Weekly update for week beginning 18th December 2006
Can you believe it? Your child has now done a full term in school and what a term it has been! the children are all fully settled now and the speed of progress the children are making is fantastic. May I take this opportunity to thank you all for your part in the partnership between home and school. Your child's progress is evident of the hard work yourselves and the school put in.
We had a fabulous time at the cathedral and Mr Barker was full of praise and admiration for the children. We even got to have our photograph took infront of the nativity scene. I have placed the photograph on the desktop of the Interactive Whiteboard if you want to have a look at it.
This week is only short but nevertheless action packed with seasonal activities. On Monday, the children will have a some-what normal afternoon (if it is at all possible to call the foundation Stage 'normal) which will be followed by their Christmas Party and a visit from Father Christmas himself! No expense spared for our little treasures! We would like to thank Mrs Lockett who works with us on a Thursday and a Friday for trudging around the shops for gifts for the children. The children do not have to be in their school uniform for this day and can come donned in the latest fashion, hair gel, etc. PS Don't forget their dancing shoes!
Tuesday morning the children will be practising for the Christmas carol service which is being led by the 'giants' of our school - the Year 5/6 children. Our class will be singing Rat-a-tat-tat, Horrid Herod and Away in a manger with the rest of Key Stage 1. Although space is very limited, you are welcome to attend the carol service on Wednesday morning (as long as you join in with the singing!)
Wednesday is obviously the carol service and the children have a lovely day. The children are allowed to bring in a toy to play with. We do encourage the children to bring in a toy that the can share with a friend e.g a card game, Buckaroo, Hungry Hippos, etc (I love those!!) They are finally treated to a pantomime performed in the school hall by our parents. We all have a great laugh! Last year I had to do a 'bush-tucker trial' involving jelly and creepy-crawlies. The children love it (and secretly so do the staff). All in all, the children go out on a high and are ready to drive you mental over the Christmas holidays. Ha ha ha!!! Please don't worry for I too have a three year old excited to the point of explosion to contend with over the Christmas break.
In addition to this, we will be completing our assessments of the children. WOW!!! is the word that comes to mind so far as we collate our information. Please remember to check out your child's diary for information on the letter names, sounds and numbers they need to work on as well as any other additional information we may need to pass on.
After lulling you into a false sense of security, I have found a series of websites which you can use to give your child a 'taster' of what is in store for the New Year. These should keep them busy over the holidays.
www.ictgames.com/letterlifter.html - develops letter recognition and keyboard awareness
www.ictgames.com/phonic_fighter4.html - love it!!
www.ictgames.com/plankgameR.html - remember to keep those high frequency words going.
www.ictgames.com/lcwc.html - type in your own spellings to learn
www.ictgames.com/machine.html - look at the picture then blend the sounds together to read the words and click on the matching one. Remember to use pure sounds.
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/games/find_the.shtml - fnd the number that matches the one under Bill's feathers
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/games/snakes.shtml - snakes and ladders for one and two players
www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/numorder.swf - ordering random numbers
www.ictgames.com/caterpillar_slider.html - ordering random numbers
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/ears2.html - hearing the initial and final sounds in words and matching the letter symbol
www.ictgames.com/postletter.html - number recognition game
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/christmas/santa%20count.html - a little festive counting
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/pounce2.html - using the initial letter to identify words
And for some Christmas fun...
http://www.merry-christmas.com/games/games.htm
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/christmas/ Christmas resources from Northumberland Grid for Learning.
http://www.btinternet.com/~tony.poulter/xmas/xmastlinks.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~newyearseve/
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/teacher/christmas.html
http://www.star28.net/snow.html hilarious!! the penguin will write your message in the snow - perhaps you could write the high frequency words.
http://dingo.care2.com/cards/new/0422/Do-a-rain-deer.swf play the reindeer noses!!
http://www.icq.com/friendship/pages/browse_page_7944.html reindeer band
http://www.bry-backmanor.org/actpag75.html a to z of Christmas book
The children have also been working extremely hard on their Christmas gifts for you and you will eventually get to see them this week.
Thats all folks!
Have a fantastic Christmas and an amazing New Year.
Mmmmm...what will we be up to in 2007?????
Take care
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Weekly update week beginning 11th December 2006
Hi there!
Didn't they do well? The children really did us proud in the Christmas Production last week. It just shows how much their confidence has developed in such a short space of time. many thanks for the lovely costumes. I am sure that you saw how they added 'sparkle' to the performance. Now the week of the production is over we have more festive treats in store.
Monday - the whole school will be going to the Gatheway Theatre to watch 'The Wizard of Oz'. Please remember to be in school for 8.15am for an early registration.
Tuesday - In the afternoon we shall be going to Liverpool Catherdral for the carol service. Please note that the children will be returning late from this. You can collect your child in the normal way from the classroom door at about 4pm. The children may take a small gift for a child less fortunate than themselves to present at the altar whilst we are there. We are very lucky to be going to the catherdral. It is a magical experience for the children.
But what about the rest of the week?
This week is dedicated to assessment and review of the the learning the children have experienced since the start of this half term. It is a time when we stand back in amazement at the swift progress the children have made and set challenging targets for the Spring Term. Therefore, any of the websites from previous blogs can be used to review the children's learning. At the beginning of the final week, you will receive an update on your child's progress.
Mathematical Development
We will be looking at shape, pattern, number recognition, counting and finding one more/less than a given number.
For pattern making, the children:
MUST be able to continue a repeating pattern
SHOULD be able to create a two colour repeating pattern
COULD be able to create a repeating pattern with up to four colours.
For shape the children:
MUST be able to name a circle, square, rectangle and triangle
SHOULD be able to talk about how many sides and corners each shape has
COULD be able to describe the properties of a 2d shape.
For counting, the children:
MUST be able to count 6 objects reliably
SHOULD be able to count10 objects reliably
COULD be able to count 20 objects reliably
For one more/less, the children:
MUST be able to practically find one more and one less than up to 6 objects
SHOULD be able to practically find one more and one less than up to 10 objects
COULD be able to mentally find one more and one less than a given number up to 10.
For number recognition, this information will be given to you via your child's reading diary.
Communication, Language and Literacy
We will be assessing the children on their understanding and ability to rhyme.
The children:
MUST be able to recognise rhyming words in familiar contexts
SHOULD be able to match rhyming pairs
COULD be able to continue a rhyming string.
The children's high frequency words and spellings will be updated also. In addition to this, the children's letter sound and name recognition will be updated and reported to you. Some children will be assessed for the next level in their reading.
Other areas of the curriculum
The children are busily creating their Christmas gifts for you and this week they will be making a party hat for their Christmas dinner. We will be continuing with our Advent tasks and the story of the birth of Jesus. The role play area has been changed to the stable in bethlehem ready for the children to re-enact the story. Much of this week will be devoted to the Christmas story.
Did the tree get its decorations?
Yes, Timmy Tree did get some decorations made for him. One little girl wrote a letter back to the tree. I wonder if she will get a reply?!?
That's all for this week. Relatively short but sweet!
Take care
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team
Hi there!
Didn't they do well? The children really did us proud in the Christmas Production last week. It just shows how much their confidence has developed in such a short space of time. many thanks for the lovely costumes. I am sure that you saw how they added 'sparkle' to the performance. Now the week of the production is over we have more festive treats in store.
Monday - the whole school will be going to the Gatheway Theatre to watch 'The Wizard of Oz'. Please remember to be in school for 8.15am for an early registration.
Tuesday - In the afternoon we shall be going to Liverpool Catherdral for the carol service. Please note that the children will be returning late from this. You can collect your child in the normal way from the classroom door at about 4pm. The children may take a small gift for a child less fortunate than themselves to present at the altar whilst we are there. We are very lucky to be going to the catherdral. It is a magical experience for the children.
But what about the rest of the week?
This week is dedicated to assessment and review of the the learning the children have experienced since the start of this half term. It is a time when we stand back in amazement at the swift progress the children have made and set challenging targets for the Spring Term. Therefore, any of the websites from previous blogs can be used to review the children's learning. At the beginning of the final week, you will receive an update on your child's progress.
Mathematical Development
We will be looking at shape, pattern, number recognition, counting and finding one more/less than a given number.
For pattern making, the children:
MUST be able to continue a repeating pattern
SHOULD be able to create a two colour repeating pattern
COULD be able to create a repeating pattern with up to four colours.
For shape the children:
MUST be able to name a circle, square, rectangle and triangle
SHOULD be able to talk about how many sides and corners each shape has
COULD be able to describe the properties of a 2d shape.
For counting, the children:
MUST be able to count 6 objects reliably
SHOULD be able to count10 objects reliably
COULD be able to count 20 objects reliably
For one more/less, the children:
MUST be able to practically find one more and one less than up to 6 objects
SHOULD be able to practically find one more and one less than up to 10 objects
COULD be able to mentally find one more and one less than a given number up to 10.
For number recognition, this information will be given to you via your child's reading diary.
Communication, Language and Literacy
We will be assessing the children on their understanding and ability to rhyme.
The children:
MUST be able to recognise rhyming words in familiar contexts
SHOULD be able to match rhyming pairs
COULD be able to continue a rhyming string.
The children's high frequency words and spellings will be updated also. In addition to this, the children's letter sound and name recognition will be updated and reported to you. Some children will be assessed for the next level in their reading.
Other areas of the curriculum
The children are busily creating their Christmas gifts for you and this week they will be making a party hat for their Christmas dinner. We will be continuing with our Advent tasks and the story of the birth of Jesus. The role play area has been changed to the stable in bethlehem ready for the children to re-enact the story. Much of this week will be devoted to the Christmas story.
Did the tree get its decorations?
Yes, Timmy Tree did get some decorations made for him. One little girl wrote a letter back to the tree. I wonder if she will get a reply?!?
That's all for this week. Relatively short but sweet!
Take care
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Shining Stars and Shimmering Snowflakes!
Weekly update week beginning 4th December 2006
Navidad Feliz (Spanish for Happy Christmas)
Tis' the season to be jolly tralalalala - lalalala...Yes, in my book it is officially Christmas now we are in the twelth month of the year! Wow! What a start the the month we have with a long awaited Christmas Production 'A Christmas Rose'. Many thanks to you all for making sure the costumes were in on time and Mrs Johnson for coming in and checking them and fitting the tinsel to size. I am sure you are looking forward to the performances as much as the children are eager to strut their stuff. However, even the most talented and well-seasoned performers suffer from fatigue after a week of being on the stage. Please expect your child to be tired this week, and it is for this reason that we will not be expecting them to complete their handwriting homework this week.
