Friday 14th July
In Literacy this week we have been reading more traditional tales, focussing on Hansel and Gretel, as well as Thumbelina. We have role played the characters in the story and have chosen and recorded what speech we think the character would say. We have made a list of instructions on how to build a gingerbread house and add sweets and icing on top!
This week, in Phonics we have been learning to read by sight the words; one, when, out and what. We apply our knowledge by writing the words in sentences. We have also been searching for some of our high frequency words, outside in the Green Area and also practicing writing the words in glittery sand.
In Maths this week we have been further exploring the formation of numbers as well as doubling numbers. We have worked with rhymes to help us remember how to write the letters, for example to write a 2 we draw half a heart with a line. A link to the song we have used can be found here:
In R.E. we have been continuing our topic Our World. We have discussed how sometimes things like natural disasters or littering can make the world not a nice place to live. We have written about ways we can help the world to be good, like picking up litter, and looking after plants because they help us to breathe.
On Thursday we had a fantastic time at Brentwood Cathedral celebrate the Year 2s and their achievements as they get ready to move on to the Juniors!
Friday 7th July
In Literacy this week we have been reading more traditional tales, focussing on Hansel and Gretel. We have role played the characters in the story and have chosen and recorded what speech we think the character would say. We have also drawn maps to show Hansel and Gretel’s journey through the forest, labelling the things that they might have seen.
This week, in Phonics we have been learning to read and write words with adjacent consonants. We apply our knowledge by writing the words in sentences. We have also been searching for some of our high frequency words, outside in the Green Area.
In Maths this week we have been further exploring the composition of numbers up to ten. We have worked on ways to make a total number with three smaller groups. For example: 4+3+3=10. We are using giant tens frames outside to help us apply our learning.
In R.E. we have been continuing our topic Our World. We have discussed what we love and wonder about the world, creating finger paintings using watercolours. We also sequenced and wrote the Creation Story in our books.
Outside, we have been mixing and dissolving with cold tea in the water trays. We have also used photo paper and 2D shapes to create art by letting the sun change the colour of the paper.
On Friday we had a great time taking part in events for Sports Day. It was lovely to have our grown ups come to watch us and we all had so much fun!
Friday 30th June
This week in Literacy we have been our look at traditional tales with The Three Little Pigs. We have created Wanted posters for The Big Bad Wolf, acting out a scene with our friends to imagine what the 3 pigs and wolf would say and working independently to make story maps and write speech bubbles for the characters in the story. In addition, we discussed the similarities and differences between various versions of the story. We also read a ‘twisted’ tale to see how the story could be mixed up with a bit of imagination!
This week, in Phonics we have been continuing to work on reading and writing words with adjacent consonants. We have also been working on revising our irregular (or tricky) words, this week we have been learning to read and write: some, come, were, there and little. We are trying to include these words in our sentences.
In Maths this week we have been revisiting and building on our knowledge of number bonds. We are all aiming to know our number bonds to 5 by heart and then some to higher numbers. We have also been challenging ourselves to make a given number by doing a subtraction, in addition to simply adding two numbers together.
In R.E. we have been completing our topic of Friends with our celebration. We have been revisiting our Big Question: Is it good to have friends? The children have been considering how we can apologise and forgive our friends when things go wrong. They will be carrying the messages they have learnt home to their families on hearts.
This week was also Art Week. The focus this year has been on the artist and designer Camille Walala. Ms Walala is possibly best known for her decoration of buildings in major cities around the world, including London. Her work is distinguished by the use of very bright colours and shape to cover the surface. Our Reception children have enjoyed creating pictures using shapes, colour mixing to explore and create their own preferred colour to paint a house outline and finally, to overprint the house with shapes and colours of their choosing.
Friday 23rd June
In Literacy this week we have been reading our new text ‘The Old Woman and the Red Pumpkin.’ This is a traditional tale so we have been discussing other traditional tales like “The Three Billy Goats Gruff”. We have created story maps and fact files about the characters as well as creating our own versions of the characters and describing them.
This week, in Phonics we have been learning adjacent consonants. We have practiced spotting them and blending words that contain the. We apply our knowledge by writing the words in sentences.
In Maths this week we have been learning about spotting patterns with odd and even numbers. We have been making sure we know that even numbers always have partners and how to spot an even or odd number. We have also been learning how to represent odd and even numbers using a tens frame.
In R.E. we have been lucky enough to have taken part in a workshop run by CAFOD. We learnt all about human dignity and what it means with the help of Luck the Deer. We also looked at a story of a boy from a Bangladesh and how our lives are similar and different.
This week was also World Wise Week so we have been learning about different things around the world. For example, how weather changes around the world and what different homes look like. On Wednesday we also celebrated World Music Day! Reception celebrated this by making their own rain shakers and using them to create music.
Friday 16th June
In Literacy this week we have been reading our new text ‘The Old Woman and the Red Pumpkin.’ This is a traditional tale so we have been discussing other traditional tales that we know already. Also, our role play areas have transformed into traditional tale settings so we can act as the characters! We have written about traditional tales we like and have created story maps about ‘The Old Woman and the Red Pumpkin.’
This week, in Phonics we have been learning about the irregular words: said, have, like, so and do. We have been practising reading them first, then writing them. We apply our knowledge by writing the words in sentences.
In Maths this week we have been learning with the book ‘The Great Pet Sale’ by Mick Inkpen. We have been talking about different coin amounts and adding the prices up for buying different pets. We have also been practising our doubling skills by drawing equal amounts and adding them altogether.
In R.E. we have been continuing our topic of Friends. This week we wrote about ways to be a good friend like Jesus and things that can spoil a friendship. We based our learning on Jesus’s rule, ‘Love one another.’
This week was also Healthy Eating Week so we talked about different foods that keep us healthy and even tried a variety of fruits during snack. We discussed our food preferences, the importance of drinking water and ways to reduce foot waste.
Friday 9th June
In Literacy this week we have started learning about our new Power of Reading text: The Old Lady and the Red Pumpkin. We have made predictions about what we think the story will be from looking at the front cover. The children have also been finding out facts about the animals that feature in the story, a tiger, bear and jackal. In addition we had a day immersing ourselves in the story of the Naughty Bus creating role play, story maps and retelling the story with illustrations.
