9th March 2021

Welcome back everybody! Now we are all back together again, I will start to update our class page again. At the moment, we are concentrating on building our friendships and settling back into school life!

This week, we are learning:

Phonics 

Rather than introducing any new sounds, we are practising segmenting and blending CVCC words (bend, tent, fold, flag). 

Literacy 

We are exploring a lovely book called, 'The Naughty Bus' this week! The children have been using their imagination to create a new adventure for The Naughty Bus to go on! They have been practising their sentence writing and attempting to write unknown words. 

Maths

Wow! We have been learning lots in Maths this week. The children have been using tens frames and part whole models to explore the number 9. They have used a range of practical activities to consolidate their learning. Next week we will be learning about number bonds to 10!

Keep checking this page for class updates!

Mrs Port 

11th January REMOTE LEARNING NOTICE

As you will be aware, there has been a technical issue with Teams this morning. Other schools have also been affected. 

I was planning on doing a live Phonics session at 9:30. Unfortunately, I can't do this now! 

The sound that we would have been covering was 'k'. Please watch the video which is linked on the timetable that I uploaded on Friday.(In the files section) If you unable to access any features of our Team please use the following links:

Recap of Phase 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxy_zP2F_GU

Geraldine Giraffe introduces 'k': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE9ZYKGFx68 

Task: Practise writing k lots of times. Remember, our 'kicking k' looks like it is kicking a football. Don't forget the 'k'!!

Word level: Listen to your adult saying these words slowly: k-i-t      and k-i-p. Sound them our slowly to yourself and have a go at writing them!

Sentence level: Write the following sentence: The kit is red.

Challenge: Can you draw a picture of an object, place or person beginning with 'k'. Label the picture.

Teams is not working, but I will be checking my e-mail frequently throughout the day so please do send a photo of your work!

Maths - To compare numbers within 5. Who has less/who has more? 

Watch: https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/early-years/alive-in-5-week-1/ (Session 3) 

Task: 

Mrs Port :)

2nd December 2020

Hello everybody!

I am sorry that I wasn't in school for the start of the week. Mrs Pole has told me how wonderful you all were which was fantastic to hear!

Our story this week is The Jolly Christmas Postman. 

We are getting in the Christmas mood in Reception Class. We are working really hard on our phonics, literacy and numeracy whilst enjoying all of the festive activities as well! Look at what has been available to the children this week. 

This is out class advent calendar. Behind each number is the photos of two lucky children. They will get a treat when it is their turn! 

It really is a special time of year and we are working really hard to ensure the children have a wonderful time in school.

Please don't forget that the nativity costumes need to be in by Friday!

Please do look at Alphablocks to help your child with their reading. It is fun, engaging and memorable! https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=alphablocks+single+sounds 

See you all tomorrow!

Mrs Port 

25th November 2020

Wow! It has been a very funny sort of week hasn't it? I was so pleased to see everybody again yesterday! Here are some of the activities that we have had on offer this week.

The children have been investigating what happens to ice as it warms up. Each ice block was full of glitter, stars and interesting surprises!

We have a lovely outdoor area which we are trying to develop! If you have any 'loose parts' at home, please do consider us to make a donation to - our children love building.

The children used Iris and Isaak as inspiration for their Northern Lights pictures. They had to work in a pair to create their masterpieces. Aren't they amazing!

Look at our shadow puppets. Aren't we clever!

23rd November 2020

IMORTANT NOTICE

Good morning everybody!

I am sorry that we are not all in school day but the school is having a BIG clean. Everybody has received their Teams username and password so please do log in today! I have uploaded a timetable, a powerpoint and a welcome message. 

I will also upload the timetable here in case anybody is struggling to find it on teams. I have tried to make it as simple as possible as it is such short notice. 

I will be attempting a 'Live Story Time' at 1:30pm on Teams. If you open Teams just before 1:30pm, you should get an invite to a meeting. When asked, pleased turn your microphone off to begin with as I will be reading a story.

