Beech Newsletter Term 2 – ‘Bright Lights, Big City!’

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Dear Parents,

I hope you had a great half term. The children have settled really well and it has been wonderful to watch new friendships grow! This term we will be starting our new topic of ‘Bright Lights, Big City’. We will be continuing to look at London before moving on to cities around the world.

This Term’s Homework

Reading

 

 Please read with your child regularly. Their books and book bags will need to be in every day.

In school, we have our own record keeping systems and teachers/TAs will not write in these home records. It is expected in our school reading policy that the children should read at home at least three times a week. If the children achieve their ‘three reads’ they will receive a raffle ticket. Please take a new page each week in the reading record book so that we can see who has read three times.

The reading records will be checked and raffle tickets given on a Friday and entered into a draw which will be held in the following week’s celebration assembly.
Spellings Termly spellings will be sent out. Following parent feedback, these spellings will be given in a spelling book that will be sent home to practise. Then we will test in their school spelling book and record the results in their home book for you to see.
Maths Times Tables Rock Stars and MyMaths activities are optional for Key Stage One children. These activities will be set at the beginning of each term. However it is expected that parents will support children to learn their times tables at home.

Year 1 children – 2 x and 10 x tables

Year 2 children – 2 x, 5 x, 10 x tables with the extension of 3 x and 4 x

Questions to Ask at Home

  • What do I know about Remembrance Day?
  • Why do we remember on this date?
  • Have you been to any cities? What are they like?
  • How are cities different to the towns and villages that we live in?
  • What things give us light?
  • What types of electronic technology do we have in our homes?

The Christmas Nativity

This year, we are very excited to announce that Reception and Year 1&2 will be performing their very own Nativity on 13th December at 2pm. More information will follow regarding costumes and props in another letter. Key Stage 2 will be performing in the evening at 6.30pm. (Key Stage 1 will not be performing in the evening performance.)

Home Learning Tasks

Please one of the following to bring into school during the term:

  • Make a model of a city landmark using junk modelling, construction kits and take a photo of it to share
  • Find out about some of the capital cities in the world
  • Visit London and take some photos to share
  • Visit a local bonfire or fireworks display and find out about Guy Fawkes

Helping to Enrich Our Topics

It is always great to have items or visitors that support our topic, so if anyone has any experience or items that may help us with any of the work we are doing this term, we would love to see and hear about them. We are planning a Stargazing Bonfire Evening at Chiddingly School with our friends from East Hoathly nearer the time. Another letter will follow shortly.

Useful Websites

Reminders

Please make sure your child brings in a water bottle each day with fresh water; ensure all jumpers are labelled and bring a coat for any wet weather.

Many thanks, and I hope you have a great term!

Mrs Winchester

Reading at School and at Home

Forest School

In term 2, Beech Class will be having their block of Forest School sessions. This will be on Wednesday afternoons, starting from Week 2.

Please make sure your child has the following items in school on Wednesdays every week as we will be going outside whatever the weather:

  • welly boots
  • waterproof jacket with a hood
  • waterproof trousers
  • warm clothing
  • gloves and a hat

We are still hoping that volunteers will come forward to help us with our Forest School sessions so if you are able to help, please see either myself or Mrs Dann.

Learning Map