This week, in Phonics we are continuing to improve our understanding and use of sounds we already know since we have covered all of the Phase 2 and Phase 3 sounds. We are concentrating on recognising, reading and writing words with consonant clusters at the beginning and ends of words (stitch, dodge, crowd). We practise reading back sentences with fluency once we have decoded all the words and then we work on writing sentences that have been dictated back to us. We are also concentrating on using some of our high frequency words in our writing.
In Maths this week we have been concentrating on comparing groups of objects and mastering the language of comparison: more than, fewer than and equal to or the same. In addition we have been focusing on sharing amounts equally. Has everyone got the same amount? Are there any left over, and why?
In R.E. we are continuing our topic – Friends. This week we have been considering the qualities that made Jesus such a good friend, re-reading Mark 6:7 30-32. We thought about and discussed how we can show those same qualities in our daily lives. The children wrote a ‘recipe’ for friendship.
In addition, we had a day immersing ourselves in the story of the Naughty Bus creating role play, story maps and retelling the story with illustrations. We have also started the Journey in Love. This week we talked and wrote about what makes us feel loved and special in our families.
Friday 26th May
In Literacy this week we have been talking about the emotional journey of the characters in ‘On Sudden Hill.’ We have role played being the different boys in the story using our bodies and faces. We have also been describing the box creature that Etho and Shu build for Birt. We have been making sure we use describing words in our writing.
This week, in Phonics we are continuing to improve our understanding and use of sounds we already know since we have covered all of the Phase 2 and Phase 3 sounds. We are concentrating on recognising, reading and writing digraphs and trigraphs in words. We practise reading back sentences with fluency once we have decoded all the words and then we work on writing sentences that have been dictated back to us. We are also concentrating on using some of our high frequency words in our writing.
In Maths this week we have been recapping all that we have learned throughout the year and completing our Maths Assessment. This helps the staff see if there are any gaps in learning so that we are ready to continue on with our learning. We have been subitising and counting among other things.
In R.E. we have started our new topic – Friends. We have been thinking about why it is important to have friends and why we like having friends. We have read Mark 6:7 30-32 and written sentences about our friends and why we like to spend time with each other.
This week has also been Science Week, we have enjoyed sharing our homework as a class and discussing the Science we have done at home. We have also enjoyed making connections and constructing bridges with Year 1 and Year 2. We have also really enjoyed dressing up as Science and are amazed at what brilliant scientists we all are.
Friday 19th May
In Literacy this week we have been talking about the emotional journey of the characters in ‘On Sudden Hill.’ We have role played being the different boys in the story using our bodies and faces. Then we imagined and wrote what we though the characters may have been saying. We made predictions about how we thought Etho and Shu may have persuaded Birt to join them in their play again.
This week, in Phonics we have done our Phonics Assessments. This helps the staff see if there are any gaps in learning and see which sounds, words and challenges we are ready to take on next.
In Maths this week we have been applying our subtraction skills to solve reasoning problems. We would have to read the subtraction sentence, then use our number bonds, fingers, counters or number lines to help us check if the answer was correct. If the answer was incorrect, we rewrote the number sentence with the correct answer.
In R.E. we have been learning about Hinduism and the festival of Diwali. We decorated rangoli patterns and learned about the story of Rama and Sita in the forest. We wrote about the story and painted fireworks pictures.
The most exciting part of our week was going on our trip to Hyde Hall! We all got to do some planting and learn about some of the animals that live at the park. We pretended to be birds, making a nest and did some colour matching with the plants and flowers around the place. Also, we collected natural materials and created our own bookmarks. We had a lovely sunny lunch outside and rolled down hills, making the most of every minute of the day. What an amazing day full of fun.
Friday 12th May
In Literacy this week we have continued to explore the characters and themes in our new text ‘On Sudden Hill’ by Linda Sarah. We wrote a diary entry to record what the characters, Birt and Etho, have been doing in the story. We followed the 4 rules of diary writing: start with Dear Diary, writing in the first person, talking about the feelings of the character and finishing with a sign off and name. We also made inferences about what we were reading, ‘reading between the lines’ to see what we thought the characters were feeling. We have been working on writing more independently by using our sounds and ensuring we use capital letters, full stops and finger spaces between our words.
This week, in Phonics we are continuing to improve our understanding and use of sounds we already know since we have covered all of the Phase 2 and Phase 3 sounds. We are concentrating on recognising, reading and writing digraphs and trigraphs in words. We practise reading back sentences with fluency once we have decoded all the words and then we work on writing sentences that have been dictated back to us. We are also concentrating on using some of our high frequency words in our writing.
In Maths this week we have been applying our number knowledge through number stories, subtracting one number / amount from another. We read out the problem, then discuss what numbers are being used, figuring out what the addition number sentence will be to help us solve the story. Then we calculate the answer using our fingers or by counting on, if we do not know the answer through our number bonds. We have also been using our reasoning to work out if an number sentence given is right or wrong. We are working on our number formation as well when writing out number sentences in our books and on whiteboards.
In R.E. we are continuing learning with our topic of Good News. This week we have been considering the joy that the love of the Holy Spirit brings. We created dances in small groups to show joy, using the music The Flight of the Bumblebee. We discussed how we can feel the love of the Holy Spirit every day.
Other activities of the week have, of course, included lots of talk of the Coronation of King Charles over the weekend. We have also been looking at forms of transport from the past and now to understand the passage of time.
Friday 28th April
In Literacy this week we have been exploring the characters and themes in our new text ‘On Sudden Hill’ by Linda Sarah. We have made predictions about the characters and then decided to think about how we would use boxes in our play. We listened to the story of ‘Not a Box’ by Antoinette Portis to inspire some ideas. We have been working on writing more independently by using our sounds and ensuring we use capital letters, full stops and finger spaces between our words. Outside we have been playing with boxes and designing them to become role play objects in our learning. It has been lots of fun!
This week, in Phonics we are continuing to improve our understanding and use of sounds we already know since we have covered all of the Phase 2 and Phase 3 sounds. We are concentrating on recognising, reading and writing digraphs and trigraphs in words. We practise reading back sentences with fluency once we have decoded all the words and then we work on writing sentences that have been dictated back to us. We are also concentrating on using some of our high frequency words in our writing.