Stay safe everybody!

Mrs Port

21st November 2020

Morning to all of the children in Reception Class! I am sorry that I didn't upload any photos at the end of last week. We have had a really busy time in YR! There are a couple of notes for parents and carers below:

- I have sent CVC (i.e c-a-t) words home for children to practise. at home. These contain all the sounds that we have covered so far in Phonics. 

- Please do practise using Microsoft Teams with your new username and password this weekend. In the case of remote learning, I will be using this platform to teach the children. 

- The children have been learning to read ad write "I" and "the" this week. Next week, the tricky words will be 'go' and 'no'.

- Some children have been given lines to learn for our Nativity. Not all children have been given lines. It is the first time in a while that our Reception children have lines to learn. Some children are really not comfortable with speaking in front of the rest of the class. If your child does not have a line, please don't worry. There will be plenty of opportunity in Year 1 and Year 2 for this to happen. 

We have created a 'Message Centre' in YR. This gives the children the opportunity to write freely. It could be simply mark making or practise with letter formation. Children may just want to draw pictures and practise holding a writing instrument. We celebrate everything that is created at the Message Centre!

We have also created a new Reading Corner. We found that a lot of the children were trying to squeeze onto my chair to share story books! I love that the children are keen to read but it wasn't very practical to use my teacher chair. Mrs Pole found a special reading chair that the children can use to their heart's content. I am pleased to report that it is in constant use. 

Take Care everybody. I can't wait to see you next week!

Mrs Port (and the cats)

15th November 2020

Happy Sunday Everybody!

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I was so sorry to miss the judging of the Children in Need competition on Friday. Every single entry was amazing and it was lovely to see how much effort the children had put into their creations. I know that the judges would have had a really difficult job in choosing the winner so I wanted to say congratulations to everybody! Look at our amazing wall in our classroom.

Well done to our fabulous winner! Pudsey is so excited to be going home with you!

Mrs Port :)

10th November 2020

9th November 2020

Hello everybody! We have a super busy week this week. I didn't get a chance to take a photo of our lovely activities before they were in use! I will take some 'in-action' photos this week so that you can see them.

We are busy making some beautiful poppies for the children to take home, in time for Remembrance Day. The children watched a wonderful child-friendly animation which supports children's understanding of World War One and Two. 

Please follow the link below to watch this lovely video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv_ub7Be7oA 

We are also busy making our own cardboard box houses! The children are using sponges to create a brick work effect and choosing some really bright paint to make them stand out!

I will be sending a 'Phonics Pack' this week. It includes tricky words and sounds that we are learning about. There is a covering letter which has further information. 

I will post some photos throughout the week to show you what we have been up to!

Take care out there,

Mrs Port

2nd November 2020

Good evening Reception Class! We have had another fantastic start to the week.

In Literacy, our core text is The Gingerbread Man. That cheeky little Gingerbread Man has escaped and we don't know where he is! He sent us a postcard today of himself playing on a swing in Mrs Port's garden..... I wonder where he will be visiting next....

We are learning all about Shape this week in Maths. We are focusing on triangles and circles so I have linked the children's learning with Wassily Kandinsky's "Circles and Triangles". The children have created some superb pieces of work!

Take a look at our lovely activities that we have on offer this week in our Continuous Provision.

After!

26th October 2020

Hello to my lovely Reception children!

What a wonderful day at school we have all had. All of the staff were so excited to welcome everybody back! 

Can you tell your adults what activities you have done this week? Can you look at the photos and explain what each activity was?

I will start to send Tricky Words home next week.

See you all soon!

Mrs Port :)

18th October 2020

Hello Everybody! 

I hope you are all having a lovely half term. Every single one of you deserve it! You have all worked incredibly hard at school so I know that you must be ready for a break!

I am attaching two documents for those children who were absent during the last week of term. I have included information about what we have covered this term and ways to support your child at home. I had some interesting conversations during Parents Evening and thought a document such as this would be useful! 

