Autumn 1 Term 2021
Dear Parents/Carers,
We all hope you had a lovely summer and that the children are happy and enjoying being in their new Reception class. We look forward to building a great partnership with you and your child.
This term our topic is “We Are Unique”. We will be focusing on getting to know your child and settling them into a new environment.
Religious Education
Our core value for this half-term is “Dear Jesus, help me to care for others.”
We will be embedding this core value throughout our curriculum which is outlined below. Children will explore how our world was created and ways to care about God’s creatures and each other.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
We will start this half term by learning about feelings and behaviours. We will discuss different emotions together and model how to manage feelings. Children will be encouraged to share resources with their peers and develop friendships with others. They will be building their confidence when speaking in small groups and during whole class learning. Children will become familiar with the daily routine and expectations.
Communication and Language
Children will be supported to develop their listening and attention skills and follow simple instructions. There will be lots of opportunities for children to share opinions, ideas and personal interests. We will be reading and listening to lots of stories, developing our imaginations and extending children’s vocabulary.
Literacy
Throughout the school day children will become familiar with recognising and writing their own names. We will explore rhyming strings through stories and songs. There will be activities to encourage hearing and saying initial sounds in words and children will be introduced to the letters s,a,t,p,i,n. Children will be encouraged to give meaning to the marks they make.
Physical Development
Using the indoor and outdoor space, children will gain spatial awareness of themselves and others. They will become independent at personal hygiene and putting on their coats, cardigans etc. Children will be encouraged to use the correct pencil grip and gain control when using mark making implements.
We have a wide range of apparatus which will enable children to explore different ways of moving and travelling with control and confidence.
Mathematics
We will be having great fun exploring numbers, counting in sequences and recognising numerals. With different resources we will use objects to count reliably and use the correct numeral to represent a given amount. Thinking about mathematical vocabulary we will expand the children’s knowledge of shape and use shapes to create different patterns and models.
Understanding the World (UTW)
In our UTW area in the classroom, children will be able to freely explore different materials and develop knowledge about their senses. They will begin to gain an understanding about the difference in family customs and traditions. They will expand their vocabulary about different homes and create simple maps of their own journey to school.
Expressive Arts
Whilst getting messy and using a range of materials children will create their own representations of people and objects familiar to them. They will choose particular colours for a desired purpose. They will have the opportunities to explore a range of different roleplay areas and create their own play areas alongside and with other children. Children will participate in whole class music lessons learning new songs and actions.
Ways to help your child learn
Reading
From the 20th of September onwards, your child will bring home two books. One book will be a reading scheme book chosen by their teacher for them to read to you. The second book will be a sharing book that they have chosen from our book corner. Please encourage your child to read to you daily. Please could you then write a short comment in their reading record journal or sign your name to show that they have read. Sharing books together is a great way to develop a love of reading!
Writing
Encouraging your child to write their own name independently (first letter to be a capital and subsequent letters should be lowercase) and recognise letters from their name when they see them in the local environment would be fantastic.
Number
Identifying numbers in the local environment such as door numbers, numbers on buses and counting different objects will really support their knowledge of number. Singing number songs is also a fun thing to do together and greatly beneficial.
Giving your child opportunities to become more independent such as dressing and undressing themselves so they can practice buttons, zips etc, pouring drinks of water, using a knife and fork to cut their food at mealtimes and washing their hands after going to the toilet and before mealtimes.
Things to remember
Book bags need to be brought into school everyday and your child will be heard reading at least once a week.
It would be really helpful if all uniform could be clearly labelled with your child’s name.
Please can you email Miss Oakley / Mrs Anthony a family photo to go on our class family tree or bring a photo into school.
Contact details
Mrs Anthony: janthony14.209@lgflmail.org
Miss Oakley: doakley8.209@lgflmail.org
Many thanks,
The Early Years Team