Reception and Nursery Newsletter 10.12.12

Term:  Autumn 2                        Date 10.12.12

Many thanks for all your support as we settle the children into our new building. In the New Year, when we have completed the move, we will invite parents in to come and look around.  Over the next two weeks, Nursery and Reception will be working together, completing our topic ‘Celebrations’. We will be continuing our Christmas activities and developing an understanding of the real meaning of Christmas. Your child will be taking part in the following activities.

Personal, Social and Emotional

• We will be continuing to share ‘The Christmas Story’ and discussing why we celebrate Christmas and completing a sequencing activity.
• Practising our Christmas concert.
• Decorating the Christmas tree.

Communication and Language

• The children in Reception still need to be bringing in their reading books daily. We are starting a reward system to praise the children who regularly read at home to an adult.

Physical

• Playing on the bikes, with the hoops and balls.

Literacy

• Writing our names encouraging correct pencil grip.
• We will be continuing our daily phonics sessions.
• Continuing to write messages to go in their Christmas cards.
• Writing a letter to Father Christmas.
• Christmas mark making activities.

Maths

•  Making paper chains, focusing on repeating patterns.
• Making Christmas tree pictures out of different sized triangles.

Understanding of the World

• Making Calendars.
• Free use of our new computers.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Stocking collages.
• Christmas card designs.

Messages

• Please follow Broadford on Facebook (remember to press the ‘like’ button) and twitter.  We update the Early Years blog regularly with photos and information.
• Please fill in your home/school learning books this week.  

Homework

This half terms homework theme is Celebrations and Special days.  Please make a collage of any special family events such as parties, weddings and special occasions and any great days out.  Your collage can be a mixture of drawings, photos, train tickets, leaflets etc…

Please return any homework from the week beginning 10/12/12.

We look forward to listening to your child/children sharing their special times.

Thank you for your continued support.

Weekly Reception Newsletter 26.11.12

Term:  Autumn 2                        Date 26.11.12

This week, we will be continuing with our topic ‘Colours and Celebrations’. Our book of the week is ‘Kipper’s Birthday’. Our colour of the week is ‘orange’.  Your child will be taking part in the following activities. (Activities are subject to change, depending on the children’s interests):

Personal, Social and Emotional

• We will be sharing the story of ‘Kipper’s Birthday ‘.  In circle time, we will be discussing special days and what we do to celebrate.
• On Friday, the children may bring in a favourite present to talk about during circle time.

Communication and Language

• Writing cards to our friends, developing our writing skills.
• Listening to children read their reading books.  Please ensure books are brought into school every day.

Physical

• Playing on the bikes and climbing frame.
• P.E – focussing on hopping and skipping. Can we please remind you that all children need a full kit in school at all times.
• Developing fine motor skills through tracing activities and manipulating dough.

Literacy

• Writing our names encouraging correct pencil grip.
• Daily phonics sessions – introducing sounds v and y and reviewing previous sounds.

Maths

• We will be matching number to quantity.  Can the children count the sets of objects accurately and find the corresponding number?
• Ordering balloons 1 to 10, extending to 20.

Understanding of the World

• Free use of the computer.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Continue to experiment with colour mixing.
• Decorating balloons using collage materials.

Messages

• Please follow Broadford on Facebook (remember to press the ‘like’ button) and twitter.  We update the Early Years blog regularly with photos and information.
• You may not be aware that Free School Meals eligible children attract Pupil Premium funding of £600 per child. This additional money is used to improve achievement for that group but it also impacts on all of our children. For instance a chunk of it pays for the free after school clubs that everyone benefits from. Our Governing Body have discussed how we can use this money to directly help eligible families. Support we can offer includes: free school trips, support with uniform and help with residential trips. If you think you may be eligible, please apply now. You don’t actually have to eat the school dinners… you just have to sign up! The more children who sign up, the more money we get the more we can help our children. If you feel you are entitled to free schools meals, please pick up a form from the office.  If you need help in completing the form, just ask!
• As the weather gets colder, please wrap up your child/children to keep them warm.  We continuously use the outside area, so please ensures coats are in school at all times.
• Please fill in your home/school learning books this week. 

Homework

This half terms homework theme is Celebrations and Special days.  Please make a collage of any special family events such as parties, weddings and special occasions and any great days out.  Your collage can be a mixture of drawings, photos, train tickets, leaflets etc…

Please return any homework from the week beginning 10/12/12. We look forward to listening to your child/children sharing their special times. 

