Ready, steady; go!

Happy Summer Holidays.
Enjoy the rest, go out and explore!
However, if you really want to continue learnign at home:
Read Write Inc are still providing  phonics lessons until August.  They also have other useful videos such as read and hold a sentence.
Oak Academy have stored all videos online and you can therefore use the videos that we did not use and repeat others https://classroom.thenational.academy/subjects-by-year/reception 

Take care, stay safe and remember to Wash Your Hands 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDHJW4r3elE

Miss Webb 

I hope that you have had a lovely Easter break and enjoyed it as much as you can!  I also hope that you have managed to stay safe.
Thank you for the cards, messages and Hot Cross buns 
It is a different start to the Summer term isn't it?  Mrs Mooney and I are still thinking of you all, everyday!

We hope that you have been helping your grown ups at home and especially with the learning in Reception, it can be very tricky.  

Some useful websites, videos and links:

Please ensure you are keeping an eye on your children when using apps such as YouTube and ensure you have set restrictions where you can.

Maths 

1.  Numberblocks - particularly numbers 1 to 20, addition, subtraction, doubling and halving. 
   Videos can be found on BBC iPlayer 
   https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b08bzfnh/numberblocks
2. TopMarks Maths games - please select the EYFS age range. Remember children need to be secure with numbers 0 through to 20.
   https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=37

English

1.  Alphablocks - there does not appear to be as many videos on iPlayer for this so you might like to have a look at YouTube for these.
   https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b01cz0p1/alphablocks?seriesId=b00qjwv4
2.  Audible - Audible are allowing free access to children's stories so take a look at their website.  I believe they can be played on Alexa too (I have not tried this yet.)
   https://www.audible.co.uk/?source_code=M2M30DFT1Bk12108131902C5&ds_rl=1235674&ds_rl=1238482&ipRedirectOverride=true

P.E

1.  Joe Wicks - The Body Coach -YouTube channel
   Well done to those of you who have already taken part. Keep it up!  It is really important to stay active when we are inside so much.
   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAxW1XT0iEJo0TYlRfn6rYQ
2. GoNoodle - I know some of you have already had the pleasure of learning GoNoodle dances at home.  These are great for a brain break or a little shake up when the children are feeling a bit lethargic.  Give it a go.  Milkshake and Pop See Ko 2.0 have definitely been the class favourites this term.

Welcome to our Reception class!

Reading

A member of the Reception team will hear each child read during the week. Their book will then be sent home so that you can also share it with your child. If you have a picture book please use this time to talk to your child, it is important that they explain what they see in detail and can tell a story in full sentences. If your child has a word book please bear in mind that repeating a book several times helps your child to understand the story, even if they are remembering the words rather than actually reading them; most of us learn to read this way. You can consolidate their understanding by asking questions at the end and there are some questions in the back of most books that we send home.  Please sign the reading record to indicate that you have shared the book. If the reading record has not been signed, then your child will read the book at school to an adult the following week. when your child is ready they will start on our phonics schemem using ditty books. The ditty books contain 3 stories. We aim to hear your child read one ditty a week at school but if you finish the book at home and sign the reading record, we will change it on a weekly basis. This means of recording what your child has read will mean that their skills will develop at an appropriate pace. Thank you for your support.

Mathematics
In maths  we will  look at numbers to 20, counting backwards as well as forwards, halves, doubles, sharing and adding and subtracting by counting on and back. We will also start recording our answers in our maths books.

Phonics
Later in the year we will split the class into groups for phonics. One group will concentrate on letter recognition, blending and segmenting 3 letter words. The other group will move on to learning long vowel sounds for reading and writing.

The letter sets are as follows:

Group 1: m a s d t I n p g o c k u b f e l h sh r j v y w th z ch qu x ng nk

Group 2: sh th ch ng nk ay ee igh ow oo ar or air ir ou oy

Sounds, Pot Words & Spellings
I will send home sounds and later on in the term, pot words. I am grateful for your support as your child develops their reading and writing skills. 
 

Water Bottles
Please provide your child with a water bottle. Research has proved that access to water does help to keep children alert. We have had a few damaged reading and library books because children are coming in with water bottles in their book bags that have then leaked. Please keep them separate.
Please also ensure that your child’s water bottle contains water only.

Information about going home

You will see a small wipe board just on the right of the wall just inside the dining hall. Please use this to put messages about any changes in arrangements at the end of the day, or if your child is going home with another. Please do telephone the school immediately if there is a sudden change in plan

Absent children
If your child is ill or not in school please always call the office between 8.00 and 8.30 am to let us know, as this is the best time to call.

Clothing
With the cold weather, please send in appropriate coats, hats and gloves as we always go out. Please ensure everything is named, including gloves!

P.E. Kit
Please provide a named PE kit in a small drawstring bag or carrier bag as we are very limited for space in our cloakroom area. We send PE kits home for washing every half term. If you find something that doesn’t belong to your child, please return it to school.  Also, could parents please leave the top button of polo shirts undone on Thursdays as children find them very difficult to undo independently. 

Book bags for every child
Although most of you use ParentMail, at an individual class level, the book bag is the main way we can send letters and information home to you and for you to share information with us, so please look in it everyday just in case there is something there for you. (Your child may struggle at times to find their book bag. It can help them to find it if you put one key ring they like on the handle).

Brown Bear

Brown Bear will make visits! You are most welcome to write about his adventures in his diary but please restrict your writing to one page. Drawings and photographs are welcome too. The diary is kept in his rucksack. Your child will be encouraged to talk to the rest of the class about the time Brown Bear spent with you. Please encourage your child to ‘read’ Brown Bear's favourite bedtime story by describing the pictures. If you are going somewhere that you think Brown Bear might enjoy, please let me know.

Show and Tell

We will  have show and tell on  Fridays. Please bring interesting things that your child is able to talk about. you may like to rehearse at home so they feel ready when speaking in front of the class. I do ask that no toys are brought for show and tell unless they are special for a particular reason. There is a rota for which group is invited to bring their show and tell on the Foundation Stage door.

Areas in our classroom

There are many ways in which we learn and play is very important in Reception. We spend lots of our time consolidating our learning through play. We have areas which are used to help with our writing and these link to our topics. we have a maths area to help with counting, sorting, number recognition and writing plus many more thngs.

The role play area helps us to communicate through our play and we act out stories and as we become confident we make up our own stories.

Home made playdough is used to help strengthen our hands and use our fine motor skills. We use threading and puzzels to help this too.

The outside areas lets us grain strength and stamina and we use our gross motor skills by throwing or kicking balls, climbing on the climbing frame, riding bikes and scooters as well as many other activities. It's good to let off steam too.