Don't forget that it's Black History Month! There are so many people to celebrate but I thought I would share a story about one of my favourite singers, Ella Fitzgerald. I'm sure most of you watch Cbeebies so you may have already have seen this bedtime story! What an inspiring person...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bmkzb0/cbeebies-bedtime-stories-652-sharon-d-clarke-little-people-big-dreams

Take care everybody and R-E-L-A-X!

Mrs Port :) 

11th October 2020

Happy Sunday everybody! I hope you have all had a relaxing weekend and will be ready and raring to go on Monday morning! I can't believe that it will be half term soon. Hasn't the time gone quickly? You have some super learning activities next week!

Phonics

You will continue to build words using m a t s i 

We have set up a range of handwriting and writing activities in the classroom for you to practise after our Phonics lesson.

English

You will be reading some really lovely stories which all focus on growth. Have you read any of these stories before? Titch is a story that my Mummy used to read to me!

Look! Here is a photo of my little sister and I when we were small. Which one do you think is me? 

Maths

You will be meeting Number 4 this week! You will also be building pictures from shapes with 4 sides and corners. Can you think of any shapes?

Topic

You will be learning about timelines and creating your own simple timeline to show the development from baby to an elderly person. We will be using your baby photos to help us with our activities!

I'm really looking forward to seeing you again tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and get a good nights sleep!

Mrs Port :)

9th October 2020

Hello to parents and carers! 

Unfortunately, due to current circumstances, it is not possible for parents to come into our lovely classroom.  I am extremely lucky to have Mrs Pole, Mrs Purkins and Mrs Musson supporting me with continuous provision activities. They really are talented ladies! Take a look at some of the activities that have been on offer this week.

In addition to this, we have a reading corner and tables set up for adult led activities. We also have handwriting and fine motor activities. 

4th October 2020

Hello everybody! 

Hasn't the weather been dull and rainy this weekend? I'm sure that all the plants and flowers will be happy to get wet though! I've been on two rainy day walks with my children which was lovely. We love jumping in puddles!

Next week will be a really exciting week in Reception Class!

Phonics 

We are well underway with our new scheme of Phonics, Sounds Write. After some exploring of the Sounds Write webpage, I have found a free online training course for those would like to learn more. The videos are informative and easy to understand. The gentleman in the video is called John Walker and he is one of the creators of the scheme. 

https://www.udemy.com/course/help-your-child-to-read-and-write/

This week we will be using a range of activities to build words using the following sounds: a m s t

Literacy

Have you ever read the story about three baby owls and their mummy? It is another of my favourites and I can't wait to share it with you next week! You will be learning all about owls and the amazing skills that they have as nocturnal hunters.

I have also planned a lovely activity for you up in the Eco Area but that is going to be a surprise!

Maths

We are moving onto number 3 this week! Not only will you be counting to 3 but you will be learning how to represent 3 in lots of different ways. I have planned some lovely sorting activities and plenty of opportunities for discussion.

Please visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/numberblocks for free episodes and online activities.

Topic

Our topic this week is MUSIC! I've been looking forward to this since you started school. You will be learning about rhythm and keeping a beat. What a lovely way to spend the afternoons!

Parent's Evening

You should have all received an online booking form for a telephone appointment with  myself. Appointments are made on a first come first served basis. I will be sending appointment times home next week. 

Housekeeping

- Please ensure your child has a warm coat in school at all times. The children will be accessing our outdoor area and Eco Area on a daily/weekly basis.

- You do not need to provide warm clothing for PE as we are able to use the school hall if the weather is too cold or wet.

- Thank you for clearly labelling your child's belongings with their name. Unfortunately, we have managed to accumulate a few nameless jumpers and cardigans already! 

I can't wait to see you all tomorrow

Mrs Port :) 

30th September 2020

Hello!

