Welcome to Reception's class page

This week the children have been working very hard on letter formation. We have been working on out ladder letters and curly caterpillar letters on white boards. We have been using lines to help us with our placement and our formation rhymes to help us get the correct shape. The children have been doing so well with it. Below you can see the letter formation rhymes to continue to practise at home too. 

Welcome back to school after what I hope was a relaxing half term. This half term we start looking at our new topic, 'Twinkly lights and gloomy nights.' Below is our topic map with possible avenues of learning. We are also very excited to be getting a visit from Ranger Stu on Monday who will be bringing some special animals friends for us to meet and find out some facts about, including how they live and what they need to be healthy. 

Well, haven't we been busy bees. Our class have been very excited to learn about the Little Red Hen and how she persevered to make her bread. The children were thrilled to make their own bread on Friday. They helped mix and kneed the bread which Miss Haley and the kitchen team kindly proved and baked for us. Earlier in the week the children came into class to find a strange jar with a handle on the top full of a white liquid. With a little investigation they found it was cream in a butter churn. Working together, they churned the cream enough to create butter. They were shocked at how quickly they had made it. We had a batch of butter after only 20 minutes of churning. This was a delicious treat on Friday afternoon to have home made butter on freshly baked bread. 

We have also been working super hard on our phonics. The children are now brilliant blenders of their sounds and are securing their recognition of the phase 2 sounds we have learnt in class. Keep it up. 

We have also been busy at forest school in the faraway forest creating lots of different things such as leaf towers and necklaces and even pet log dogs this week. The children loved the story 'Not a Stick' by Antoinette  Portis. This story allows children to use their imagination to transform a stick into something else. 

What a wonderful first 2 weeks we have had in class. The children are doing so well coming into class without their grown ups, choosing their lunch and settling to their busy finger activities. We have been busy creating self portraits and sharing about our families. It has been so lovely for the children to share their photos from the summer telling us about their likes and dislikes. It has been so lovely getting to know them. 

This week we have had a our meet the teacher meeting with Miss Conyard. You will find the presentation below if you were unable to join us at the meeting. If you have any question feel free to come and ask after school if it is a brief question, otherwise please make an after school appointment via the office. Please remember that first thing in the morning is difficult because we are trying to settle children and Miss Conyard would like to return to the classroom as soon as possible. 

We hope you have had a fun and safe summer. We have been very busy getting the classroom all ready for when you come to join us on Monday. 

Remember to come and meet us on the playground. We will be welcoming the children in through the garden gate and into the classroom. As we have said before parents, please can you say your goodbyes on the playground and swiftly walk past the windows. Waving at the windows causes distress for some children and it also causes the path way to and from the playground to become blocked. 

This week we will be looking at and sharing your special bags of pictures or small objects to tell us more about you. we can wait to find out more about you and all our new friends in class. We will be learning each other names and learning where all the things in the classroom are. 

Our PE day is Thursday. The children will need to come to school in their PE kits, plain white t-shirts, plain black jogging bottoms, plain black hoody or zip up jumper, and trainers. This enables them to spend more time focused on their PE skills and not changing. Please support your child at home to learn to get dressed independently. 

Lastly, before bringing them to school make sure they know who is picking them up and when. When you drop your child off to school make sure you say a confident goodbye - even if your don't feel it and walk swiftly and confident past the windows. 

We can wait to see you Monday. 

Miss Conyard, Mrs Highsted, Miss Hancock, Mrs Erasmus and Mrs Robinson

This is our topic map detailing possible avenues of learning. There is flexibility to allow the children to explore their own fascinations and interests.

Phonics Support 

’50 Things to do before you’re five’

There is a brand new app for families in Hertfordshire! It’s called ’50 Things to do before you’re five‘, it’s intention is to improve outcomes for our younger children. It’s full of ideas for activities and experiences that are free or low cost that encourage communication and language, being active and trying new things. Many experiences are outdoors and open ended so the whole family can take part! 
 

How many experiences and memories can you tick off?

A message for any families who are due to be starting our Reception Class in September.

I have attached a pdf story of a child starting school for you to share with your child. This will enable you to introduce the idea of staying all day at school, and will help all children that will be full time in September. Read the story and talk about it with your child. Doing this several times every now and again will help your child understand some of the experiences that will be ahead for them and help them cope emotionally for what could possibly be a challenge. We are very much looking forward to meeting you and your child and begin the process of getting to know you all.
 

Georgina Wilson, Early Years Leader

Phonics Support

Below are 2 documents to help support you in supporting your child with reading over the year. 

Below are some links to useful websites to support your children over the year.