Here I Am, Knowledge and Understanding of the World and Communication, Language and Literacy
This week we will be combining the children's learning in these three areas. The children will use a text which tells the Christmas Story. Throughout the week, the children will learn about the build up to the birth of Jesus, the angel's visit to Mary and the shepherds, etc. The class target for this week is to share the Christmas Story with your child. Whilst reading our text, the children will learn about the use of the pictures in conjunction with the initial letters in supporting their word identification.
As always we will be developing the children's letter recognition and we are amazed at the progress the children are making in this area of the curriculum. I don't think we have ever moved so swiftly through them. Many thanks for all your support in helping your child at home. Once the children do know them, they will spread their wings and fly!
Mathematical Development
I love this week's topic - pattern making (only because it means more paint, glitter and sequins). Many of the children entered school being able to copy a repeating pattern. Therefore we will be concentrating on developing their ability to continue and create their own repeating pattern. The websites below will be used in class to teach your child and I am more than happy for you to use them at home.
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/assets/Flash%20Studio/cfsey/beads.html - this site can just be used to review the children's ability to copy a pattern.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/simple_patterns/eng/Introduction/default.htm - the children are asked to make patterns with 2d shapes, colours and pictures.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/building_game/eng/Introduction/default.htm - this is an extension of the above one with the children making patterns with 3d shapes.
If your child can do the above and create their own repeating pattern with at least three different colours then the next website will provide a challenge for them. It is actually a Year1 activity!
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/patterns_and_patterns/eng/Introduction/default.htm - the children have to solve problems involving patterns.
http://tre.ngfl.gov.uk/server.php?request=cmVzb3VyY2UuZnVsbHZpZXc=&resourceId=11770 -(with all the letters in this url address I'll be amazed if this link works!) - click on 'simple repeating patterns' under the 'materials' heading on the right hand side.
You can also practice pattern making using the cutlery - knife, fork, spoon etc as well as socks, pencils, blocks etc.
Creative Development
This week is the week when we blitz our Christmas decoration making. The children will be making their very own Christmas baubles, so be sure to leave a space right in the middle of your tree for it. They will also be making a table decoration fit to don even the most decadent of tables as well as making their Christmas cards. You may have noticed that we have gone a little multi-lingual this year. As a school we are trying to develop Spanish as our modern foreign language, and so do not be surprised if your child comes out with the odd phrase or two and the insert of your Christmas card can't be understood! Unfortunately for us the children are picking it up faster than we are!
Musically, the children will be adding musical accompaniment to the song Little Donkey. Mrs Bishop has been working with the infant children to learn Away in a manger and Rat-a-tat-tat for the production. They sound fantastic so many thanks to her. This may be the next song for the children to learn.
Physical Development
Get those scissors out and start making some snowflakes. If you'd like to do one on the computer try out this website:
http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/ - move the scissors around until the centre turns from red to green and then click. Create the outline by doing this of the shape you want to cut out and then you can see the finished product. My neice loved this one! If you want to be really clever though there is a website that has some great 3d snowflakes. I make one with Olivia, my niece of 6years, and it wasn't too stressful.
www.talentedkidzone.com/crafts/flakehowto.html
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Many thanks to you for persevering with the children in getting changed on their own. We can see a real improvement. Please carry on though. I'm smiling as I type this, as I know we face the task of getting twenty-two boys into tights this week!
As part of the children learning about their own culture, they will be completing Advent tasks. each window on the calendar has a task for them to do. Last Friday the children had to say thank you every time in spanish. This type of activity will also allow the children to maintain their high standard of discipline and care for one another.
So what is the surprise for the children this week?
A letter will be hanging from our bare Christmas Tree. BOO HOO! The tree is sad and asks that the children make it some decorations and in return it has left a surprise for the children in the box under the tree. It says they can only open the box on Friday after they have done their performances and its Big Brother will be watching them in the hall (aka the Christmas Tree in the school hall).
Can you believe it? I've finished!
Enjoy the week
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Navidad Feliz (Spanish for Happy Christmas)
Tis' the season to be jolly tralalalala - lalalala...Yes, in my book it is officially Christmas now we are in the twelth month of the year! Wow! What a start the the month we have with a long awaited Christmas Production 'A Christmas Rose'. Many thanks to you all for making sure the costumes were in on time and Mrs Johnson for coming in and checking them and fitting the tinsel to size. I am sure you are looking forward to the performances as much as the children are eager to strut their stuff. However, even the most talented and well-seasoned performers suffer from fatigue after a week of being on the stage. Please expect your child to be tired this week, and it is for this reason that we will not be expecting them to complete their handwriting homework this week.
Here I Am, Knowledge and Understanding of the World and Communication, Language and Literacy
This week we will be combining the children's learning in these three areas. The children will use a text which tells the Christmas Story. Throughout the week, the children will learn about the build up to the birth of Jesus, the angel's visit to Mary and the shepherds, etc. The class target for this week is to share the Christmas Story with your child. Whilst reading our text, the children will learn about the use of the pictures in conjunction with the initial letters in supporting their word identification.
As always we will be developing the children's letter recognition and we are amazed at the progress the children are making in this area of the curriculum. I don't think we have ever moved so swiftly through them. Many thanks for all your support in helping your child at home. Once the children do know them, they will spread their wings and fly!
Mathematical Development
I love this week's topic - pattern making (only because it means more paint, glitter and sequins). Many of the children entered school being able to copy a repeating pattern. Therefore we will be concentrating on developing their ability to continue and create their own repeating pattern. The websites below will be used in class to teach your child and I am more than happy for you to use them at home.
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/assets/Flash%20Studio/cfsey/beads.html - this site can just be used to review the children's ability to copy a pattern.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/simple_patterns/eng/Introduction/default.htm - the children are asked to make patterns with 2d shapes, colours and pictures.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/building_game/eng/Introduction/default.htm - this is an extension of the above one with the children making patterns with 3d shapes.
If your child can do the above and create their own repeating pattern with at least three different colours then the next website will provide a challenge for them. It is actually a Year1 activity!
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/patterns_and_patterns/eng/Introduction/default.htm - the children have to solve problems involving patterns.
http://tre.ngfl.gov.uk/server.php?request=cmVzb3VyY2UuZnVsbHZpZXc=&resourceId=11770 -(with all the letters in this url address I'll be amazed if this link works!) - click on 'simple repeating patterns' under the 'materials' heading on the right hand side.
You can also practice pattern making using the cutlery - knife, fork, spoon etc as well as socks, pencils, blocks etc.
Creative Development
This week is the week when we blitz our Christmas decoration making. The children will be making their very own Christmas baubles, so be sure to leave a space right in the middle of your tree for it. They will also be making a table decoration fit to don even the most decadent of tables as well as making their Christmas cards. You may have noticed that we have gone a little multi-lingual this year. As a school we are trying to develop Spanish as our modern foreign language, and so do not be surprised if your child comes out with the odd phrase or two and the insert of your Christmas card can't be understood! Unfortunately for us the children are picking it up faster than we are!
Musically, the children will be adding musical accompaniment to the song Little Donkey. Mrs Bishop has been working with the infant children to learn Away in a manger and Rat-a-tat-tat for the production. They sound fantastic so many thanks to her. This may be the next song for the children to learn.
Physical Development
Get those scissors out and start making some snowflakes. If you'd like to do one on the computer try out this website:
http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/ - move the scissors around until the centre turns from red to green and then click. Create the outline by doing this of the shape you want to cut out and then you can see the finished product. My neice loved this one! If you want to be really clever though there is a website that has some great 3d snowflakes. I make one with Olivia, my niece of 6years, and it wasn't too stressful.
www.talentedkidzone.com/crafts/flakehowto.html
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Many thanks to you for persevering with the children in getting changed on their own. We can see a real improvement. Please carry on though. I'm smiling as I type this, as I know we face the task of getting twenty-two boys into tights this week!
As part of the children learning about their own culture, they will be completing Advent tasks. each window on the calendar has a task for them to do. Last Friday the children had to say thank you every time in spanish. This type of activity will also allow the children to maintain their high standard of discipline and care for one another.
So what is the surprise for the children this week?
A letter will be hanging from our bare Christmas Tree. BOO HOO! The tree is sad and asks that the children make it some decorations and in return it has left a surprise for the children in the box under the tree. It says they can only open the box on Friday after they have done their performances and its Big Brother will be watching them in the hall (aka the Christmas Tree in the school hall).
Can you believe it? I've finished!
Enjoy the week
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Starlights and Snowflakes
Week beginning 27th November 2006
This is our final week of practising the Christmas Production ' The Christmas Rose'. The children have been amazing! We are so proud of them and they have all been eager to take their position on the stage and take part. I would recommend that you get your tissues at the ready, for you will cry with amusement as well as pride. Mrs Higgins, Mrs Latham and myself have been prone to the odd tear or two so far, and they aren't even our little angels.
In order for you to see a performance fit for 'The Palladium', much of this week will be taken polishing our performance in the hall with the year one and two classes. However, we will be keeping to the basics of reading, handwriting and mathematics throughout the week.
Here I Am
As our topic develops about GIFTS we ask that the children bring a treasured gift in to school to share during Circle Time. The children will need to be able to say WHEN they received the gift, WHO gave it to them, and WHY it is so special to them. Please place your child's gift into a labelled bag and send it in on Friday. We promise that it will be returned the very same day. As a stimulus to this, and a build up throughout the week, a mystery gift with a label saying 'To Tina Tinsel from Gordon Glitter' (oh believe me it gets worse as the year goes on!) will be left in the classroom for the children to guess what is inside. On Friday, Mrs Higgins will be in character for our Mantle of the Expert as Tina Tinsel. She will come in to see the problem-solvers because she was expecting a parcel from her friend Gordon Glitter and it hasn't arrived. Of course the problem solvers will know where the parcel is, but when Tina Tinsel opens the box the present has broken and she is unsure what it was. The children are to use the pieces throughout the week to support their learning in Knowledge and Understanding of the World.
Do you have those Advent calendars at the ready? Although the chocolate is scrummy and delicious, please be sure to explain to your child that Advent is a time when we await Christmas, the celebration of God's gift of Jesus. Throughout the next few weeks we will be sharing the Christmas story with the children and changing our home corner into the stable in Bethlehem. A lovely electronic book telling the nativity story can be found on the following website:
www.topmarks.co.uk/christianity/nativity/index.htm
We will be having our own home-made Advent calendar. Inside each numbered pocket will be a deed the children have to accomplish for the day e.g say somthing nice to someone or help a friend, etc.
Communication, Language and Literacy
As we are doing 'gifts' in Here I Am, we have decided to concentrate on labels this week in Communication, Language and Literacy. On the writing table the children will have tags to write on for gifts they wish to send. We will be looking at the different external parts of the human face and body and labelling them. This will enable the children to start using the initial letters in words as a cue to supporting their word identification when reading.