We are in the middle of a really lovely week at school. We have started our Sounds Write phonics lessons and I couldn't be prouder of how the children have engaged with it! We have looked at the words m-a-t and s-a-t as a starting point.

Please look at the link below. It has information for parents about the new scheme.

https://www.sounds-write.co.uk/sites/soundswrite/uploads/files/47-sounds_write_leaflet_for_yr_parents.pdf 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZNX39WqEE4 This a video of one the activities that we use. It could help with practising words at home!

English

We have read The Gruffalo this week. It's one of my favourite stories and the children really loved joining in with all the familiar descriptions. We have spent time making our own gruffaloes, inventing our own monsters and labelling the animals that mouse meets!

Maths

It's all about number 2 this week! We are following the White Rose scheme of maths and we also use Numberblocks. Lots of the children are familiar with Numberblocks. If you haven't watched it, BBC Iplayer has all of the videos which are free to watch!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08bzgt8/numberblocks-series-1-two

Topic

We have been learning about a special story from the Bible, Daniel and the Lion's Den. We thought that the lions were very interesting so we did a little bit of research about their features! They really are amazing animals.

Take care out there! 

Mrs Port :)

20th September 2020

Hello lovely children!

I hope you are all excited about another fun filled week at school. We are lots of lovely activities planned which I know you will all love.

Phonics

You will be learning how to to spot rhyming words in your favourite songs, nursery rhymes and stories. I wonder if you already have a favourite nursery rhyme that you'll share with me on Monday?

English

I will be sharing one of my favourite stories with you - We're Going On A Bear Hunt. It's a magical book where you will be joining a family on an adventure to find a bear! You will be making zig-zag books and learning how to use WOW words to describe the bear.

Maths

You will be learning all about the number 1. It may seem like a small number but it's one of the most important! You will be showing the number 1 in lots of different ways to help you understand it! You will also be learning that the number 1 is everywhere around you. I wonder if you can see 1 around your house or on the way to school!

Topic

You will be learning all about your body and the amazing things that you can do with it! I have a lovely song to teach you which will get you up and moving around.

Important - Reading Notice

Please don't forget that we will be reading with all children 1-1 each week, starting tomorrow. All children were given a letter in their book bag on Thursday last week. Your child will be sent home with their school book on the day indicated on your letter. If you want me to tell you which day your child is reading on or need another copy of the letter, please let me know and I can arrange this!

I'm looking forward to another lovely week in Reception Class. 

Take care everybody!

Mrs Port :)

13th September

We are about to begin our second full week in Reception! I have been so impressed with how you are all getting along with each other. I know that everybody will agree with me!

Have a look at what you will be learning about next week:

Phonics

You will be exploring the outside school grounds (in your class bubble) and learn how to listen carefully to environmental sounds. We will be introducing a new phonics scheme in Reception Class called Sounds Write in the very near future. Before the children begin their lessons using this format, we are keen to recap on any phonics that may have been missed due to nursery and pre-school closures earlier this year. We will be using a range of Phase One activities. Please click on the following link for more information: 

http://www.letters-and-sounds.com/phase-1.html`

I will send some information home about Sounds Write in the upcoming weeks. 

Literacy

You are going to be reading Goldilocks and practising your oral retelling and ordering of events. I also have a very funny version of Goldilocks that I know you will love! 

Maths

We follow White Rose Maths. Please use this link for further information https://whiterosemaths.com/reception-sol/

You will be practising your sorting skills in a range of activities. You will also be using Goldilocks to help you with ordering objects according to their size!

PSHE

You will be learning what it means to be a good friend. You will be sorting different behaviours into 'kind' and 'unkind'. It is a great opportunity for you to talk about the new friends that you have made in school.

PE

You will be learning the skills to help you with playing football. 

Notes for parents and carers

Just a small request, that the scooters, tricycles and bikes are not to be used before or after school on the KS2 playground. Unfortunately, they must be stored there due to space but they are only to be used during school time.. I understand that they are tempting to the younger children so please can they be reminded.