In Maths this week we have been applying our number knowledge through number stories. We read out the problem, then discuss what numbers are being used, figuring out what the addition number sentence will be to help us solve the story. Then we calculate the answer using our fingers or by counting on, if we do not know the answer through our number bonds. We are working on our number formation as well when writing out number sentences in our books and on whiteboards.
In R.E. we are continuing learning with our topic of Good News. This week we read the scripture which explains the story of Pentecost. We discussed how the disciples must have felt and what they were waiting for. Then we read about the receiving of the Holy Spirit and created headbands to represent the ‘tongues of flames’ which were gifted upon the aspostles.
Other activities of the week have included scooting across the playground to read words, creating our own real life number stories, independent playdough creations and talking about the differences and similarities between people.
Friday 21st April
In Literacy this week we have been learning about what makes a good friend. We have made lists of our friends, talked and written about how we can be a good friend to others and made a friendship pledge to. This is in preparation for our new Power of Reading text: On Sudden Hill, which explores how we can make and keep friends through play.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been:
Reviewing: air, ure, er
At this point it is important for us to know the sounds as well as the letter names so that we can describe the digraphs and trigraphs (2 or 3 letter sounds) that we are learning in phonics. We have a stronger focus on hearing the sounds in words, then writing them. The children are encouraged to write sentences using words which include the sounds and words of focus. For example: The fairy has a longer pair of socks.
In Maths this week we have doing learning more about the number bonds to 5 and to 10. We have been writing number sentences to show these bonds and working out what the missing number is in a given number bond. The children are becoming more secure in these bonds and so we are showing how number bonds is the same as adding two numbers together.
In R.E. we have started our new topic of Good News, starting to explore the miracle of Pentecost. We shared good news and discussed how it feels to receive good news. We thought about the Disciples might have felt when Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. Then learning that though Jesus ascended to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit to the Disciples so that they could spread the Word of God throughout the world.
Other activities of the week have included exploring our new role play areas and sharing the resources well and discussing the changes around us in the natural world we have seen in April and drawing a picture.
Friday 31st March
In Literacy this week we have been learning with a new book called… Bug Hotel. We have been comparing this with Superworm and discussing what is different between fiction and non-fiction texts. We have been doing lots of independent writing based upon what we have learnt about minibeasts and sharing our work with each other. We have also been writing our own version of Superworm.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been:
Reviewing: or, ur, ow, oi, ear
At this point it is important for us to know the sounds as well as the letter names so that we can describe the digraphs and trigraphs (2 or 3 letter sounds) that we are learning in phonics. We have a stronger focus on hearing the sounds in words, then writing them. The children are encouraged to write sentences using words which include the sounds and words of focus. For example: At night the toad sees the moon.
In Maths this week we have been exploring length, size, weight and capacity. We have been using mathematical language to describe the length, size, weight and capacity and focusing on describing how we know the answer not just saying “because I can see it”. We have also been looking at repeating patterns and creating our own with different shapes.
In R.E. we are continuing learning with our topic of Growing (Lent). We have been learning the Easter Story and writing about what happened from Good Friday until Easter Sunday. We have also taken part in helping Miss McAuliffe with an assembly about Palm Sunday and acting out what happened for the rest of the school.
Other activities of the week have included exploring maps and discussing some of their features, being scientists in our investigation Bug Lab role play and making music outside whilst creating our own dances.
Friday 24th March
In Literacy this week we have been learning with a fun story about a worm called…Superworm. Most of the children are familiar with the story but we have been discussing the rhyming words and continuing rhyming strings. We have also worked on describing the characters in the text by referring back to the book to give evidence. The children have been independently writing their own scenes from the story and outside, have been writing about any action seen in our wormery we created earlier in the half term. This week we released our worms back into the digging area and will continue to observe them from there.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been:
Reviewing: igh, oa, oo (as in moon), oo (as in book) and ar
At this point it is important for us to know the sounds as well as the letter names so that we can describe the digraphs and trigraphs (2 or 3 letter sounds) that we are learning in phonics. We have a stronger focus on hearing the sounds in words, then writing them. The children are encouraged to write sentences using words which include the sounds and words of focus. For example: At night the toad sees the moon.
In Maths this week we have been exploring the composition and decomposition of shapes. We have been searching for smaller shapes inside larger ones and have been creating pictures with shapes, as well as looking for them in the environment around us. We have also been focusing on positional language, using words like in front, behind, between, next to, to describe the position of objects in relation to others.
In R.E. we are continuing learning with our topic of Growing (Lent). We have been learning the Easter Story and acting out parts of it. We have also been writing about the events of Good Friday and creating pictures and art to represent different scenes from the Easter Story.
Other activities of the week have included exploring maps and discussing some of their features, being scientists in our investigation Bug Lab role play and making music outside whilst creating our own dances.
Friday 17th March
In Literacy this week we have been finishing our Power of Reading text: Yucky Worms. We have been sharing all the incredible things we have learnt over the last weeks. By sharing and listening to each other, we have reminded ourselves of some amazing facts about worms: they have no eyes but breath through their skins; worms are covered in tiny hairs that help them to crawl; they include tiny stones in their diet to help them digest their food!! I am sure your children have been telling you all about wonderful worms. We completed a fact file about worms, including their appearance, diet, habitat and interesting facts.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been:
Reviewing sh, th, ng, ai and ee
At this point it is important for us to know the sounds as well as the letter names so that we can describe the digraphs and trigraphs (2 or 3 letter sounds) that we are learning in phonics. We have a stronger focus on hearing the sounds in words, then writing them. The children are encouraged to write sentences using words which include the sounds and words of focus. For example: This shop needs a song.
In Maths this week we have been doing lots of sorting activities, to notice the similarities and differences between objects. This has then led us on to noticing the differences between odd and even numbers. Odd numbers have 1 extra, then comparing that to the numeral to see the pattern of 1,3,5,7,9, and 2,4,6,8,10. We have been counting out odd and even numbers of objects, noticing the differences on numicon pieces and setting each other challenges to see how we have decided to sort objects.