We will also be looking at the sounds that appear at the beginning and end of words. The children are now rapidly starting to hear these words and therefore, we are focusing on communicating the sounds they hear into their writing.
Whilst on the subject of writing, can I express our pleasure at how well the children are coming on in their handwriting skills. Your support at home completing the handwriting homework enables the speed the children progress through the letters to be much faster than if we were only doing it at school.
Any of the previous letter recognition websites detailed in this blog are suitable for this week's tasks. The sooner the children know their letter sounds and letter names, the quicker their reading and writing develops.
Mathematical Development
We did not get as much of our work on symmetry done as we would have liked last week. Therefore, we are going to spend this week on it as well. The children will be dip-dying fabrics to make a symmetrical square, investigating which letters and shapes are symmetrical, as well as making funky symmetrical masks.
Alongside this the children will be continuing to focus on finding one more and one less than a given number.
www.ictgames.com/mucky.html - you may wish to go over the term 'less' with your child to enable them to find one less.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/counting/rocket%20count.html
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Time is limited due to the rehearsal of our Christmas production. However, to elaborate on the Mantle of the Expert for this week, inside the gift will be a selection of construction pieces. The children are to use the construction equipment to make a gift for Tinal Tinsel. As each child makes a model, they will take photograph with the digital camera.
In ICT, the children will be developing their hand-eye coordination further through the use of an art package called Dazzle. They will create a friend for Elmer by selecting a colour from the palette and then clicking on the outline of a patchwork elephant. This will be further developed by the use of the text icon, when the children will be asked to type in their name as a label for their picture. Finally, the print button will be introduced to the children.
Here are some great websites for your child to practise their mouse skills:
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/assets/Flash%20Studio/cfsey/colour-sequence5.html - select a colour by clicking to paint a picture like Lecky's.
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/assets/Flash%20Studio/cfsey/scarymain.swf - click and drag parts of the body to make a 'scary spud'.
Finally...
On Friday the children are allowed to come into school in their own clothes in exchange for a contribution to our Christmas Tombola. The school council are holding a bring and buy sale and any toys and games in good condition that you need to clear room for before Christmas would be greatly appreciated.
As you may be aware, only one ticket per family has been given to you for each performance. This is for the health and safety of your child as well as fire regulations. Please feel free to swap your tickets with each other if you wish. Unfortunately, prams will not be permitted into the hall on the performances due to lack of space as the children require access around the side and back of the hall during the performance.
I think that is all!
Have good week!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
This is our final week of practising the Christmas Production ' The Christmas Rose'. The children have been amazing! We are so proud of them and they have all been eager to take their position on the stage and take part. I would recommend that you get your tissues at the ready, for you will cry with amusement as well as pride. Mrs Higgins, Mrs Latham and myself have been prone to the odd tear or two so far, and they aren't even our little angels.
In order for you to see a performance fit for 'The Palladium', much of this week will be taken polishing our performance in the hall with the year one and two classes. However, we will be keeping to the basics of reading, handwriting and mathematics throughout the week.
Here I Am
As our topic develops about GIFTS we ask that the children bring a treasured gift in to school to share during Circle Time. The children will need to be able to say WHEN they received the gift, WHO gave it to them, and WHY it is so special to them. Please place your child's gift into a labelled bag and send it in on Friday. We promise that it will be returned the very same day. As a stimulus to this, and a build up throughout the week, a mystery gift with a label saying 'To Tina Tinsel from Gordon Glitter' (oh believe me it gets worse as the year goes on!) will be left in the classroom for the children to guess what is inside. On Friday, Mrs Higgins will be in character for our Mantle of the Expert as Tina Tinsel. She will come in to see the problem-solvers because she was expecting a parcel from her friend Gordon Glitter and it hasn't arrived. Of course the problem solvers will know where the parcel is, but when Tina Tinsel opens the box the present has broken and she is unsure what it was. The children are to use the pieces throughout the week to support their learning in Knowledge and Understanding of the World.
Do you have those Advent calendars at the ready? Although the chocolate is scrummy and delicious, please be sure to explain to your child that Advent is a time when we await Christmas, the celebration of God's gift of Jesus. Throughout the next few weeks we will be sharing the Christmas story with the children and changing our home corner into the stable in Bethlehem. A lovely electronic book telling the nativity story can be found on the following website:
www.topmarks.co.uk/christianity/nativity/index.htm
We will be having our own home-made Advent calendar. Inside each numbered pocket will be a deed the children have to accomplish for the day e.g say somthing nice to someone or help a friend, etc.
Communication, Language and Literacy
As we are doing 'gifts' in Here I Am, we have decided to concentrate on labels this week in Communication, Language and Literacy. On the writing table the children will have tags to write on for gifts they wish to send. We will be looking at the different external parts of the human face and body and labelling them. This will enable the children to start using the initial letters in words as a cue to supporting their word identification when reading.
We will also be looking at the sounds that appear at the beginning and end of words. The children are now rapidly starting to hear these words and therefore, we are focusing on communicating the sounds they hear into their writing.
Whilst on the subject of writing, can I express our pleasure at how well the children are coming on in their handwriting skills. Your support at home completing the handwriting homework enables the speed the children progress through the letters to be much faster than if we were only doing it at school.
Any of the previous letter recognition websites detailed in this blog are suitable for this week's tasks. The sooner the children know their letter sounds and letter names, the quicker their reading and writing develops.
Mathematical Development
We did not get as much of our work on symmetry done as we would have liked last week. Therefore, we are going to spend this week on it as well. The children will be dip-dying fabrics to make a symmetrical square, investigating which letters and shapes are symmetrical, as well as making funky symmetrical masks.
Alongside this the children will be continuing to focus on finding one more and one less than a given number.
www.ictgames.com/mucky.html - you may wish to go over the term 'less' with your child to enable them to find one less.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/counting/rocket%20count.html
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Time is limited due to the rehearsal of our Christmas production. However, to elaborate on the Mantle of the Expert for this week, inside the gift will be a selection of construction pieces. The children are to use the construction equipment to make a gift for Tinal Tinsel. As each child makes a model, they will take photograph with the digital camera.
In ICT, the children will be developing their hand-eye coordination further through the use of an art package called Dazzle. They will create a friend for Elmer by selecting a colour from the palette and then clicking on the outline of a patchwork elephant. This will be further developed by the use of the text icon, when the children will be asked to type in their name as a label for their picture. Finally, the print button will be introduced to the children.
Here are some great websites for your child to practise their mouse skills:
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/assets/Flash%20Studio/cfsey/colour-sequence5.html - select a colour by clicking to paint a picture like Lecky's.
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/assets/Flash%20Studio/cfsey/scarymain.swf - click and drag parts of the body to make a 'scary spud'.
Finally...
On Friday the children are allowed to come into school in their own clothes in exchange for a contribution to our Christmas Tombola. The school council are holding a bring and buy sale and any toys and games in good condition that you need to clear room for before Christmas would be greatly appreciated.
As you may be aware, only one ticket per family has been given to you for each performance. This is for the health and safety of your child as well as fire regulations. Please feel free to swap your tickets with each other if you wish. Unfortunately, prams will not be permitted into the hall on the performances due to lack of space as the children require access around the side and back of the hall during the performance.
I think that is all!
Have good week!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Let's sing and dance!
Weekly update 20th November 2006
Hi!
Firstly, I'd like to pass on our appreciation to the children for their exemplary behaviour during our Ofsted inspection. They really did do us proud and it was commented on how engaged and enthusiastic the children are when they are learning.
Here's what we are doping this week.
Here I Am
Last week we completed our topic on Initiation with Mrs No-Idea coming to school and asking for information about things we do to make new children feel welcome. This resulted in the children taking photographs with the digital camera, printing them out and writing captions. There were some great drawings of myself, Mrs Higgins, Mrs Latham and Mrs Walker.
This week we start a new topic about GIFTS. The children will learn to appreciate what a gift is, that Jesus was a gift from God and the meaning behind we celebrate Christmas. This is all supported by practising for the Chistmas Production, where the main character looks for a gift for the baby Jesus.
Communication, Language and Literacy
This week we will be concentrating on the children's phonological awareness, the ability to use the sounds they hear to support their reading and writing. Therefore, I have listed websites which will support this. I hope to give you an update this week on the letters of the alphabet your child needs to work on. These do need reviewing as the children have really made lots of progress since the parents' evenings.
www.ictgames.com/letterlifter.html
www.ictgames.com/plankgameR.html
www.ictgames.com/phonic_fighter4.html
Mathematical Development
This week is great!!! The children will be exploring symmetry. You can find examples of symmetry all around us, in faces, nature etc. The website: www.adrianbruce.com/Symmetry/ gives examples of symmetry for the children to look at.
A lovely activity is to fold a piece of paper in half. Pain on one side and then fold and open. Simple but it gets the point across. We will also be looking at symmetry in multicultural art.
You can make your own symmetrical design on: http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/symmetry/index.html
You can also get a pair of scissors and make snowflakes.
Other activities will take place throughout the week but I'm afraid it's OPERATION CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION this week.
See you soon
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Hi!
Firstly, I'd like to pass on our appreciation to the children for their exemplary behaviour during our Ofsted inspection. They really did do us proud and it was commented on how engaged and enthusiastic the children are when they are learning.
Here's what we are doping this week.
Here I Am
Last week we completed our topic on Initiation with Mrs No-Idea coming to school and asking for information about things we do to make new children feel welcome. This resulted in the children taking photographs with the digital camera, printing them out and writing captions. There were some great drawings of myself, Mrs Higgins, Mrs Latham and Mrs Walker.
This week we start a new topic about GIFTS. The children will learn to appreciate what a gift is, that Jesus was a gift from God and the meaning behind we celebrate Christmas. This is all supported by practising for the Chistmas Production, where the main character looks for a gift for the baby Jesus.
Communication, Language and Literacy
This week we will be concentrating on the children's phonological awareness, the ability to use the sounds they hear to support their reading and writing. Therefore, I have listed websites which will support this. I hope to give you an update this week on the letters of the alphabet your child needs to work on. These do need reviewing as the children have really made lots of progress since the parents' evenings.
www.ictgames.com/letterlifter.html
www.ictgames.com/plankgameR.html
www.ictgames.com/phonic_fighter4.html
Mathematical Development
This week is great!!! The children will be exploring symmetry. You can find examples of symmetry all around us, in faces, nature etc. The website: www.adrianbruce.com/Symmetry/ gives examples of symmetry for the children to look at.