Thank you for your continued support.

Weekly Nursery Newsletter 26.11.12

Term:  Autumn 2                          Date 26.11.12

The children started to learn about Nocturnal animals last week.  They seemed to be really interested and some children could already identify a number of creatures that come out during the night.

Next week we will be basing our learning around the book ‘The very noisy night’, the children will get the chance to take part in sound activities. We will also be carrying out daily singing sessions, to promote language and communication. We will be singing Little Miss Muffet, 1,2 buckle my shoe, jingle bells and Away in a manger

Your child will be taking part in the following activities and routines:

Personal, Social and Emotional

• Being encouraged to demonstrate friendly behaviour, sharing and playing kindly with peers and familiar adults.
• Being encouraged to change their own coats and shoes.
• Talking about what makes them happy.

Communication and Language                                                    

• Listening to the story ‘The very noisy night’.
• Talking about the features of night time and nocturnal animals.
• Identifying sounds.

Physical Development:

• Hoola hoops and balls.
• Bikes, slides, large and construction.
• Action songs.

Mathematics

• Playing boards games involving numbers.
• Playing with the caterpillar number mats.

Understanding of the World

• Talking about the features of night time and identifying nocturnal animals.
• Identifying different colours.
• Exploring torches in the tent.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Role play in the home corner.
• Colour mixing.

Messages

This week the colour theme is ‘orange’.  Please send in an orange object to go on the topic table.  Well done to everyone changing books regularly.

Thank you for your continued support.

Weekly Reception Newsletter 19.11.12

Term:  Autumn 2                        Date 19.11.12

This week, we will be stepping away from our current topic ‘Colours and Celebrations’ as it is National Anti Bullying Week. We will be thinking about being kind to one another.  We have two stories this week; ‘Colour me Happy’ and ‘The Two Monsters’. We will continue with a colour focus.  Our colour of the week is ‘Green’.  Your child will be taking part in the following activities. (Activities are subject to change, depending on the children’s interests):

Personal, Social and Emotional

• We will be sharing the story of ‘The Two Monsters ‘.  In circle time, we will be discussing hurtful words and reinforcing our class rules. Our focus activity will be decorating people templates with thoughtful words.

Communication and Language

• Sharing the stories, ‘Colour Me Happy’ and ‘The Two Monsters’, discussing the moral of the story.
• Listening to children read their reading books.  Please ensure books are brought into school every day.

Physical

• Playing on the bikes and climbing frame.
• P.E – team games with a focus on ball skills.  Can we please remind you that all children need a full kit in school at all times.
• Developing fine motor skills through tracing activities and manipulating dough.

Literacy

• Writing our names encouraging correct pencil grip.
• Daily phonics sessions – introducing sounds sh, r, j, v and y.

Maths

• Ordering numbers up to 10 activity by placing 10 green bottles on the wall.
• To make a shape monster.  Can children describe the shapes they use?
• Reinforcing patterns using Moshi Monster characters.

Understanding of the World

• Continuing to construct ‘Elmers’ out of milk bottles.
• Free use of the computer and listening area.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Sharing the story, ‘Colour me Happy’.  The children will then be making colour wheels – discussing what happens when we mix colours together.
• Creating our own friendly monsters using a variety of materials.

Messages

• Please follow Broadford on facebook (remember to press the ‘like’ button) and twitter.  We update the Early Years blog regularly with photos and information.
• Please send in empty clean milk bottles, which we can use to construct Elmers.
• You may not be aware that Free School Meals eligible children attract Pupil Premium funding of £600 per child. This additional money is used to improve achievement for that group but it also impacts on all of our children. For instance a chunk of it pays for the free after school clubs that everyone benefits from. Our Governing Body have discussed how we can use this money to directly help eligible families. Support we can offer includes: free school trips, support with uniform and help with residential trips. If you think you may be eligible, please apply now. You don’t actually have to eat the school dinners… you just have to sign up! The more children who sign up, the more money we get the more we can help our children. If you feel you are entitled to free schools meals, please pick up a form from the office.  If you need help in completing the form, just ask!
• As the weather gets colder, please wrap up your child/children to keep them warm.  We continuously use the outside area, so please ensures coats are in school at all times.
• Please fill in your home/school learning books this week. 
• A very big thank you to all the parents who filled in the sheet, telling us what you want the children to learn and what they already know – they were very informative and we will use them to inform our planning.

