40pm - afternoon registration

1:40pm to 1:55pm - phonics - blending/Hand writing/Letter formation task

1:55pm to 2:45pm - Foundation subject

2:45pm to 3:00pm - Assembly

3:10pm to 3:30pm - clearing up/story/go home

Hope this helps!

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

Dear Parents,

Please find attached the homework and new list of spellings for this week.  Apart from Mrs Eders current phonics group, the rest of us have done our first whole class spelling test and the results were very positive.  We have been working a lot on letter formation, writing along the line and their phonics knowledge is starting to show through in their spelling this week which is great to see.  

Handwriting is a major focus at the moment so formation and spelling is key.  Our spelling test consists of children remembering 9 out of 10 key words(all have been selected from their current phonics group list of words/High Frequency Word List/tricky word list). The final word is then put into a sentence. For them to achieve the mark, they need to writing their sentence with a capital letter, finger space and a full stop.  The 10th word also has to be spelt correctly.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

13.11.20

Dear parents, 

Homework is this week:

English - complete the English booklet - p.25 (the air sound).

Maths - attached in the red exercise book - writing numbers activity.

I have also included their spelling list in the homework book this week.  Please continue to practice reading and spelling these 10 words.  We are now going to begin spelling tests every Thursday morning.

Please can I also ask all parents to keep practising blending and recognising sounds (phase 2 to 5) with the documents I have attached  below last week.  

Hope you all have a good weekend

Many thanks,

Mr Leonard

6th November 2020

Dear Parents,

This weeks homework is a little different .  In case we go into a full lockdown, the school will still be setting work via Microsoft Teams.  Every child has received their log in details which have been stuck into most reading records (inside front cover).  You will need their own email address and password which are the top 2 on the label. Those that did not have their reading records had their log in details put into their bags at home time.

The children have been set a task to log into Microsoft teams and then send Mr Leonard a quick message on the opening page.  The children have been working on the laptops at school and have really enjoyed this activity.  Now they need to remember how to do this and complete it again at home.  Please let them type in as much as possible, including their own email address (inc. @ sign).  Some guidance may be required but ideally to be done independently.

Please can the children work on Phase 2 to 5 sounds.  I shall load each phase this weekend and if you could flashcard them for up to 2 mins each day, that would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Mr Leonard

Dear Parents,

Homework will be coming home today which should be returned on Tuesday next week.  I have set for maths a follow on activity around 1 more and 1 less. For English, in the white booklet, page 8.  Can the children please complete the Capital letters and Full Stops task.

There has also been a change to PE days.  Children will be changing at school but then coming home in their PE kits with their school uniform in their bags at the end of the school day. 

Many Thanks

25th September 2020

Dear Parents,

I hope you all have a great weekend.  I have set homework this week which is attached in the red book (number bond to 10 activity).  I have also set an English task from the white booklet. Page 2 and 3 (sentences activity).  Please can I ask all parents to be signing the reading record when your child has read.  Our expectation is for children to read at least 3 times a week.  Children should complete all homework and hand into the homework tray by Tuesday at the latest.

I would like to add that some children may not have the right book band level that is more appropriate to their level since returning to school full time.  Please bare with us as you can imagine, some children's levels are dramatically changed since March when the data was last collected. 

Over the last 2 weeks we have also been assessing each child's phonic levels as well as engaging in a reading project, for certain book band readers provided by Herts for Learning. As a result, getting children's levels correct have been a little slower than we would have liked.  We also have an issue with enough books being provided at certain levels due to quarantine measures in place for all retuning books.  All returning books have to be quarantined for 72 hours before they can be put out for selection again.

I would urge children to read books they have at home alongside the books provided by school.  

All reading books should be brought into school each day.  We are trying to change books each Monday and Thursday. All reading books and reading records should be placed into the Reading Tray provided as they enter the classroom. 

I am aware, it is not easy to engage with parents at the start and end of the day, due to social distancing restrictions.  If you would like to meet, please organise via the office where I can schedule a more appropriate time for both and discuss any queries you may have.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

17th September 2020 - HOMEWORK

Dear parents,

Homework has been given out for this week.  Maths is attached in their red books and English in the white booklet.

Maths homework is reinforcing our latest maths lesson, working with a tens frame.  They have to highlight what number is represented in each of the tens frame provided.

English is working with the ai sound.  

Many thanks

Mr Leonard

13.09.2020

Dear parents,

Welcome back to Year 1.  We have been settling in really well and getting used to the daily routines since returning to school.  This week we focused on our phase 3 sounds and started with our maths and English lessons.

Reading books have started to be provided for children to read at home.  We plan to change reading books twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.  This will allow us to collect reading books and quarantine them before putting them back out for selection.  Reading records will be following on Monday for you all to sign.  Our recommendation is to read at least 3 times a week with your child for at least 5 minutes and we will look to build on their reading stamina and fluency to coincide with their development of phonic knowledge throughout the year.

We have provided the children with a safe environment in accordance to government guidelines.  We have provided ample supply of hand sanitiser and are making sure all children are regularly washing their hands in the mornings and afternoons.  

PE is scheduled every Tuesday morning and Thursday afternoon but this is subject to change at very short notice from week to week so, please make sure all PE kits come into school on Mondays.  We will send home on Fridays.

Homework has already been sent out this past week.  From next week this will be given out on Thursdays and homework should be completed by Tuesday morning. Children will be able to hand this into the green homework box as they enter Year 1 classroom.  Mrs Eder (Year 1 teaching assistant) will be in class to greet the children as they arrive each day and will be able to guide them getting settled ready for registration.

Both myself and Mrs Eder look forward to working with your child throughout the year and fingers crossed we have a smooth transition from reception to year 1 as possible under the current circumstances surrounding Covid19..

If you wish to speak to me, please feel free to contact the office to arrange a date and time more convenient to discuss your Childs needs or development throughout the year.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard & Mrs Eder