A lovely activity is to fold a piece of paper in half. Pain on one side and then fold and open. Simple but it gets the point across. We will also be looking at symmetry in multicultural art.
You can make your own symmetrical design on: http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/symmetry/index.html
You can also get a pair of scissors and make snowflakes.
Other activities will take place throughout the week but I'm afraid it's OPERATION CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION this week.
See you soon
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Sounds good! Smells fantastic!
Weekly update 13th November 2006
Hi there!
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Firstly, thank you to all those parents who have encouraged their child to come into school in the morning on their own. The morning process is getting quicker now and the children's learning is starting earlier in the day. Please continue to encourage your child to be as independent as possible and, if anyone has not quite taken the plunge yet ...go on, have a go!
GOOD NEWS! The children are doing fantastic at getting dressed more independently. Well done children and thank you to you as parents for your patience and support in this.
Here I Am
The school will be looking at Hinduism and Divali this week but we have already covered this. Therefore, we are continuing our work on Initiation. This week's Here I Am will incorporate our Mantle of the Expert. The children are to get a visit from 'Mrs No-idea'. She has a little boy who is starting our school but she needs to convince him that this is the place to be! She will ask the problem solvers to create an information book containing all the things they know about St Vincent's. By the end of the week the children will have a book to give to her. However, that is not where the story ends. Oh no! She has a little baby girl and she needs information about Baptism. Can we help?
Communication, Language and Literacy
This week is another one of our favourite week (I say that alot!) The children will work on a poem called 'Sounds Good'. It talks about sausages sizzling, crispbreads cracking, popcorn popping etc and yes, you've guessed it! We will be cooking our own sausages for butties and making popcorn to see if the poet chose the correct vocabulary. Hence the title of our blog this week!
They will review their understanding of alliteration and rhyme. The websites from the previous postings will still stand. However, I do have a good rhyming game for you to play. Forget cherades...try a ryming string.
Take a long piece of string or wool. Hold one end and say a word. One member of the family says a word that rhymes with it and then takes hold of part of the string (you keep hold). Another member of the family says a word that rhymes and then takes a part of the string. Eventually you have a web effect. Then you start all over again with another word.
Mathematical Development
This week we will be working on length. I have enclosed an information sheet in your child's diary about how we teach length. In addition to this we will be continuing to develop counting skills and reinforcing the ability to add one more to a given number. These websites may help:
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/num%20machine/add1.html - the children type in a number and then the machine adds one more. Can they work out the answer before the machine?
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/num%20machine/add2.html - this is the same game as above but it extends the child's learning to adding two more.
www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1.english/fruits/level2/12/activity2.html - the children must count the fruits and match to the number.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
This week we will be moving onto looking at different sources of light and sound. The children will be asked to sort artefacts according to the criteria and then be given the opportunity to explore how things work. You may wish to have a look around the environment with your child for sources of light and sound, identifying which are natural and which are man-made.
In ICT the children will have an opportunity to use the computers and interactive whiteboard to extend their learning in all the areas of learning.
Physical Development
The children will be focusing on their throwing and catching during PE lessons. They will also be given the opportunity to reinforce the skills learned last week when making models. They can choose to make a robot with the remaining junk materials we have. As always the children will work on their cutting skills.
Creative Development
The children will learn about dynamics in music - fast, slow etc. Looks like a very noisy week! In addition to this the children will be learning about the effects of adding white to a colour.
Finally, please make sure your child has their hats, scarves and gloves labelled as we have had a few mix ups. Thanks.
I think that is all for now.
Have a great week
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Hi there!
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Firstly, thank you to all those parents who have encouraged their child to come into school in the morning on their own. The morning process is getting quicker now and the children's learning is starting earlier in the day. Please continue to encourage your child to be as independent as possible and, if anyone has not quite taken the plunge yet ...go on, have a go!
GOOD NEWS! The children are doing fantastic at getting dressed more independently. Well done children and thank you to you as parents for your patience and support in this.
Here I Am
The school will be looking at Hinduism and Divali this week but we have already covered this. Therefore, we are continuing our work on Initiation. This week's Here I Am will incorporate our Mantle of the Expert. The children are to get a visit from 'Mrs No-idea'. She has a little boy who is starting our school but she needs to convince him that this is the place to be! She will ask the problem solvers to create an information book containing all the things they know about St Vincent's. By the end of the week the children will have a book to give to her. However, that is not where the story ends. Oh no! She has a little baby girl and she needs information about Baptism. Can we help?
Communication, Language and Literacy
This week is another one of our favourite week (I say that alot!) The children will work on a poem called 'Sounds Good'. It talks about sausages sizzling, crispbreads cracking, popcorn popping etc and yes, you've guessed it! We will be cooking our own sausages for butties and making popcorn to see if the poet chose the correct vocabulary. Hence the title of our blog this week!
They will review their understanding of alliteration and rhyme. The websites from the previous postings will still stand. However, I do have a good rhyming game for you to play. Forget cherades...try a ryming string.
Take a long piece of string or wool. Hold one end and say a word. One member of the family says a word that rhymes with it and then takes hold of part of the string (you keep hold). Another member of the family says a word that rhymes and then takes a part of the string. Eventually you have a web effect. Then you start all over again with another word.
Mathematical Development
This week we will be working on length. I have enclosed an information sheet in your child's diary about how we teach length. In addition to this we will be continuing to develop counting skills and reinforcing the ability to add one more to a given number. These websites may help:
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/num%20machine/add1.html - the children type in a number and then the machine adds one more. Can they work out the answer before the machine?
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/num%20machine/add2.html - this is the same game as above but it extends the child's learning to adding two more.
www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1.english/fruits/level2/12/activity2.html - the children must count the fruits and match to the number.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
This week we will be moving onto looking at different sources of light and sound. The children will be asked to sort artefacts according to the criteria and then be given the opportunity to explore how things work. You may wish to have a look around the environment with your child for sources of light and sound, identifying which are natural and which are man-made.
In ICT the children will have an opportunity to use the computers and interactive whiteboard to extend their learning in all the areas of learning.
Physical Development
The children will be focusing on their throwing and catching during PE lessons. They will also be given the opportunity to reinforce the skills learned last week when making models. They can choose to make a robot with the remaining junk materials we have. As always the children will work on their cutting skills.
Creative Development
The children will learn about dynamics in music - fast, slow etc. Looks like a very noisy week! In addition to this the children will be learning about the effects of adding white to a colour.
Finally, please make sure your child has their hats, scarves and gloves labelled as we have had a few mix ups. Thanks.
I think that is all for now.
Have a great week
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Saturday, November 04, 2006
We're ready for lift off!!!
Weekly update
Hello there!
As our title of our posting suggests we are ready to make our rockets. I don't think we have ever had a class who have collected so much junk materials for their rocket models. this is absolutely fantastic, as it gives the children a real choice of the shapes and sizes available to make their models. I just love this week!! Even my Grandma and her knitting circle get involved and have saved all their cones from their wool. Thanks to you all.
We didn't get through everything last week so we are carrying on from last week. Here's what's happening this week...
Here I Am
As the class target suggests, the children will be continuing to learn about initiation and relating it to the baptism of Jesus. They will compare their baptism with that of Jesus and learn why they have Godparents. If you could talk to your child about this it will deepen their understanding. We are also ahead of the game, as the syllabus states that we should teach the children the sign of the cross, and we have already done it!!
Communication, Language and Literacy
Following the much anticipated fireworks of the weekend the children will be working on a firework poem. This is how the poem goes...
10 fat sausages sizzling in the fire
9 fiery flames reaching even higher
8 shiny stars dropping on the ground
7 silver sparklers whirling round and round
6 golden fountains fizzing in the dark
5 red rockets whizzing across the park
4 bright catherine wheels spinning on a gate
3 wide-eyed children allowed out very late
2 proud parents watching all the games
1 lonely guy roasting in the flames.
The children will reinforce their understanding of alliteration (words and phrases which begin with the same sound) and continue to develop their understanding of rhyme. I have a little game you may wish to play.
You will need:
a teddy bear or soft toy and...patience.
How to play:
Say a rhyming word whilst holding the toy. Pass the toy to your child and they have to say a rhyming word. They then pass it back to you for you to say a rhyming word. This continues until you can't think of anymore rhyming words and then your child chooses a word to rhyme with. This can be played in a circle with other members of the family so switch off the TV and have some Rhyme-Time instead.
Mathematical Development
This week the children are working once again one finding one more and one less than a given number. They are all counting remarkably reliably now and many seem to have grasped fidning one more mentally. We have decided to continue with this for another week with an emphasis on the terms 'more' and 'less'. We will, however, introduce the terms 'greater' and 'smaller' when comparing two numbers.
Mantle of the Expert
Yet again Mrs Daydream will stumble across the 'Problem-solvers' (the children). Last week they were eagerly making designs for her to see on her return. She is going to explain that she would need to see what the rockets look like in reality and ask the problem-solvers to make some model rockets for her. This creates the stimulus for the rocket making.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
As I noted last week, the aim of the model making is to support and guide children in their selection of materials and tools for making their rockets. they will learn about using masking tape because they can paint over it etc. This will be in preparation for the following week, when the children will have free choice in their model making. This way the children will have been taught how to join materials effectively, choose appropriate materials and tools for the task etc in order for them to be able to make models independently. Why not try a spot of model making at home? We'd love to see them.
In addition to the model making the children will learning about 'reflection'. Last week, they explored materials that are shiny and dull. This week we are collecting 'shiny' and 'dull' materials for our investigation table. If you have anything to add, then the children can bring it in to share witht he class on the investigation table. You may wish to reinforce their understanding of reflection by looking around the home for things they can see their faces in. It's pretty easy in the shops too with all the Christmas decorations about!!! (Not long to go now!!!)
Physical Development
In PE this week the children will be learning to move in response to the music they will be dancing to in the Christmas Production. Yes! We do actually have to start this so early. It's great fun and you'll love it!
The children will also be refining their fine motor skills this week with the creation of weaving sculptures using shiny and dull materials. Weaving is a great way of developing the children's manipulative skills. In addition to this, they will developing their cutting skills through a series of activities involving threading, playdough, tracing and, of course, the much loved computer.
Creative Development
As Christmas approaches my urge to use glitter on everything increases. As I stated above the children will create shiny and dull sculptures as part of a team. They will also be invited to make a shiny card for Mrs Daydream to take with her when she visits the jigaree. The rockets will get their finishing touches of fire and sequins etc and hopefully be 'in flight' by the end of the following week. Yes this means you may have to duck even more when you enter the classroom.
In music the children will explore how instruemnts are played and create a musical accompaniment to the firework poem above.