In R.E. we have been continuing our topic of Growing. We were looking back at the Ash Wednesday Mass that was held in school. We recalled our special visitor on that day, Father Martin. Everyone enjoyed looking at their photo with the ash cross on their head. The children were writing down what they remembered, including the adults putting the crosses on their heads, singing ‘Patching up a Quarrel’, recalling their Lenten promise and that Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent.
This week the children also made a Spring flower artwork that included the techniques of collage, cutting out and using a tool (a fork) to make a new paint effect.
Friday 10th March
In Literacy this week we have been learning more from our text ‘Yucky Worms’. We talked about what worms eat and how worms help the world. As our writing task we wrote a menu for a worm and as part of our Expressive Arts and Design we created worm trails by staining paper with teabags and dragging string along the paper with paint.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been reviewing:
x, y, z, zz, qu and ch .
At this point it is important for us to know the sounds as well as the letter names so that we can describe the digraphs and trigraphs (2 or 3 letter sounds) that we are learning in phonics. We have a stronger focus on hearing the sounds in words, then writing them. The children are encouraged to write sentences using words which include the sounds and words of focus. For example: Give me the jug.
In Maths this week we have been exploring what doubling is and what doubling actually means. The children have been looking at a printed picture of a jar of worms and then doubling the number (5,7,10) and drawing the new ne=umber of worms into a separate jar.
In R.E. we been carrying on with our topic, Growing. We what we though Jesus might be like and how our Lenten promises can help us grow more in love. We also read our scripture focus for the topic. Children were encouraged to reflect on their Lenten promise and think of how that could make them more like Jesus during the season of Lent.
Fairtrade Fortnight also been a part of this week. We learnt about what ‘Fairtrade’ means and discussed some of the foods that have been affected by this (bananas, coffee, chocolate). Then we explored some photos and real life food in an investigation area, wrote about how we could become Fairtrade Warriors.
Friday 3rd March
In Literacy this week we have been learning with our World Book Day text ‘What We’ll Build’ by Oliver Jeffers. We talked about what the characters were doing and what they were building. We used junk to create our own inventions, planning them then using a range of materials to create them. Outside we used larger scale equipment such as planks, crates and bricks, to build some other creations. For our writing task we thought about what we would like to build in our future, discussing what jobs we might want or what dreams we may have for the future. This helped us prepare for our dressing up day when we all looked fantastic dressing as different jobs we may like to have when we grow up.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been:
er (as in ladder), then reviewing j, v and w.
Word focus: all, was, give, live
At this point it is important for us to know the sounds as well as the letter names so that we can describe the digraphs and trigraphs (2 or 3 letter sounds) that we are learning in phonics. We have a stronger focus on hearing the sounds in words, then writing them. The children are encouraged to write sentences using words which include the sounds and words of focus. For example: Give me the jug.
In Maths this week we have been deepening our understanding and recall of number bonds. We have used counters, numicon and people to create different number bonds, then recording what we can say orally, into a written number sentence. The children have been encouraged to make certain amounts in more than one way, then recording in their own ways, encouraged to write number sentences. This is getting them prepared for adding and subtracting later on in their learning.
In R.E. we have started our new topic of Growing. We discussed how and why things grow and then went on to read our scripture focus for the topic. Children were encouraged to discuss and write about how Mary and Joseph helped Jesus to grow in God’s love.
Fairtrade Fortnight also began this week. We learnt about what ‘Fairtrade’ means and discussed some of the foods that have been affected by this (bananas, coffee, chocolate). Then we explored some photos and real life food in an investigation area, and used a range of materials to create banana collages.
Friday 20th February
In Literacy this week we have started a new Power of Reading text, ‘Yucky Worms’! We have been thinking of what we already know about these garden helpers and what we would like to discover: Do worms sleep? What do worms eat? How do worms dig holes?
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been:
oi, ear, air, ure
At this point it is important for us to know the sounds as well as the letter names so that we can describe the digraphs and trigraphs (2 or 3 letter sounds) that we are learning in phonics. We practise finding these sounds in words and then reading sentences which include words that have our focus sounds in them. Then we will practise forming our letters by writing at first the sound on its own, then words or sentences which include these new sounds.
In Maths this week we have working on comparing numbers and numbers of objects. We have been making sure we recognise our numerals and then counting out a given number of toppings for our pizzas. Working with two friends, we then had to say which pizza had more or fewer toppings than others and put them in order from the fewest to the most. It was good fun and made us all very hungry!
In R.E. we finished off our topic of Gathering. We celebrated a Mass with Father Martin on Ash Wednesday. We talked about the start of Lent and we looked again at the Lenten Promises that we have made – all of them about being kind, loving, helpful and patient. We are aiming to be more like Jesus during this time.
Friday 10th February
In Literacy this week we have been still learning with our Power of Reading text, ‘Handa’s Surprise’. We have been retelling the story both verballing and writing it down. We have also been making sure that we include some of our High Frequency Words in our writing. We have been making sure that we know that all stories have a beginning, middle and end.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been:
ar, or, ur, ow
At this point it is important for us to know the sounds as well as the letter names so that we can describe the digraphs and trigraphs (2 or 3 letter sounds) that we are learning in phonics. We practise finding these sounds in words and then reading sentences which include words that have our focus sounds in them. Then we will practise forming our letters by writing at first the sound on its own, then words or sentences which include these new sounds.
In Maths this week we have working on counting out a specific number of objects from a larger group. We have also been exploring the composition of number up to 10 using language such as “more than”, “fewer than” and “equal to”.
In R.E. we have been exploring our topic of Gathering. We have discussed what the role of an altar server is in a church service and we have also been looking at how a parish family gather together to celebrate mass.
We also improved our ball skills and aiming skills during our PE lessons. We are especially enjoying looking at photos that have been emailed in to talk about the lives of people we know, sharing information with our friends.
Friday 3rd February
In Literacy this week we have been still learning with our Power of Reading text, ‘Handa’s Surprise’. We discussed why the characters were surprised for different reasons and focused on the animals of Africa. We read fact files about selected animals, looking for some high frequency words in the text and then wrote our own fact files independently, remembering to use our sounds to write words and leaving finger spaces between our words. We also remind the ourselves to start sentences with a capital letter and use a full stop at the end of them.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been:
Ai (as in rain), igh (asin night), oa (as in goat) and oo (long sound as in ‘moon’)
At this point it is important for us to know the sounds as well as the letter names so that we can describe the digraphs and trigraphs (2 or 3 letter sounds) that we are learning in phonics. We practise finding these sounds in words and then reading sentences which include words that have our focus sounds in them. Then we will practise forming our letters by writing at first the sound on its own, then words or sentences which include these new sounds.