Homework

This half terms homework theme is Celebrations and Special days.  Please make a collage of any special family events such as parties, weddings and special occasions and any great days out.  Your collage can be a mixture of drawings, photos, train tickets, leaflets etc…

Please return any homework from the week beginning 10/12/12.

We look forward to listening to your child/children sharing their special times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Reception Newsletter 12.11.12

Term:  Autumn 1                          Date 12.11.12

We will be continuing with our topic ‘Colours and Celebrations’.  We will be focussing on a different colour each week and will be thinking about special days that we celebrate.  Our book of the week is ‘Elmer’ and our colour of the week is ‘yellow’.  Your child will be taking part in the following activities. (Activities are subject to change, depending on the children’s interests):

Personal, Social and Emotional

• Circle time: Discussing differences linked with our Elmer work.
• Learning about Diwali the Hindu festival of light.

Communication and Language

• Elmer stories – writing captions in speech bubbles.

• Listening to children read their reading books.  Please ensure books are brought into school every day.

Physical

• Playing on the bikes and climbing frame.
• P.E – gymnastics.  Can we please remind you that all children need a full kit in school at all times.
• Developing fine motor skills through tracing activities and manipulating dough.

Literacy

• Writing our names encouraging correct pencil grip.
• Daily phonics sessions - reviewing set 1 letters
• Using different pencils, crayons and pens to mark make on Elmers and rangoli patterns.

Maths

• Making repeating patterns on Elmer templates – making patterns with multilink cubes.
• Checking colour recognition.
• Sequencing Elmers in size order.

• Our colour of the week is yellow.  Children may bring in an object that is any shade of yellow for the colour table.

Understanding of the World

• Constructing ‘Elmers’ out of milk bottles
• Making thumb pot ‘Diwali lamps’
• Making Elmer Masks.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Elmer collages

Messages:

• Please follow Broadford on facebook (remember to press the ‘like’ button) and twitter.  We update the Early Years blog regularly with photos and information.

• Please bring in any patterns found around the home e.g. odd socks, tea towels etc…to help with our repeating pattern work this week.

• Please send in empty clean milk bottles, which we can use to construct Elmers.

• You may not be aware that Free School Meals eligible children attract Pupil Premium funding of £600 per child. This additional money is used to improve achievement for that group but it also impacts on all of our children. For instance a chunk of it pays for the free after school clubs that everyone benefits from. Our Governing Body have discussed how we can use this money to directly help eligible families. Support we can offer includes: free school trips, support with uniform and help with residential trips. If you think you may be eligible, please apply now. You don’t actually have to eat the school dinners… you just have to sign up! The more children who sign up, the more money we get the more we can help our children. If you feel you are entitled to free schools meals, please pick up a form from the office.  If you need help in completing the form, just ask!

• As the weather gets colder, please wrap up your child/children to keep them warm.  We continuously use the outside area, so please ensure coats are in school at all times.

• We will be sending out home/school learning books this week.  Please write any WOW moments, such as riding a bike, that you have at home so that we can share them in school and we will do the same in school.

Homework:

This half terms home work theme is celebrations and special days.  Please make a collage of any special family events such as parties, weddings and special occasions and any great days out.  Your collage can be a mixture of drawings, photos, train tickets, leaflets etc…

Please return any homework from the week beginning 10/12/12.

We look forward to listening to your child/children sharing their special times.

Weekly Nursery Newsletter 12.11.12

Term:  Autumn 2                         Date 12.11.12

Last week we were very lucky to have a surprise visit form Jean and her specially trained dog, who guides her because she is hearing impaired.  The children were very excited to meet her and a showed a great interest in her and her dog.  They listened beautifully and asked some great questions.

We will continue with our topic “Light and Dark” this week. This week we will be basing our learning around the book ‘Can’t you sleep little bear?’ and linking it to space. We will also be carrying out daily singing sessions, to promote language and communication.  Your child will be taking part in the following activities and routines:

Personal, Social and Emotional

• Being encouraged to put shoes and boots on and off themselves and put in the correct places.
• Revisiting the class rules.
• Being encouraged to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.

