Autumn 1
The children have just completed their first full week of school. And yes, we’re all shattered! We thought we would take this opportunity to let you know how things are going. We are delighted by the way the children have settled into school and different routines of the day.
When you bring the children into class in the morning they need to tell the adult with the register what they are having for lunch that day and then check the ‘jobs’ board to see what their first job of the day will be. Please encourage your child to be as independent as possible by letting them write their name (even if it is just one letter), select pencils and paper, choose their own book etc.
This week we will be having a focused phonics session every day. We have timetabled for teaching session times in all six areas of learning throughout the week with follow up activities where we work with small groups. Carpet sessions are short and snappy at this stage in the term.
Please let someone know if a different adult will be collecting at home time. At home time we would like you to come into school and collect your child from the carpet and then help them collect their coats, lunch boxes ,book bags and any pictures and models they have done during the day from the other room. This gives us more teaching and quality time at the end of the school day.
We would appreciate it if you could send your child’s book bag in most days so that the children can independently put in any work they have done to go home. From next week we will be sending home a book. If your child does not know 12 letter sounds they will bring home a book for you to read to them.
If you have any questions or queries don’t hesitate to ask one of us – we don’t bite and we realise things are new for many of you.
Many thanks for all your support!
The Foundation 2 Team
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This will include learning across all the six areas of the Foundation Stage as follows
We are “tigers, lions and leopards”
Jungle animals- ‘walking through the jungle’
Ocean animals ‘Billy’s bucket’, ‘Commotion in the Ocean’
Woodland Animals ‘The Gruffalo’
Pets ‘The Purrfect Pet’
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
This area of learning is imperative at this early age and we are encouraging the children to show respect for the equipment and resources, by using them properly and helping to tidy them away. So far we have some very tidy children let’s hope it stays that way! We reinforce to the children how they are expected to behave through positive praise and reinforcement of good behaviour.
We are taking the opportunity to share the children’s treasure boxes which they have brought into school. This will help us get to know the children better and build up their confidence about talking to adults and each other in small groups. Please make sure your child has brought them in by the middle of next week.
We are encouraging the children to show care and respect for each other, by being kind and valuing each other and our differences. We will be sharing beat baby during small circle time sessions.
Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
In number work we will continue to build on the children’s knowledge of numbers and the number system. Through practical activities and discussion they will be encouraged to use number names, count aloud both forwards and backwards, count sets of objects and match amounts to numbers.
They will also be using language to compare size which they will learn through focused activities and also through play both inside and outside.
Communication, Language and Literacy.
There will be a wealth of speaking and listening opportunities to build up children’s vocabulary through playing with small world toys, sharing books and rhymes, using puppets etc as part of all the daily activities. The role play will be changing weekly and we will be having explorers, vets, pet shops, under the sea. The children will develop many skills in this area most importantly communicating with each other, developing imagination and mark making skills.
We will be looking at a variety of stories in the big and small book format and also using texts on the interactive whiteboard. We will use these books, their pictures and photographs as a stimulus and inspiration to encourage the children to engage in early writing. By listening for each individual sound within words the children will be able to write simple, familiar and rhyming words independently! Early emergent writing comes in many forms from squiggles, lines, zig zags all of which are an important first step to writing independently and we encourage this. We have set up a mark making table where the children can independently access the equipment they wish to use.
We are teaching the children letter sounds at quite a fast pace. This is very deliberate. We will assess the children at the end of the 26 letters and then group the children according to their ability. We will also be playing phonic games with small groups to reinforce what we have learnt.
Creative Development
So far we have lots of budding artists who have created some fantastic models and pictures! We are teaching the children to get their own resources and to be able to mix powder paint independently. So far they have made a very good start. We reinforce the process of painting and making and the skills involved not on whether the end product looks perfect.
We have divided the class into three small groups for focused music sessions where will are introducing beat babies (small furry toys which look a bit like monkeys). We are creating beat baby raps and rhymes over the half term and using simple percussion instruments.
The children will have continual access to various malleable and messy materials such as playdough, clay, salt, jelly, cornflour etc where they can use their imagination to create designs in both 2D and 3D. The children will also have time to explore with a wide range of materials and resources to pursue their own creative ideas in the making area. Please be aware when dressing your child for school that they wear something practical and preferably not too new!
Physical Development
Physical development doesn’t just include PE sessions but also activities to help develop the children’s fine and gross motor skills. Handling materials like clay and playdough help develop their manipulative skills as well as using scissors, tipping and pouring, whisking mixtures, chopsticks and tweezers. The best thing is the children just think they are playing!
PE will take place weekly so please be aware when dressing your child that day – tying 30 pairs of shoelaces can become rather tedious! We do help the children dressing when they have difficulties but we encourage them to be independent. Can we just remind parents who have not provided a PE kit that we need these ASAP otherwise the children are not allowed to join in and also earrings MUST NOT be worn. We will be working on spatial awareness and movement on the floor and playing listening games.
Leopards PE on Friday
Lions PE on Thursday
Tigers PE on Wednesday
The children have the opportunity to access the outdoor space during the day where they can engage in a wide range of focused activities. We do try and reinforce to the children it is our outdoor classroom not just for racing about in.
Knowledge and Understanding of the world
We are playing games on the interactive whiteboard and learning how to share the pen. We also use the beebot (programmable toy) to find numbers, letters and follow a story.
We are hoping to start baking as soon as our new cooker is connected. Please make us aware if your child has any food allergies.
Each classroom has an investigation area where the children have been encouraged to explore different materials, make their own sculptures, sort materials and discover things. The children also use different construction materials to make their own models.