Other messages
As part of their learning the children spend sometime learning outdoors. Please ensure that your child has a hat, gloves and a scarf every day. Please also remember to label it with a name tag.
As the children have been in school for quite a while now we ask that you encourage them to come in on their own. This helps to settle the children quicker. Initally, your child may feel a little unsettled but when it becomes the norm they just get on with it. This is not to say that you can not enter the building and if your child is extrememly distressed and not ready for this them please do what you feel is best. We do however, hope that by Christmas all the children will be coming in on their own.
As you may have noticed I have not made any links with new websites. the ones previously posted will be sufficient for this week. I can tell that many of the children have been on www.starfall.com as they sing along to the songs on it in the classroom.
Have a great week!
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Hello there!
As our title of our posting suggests we are ready to make our rockets. I don't think we have ever had a class who have collected so much junk materials for their rocket models. this is absolutely fantastic, as it gives the children a real choice of the shapes and sizes available to make their models. I just love this week!! Even my Grandma and her knitting circle get involved and have saved all their cones from their wool. Thanks to you all.
We didn't get through everything last week so we are carrying on from last week. Here's what's happening this week...
Here I Am
As the class target suggests, the children will be continuing to learn about initiation and relating it to the baptism of Jesus. They will compare their baptism with that of Jesus and learn why they have Godparents. If you could talk to your child about this it will deepen their understanding. We are also ahead of the game, as the syllabus states that we should teach the children the sign of the cross, and we have already done it!!
Communication, Language and Literacy
Following the much anticipated fireworks of the weekend the children will be working on a firework poem. This is how the poem goes...
10 fat sausages sizzling in the fire
9 fiery flames reaching even higher
8 shiny stars dropping on the ground
7 silver sparklers whirling round and round
6 golden fountains fizzing in the dark
5 red rockets whizzing across the park
4 bright catherine wheels spinning on a gate
3 wide-eyed children allowed out very late
2 proud parents watching all the games
1 lonely guy roasting in the flames.
The children will reinforce their understanding of alliteration (words and phrases which begin with the same sound) and continue to develop their understanding of rhyme. I have a little game you may wish to play.
You will need:
a teddy bear or soft toy and...patience.
How to play:
Say a rhyming word whilst holding the toy. Pass the toy to your child and they have to say a rhyming word. They then pass it back to you for you to say a rhyming word. This continues until you can't think of anymore rhyming words and then your child chooses a word to rhyme with. This can be played in a circle with other members of the family so switch off the TV and have some Rhyme-Time instead.
Mathematical Development
This week the children are working once again one finding one more and one less than a given number. They are all counting remarkably reliably now and many seem to have grasped fidning one more mentally. We have decided to continue with this for another week with an emphasis on the terms 'more' and 'less'. We will, however, introduce the terms 'greater' and 'smaller' when comparing two numbers.
Mantle of the Expert
Yet again Mrs Daydream will stumble across the 'Problem-solvers' (the children). Last week they were eagerly making designs for her to see on her return. She is going to explain that she would need to see what the rockets look like in reality and ask the problem-solvers to make some model rockets for her. This creates the stimulus for the rocket making.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
As I noted last week, the aim of the model making is to support and guide children in their selection of materials and tools for making their rockets. they will learn about using masking tape because they can paint over it etc. This will be in preparation for the following week, when the children will have free choice in their model making. This way the children will have been taught how to join materials effectively, choose appropriate materials and tools for the task etc in order for them to be able to make models independently. Why not try a spot of model making at home? We'd love to see them.
In addition to the model making the children will learning about 'reflection'. Last week, they explored materials that are shiny and dull. This week we are collecting 'shiny' and 'dull' materials for our investigation table. If you have anything to add, then the children can bring it in to share witht he class on the investigation table. You may wish to reinforce their understanding of reflection by looking around the home for things they can see their faces in. It's pretty easy in the shops too with all the Christmas decorations about!!! (Not long to go now!!!)
Physical Development
In PE this week the children will be learning to move in response to the music they will be dancing to in the Christmas Production. Yes! We do actually have to start this so early. It's great fun and you'll love it!
The children will also be refining their fine motor skills this week with the creation of weaving sculptures using shiny and dull materials. Weaving is a great way of developing the children's manipulative skills. In addition to this, they will developing their cutting skills through a series of activities involving threading, playdough, tracing and, of course, the much loved computer.
Creative Development
As Christmas approaches my urge to use glitter on everything increases. As I stated above the children will create shiny and dull sculptures as part of a team. They will also be invited to make a shiny card for Mrs Daydream to take with her when she visits the jigaree. The rockets will get their finishing touches of fire and sequins etc and hopefully be 'in flight' by the end of the following week. Yes this means you may have to duck even more when you enter the classroom.
In music the children will explore how instruemnts are played and create a musical accompaniment to the firework poem above.
Other messages
As part of their learning the children spend sometime learning outdoors. Please ensure that your child has a hat, gloves and a scarf every day. Please also remember to label it with a name tag.
As the children have been in school for quite a while now we ask that you encourage them to come in on their own. This helps to settle the children quicker. Initally, your child may feel a little unsettled but when it becomes the norm they just get on with it. This is not to say that you can not enter the building and if your child is extrememly distressed and not ready for this them please do what you feel is best. We do however, hope that by Christmas all the children will be coming in on their own.
As you may have noticed I have not made any links with new websites. the ones previously posted will be sufficient for this week. I can tell that many of the children have been on www.starfall.com as they sing along to the songs on it in the classroom.
Have a great week!
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Week beginning 30th October 2006
Weekly update
Hi there!
I hope you all had a great half term holiday and are ready to get going! This half term is all about Colour, Light and Sound and starts off to a ZOOM!! Yes, we will be looking at space. This week's Mantle of the Expert will involve the children solving a problem for Mrs Daydream (aka Mrs Higgins). Once again, the information I am about to give you is top secret and no little ears should know what is about to take place this week. Here's how it goes...
Mrs Daydream visits the Problem-Solvers because she was simply walking down the street when out popped a strange looking character who gave her a present. He just seemed to have fallen out of the sky! The character tells her that he is a 'jigaree' and then disappears.
Over the course of the week the children will get to find out who the jigaree is, where he lives and how Mrs Daydream can get to visit him in space. The following information should explain this further and how it fits into the children's learning.
Communication, Language and Literacy
This week, the children will work on the text 'The Jigaree' which is about a monster who lives on the moon. This text places a high emphasis on developing the children's understanding of rhyme. By the end of this week we hope that all the children will be able to recognise a rhyming pair and even create a rhyming pair of their own. The following websites may be useful to you in supporting their understanding of rhyme:
www.ngfl-cyrmu.org.uk/vtc/nursery_rhymes/eng/Introduction/default.html
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/wprds/dgi.shtml - this is a lovely website to use but you may need to sit with your child as the words will need to be read out for them in order for the rhyming pairs to be identified.
However good these websites may be, there are so many great children's literature which have rhyming words in them. Why not have a browse on your child's bookshelf and see what you can find. Also, reciting the nursery rhymes your child knows and identifying the rhyming words is a good idea too.
Mathematical Development
As the class target suggests, the children will be working on finding one more and one less than a given number. We will begin by starting with one more and see how it goes. Obviously, the language associated with this area of mathematical development is very important. Therefore, before the children can identify a number that is one less and one more they need to have an understanding of the terms more and less. The following website will help you with this:
www.ictgames.com/mucky.html - this is linked to washing their hands when going to the toilet!! They have to see which hand has more or less germs on it.
Once they have mastered this they could then use the following webistes to support their learning:
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/counting/rocket%20count.html - a game linked to our topic on space. You can select the number of rockets you want and add one more/less. Click on the rockets to make them shoot.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/counting/count.html - the same as above but with fish.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/counting/random%20count.html - as above.
In all of these games you can determine the number of objects you work with. I would advise you to start with 5 and then work up to 10.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Linked to the Mantle of the Expert, the children will be designing rockets for Mrs Daydream to visit the jigaree. They will first have to draw their own plan on a piece of paper and label it (with support). However, Mrs Daydream needs to see what the rocket would look like. Therefore, the children will create a model rocket using their design. They will use a range of junk materials so please send in any boxes, plastic bottles, egg cartons etc. The aim is for the children to learn how to join materials and make a model with a specific purpose. The rockets will be made next week as well as learning about space.
In addition to all of this the children will be investigating objects and materials that are shiny and dull. (How we will fit it all in I do not quite know yet!) You may wish to support this by looking for shiny and dull objects around the home.
Creative Development
Starry, Starry Night - Yes, I have raided my dad's CD collection and found Don McClean's 'Vincent'. Did you know that the song was based on Vincent Van Gogh's painting Starry Night? The children will experience being music and art critics this week and look at the work of Van Gogh and in particular this painting. They will create a piece of art work in the style of Van Gogh in teams linked to our colour mixing activities also. We hope to display these in the cloakroom. The children will also create a musical accompaniment to Twinkle, Twinkle.
Physical Development
The children will create dance movement to Gustav Holst's The Planets. They will talk about how the music makes them feel and create dance movements in response to what they hear and feel.
As always we will be having a real push on pencil control and scissor skills. Any practice the children can have at home on these skills would be greatly appreciated.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
The children will learn to recognise and deal with conflict. This is a unit from the SEAL project the school is implementing. The children will also be talking about the dark and how it makes them feel. We will be reading a chapter from the book 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark'. In this chapter the owl encounters fireworks. This provides us with the opportunity to discuss safety issues relating to Bonfire Night.
Yes...and as always we'll be getting dressed independently.
I think that is all for now!
Hi there!
I hope you all had a great half term holiday and are ready to get going! This half term is all about Colour, Light and Sound and starts off to a ZOOM!! Yes, we will be looking at space. This week's Mantle of the Expert will involve the children solving a problem for Mrs Daydream (aka Mrs Higgins). Once again, the information I am about to give you is top secret and no little ears should know what is about to take place this week. Here's how it goes...
Mrs Daydream visits the Problem-Solvers because she was simply walking down the street when out popped a strange looking character who gave her a present. He just seemed to have fallen out of the sky! The character tells her that he is a 'jigaree' and then disappears.
Over the course of the week the children will get to find out who the jigaree is, where he lives and how Mrs Daydream can get to visit him in space. The following information should explain this further and how it fits into the children's learning.
Communication, Language and Literacy
This week, the children will work on the text 'The Jigaree' which is about a monster who lives on the moon. This text places a high emphasis on developing the children's understanding of rhyme. By the end of this week we hope that all the children will be able to recognise a rhyming pair and even create a rhyming pair of their own. The following websites may be useful to you in supporting their understanding of rhyme:
www.ngfl-cyrmu.org.uk/vtc/nursery_rhymes/eng/Introduction/default.html
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/wprds/dgi.shtml - this is a lovely website to use but you may need to sit with your child as the words will need to be read out for them in order for the rhyming pairs to be identified.