In Maths this week we have been using the language of more than and fewer than, to compare groups of objects. Then we took amounts of objects and practised sharing them out equally. This is introducing us to the idea of equal amounts and will help us in further years when we tackle division. We are doing lots of counting backwards and forwards to help us with our fluency and understanding of numbers up to ten and beyond.
In R.E. we have started our new topic of Gathering. We discussed places where we gather with others and how it makes us feel when we are part of a group. Some children shared that they gather at the cinema or at the playground with friends. Others shared that we gather with the rest of the school during Hymn Practise and assemblies.
We have also been talking about animals and their different habitats, discussing why some animals are better suited for different environments. We also improved our ball skills and aiming skills during our PE lessons. We are especially enjoying looking at photos that have been emailed in to talk about the lives of people we know, sharing information with our friends.
Friday 27th January
In Literacy this week we have been starting to read Handa’s Surprise. We have been focusing on adjectives, describing words. The children have been thinking of all the variety of adjectives we can use to describe Handa’s fruit. We also set each other riddles to solve: I am green, I have a bumpy skin and I have a large stone. What am I? (An avocado). This has helped the children to see how useful adjectives can be. In addition, the children have been writing descriptive sentences about fruit, using adjectives.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been learning some new Phase 3 sounds: sh, th, ng, ai, ee. We practised using these sounds in fun activities such making words, reading clues, doing sound and word searches and a variety of writing activities. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
In Maths this week we have been focusing on how we can make the numbers 6 & 7. This is building on our work on number bonds to 5 from last week. The children have been making different combinations of two colour counters to show how the numbers 6 & 7 can be made and thinking about the variety of number bonds.
In R.E. we have brought our topic of Celebrating to a close. We considered the Big Question again: What and why do we celebrate? The children shared their learning about how the Parish Family celebrates special occasions, such as baptisms and marriages, in church. We have also been reflecting on the role of the Parish Priest in and out of the church.
Friday 20th January
In Literacy this week we have started reading our new Power of Reading book, ‘Handa’s Surprise’. As a part of this we have been exploring how different fruit and vegetables and where they grow. We have also done a taste test and tried various fruits such as; pineapple, mango, orange, banana, avocado, guava, passion fruit and tangerines. We also wrote about our experiences and have been discussing how much we enjoyed trying all the different fruits.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been: y, z, zz, qu, ch.
This week we have started to revisit the sounds that we have already learnt to consolidate our learning. We practised using those sounds in fun activities such making words, reading clues, doing sound and word searches and a variety of writing activities. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
In Maths this week we have been exploring number bonds using the song ‘5 Little Speckled Frogs’. We also made fruit kebabs to explore how many different combinations we can make using two different types of fruit. We also discussed how we could compare different number bonds.
In R.E. we explored the role of the parish family and how we may celebrate together. We also learnt about the role of the priest and all of the amazing things they do for their parish.
We also had a lovely visit from Bishop Alan where Reception were given the opportunity to ask about aspects of his job too.
Friday 13th January
In Literacy this week we have been talking about ways we stay healthy, as an introduction to our Power of Reading book, ‘Handa’s Surprise’. The children have designed their own healthy meals, writing about their plates and talked about their favourite forms of exercise and good sleep patterns. We even took part in a glitter sneeze activity to try and demonstrate how easily germs can be spread, talking about ways to avoid them.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been: ss, j, w, v, x
We are still revisiting the sounds that we have already learnt to consolidate our learning. We practised using those sounds in fun activities such making words, reading clues, doing sound and word searches and a variety of writing activities. We have also been working on remembering our high frequency words. When we know all of the ones on a list, we then get a new list to work on.
In Maths this week we have been furthering our understanding of number orders. We have used the numerals and representations to show the pattern of numbers 1-5 and 1-10 to show how we know one more than the previous number. We ordered towers and checked for missing amounts, then matching the numerals to represent each tower.
In R.E. we have been learning about our new topic: Celebrating. We have discussed a variety of things that people celebrate such as birthdays, weddings, jubilees and Chinese New Year. We painted pictures of celebration symbols and role played hosting different celebrations.
We have also been talking about our solar system during Understanding of the World, and have been practising rolling ball skills and making shapes during gymnastics in our PE lessons. It has been a great first, full week back at school!
Friday 16th December
In Literacy this week we have been reading a variety of Christmas stories, some of them very funny! We have had Greg the Sausage Roll helping Santa deliver presents and The Stinky Sprouts making friends with all the vegetables at Christmas. The children discussed whether the books were fiction or non-fiction; we talked about who the characters were in each story; finally, we decided where the stories were set.
This week, in Phonics, our sounds have been: r, h, b. f. ff. l, ll
This week we have started to revisit the sounds that we have already learnt to consolidate our learning. We practised using those sounds in fun activities such making words, reading clues, doing sound and word searches and a variety of writing activities. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
In Maths this week we have been practising using sequencing language. We have thought about night and day, morning, afternoon and evening. We have been learning and using sequencing language: first, next, then, after that and finally. The children were sequencing pictures about building a snowman and The Nativity story.
In R.E. we have brought our topic of Birthdays to a close. We considered the Big Question again: Why do we celebrate birthdays? The children shared their thoughts on why and how we celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. We reminded ourselves of the importance of Advent in preparing for this celebration and talked to each other about the Advent Wreath on our Reflection Area.
Of course, we also enjoyed the most amazing performances of the Reception Nativity play! I am sure that anyone who was lucky enough to see them will agree that they put on a wonderful show for us telling the story of the birth of Jesus. They made the whole Reception Team very proud.
Wishing everybody a peaceful and happy Christmas!
Friday 9th December
In Literacy this week we have been looking at our book Christmas Around the World. We have been looking at the features of a text, a title, a contents page, captions and a glossary. We have started to write out fact files about how different countries celebrate Christmas and we have been making sure to use capital letters, finger spaces and full stops.
