Oak Newsletter Term 1 – ‘Marvellous Me’

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Dear Parents,

Firstly, we would like to say how impressed we have been with the children since they have started with us. They have all settled into school life amazingly!

Our topic for this first term is ‘Marvellous Me’. We will be spending time exploring different stories that encourage us to think about feelings, differences and keeping healthy. Alongside this, we will be working on number recognition and formation and developing our foundation understanding of letters and sounds.

Our key stories this term are ‘Elmer’, ‘I’m Absolutely Too Small for School’ and ‘Katie in London’.

The boxes below explain briefly the areas we will be looking at and some of the work we will be doing which will be incorporated through play and teacher focused activities.

Home Learning

We encourage children to continue their learning at home which will enhance their progress at school. There will be a meeting on Monday 26^th September at 2.45pm in the classroom, to discuss home learning, reading and phonics.

As the year progresses and children’s understanding develops, home learning tasks will adapt and increase appropriately.

Reading

Please read with your child regularly. At this stage it is really helpful to encourage the children to use the pictures to tell stories. We change the children’s Home Reading books regularly. Their books and book bags will however be needed in school every day for 1:1 reading. You may like to add a positive or helpful comment in the reading diary but please acknowledge the fact that the book has been read by signing and dating in the comments book. More information about our reading strategies will be given at the meeting.

Letters & Sounds

Every week the children will bring home the sounds they have been working on in the week. In their home learning book the children can practice these sounds by writing them, finding words that start with them and cutting pictures out of catalogues. It would be really useful to support the children in identifying these sounds when reading with them. Also to connect our learning in school with home, could you please find something small from home that starts with one of our sounds, for example P – pirate or S – Snake and bring it into school on Monday (ensuring it is named). This is so we can create a ‘Sound Table’ which the children can use.

Quick Reminders

• Please can you make sure your child brings in a water bottle and their book bag each day.
• Can the children please always bring a coat particularly as the British weather is unpredictable.
• Our regular PE day is Monday but PE kits should be in all week as we fit in other sessions where possible.

Useful websites

• www.phonicsplay.co.uk – phase 2 - phonics games and activities.
• www.topmarks.co.uk – Early Years maths and phonics games.
• www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/eyfs/ - Games and activities for all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Questions to think about at home

• How are you 'marvellous' at home? How could you help your family?
• Do you know anything about London?
• What are your favourite stories?

We hope you all have a lovely first term supporting the children in their learning and please do not hesitate to come and speak to us if you have any questions.

Thank you for your support.

Mrs Winchester and Mrs Woods