However good these websites may be, there are so many great children's literature which have rhyming words in them. Why not have a browse on your child's bookshelf and see what you can find. Also, reciting the nursery rhymes your child knows and identifying the rhyming words is a good idea too.
Mathematical Development
As the class target suggests, the children will be working on finding one more and one less than a given number. We will begin by starting with one more and see how it goes. Obviously, the language associated with this area of mathematical development is very important. Therefore, before the children can identify a number that is one less and one more they need to have an understanding of the terms more and less. The following website will help you with this:
www.ictgames.com/mucky.html - this is linked to washing their hands when going to the toilet!! They have to see which hand has more or less germs on it.
Once they have mastered this they could then use the following webistes to support their learning:
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/counting/rocket%20count.html - a game linked to our topic on space. You can select the number of rockets you want and add one more/less. Click on the rockets to make them shoot.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/counting/count.html - the same as above but with fish.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/counting/random%20count.html - as above.
In all of these games you can determine the number of objects you work with. I would advise you to start with 5 and then work up to 10.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Linked to the Mantle of the Expert, the children will be designing rockets for Mrs Daydream to visit the jigaree. They will first have to draw their own plan on a piece of paper and label it (with support). However, Mrs Daydream needs to see what the rocket would look like. Therefore, the children will create a model rocket using their design. They will use a range of junk materials so please send in any boxes, plastic bottles, egg cartons etc. The aim is for the children to learn how to join materials and make a model with a specific purpose. The rockets will be made next week as well as learning about space.
In addition to all of this the children will be investigating objects and materials that are shiny and dull. (How we will fit it all in I do not quite know yet!) You may wish to support this by looking for shiny and dull objects around the home.
Creative Development
Starry, Starry Night - Yes, I have raided my dad's CD collection and found Don McClean's 'Vincent'. Did you know that the song was based on Vincent Van Gogh's painting Starry Night? The children will experience being music and art critics this week and look at the work of Van Gogh and in particular this painting. They will create a piece of art work in the style of Van Gogh in teams linked to our colour mixing activities also. We hope to display these in the cloakroom. The children will also create a musical accompaniment to Twinkle, Twinkle.
Physical Development
The children will create dance movement to Gustav Holst's The Planets. They will talk about how the music makes them feel and create dance movements in response to what they hear and feel.
As always we will be having a real push on pencil control and scissor skills. Any practice the children can have at home on these skills would be greatly appreciated.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
The children will learn to recognise and deal with conflict. This is a unit from the SEAL project the school is implementing. The children will also be talking about the dark and how it makes them feel. We will be reading a chapter from the book 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark'. In this chapter the owl encounters fireworks. This provides us with the opportunity to discuss safety issues relating to Bonfire Night.
Yes...and as always we'll be getting dressed independently.
I think that is all for now!
Take care and have a great week.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Weekly update 16th October 2006
Weekly update
Last week was a great week with the children getting fully involved in their role as problem-solvers. Yet another problem was solved regarding how to mix the colours green, purple, orange, pink and brown. The children even taught 'Martha Colourwheel' (aka Mrs Latham) a song about colour mixing to help her remember. It goes like this...
(To the tune of Okey Cokey)
You put a blue blob here, a yellow blob there
Blue blob, yellow blob and give it a stir
You do the okey cokey and you turn around
And green is what you make
(the rest of the song is the same as the original)
You can change the colour names in the song for the different outcomes. Happy singing!!
Here I Am
The children are starting their topic on Initiation now. The children will be learning about baptism. You may wish to support your child by looking at videos or photographs of their baptism.
Mathematical Development
This week is assessment and review week prior to the end of half term. This is an opportunity for us to assess the children on their counting (reliably of course!) and their recognition of the shapes and their properties. The children have created some beautiful art work inspired by Wassily Kandinsky's piece 'Swinging'. We hope to have them up in the classroom after the half term so please pop in and see them after school one night. Over this week you may wish to look back at the websites that have been posted earlier this half term to support the assessment process.
Communication, Language and Literacy
The children will continue to develop their letter recognition. This will be done through an alphabet book. The key word for this week will be 'alliteration'. What on earth is alliteration you may be asking! Well, basically, alliteration is when words within a sentnece or phrase begin with the same sound (phoneme). For example, slithering snakes, happy hippos, etc. The children will be asked to identify words and objects that begin with the same sound. This will be further developed into them writing silly alliterative sentences with their group e.g Sammy snake sucks sticky sausages. I'm sure this will cause many giggles, and that's just from the staff! Again the websites previously noted on this blog will support your child's learning.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Next week the Hindu familiaes will be celebrating Divali. This is one of our most favourite weeks when the children really learn about the culture of other religions. The children will learn about the story of Rama and Sita and have the opportunity to reenact the story. They will be using the different construction kits we have in class to build a bridge for the monkey army in the story to cross the river. They will experience Indian cuisine by tasting curries, popadoms, rice, etc. Mrs Latham will be making an indian sweet called barfi. I have also organised for a dance company to visit the school and show the children how to do the indian dancing.
Physical Development and Creative Development
The children will be developing their fine motor skills by doing a little sewing this week. They children are to work together to stitch sequins and beads onto some sari material. These will later be used in the role play area. The children will also experience using clay as they will make clay diva lamps. They will make paper flower garlands too. The children will learn a lovely song about Divali and create their own movements to the song in their PE lesson.
Other details
Just a quick reminder about Parents' Evening. They will be held in the classroom. Thank you to you all for your prompt return of the forms to allow for times to be allocated. Please could you keep the handwriting book and library book in the plastic wallet we gave you and return them both on Friday. Please do not send them in any earlier as it is often difficult to find places to house so many folders throughout the week.
Have a great week. I know we will!!
best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Last week was a great week with the children getting fully involved in their role as problem-solvers. Yet another problem was solved regarding how to mix the colours green, purple, orange, pink and brown. The children even taught 'Martha Colourwheel' (aka Mrs Latham) a song about colour mixing to help her remember. It goes like this...
(To the tune of Okey Cokey)
You put a blue blob here, a yellow blob there
Blue blob, yellow blob and give it a stir
You do the okey cokey and you turn around
And green is what you make
(the rest of the song is the same as the original)
You can change the colour names in the song for the different outcomes. Happy singing!!
Here I Am
The children are starting their topic on Initiation now. The children will be learning about baptism. You may wish to support your child by looking at videos or photographs of their baptism.
Mathematical Development
This week is assessment and review week prior to the end of half term. This is an opportunity for us to assess the children on their counting (reliably of course!) and their recognition of the shapes and their properties. The children have created some beautiful art work inspired by Wassily Kandinsky's piece 'Swinging'. We hope to have them up in the classroom after the half term so please pop in and see them after school one night. Over this week you may wish to look back at the websites that have been posted earlier this half term to support the assessment process.
Communication, Language and Literacy
The children will continue to develop their letter recognition. This will be done through an alphabet book. The key word for this week will be 'alliteration'. What on earth is alliteration you may be asking! Well, basically, alliteration is when words within a sentnece or phrase begin with the same sound (phoneme). For example, slithering snakes, happy hippos, etc. The children will be asked to identify words and objects that begin with the same sound. This will be further developed into them writing silly alliterative sentences with their group e.g Sammy snake sucks sticky sausages. I'm sure this will cause many giggles, and that's just from the staff! Again the websites previously noted on this blog will support your child's learning.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Next week the Hindu familiaes will be celebrating Divali. This is one of our most favourite weeks when the children really learn about the culture of other religions. The children will learn about the story of Rama and Sita and have the opportunity to reenact the story. They will be using the different construction kits we have in class to build a bridge for the monkey army in the story to cross the river. They will experience Indian cuisine by tasting curries, popadoms, rice, etc. Mrs Latham will be making an indian sweet called barfi. I have also organised for a dance company to visit the school and show the children how to do the indian dancing.
Physical Development and Creative Development
The children will be developing their fine motor skills by doing a little sewing this week. They children are to work together to stitch sequins and beads onto some sari material. These will later be used in the role play area. The children will also experience using clay as they will make clay diva lamps. They will make paper flower garlands too. The children will learn a lovely song about Divali and create their own movements to the song in their PE lesson.
Other details
Just a quick reminder about Parents' Evening. They will be held in the classroom. Thank you to you all for your prompt return of the forms to allow for times to be allocated. Please could you keep the handwriting book and library book in the plastic wallet we gave you and return them both on Friday. Please do not send them in any earlier as it is often difficult to find places to house so many folders throughout the week.
Have a great week. I know we will!!
best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Friday, October 06, 2006
Weekly update 9th October 2006
Weekly update
Last week was a great week!
Firstly, can we say a BIG thank you for all your kind donations for our Harvest Festival. I am sure that they will all be greatly received. May I also that all those parents who religiously make a comment in their children's diary. I also appreciate how many letters and bits of information you are receiving home each week. Believe me it does start to slow down from now on.
Last week, we had our trainers coming in to do some 'on-the-job' training with myself and the team. The approach is called Mantle of the Expert. If you would like to find out more please go to www.mantleoftheexpert.com
Mantle of the Week
We are going to 'have a go' this week at doing a mini-mantle. The children are going to explore how colours are mixed. They are to be problem solvers for the client, 'Mad Professor Patrick' aka Mrs Latham! I will act as the agent, asking questions and developing the children's thinking. He is going to have a problem! His life work on colour mixing has been burned to a cinder! He knows that he discovered how to make green, orange, purple, brown, pink and grey but he has lost his precious note book with how he did it. Can they solve the problem because he has to share his findings pretty soon. The children will have to come up with their own way of solving the problem. PLEASE do not give your children the answers. There is far more satisfaction and self-esteem built in the feeling that they have solved the problem themselves.
So what's going on this week?
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Your child will have two PE lessons a week where they need to get changed into their PE kits. At the moment it is taking the children a very long time to get changed for PE and back changed again, resulting in only twenty minutes per session for actual physical activity. Independence in dressing and undressing scores very highly on the Foundation Stage Profile, a document which your child's attainment is measured against. Therefore, please could you continue to help your child to get dressed themselves. Activities in the home such as baking, using play dough, building with Lego and other fiddly toys will support your child with their fine motor skills if they are finding buttons difficult.
Communication, Language and Literacy
Last week the children started on developing their ideas for helping Humpty Dumpty to learn about spiders. therefore, this week the children will continue to learn about non-fiction books and their features in preparation for making their own big book for Humpty. In order to support this, you may wish to take a trip to the local library and search for books on spiders or other books of interest. The key things for the children to understand are that non-fiction books have:
Last week was a great week!