Phonics
This week our sounds have been: c, k, ck, e, u.
This week we continued revisiting the sounds that we have already learnt to consolidate our learning. We will be practising using those sounds in fun activities such printing letters into playdough, reading clues, doing sound and word searches and a variety of writing activities. We are continuing to work on blending the sounds we identify, to read the words. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
This week in Maths we have been focusing on shape. We have been looking at what makes a square a square and how a rectangle is different to this. We have also been looking at how to make repeating shape patterns by making our own wrapping paper using potato prints.
This week in R.E. we have continued our topic of Birthdays. This week we focused on the Nativity story and who the main people were. We have dressed up as our favourite character and described what happens to them in the story of Jesus’ birth.
We are continuing to work hard learning our lines and actions for our songs that are in our upcoming Nativity.
Friday 2nd December
In Literacy this week we have been looking at the features of non-fiction texts: headings, contents page, photographs, captions and glossary. We sorted books into fiction and non-fiction discussing how we can tell. Then we started reading our book Christmas Around the World. We have enjoyed looking at maps of the world and comparing where the locations are compared to England. We are discussing what we have learned from the text in preparation for writing fact files next week. We talk about how every sentence we write needs a capital letter, finger spaces between words and a full stop at the end.
Phonics
This week our sounds have been: n, m, d, g, o.
This week we continued revisiting the sounds that we have already learnt to consolidate our learning. We will be practising using those sounds in fun activities such making words, reading clues, doing sound and word searches and a variety of writing activities. We are continuing to work on blending the sounds we identify, to read the words. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
This week in maths we have been focussing on representing numerical values in different ways. For example: 4 can be 2 and 2; 4 and 0; 3 and 1, etc. This is preparing us to remember number bonds which will support us in all further learning. We also completed an activity where we had to count out a specific number of objects in the environment and match them to the numeral. We use number block videos and counting songs to help consolidate our learning.
This week in R.E. we have continued our topic of Birthdays. This week we focused on the Scripture which begins the story of the first Christmas. We talked about Advent wreaths and used an interactive activity to create our own wreaths. We also practised saying the Hail Mary prayer and discussed how special Mary was. We wrote key words or sentences describing what we know about Mary, choosing an image of Mary that we enjoyed looking at.
We are continuing to work hard learning our lines and actions for our upcoming Nativity.
Friday 25th November
In Literacy this week the children have been continuing to enjoy the poems of Michael Rosen, from his book “A Great Big Cuddle”. We have been looking at his poem “I am Angry” and coming up with ideas for what may have made the character feel angry. We have also been sharing times when we have felt angry and discussed them as a class, helping us to recognise emotions and how angry and sad differ. As well as this we have been reading a selection of other poems and discussing which one was our favourite and why.
Phonics
This week our sounds have been: s, a, t, p, i
This week we have started to revisit the sounds that we have already learnt to consolidate our learning. We will be practising using those sounds in fun activities such making words, reading clues, doing sound and word searches and a variety of writing activities. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
This week it has been Maths Week. We have been focusing on odd numbers, and what makes them odd, as part of this we have also enjoyed our ‘Odd Day’ on Wednesday. We have also been exploring different shapes and applying them to real life, e.g., recognising that a triangle has three sides, so a word that also starts with ‘tri’ has something to do with 3 (a triceratops has 3 horns).
This week in R.E. we have started a new topic – Birthdays. We have been discussing what a birthday is and why we celebrate them. We have also been exploring what Advent is, and understanding that it is a time to prepare for Jesus’ birth. We have made Advent promises that we will try to do to help us prepare for Christmas and we have also made and Advent wreath as a class, made out of handprints.
Friday 18th November
This week we celebrated Anti-Bullying Week and Interfaith Week. For Anti-Bullying Week the children wore their odd socks on Monday. We focused on how we, like our socks are all different and unique. We have also done activities with the classes to explain what bullying is, to know who to ask for help and to emphasise that we are all special and important. We have also been celebrating difference and respect in our learning of other faiths through our Interfaith Week activities. The classes have talked about all the ways that we might show respect and we have acted out being kind and respectful to others.
In Literacy this week the children have been continuing to enjoy the poems of Michael Rosen. We have been looking closely at his poem Lost. We have been focusing on asking questions to find out more information, writing questions we would like to ask the mouse in the poem. We have also been imagining how we might feel in the same circumstances and what we can do to be safe.
Phonics
This week our sounds have been: y, z, qu
Next week we are going to be starting to revisit the sounds that we have already learnt. We will be practising using those sounds in fun activities such making words, reading clues, doing sound and word searches and a variety of writing activities. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
In Maths, the children have been investigating the different ways of making the numbers to 5, putting 2 groups together to make a total. We also looked at how the numbers 2, 3, 4 & 5 can be laid out differently if we use blocks or printing. Also we have been building our subitising skills which are so useful (to simply recognise how many things there are without needing to count)
This week in R.E. we reminded ourselves of our Judaism learning from last week, looking again at the Menorahs that we created and the story of the Hannukah. We also had a lesson on different faiths as part of Interfaith Week with the focus on respect for all. Next week we will start our new R.E. topic of Birthdays.
Friday 11th November
In Literacy this week we have been looking at poems from our book “A Great Big Cuddle”. Firstly, we looked at one of the characters depicted in the book to see what we could tell about them and how they might be feeling before reading the poem. We then read the poem ‘Let Me Do It’ and have been making our own poems based on ‘Let Me Do It’ and finishing the sentence. We then thought about how we can use our voices when reading a poem, can we use no expression? Does this make us want to read the poem? We then looked at the difference when we added expression into our voice. We have also been looking at using rhythm when we read a poem aloud and how it may help if a poem rhymes. We then looked at the poem “Once” and using our imagination to think what the character might look like.
During writing sessions, we are modelling how to use capital letters, finger spaces and full stops in sentences. When writing independently, we are encouraging the children to hear the sounds in the words and recording what they can hear.