Take care everybody and I'll see you on Monday

Mrs Port

5th September 2020

Wow! I can't believe that you have been at school for nearly two weeks. We have noticed how brave you are all becoming when you come into school each morning! Well done you!

On Monday, Group A and Group B will be joining each other for the first time in Reception Class. That means that there will be a lot more children in the classroom!  It will feel a bit busier when you come into the cloakroom but there will be plenty of adults to help you find your peg and support you with washing your hands. 

Can you tell your Mummies and Daddies what you have to do each morning? I'll give you some clues....

You need to hang your coat on your ......

Your lunchbox needs to go on the ............

Don't forget to wash your ........!

Next, you need to self register using the hot air balloons.

You need to put your book bag away in your ....... and put your water bottle in the ......

Finally, sit quietly on the carpet with your legs crossed and wait for the register!

Phew! I know it sounds like a lot of different things to have to do each morning, but you are getting really fast at it!

I'm really looking forward to having the whole class together. Just imagine all the fun and all the new friends that you will make! What a special time you'll all have.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Port

31st August 2020

Wow! What a fabulous start to our Autumn Term at St Mary's. I couldn't believe how grown up and well behaved you all were. I know that some of you were quite nervous on your first day but you all had a big smiles on your faces when it was time to leave. We are all incredibly proud of you - well done!

During this week, you will be painting self portraits for your first piece of art work.I can't wait to see your masterpieces. You will also be listening to and joining in with nursery rhymes. I'm really looking forward to this as nursery rhymes are my favourite! 

You will also be receiving your own special plastic wallet to keep inside your book bag. This will be for your reading diary and reading book. Once we have listened to you all read then you will be given a school reading book to read at home. When it is time to change your book, it will be cleaned and quarantined. Books will not be sent home until we have assessed all the children 1-1 with an adult. We appreciate your patience with this.

I will also be sending a 'Topic Map' home which will outline our objectives for this half term. You will receive a new Topic Map each half term. I really value parental engagement and understand that you will be keen to know what we are learning about in school. 

As I am learning new faces, it may seem a little slow when I am dismissing the children. If you see your child at the front of the line, please give me or Mrs Musson a big wave! 

See you soon!

Mrs Port :) 

11th August 2020

Hello to my lovely new starters!

I hope you are all enjoying your summer holidays and are excited about starting school in August. I have spoken to many of your Mummies and Daddies on the phone but a lot of you won't know me! 

I have made a video for you to watch where I tell you a little bit more about myself and then read a lovely story. I wonder if you can join in with the actions?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18gz5yUTNJYY3Jh08S6C4slo1svLa8mPu/view?usp=sharing

Keep checking this page as I will be adding more videos and useful websites to help you with your learning.

Take care and stay safe!

Mrs Port

Hello Class R. The Talk for Writing unit for the next 2 weeks is about a pet dog. We thought it would be great if you could complete lots of activities about the pets in your family, or the pets you would like to own. The document below gives you just a few ideas for crafty and maths activities. 

PHONICS ONLINE LESSONS

I am pleased to announce, from Monday 27 April, online phonics lessons are available from Letters and Sounds for home and school

Written and presented by phonics experts and funded by the Department for Education, the online lessons are designed to cover new phonics teaching that children would have received over the summer term had they been in school. This resource is for use by teachers and parents.

Three sets of lessons will be available. One set for Reception and one for Year 1, based on where children are expected to be in their learning in the summer term. A third set of lessons aims to reach the lowest 20% of children; focusing on areas children find the most challenging. A guidance film for parents to explain the basics of Phonics and how parents can support their child is also available.