Firstly, can we say a BIG thank you for all your kind donations for our Harvest Festival. I am sure that they will all be greatly received. May I also that all those parents who religiously make a comment in their children's diary. I also appreciate how many letters and bits of information you are receiving home each week. Believe me it does start to slow down from now on.
Last week, we had our trainers coming in to do some 'on-the-job' training with myself and the team. The approach is called Mantle of the Expert. If you would like to find out more please go to www.mantleoftheexpert.com
Mantle of the Week
We are going to 'have a go' this week at doing a mini-mantle. The children are going to explore how colours are mixed. They are to be problem solvers for the client, 'Mad Professor Patrick' aka Mrs Latham! I will act as the agent, asking questions and developing the children's thinking. He is going to have a problem! His life work on colour mixing has been burned to a cinder! He knows that he discovered how to make green, orange, purple, brown, pink and grey but he has lost his precious note book with how he did it. Can they solve the problem because he has to share his findings pretty soon. The children will have to come up with their own way of solving the problem. PLEASE do not give your children the answers. There is far more satisfaction and self-esteem built in the feeling that they have solved the problem themselves.
So what's going on this week?
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Your child will have two PE lessons a week where they need to get changed into their PE kits. At the moment it is taking the children a very long time to get changed for PE and back changed again, resulting in only twenty minutes per session for actual physical activity. Independence in dressing and undressing scores very highly on the Foundation Stage Profile, a document which your child's attainment is measured against. Therefore, please could you continue to help your child to get dressed themselves. Activities in the home such as baking, using play dough, building with Lego and other fiddly toys will support your child with their fine motor skills if they are finding buttons difficult.
Communication, Language and Literacy
Last week the children started on developing their ideas for helping Humpty Dumpty to learn about spiders. therefore, this week the children will continue to learn about non-fiction books and their features in preparation for making their own big book for Humpty. In order to support this, you may wish to take a trip to the local library and search for books on spiders or other books of interest. The key things for the children to understand are that non-fiction books have:
- photographs
- diagrams with labels
- headings at the top of the page
- captions which explain the photograph
- contain information about things that are real
As always we will be continuing to support your child with their identification of the letter sounds and names. As with last week, we will be working on the following letter names and corresponding sounds - Aa, Ss, Mm, Tt, Gg, Oo, Pp and Cc. The best website is www.starfall.com for these as the games use the letter names and the letter sounds together.
Some of the children in the class are hearing the initial sounds in words now. If your child can do this then I would suggest the following websites in order to extend their learning - www.ictgames.com/soundsea.html
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/words/dg2.shtml - select initial sounds
Mathematical Development
In this area of the curriculum the children will be working on shapes. The children who know the shape names, circle, square, rectangle and triangle will extend their knowledge by learning about the properties of the shapes. This means talking about the number of sides, corners and whether it has curved or straight sides. You will receive an information sheet detailing the vocabulary we wish to develop on Monday along with your child's handwriting homework.
The following websites may be of use to your child. I will be using some of them in my input and as activities to support their learning.
www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/online_downloads.htm - select pattern, shape reveal and street shapes.
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/artbox/playit/shapes/shapes.html
www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/shapes/shapes.html
www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/simple_patterns/eng/Introduction/default.htm
www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/maths/maerdy_2d/frames.asp - the properties are given and the children must guess the shape.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.html?thread_id=2# - colour in pictures made of shapes, making pictures with shapes and making patterns with shapes.
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/funandgames/flash/pictureperfect/pictureperfect.html - shape matching.
This next one I just love! I couldn't stop laughing. By the way it has nothing to do with shape, just counting.
www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/counting/bugz.htm
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
The children will continue to find out about spiders throughout the week. They will also investigate waterproofing as Incy Wincy has categorically stated that he will NOT visit if it is raining. (With the weather we are having what hope do we have?) Anyway, the children must find out about waterproof materials and then come up with a shelter to protect Incy from the rain on his travels from the spout to Humpty's House. They must then make the shelter and test out.
In the computer suite the children will continue to develop their mouse skills. they will be using the following website so any help would be great!
www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/teddydress.swf
They will also be learning how to program a programmable toy (dressed as Incy) to travel up the spout. See - it all fits together!
Creative Development
The children will learn about the famous artist Wassily Kandinsky and our work in Mathematical Development will inspire our art work. The children will also complete their paper plate spiders and start to make their Harvest frames. In addition to this the children will be learning a song for our Harvest festival. The children will investigate how sounds are made with different percussion instruments.
Events
Induction Evening - this is a chance for you to learn in more detail about your child's learning whilst they are in the Foundation Stage. We will be providing you with details of the types of activities you can play at home to support your child with their learning, as well as sharing with you the different practices we employ in the classroom. Please be prepared to take part. You will laugh and have fun, and make new friends I am sure. You will hopefully see the supported, exciting and structured way in which your child will learn.
Kinetic Science Show - as apart of our endeavour to develop links within the community, we are joining with our neighbouring school, Penketh South, for a Science Show. This will take place on Wednesday. Thankyou to all who have made a voluntary contribution to the shows. I am sure we will enjoy them.
Goodness me, this blog gets longer each week!
Finally, a letter has gone out to you about parents' evening. Please complete the form at the bottom and return it to school as soon as possible. Handwriting homework will go out each Monday with your child's library book. Please return them both in the wallet provided on Friday to allow for marking of homework and new homework to be set.
Have a great week yourselves!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team
Friday, September 29, 2006
Weekly update 2nd October 2006
Weekly update
The children are all finally in and we can begin on the fantastic learning experiences we have planned for the children. This week is particularly exciting as we have an expert visiting us to train us in the classroom along with the children. This involves the use of role play to develop children's learning.
The children have settled well into their register groups in the morning and we now ask that you make the entry into school as speedy as possible to allow for a pacey start to the day. However, the children still need to be encouraged to do as much of the morning routine themselves as possible.
Could I also remind you that names need to be on everything - snacks, drinks bottles, etc. We have been very impressed with the labelling of property with this intake but their are just a few children who do not have their snack labelled.
Communication, Language and Literacy
Continuing with our nursery rhyme theme the children will get another letter from Humpty Dumpty. This time he will be fretting because he is being visited by Incy Wincy Spider and he doesn't really know that much about spiders. Therefore, the class target is to look for spiders and webs around their environment and find out what they can about them. The result of the week will be an information book that we will be able to send to Humpty Dumpty ready for Incy Wincy Spider's visit.
The children have also been grouped in preparation for their reading activities and we will be focusing on learning the letter sounds and names for Aa, Ss, Mm, Tt, Gg, Oo and Pp. You may wish to let your child play on the websites: www.ictgames.com/phonic_fighter4.html and www.starfall.com As always the high frequency words play a vital part in your child's reading development and we do encourage them to practice them little and often. The induction evening will give you ideas of the types of games you can play with them at home. You may want to play on the website: www.ictgames.com/plankgameR.html
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
The children will now start their two PE lessons a week in the school hall as well as a daily outdoor curriculum. The children need to be as independent as possible and therefore, we are having a real push on fastening and undoing their own buttons. We do undo and fasten their top button as this is often difficult for them. Your support in this would be greatly appreciated. I am aware that the children will take longer to get ready for school, so maybe start off with them doing one button, increasing to all of them over the course of the term.
Last week we did have quite few items around the classroom ill-treated and as a result had to be thrown away. Therefore, we will be reinforcing the Golden Rules this week with an emphasis on 'Looking after equipment'. At the induction meeting on 10th October you will receive further information about how the Golden Rules work.
Here I Am
As part of our topic we have asked for photographs of the children as babies. Thank you to all the parents who have sent one in. Could any outstanding photographs be sent in as soon as possible so we can place them on display. Thanks.
Mathematical Development
Now that all our assessments have been completed in this area of learning we are now ready to start teaching the numeracy curriculum. This week we will developing the children's counting skills. They will be required to count a range of objects reliably. This will include counting objects given and also counting them out of a larger set. On Monday you will find an information sheet about how we go about helping the children become reliable counters.
Here are some great websites to support this week's learning objectives:
www.ictgames.com/duckshoot.html - the children look at the number and then count that number of ducks to shoot. This is based on the fairground game.
www.e-gfl.org/4.cfm?s=4&m=25&p=117,index - select Down the Farm game.
www.abc.net/countusin/games/game3.htm - you can also select game 5.
www.little-g.com/shockwave/colourcount.html - look at the number and colour the given number of objects on screen.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/counting/random%20count.html - the children need to count the fish.
www.primarygames.com/math/fishycount/index.htm - count the fish and click on the corresponding number.
www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/english/fruits/level2/l2/activity2.html - this is a lovely game for the children to play. Once you have clicked on this link there are a few other games you can go to.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
In this area of the curriculum the children are looking at weather conditions. You may wish to develop your child's vocabulary by discussing the various weather types. The children will be asked to dress a teddy on the computer. Here are some websites to support this area of the curriculum:
www.bbc.co.uk/wales/bobinogs/games/game.shtml?1 - the children need to dress the character to match the weather.
www.angliacampus.com/tour/pri/geog/weathert/page02.htm - the children can find out about the weather with Teddy.
Physical Development
In this area of the curriculum the children will be further developing their scissor skills and fine motor skills. In PE they will be developing their balancing skills. They will also be developing their gross motor skills through a range of structured play activities outdoors.
Creative Development
Linked to our work on Spiders the children will be making clay spiders, owls and hedgehogs for Harvest. They will be creating spiders out of paper plates and shaping materials to create a spiders web. The children have been working really hard on making dream catchers with Mrs Latham and the last few who haven't completed theirs will get the chance this week. The children will also experience using a range of percussion instruments to accompany the rhyme of Incy Wincy Spider as well as learning a new song for our Harvest festival.
Finally, can I just remind you again of the Induction Meeting on 10th October. We do hope you can attend as there will be quite a lot of information given out.
Here's to a great week!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team
The children are all finally in and we can begin on the fantastic learning experiences we have planned for the children. This week is particularly exciting as we have an expert visiting us to train us in the classroom along with the children. This involves the use of role play to develop children's learning.
The children have settled well into their register groups in the morning and we now ask that you make the entry into school as speedy as possible to allow for a pacey start to the day. However, the children still need to be encouraged to do as much of the morning routine themselves as possible.
Could I also remind you that names need to be on everything - snacks, drinks bottles, etc. We have been very impressed with the labelling of property with this intake but their are just a few children who do not have their snack labelled.