Phonics
This week’s letters are j, v, w, x. For each letter the children will learn the letter name and the letter sound. e.g. for b the name is “bee” and the sound is “buh”. The children have enjoyed finding the missing letter in a word by using picture clues and blending the letters they already know.. We have also introduced our high frequency words, which the children are to learn at home, and we also put them all up around the classroom to help reinforce the learning. These are words which frequently appear in books so knowing them will help support their reading a long way. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
In Maths, the children have been exploring the composition of number (knowing that a whole number is made up of parts), for example, 3 + 1 = 4, 2 + 2 + 4 and 4 + 0 = 4. To consolidate this learning we have been using different object around the classroom e.g., a puzzle, a cube tower, and have been taking them apart to see that the parts make a whole when put together. In addition to this we have been looking at objects in our classroom e.g., a soft toy, or a cube, and seeing that they are the whole made of one part. We have also been drawing around different shapes to make a picture, and naming the shapes while we do this. Outside we have been matching the appropriate number of stones into a numbered flowerpot.
This week in R.E we have been looking at Judaism and the story of Hanukkah. We have learnt about King Antiochus and the Maccabees, the temple of Jerusalem and what happened. We also learnt about the small amount of oil the Maccabees used to keep the lamps in the temple alight for eight days and eight nights. Based upon this the children have drawn a part of the Hanukkah story and describing what they have drawn. We have also learnt about menorahs (which are used during Hanukkah) and we have created our own using paint.
On Friday for Remembrance Day we spent time collaging our own poppies to remember the end of World War 1. The children in St Martin’s house also dressed up in green for the day!
Friday 4th November
It has been lovely to have all the children back with us this week and they have settled back in, after half term break, wonderfully!
In Literacy this week we have been discussing our focus author, Michael Rosen. First we deepened our understanding of the text ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ by joining in with the poetic performance and then creating our own bear hunt maps. Then we explored some of the poems from our power of reading text ‘A Great Big Cuddle’. We practised playing with the sounds of new words and worked on using our volume and expression as we joined in. During writing sessions, we are modelling how to use capital letters, finger spaces and full stops in sentences. When writing independently, we are encouraging the children to hear the sounds in the words and recording what they can hear.
Phonics
This week’s letters are h, b, f, l. For each letter the children will learn the letter name and the letter sound. e.g. for b the name is “bee” and the sound is “buh”. The children enjoy completing physical activities to reinforce their learning such as painting the letter, tracing it in sand, hunting for it around the outside area. We have also introduced our high frequency words, which the children are to learn at home, and we also put them all up around the classroom to help reinforce the learning. These are words which frequently appear in books so knowing them will help support their reading a long way. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
In Maths, the children reviewed the skill of subitising to four (knowing how many there are without having to count each object individually). Then our main focus was on comparing numbers. We were working on comparing amounts of counters, superheroes, Barbies and even built towers outside with giant blocks, that would allow use to compare. We used the word equal to explain when both groups had the same amount in them. Furthermore, we have been exploring and grouping 2D shapes this week, discussing their properties.
This week in R.E. we finished off our topic of ‘Welcome’ by discussing the Baptism symbols and explaining their uses. Then we celebrated our end of topic by collating all that we learned and singing the hymn ‘We Welcome You To This Place’ We also joined in with a special assembly on Monday, which was led by CAFOD. We learned about the charity and gained understanding of how they help people around the world.
On Friday, we took part in a Silly Science workshop in the hall. This helped us to explore scientific skills like predicting and observing. We took part in lots of interesting investigations with a range of materials. We all had a lot of fun!
Friday 14th October
This week we celebrated World Mental Health Day, on Monday. The children thought about how to stay healthy in body and mind. The enjoyed doing a session of yoga and playing musical instruments.
In Literacy this week the children enjoyed the end of A Brave Bear. It was lovely to find that the adventure to the river was a great success. The children thought about how Little Bear was feeling at different times in the story: hot, excited, sad, brave, joyful and relaxed. They then drew an appropriate facial expression for Little Bear and described when they felt like that. In addition, we compared elements of A Brave Bear with other bear stories: Goldilocks and the Three Bears and We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. What was the same in the stories, and what was different.
For the second week of Black History Month, we reflected on how Harriet Tubman led so many people to safety through the night. She used secret routes which became known as the Underground Railway. At night she would carry a lantern to light the way. We made lanterns to help us understand how this might have felt. Next week the children will take part in an African Dance workshop on Thursday 20th October as part of our Cultural Curriculum learning about Black History Month.
Phonics
Next week’s letters are e, u, r, h. For each letter the children will learn the letter name and the letter sound. e.g. for e the name is “ee” and the sound is “eh”. The children enjoy completing physical activities to reinforce their learning such as matching the letter, laying out beads to make the letter, hunting for it around the outside area. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
In Maths, the children learnt to compare groups of objects to decide which had more than and which had fewer than another. Please note: we use the word fewer (not less) when comparing groups of objects. We did that practically using our puppet / soft toy maths ‘helpers’, comparing pictures of groups and making our own groups and labelling them with more/more than and fewer/fewer than. Next week we will be learning more about counting, understanding that the total is the last number we said when counting and finding ways of making numbers.
This week in R.E. we began to use the vocabulary connected to Baptism and understand what the sacrament means. We acted out a baptism in class, playing the priest, parents and godparents. Just as we welcome a new baby home into the family, by baptising a baby it is being welcomed into the family of God. Next week we will be learning more about the symbols of baptism: the priest, the candle, the font and the white shawl.
Friday 7th October
The children have enjoyed another exciting week where the text, ‘A Brave Bear’ has been the focal point for learning.
In Literacy this week the children examined maps and talked about their features. Then they drew their own maps of the forest, where the characters would journey to get to the river. We also talked about the setting of the story and compared it to real world places where bears from around the world live. Next week we will be discussing how the characters have felt throughout the journey of the book and we will read the entire book to find out what happens at the end!
We have also started our learning about Black History Month this week. We are focussing on the amazing Harriet Tubman and thinking about how we can be heroic and brave like she was. Next week we will be making lanterns to symbolize the lantern she used to guide others to safety.
