Willow – Miss Kennedy (Reception)

Willow class have settled in well to the academic year and are beginning to make excellent progress. They are very excited to learn and are eager to begin their activities each morning. The teachers are already extremely proud of the progress the children have already made.

This term in literacy we will be looking at the text “The Storm Whale” linked to our whole school “One World” project and recycling. This will allow us to explore the structure of texts and begin to explore poetry. Towards the end of the term we will learn about traditional tales, particularly “Little Red” to allow us to begin to tell our own stories.

In phonics we will be focusing on learning the different letters and their sounds. We will particularly be looking at letter formation, recognising and writing our own names, and beginning to read and write short, three letter words. This will be taught daily in short sessions in the morning, and we will focus on learning one new letter each day.

Our focus at the beginning of this term is to become confident in the numbers 0-5 before progressing onto higher numbers. We are hoping for the children to be able to write, represent and solve problems involving the numbers 1-5 independently. Once we have developed these skills we will move on to sorting groups of object, and learning about 2D shapes.

For this term, Reception will be having a weekly Tommy session that focuses on team building and listening skills, as well as incorporating physical activity. The children will also have a weekly drama session linked to their literacy with Mrs Tudor to help develop their confidence and further develop their understanding of our text. The class will also receive art weekly from Ms Martin and computing every week from Mr Triggs, to ensure they receive a full and enriching curriculum.

There is lots of opportunity for outdoor learning in Reception, and we aim for the children to participate in outdoor activities every day throughout the school year. Therefore, please ensure you child has appropriate clothing and  footwear for the outdoors all year round.

We have already made an exciting start to our learning this year in Reception. In September we had a Chester Zoo Ranger visit our classroom to talk about the conservation project they are currently undertaking. Reception class also have an upcoming school trip scheduled with Year One to a recycling centre where they will learn how they can help our environment at home. At the recycling centre, each child will get the opportunity to make a piece of art work using entirely recycled materials.

Snack: Every morning we have snack time where the children have access to fruit, but you can also purchase apple juice, orange juice and toast for a small fee. This can be done online through ParentPay. The children constantly have access to their water bottles throughout the day.

Learning Journeys: We are recording the children’s work and progress in Learning Journey books. The teaching team are happy to receive any work your child produces at home to add to their Learning Journeys. We will be hosting regular events in school for parents to attend where you can come in and look at your child’s learning journey.

Reading: The children will still be sent home with a reading book of their level which will be changed three times a week on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We would like to encourage you to read at home with your child as often as possible and ensure that their reading books and diaries are returned to school each day.

Please do not hesitate to pop in at the end of the day or contact the school office with any queries you may have or anything you would like to discuss.

Many thanks,

Miss Kennedy.