Communication and Language

• Listening to and talking about the story ‘‘Can’t you sleep little bear?
• Looking at other texts (non-fiction/poetry) related to space.
• Our songs for the week are: Jelly on a plate, Jack and Jill and Miss Polly had a dolly.

Physical Development:

• Making playdoh kneading, rolling etc.
• Bikes, slides, soft play inside.
• Hall session: We will continue to introduce PE rules and use the parachute.

Mathematics

• Counting objects.
• Sorting objects

Understanding of the World

• Talking about how they made play dough.
• Talking about their families.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Role play. Continuing with the dark tent and using torches.
• Making ‘yellow’ collage pictures
• Junk modelling.

Messages.

Thank you to everyone who sent in something blue last week. Our colour of the week is now Yellow.  Please could your child bring in something yellow to display on our topic table.

Also thank you to all of the parents that completed the activity about what their child already knows about our topic, we will endeavour to incorporate their needs into our planning.

Finally the book borrowing seems to be going well, remember you can change your child’s book when ever you wish, as long as you bring the previous book back.  Also don’t forget to complete a book review if your child enjoys the book.

  Again thank you for your continued support.

5.11.12 parent sheet

Term:  Autumn 1                         

Date 05.11.12

We hope you all had an enjoyable break.  This term our topic is ‘Colours and Celebrations’.  We will be focussing on a different colour each week and will be thinking about special days that we celebrate.  Our book of the week is ‘Whatever Next’.  Your child will be taking part in the following activities. (Activities are subject to change, depending on the children’s interests):

Personal, Social and Emotional

• Circle time: Keeping safe during ‘Bonfire Night’. We will be reading a firework story and discussing firework safety.

Communication and Language

• Sharing the story ‘Whatever Next’ and providing materials for props, to observe children’s own outcomes.
• Listening to children read their reading books.  Please ensure books are brought into school every day.

Physical

• Playing on the bikes and climbing frame.
• Dance– Children to create firework movements to accompanying music – swirls, jumps, high and low moves etc… to use streamers.  Can we please remind you that all children need a full kit in school at all times.
• Developing fine motor skills through tracing activities and manipulating dough.

Literacy

• Writing our names using rainbow writing, encouraging correct pencil grip.
• Daily phonics sessions - reviewing set 1 letters –e,l,h,sh,r

Maths

• Firework songs – 10 little fireworks standing in a line, one zoomed off and then there were 9…

• Checking children’s recognition of colours. Exploring colour and how colours can be changed.
• Our colour of the week is blue.  Children may bring in an object that is any shade of blue for the colour table.

Understanding of the World

• Collecting natural materials to create a pretend bonfire in the small world tray ready for story and song time. 

• Using the paint programme on the computer to create firework pictures.

Expressive Arts and Design

• Making rockets using shiny materials.
• Firework pictures using paints and straws - children to blow through the straws to create firework effect.

Homework and messages

• Please follow Broadford on facebook (remember to press the ‘like’ button) and twitter.  We update the Early Years blog regularly with photos and information.
• You may not be aware that Free School Meals eligible children attract Pupil Premium funding of £600 per child. This additional money is used to improve achievement for that group but it also impacts on all of our children. For instance a chunk of it pays for the free after school clubs that everyone benefits from. Our Governing Body have discussed how we can use this money to directly help eligible families. Support we can offer includes: free school trips, support with uniform and help with residential trips. If you think you may be eligible, please apply now. You don’t actually have to eat the school dinners… you just have to sign up! The more children who sign up, the more money we get and the more we can help our children. If you feel you are entitled to free schools meals, please pick up a form from the office.  If you need help in completing the form, just ask!

Meet our new friends!

The children in Reception have been learning about Autumn. They have enjoyed a story about a hedgehog and have had great fun creating their own! The children used the clay to explore a malleable material by patting, stroking, poking, squeezing, pinching and twisting. We dicsussed what a hedgehog would feel like and encouraged the children to use WOW words such as, spikey, prickly, rough and pointy. The children used sticks to create a spikey effect.

Meet our new friends....

EYFS Wishing Tree - What do you want for your children?

During our home visits our parents/carers spoke of the hopes they had for their children. These thoughts were then written onto leaves and displayed in our entrance hall. Although every leaf was different, there were many similar threads running through the things that parents and children wanted us to provide:

• they should be able to count to 20
• we should making learning fun for the children
• to be confident at speaking to adults
• able to write their own name
• to make lots of new friends