Phonics
This week’s letters are g, o, c, k. For each letter the children will learn the letter name and the letter sound. e.g. for g the name is “jee” and the sound is “guh”. The children enjoy completing physical activities to reinforce their learning such as painting the letter, tracing it in sand, hunting for it around the outside area. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
In Maths, the children learnt to observe whether a given quantity has changed or if the quantity is the same but the layout has changed. When investigating the amounts made by Numberblock Four (the character made from a tower of 4 cubes) they began to recognise that the whole number (4) can be made up from different arrangements e.g. 2 blocks on top of another 2 blocks or as a line of 3 with 1 on top. Next week we will be learning about the concepts of more and fewer. First the children will be given 2 groups where the difference is obvious, then we will move them on to situations where we need to count the objects to find the difference.
Friday 30th September
In Literacy this week the children responded to the part of the story of ‘A Brave Bear’ where Daddy bear and Baby bear are feeling very hot and want to cool down. The children worked with a talk-listen partner to role play being Daddy and Baby bear, thinking of different ways to cool down. They thoroughly enjoyed using the trim-trail to explore moving like bears and climbing trees. Next week they will be researching bear habitats and maps of different places before creating their own map.
Phonics
This week’s the letters are i, n, m and d. For each letter the children will learn the letter name and the letter sound. e.g. for i the name is “eye” and the sound is “ih”. For n the name is “en” and the sound is “nnn”. They enjoyed completing physical activities to reinforce their learning such as painting the letter, tracing it in sand and hunting for it around the outside area. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint on the school website
Key information - Curriculum - Curriculum Information Evening for Parents 2022 - 23 - Information Evening Powerpoint Reception 2022
In Maths, the children learnt that when we count, each item is ‘One’ and therefore a given number is composed of a given number of Ones (e.g. 3 is made up of 3 Ones.) They repeated our stem sentence, “1 + 1 + 1 makes 3”. They completed lots of counting activities such as finding the correct amount of bowls, spoons and chairs for The Three Bears. Next week the children will be encouraged to look closely at a variety of small quantities and observe whether the quantity has changed or if the quantity is the same but the layout has changed.
We concluded our first R.E. topic of ‘Myself’ with a celebration to celebrate how God knows and loves each one of us and made us in His likeness. To ‘Go Forth’ and take the message from their learning to others, they made their own name badge and wore it home to thank their parents for choosing their special name. Next week we begin our new topic, ‘Welcome’ where the children learn to recognise that people are welcomed into God’s family through Baptism.
Friday 23rd September
It was lovely to see so many of you at the Curriculum Information Evening. A copy of the PowerPoint is available on the website under https://www.st-helens-inf.essex.sch.uk/curriculum-information-evening-for-parents-2022-23/
Our School Mission Statement is:
With Jesus alive in our hearts, we celebrate each other and learn together as a family.
A copy of the three school daily prayers and the school Mission Statement will be sent home over the next couple of weeks. We encourage you to put them somewhere prominent at home and help your child to learn them off by heart.
Thank you for making reading with your child part of their weekly routine. The children thoroughly enjoy moving their name along their class Reading Race.
In Literacy and Understanding the World, the children looked at non-fiction books and watched clips to learn about bears from different parts of the world. They wrote or shared facts that they had learnt about their chosen species of bear. They also continued with learning to write their name in a variety of forms e.g. using playdoh/ felt pens etc. Next week we will be responding to the part of the story where daddy bear and baby bear are very hot and want to find a way to cool down.
Phonics
Starting this coming Monday to Thursday the children will focus on one phoneme (sound) each day and on Fridays they will revise the four letters learnt. This week the letters are s, a, t and p. For each letter they will learn the letter name and the letter sound. e.g. for s the name is “es” and the sound is “ssss”. For a the name is “ay” and the sound is “ah”. Links to understanding phonics and some fun phonic activities can be found on the Curriculum Information PowerPoint.
In Maths, they have helped their class puppet to count a range of objects this week and they learnt the song, ‘One, two, buckle my shoe’. Next week the children will learn that when we count, each item is ‘One’ and therefore a given number is composed of a given number of Ones (e.g. 4 is made up of 4 Ones.)
In R.E. our first topic is ‘Myself’ and the children have been focusing on how God knows and loves each one of them and made them in His likeness. They have each painted a self-portrait and made a hand print. They have learnt to recognise their first and their family name. They have also been learning to make the sign of the cross and the three daily prayers. The class Prayer Leader changes each day and they enjoy the responsibility of turning on the class candle and leading the prayers.
Friday 16th September
Welcome to the weekly updates for Reception. We have been delighted by how well the children have settled into the routines of school life, made new friends and engaged in their learning already. Every child has taken home their five reading books each day and many children have already reached the winning post of their class Reading Race, for having 5 entries in their yellow reading diary. What a great start to their reading journey! Please ensure your child’s books and yellow reading diary are in their book bag every day.
We ask that water bottles are not kept in book bags as we have already had a few books damaged from leaking bottles. Most children have now brought in their PE bag with a spare change of clothes and a raincoat to leave on their peg. Thank you.
This week the children were introduced to their first ‘Power of Reading’ book. This half term the text is a fiction book called, ‘A Brave Bear’ by Sean Taylor. We will be using this story as a stimulus for most areas of the curriculum. The story begins with two hot bears on a very hot day. In Literacy and Understanding the World, we focused on the contrast of hot and cold. The children sorted photos into hot or cold items and also selected ‘hot’ colours and images to make a collage. Next week we will be looking at non-fiction books to learn about bears from different parts of the world.
In Maths, the children have been counting objects from 0 - 5 and subitising amounts (when you are able to look at a group of objects and know how many there are without counting them). They have also enjoyed learning counting songs. Next week we will continue with counting and also look at repeated shape patterns (e.g. circle, square, triangle, circle, square, triangle) and ask the children to continue the pattern.
At St. Helen’s we have a strong emphasis on Active Learning. Each day the children have specific Literacy and Maths activities to complete outside in addition to the resources for them to play with on the Green Area. This week they were using their name card to hunt for letters in their name and jumping on given number mats for Maths.
The children have been learning the three daily prayers (morning, lunchtime and home time prayers). Each day the new class Prayer Leader lights the class candle and leads the sign of the cross at prayer times. On Wednesday the children will be celebrating International Peace Day.
We hope you enjoyed seeing your child’s ‘First Day at School’ photo on Tapestry. We look forward to sharing moments of class life with you and also seeing any photos of family life you share. Do access our school Twitter account too for photos and clips of school life. @StHelensInfant