From Monday 27 April, a new lesson will be uploaded Monday to Friday at the times below during the summer term. *After upload, each lesson will then be available to watch throughout the summer term.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP_FbjYUP_UtldV2K_-niWw/channels?view_as=public

Additional information can be found here https://bit.ly/34Q64SQ

ONLINE INTERNET SAFETY

Children are accessing technology and the internet at a younger age than ever before. It’s never
too early to talk to your child about what they do online and who to tell if they come across
anything online that makes them feel worried, scared or sad.
Jessie & Friends is a series of three animations that follow the adventures of Jessie, Tia and Mo
as they begin to navigate the online world, watching videos, sharing pictures and playing games.
There’s also a storybook for each episode, to help you and your child keep the conversation going.
This is aimed at children aged 4-7.

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/jessie-and-friends/

Summer Term 1

Maths:

We had planned to find out about 3D shapes – especially spheres, cones, cylinders, cubes and cuboids. Can you find any examples of these shapes around your house? Can you sort groceries or recycling by their 3D shape? What about making these shapes from playdough? Can you count the faces on each shape? What do you notice when you compare 2D and 3D shapes?

Literacy:

We had planned to find out about rhyming – real or made-up words. Can you think of a rhyme for each family member’s name? Do you have any books that have any rhyming words in them (Yawn by Sally Symes and Nick Sharratt is a good one  - there is a reading of it on You Tube).

Here are some ways you can practise writing at home – a name poster for your bedroom door, shopping lists, labels for your toys, posters to remind everybody to wash their hands, writing cards to your friends to say hi!

Keep sharing lots stories and books together, talk about characters, beginnings, endings and favourite parts. Share your favourite parts and your opinions.

Other ideas

We were going to be focusing on Dinosaurs over the next two weeks-have a go researching a different Dinosaur each day. You could make your own Dinosaur book or go on a fossil hunt. Upload your fun facts or work onto Padlet to share with your friends.

Indoor scavenger hunt – e.g. find something blue, find something that begins with m, find something with the number 2 on it.

Loose parts picture – gather some lose parts in your house (bottle tops, beads, small pieces of packaging, straws, buttons...) what can you create? What patterns can you find?

Join in your child’s play – allow them to lead and suggest narratives – Have fun!

There are also lots of websites which can give you further activities and ideas:

Remember to have a look on Phonics Play and Monster Phonics to help you remember all the sounds and super hero words we have been learning. 

There are daily online lessons on BBC Bitesize and Oak National Academy which will help with Phonics, Number and Topic work. I have also added a link to a lovely French website so you can have a go learning some French songs and stories. 

I have added some day to day activities on Phonics, Writing and Number. These will reinforce work that the children had been covering before the school closures. Any problems accessing them then please contact me on the email provided in your first home learning pack.

Hope this helps. Keep safe

Many thanks

Mrs Oakes

In school, we have developed our mastery maths curriculum with our local maths hub. We follow the White Rose planning curriculum in school. White Rose have worked in partnership with the BBC to develop home learning plans which will help children to develop mathematical understanding. 

Welcome to Class R

We are so excited about welcoming the children into our Reception class! We know they will have a fantastic first year of school.

This half term we are learning all about our amazing bodies. We will be finding out what the different parts of our bodies are called, how they work and how they move. We will also be finding out about our 5 senses. There will be lots of fun activities based around this topic.

Each week we have a daily literacy session where we look at a big book which is normally related to our topic. We also have a daily phonics session where we learn our letter sounds. Learning these sounds help us to read and write.

After play we have a numeracy session. This half term we will be looking at numbers to ten. The children will be counting, writing and ordering these numbers. We will also be investigating shapes, size and pattern. Each week the children will also have weekly continuous indoor and outdoor activities for us such as painting, playdough, cutting and sticking and games. What a busy time we all have!

PE for Class R will be on a Monday afternoon. We will be focusing on ball skills, balancing and moving.  Please can children have PE kits in school at all times. PE kit needs to be clearly named. Long hair needs to be tied back and earings removed on PE days or tape provided.

Please feel free to come in and discuss any concerns with Mrs Musson or myself.

Many thanks

Mrs Oakes