Communication, Language and Literacy
Continuing with our nursery rhyme theme the children will get another letter from Humpty Dumpty. This time he will be fretting because he is being visited by Incy Wincy Spider and he doesn't really know that much about spiders. Therefore, the class target is to look for spiders and webs around their environment and find out what they can about them. The result of the week will be an information book that we will be able to send to Humpty Dumpty ready for Incy Wincy Spider's visit.
The children have also been grouped in preparation for their reading activities and we will be focusing on learning the letter sounds and names for Aa, Ss, Mm, Tt, Gg, Oo and Pp. You may wish to let your child play on the websites: www.ictgames.com/phonic_fighter4.html and www.starfall.com As always the high frequency words play a vital part in your child's reading development and we do encourage them to practice them little and often. The induction evening will give you ideas of the types of games you can play with them at home. You may want to play on the website: www.ictgames.com/plankgameR.html
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
The children will now start their two PE lessons a week in the school hall as well as a daily outdoor curriculum. The children need to be as independent as possible and therefore, we are having a real push on fastening and undoing their own buttons. We do undo and fasten their top button as this is often difficult for them. Your support in this would be greatly appreciated. I am aware that the children will take longer to get ready for school, so maybe start off with them doing one button, increasing to all of them over the course of the term.
Last week we did have quite few items around the classroom ill-treated and as a result had to be thrown away. Therefore, we will be reinforcing the Golden Rules this week with an emphasis on 'Looking after equipment'. At the induction meeting on 10th October you will receive further information about how the Golden Rules work.
Here I Am
As part of our topic we have asked for photographs of the children as babies. Thank you to all the parents who have sent one in. Could any outstanding photographs be sent in as soon as possible so we can place them on display. Thanks.
Mathematical Development
Now that all our assessments have been completed in this area of learning we are now ready to start teaching the numeracy curriculum. This week we will developing the children's counting skills. They will be required to count a range of objects reliably. This will include counting objects given and also counting them out of a larger set. On Monday you will find an information sheet about how we go about helping the children become reliable counters.
Here are some great websites to support this week's learning objectives:
www.ictgames.com/duckshoot.html - the children look at the number and then count that number of ducks to shoot. This is based on the fairground game.
www.e-gfl.org/4.cfm?s=4&m=25&p=117,index - select Down the Farm game.
www.abc.net/countusin/games/game3.htm - you can also select game 5.
www.little-g.com/shockwave/colourcount.html - look at the number and colour the given number of objects on screen.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/counting/random%20count.html - the children need to count the fish.
www.primarygames.com/math/fishycount/index.htm - count the fish and click on the corresponding number.
www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/english/fruits/level2/l2/activity2.html - this is a lovely game for the children to play. Once you have clicked on this link there are a few other games you can go to.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
In this area of the curriculum the children are looking at weather conditions. You may wish to develop your child's vocabulary by discussing the various weather types. The children will be asked to dress a teddy on the computer. Here are some websites to support this area of the curriculum:
www.bbc.co.uk/wales/bobinogs/games/game.shtml?1 - the children need to dress the character to match the weather.
www.angliacampus.com/tour/pri/geog/weathert/page02.htm - the children can find out about the weather with Teddy.
Physical Development
In this area of the curriculum the children will be further developing their scissor skills and fine motor skills. In PE they will be developing their balancing skills. They will also be developing their gross motor skills through a range of structured play activities outdoors.
Creative Development
Linked to our work on Spiders the children will be making clay spiders, owls and hedgehogs for Harvest. They will be creating spiders out of paper plates and shaping materials to create a spiders web. The children have been working really hard on making dream catchers with Mrs Latham and the last few who haven't completed theirs will get the chance this week. The children will also experience using a range of percussion instruments to accompany the rhyme of Incy Wincy Spider as well as learning a new song for our Harvest festival.
Finally, can I just remind you again of the Induction Meeting on 10th October. We do hope you can attend as there will be quite a lot of information given out.
Here's to a great week!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Weekly beginning 25th September 2006
Weekly update
Information for new starters (25th September 2006)
Welcome to St Vincent's!
This is the first day of your child's exciting learning adventure at St Vincent's. There will be lots of new things to take in and many changes ahead. Please do not worry as the induction process has been carefully structured in order to enable your child to feel secure and happy making the transition into primary school.
This blogspot will be updated on a weekly basis and will contain lots of information regarding what your child will be learning in school for the week, websites you could visit to support the learning in school as well as activities you could try at home. It is updated every weekend in preparation for the coming week.
The next week will be a settling in time allowing the Foundation Stage Team to get to know your child, their needs and starting point. This indepth induction process enables us to provide your child with the right start to their learning, as we would not like to repeat anything that they have been taught before. If your pre-school provider gave you any records please could you let us have a look at them as this will help us to tune in alot quicker. Please do not worry if you do not have any.
Finally, information will be sent home via your child's reading diary. You should have received this today. The diary is a means of communication between home and school, and in particular we ask that you make a comment every week about your child's reading at home. There will be a further induction meeting, on 10th October, when all the children are in full time. At this meeting we will give further details regarding the types of comments you can make but we love to read your comments and always respond to them.
If you have anything you are unsure about please do not hesitate to see a member of the Foundation Stage Team.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Information for children already in school
Well! Can you believe it! Humpty Dumpty has not just written to the children but actually emailed them too!! This week the children are continuing to work on investigating the best way to build walls, looking at brick bonds, etc in preparation for their response to Humpty later in the week. The walls build so far are brilliant and ALL the children have been eager to have a go! These children have lots of 'get up and go' and we are looking forward to what this year holds in store for us. There has not been a day so far that we have not laughed out loud about something that has happened. 'A smile a day keeps the blues away!'.
Structured teaching will commence next week as this week we need to finalise and collate our assessments in preparation for the detailed planning of your child's learning experiences whilst they are in the Foundation Stage. However, never one to miss out on an opportunity, I have detailed some good websites you may want to try which will support your child's letter recognition.
www.ictgames.com/letterlifter.html - this is a great game. The children must look at the object and decide what sound it begins with. Once they have identified it they need to locate the letter symbol on the keyboard and type it in. If your child is still a little unsure of the sounds and can not hear the initial sounds yet then this may be one to leave for a later date.
www.ictgames.com/plankgameR.html - this supports the spelling and recogntion of the high frequency words throughout Reception.
www.ictgames.com/phonic_fighter4.html - I absolutely love this one!!
www.starfall.com - by far one of the best websites to support letter recognition in a fun and interactive way.
You may have noticed on last week's blog that I mentioned sending home handwriting homework. I think I may have been a little too ambitious with the planning last week and as a result the children were not taught the pattern. Therefore, we have decided to postpone handwriting homework until all the children are in full time. Therefore, Monday 2nd October will be the first day they receive handwriting homework.
Finally, can we just say how amazed we are at how quickly the children have settled this year. Well done to them all!
Here's to another great week!
Best Wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Information for new starters (25th September 2006)
Welcome to St Vincent's!
This is the first day of your child's exciting learning adventure at St Vincent's. There will be lots of new things to take in and many changes ahead. Please do not worry as the induction process has been carefully structured in order to enable your child to feel secure and happy making the transition into primary school.
This blogspot will be updated on a weekly basis and will contain lots of information regarding what your child will be learning in school for the week, websites you could visit to support the learning in school as well as activities you could try at home. It is updated every weekend in preparation for the coming week.
The next week will be a settling in time allowing the Foundation Stage Team to get to know your child, their needs and starting point. This indepth induction process enables us to provide your child with the right start to their learning, as we would not like to repeat anything that they have been taught before. If your pre-school provider gave you any records please could you let us have a look at them as this will help us to tune in alot quicker. Please do not worry if you do not have any.
Finally, information will be sent home via your child's reading diary. You should have received this today. The diary is a means of communication between home and school, and in particular we ask that you make a comment every week about your child's reading at home. There will be a further induction meeting, on 10th October, when all the children are in full time. At this meeting we will give further details regarding the types of comments you can make but we love to read your comments and always respond to them.
If you have anything you are unsure about please do not hesitate to see a member of the Foundation Stage Team.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Information for children already in school
Well! Can you believe it! Humpty Dumpty has not just written to the children but actually emailed them too!! This week the children are continuing to work on investigating the best way to build walls, looking at brick bonds, etc in preparation for their response to Humpty later in the week. The walls build so far are brilliant and ALL the children have been eager to have a go! These children have lots of 'get up and go' and we are looking forward to what this year holds in store for us. There has not been a day so far that we have not laughed out loud about something that has happened. 'A smile a day keeps the blues away!'.
Structured teaching will commence next week as this week we need to finalise and collate our assessments in preparation for the detailed planning of your child's learning experiences whilst they are in the Foundation Stage. However, never one to miss out on an opportunity, I have detailed some good websites you may want to try which will support your child's letter recognition.
www.ictgames.com/letterlifter.html - this is a great game. The children must look at the object and decide what sound it begins with. Once they have identified it they need to locate the letter symbol on the keyboard and type it in. If your child is still a little unsure of the sounds and can not hear the initial sounds yet then this may be one to leave for a later date.
www.ictgames.com/plankgameR.html - this supports the spelling and recogntion of the high frequency words throughout Reception.
www.ictgames.com/phonic_fighter4.html - I absolutely love this one!!
www.starfall.com - by far one of the best websites to support letter recognition in a fun and interactive way.
You may have noticed on last week's blog that I mentioned sending home handwriting homework. I think I may have been a little too ambitious with the planning last week and as a result the children were not taught the pattern. Therefore, we have decided to postpone handwriting homework until all the children are in full time. Therefore, Monday 2nd October will be the first day they receive handwriting homework.
Finally, can we just say how amazed we are at how quickly the children have settled this year. Well done to them all!
Here's to another great week!
Best Wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Week beginning 18th September 2006
Weekly update
Information for new starters (18th September 2006)
Welcome to St Vincent's!
This is the first day of your child's exciting learning adventure at St Vincent's. There will be lots of new things to take in and many changes ahead. Please do not worry as the induction process has been carefully structured in order to enable your child to feel secure and happy making the transition into primary school.
This blogspot will be updated on a weekly basis and will contain lots of information regarding what your child will be learning in school for the week, websites you could visit to support the learning in school as well as activities you could try at home. It is updated every weekend in preparation for the coming week.
The next few weeks will be a settling in time allowing the Foundation Stage Team to get to know your child, their needs and starting point. This indepth induction process enables us to provide your child with the right start to their learning, as we would not like to repeat anything that they have been taught before. If your pre-school provider gave you any records please could you let us have a look at them as this will help us to tune in alot quicker. Please do not worry if you do not have any.
Finally, information will be sent home via your child's reading diary. You should have received this today. The diary is a means of communication between home and school, and in particular we ask that you make a comment every week about your child's reading at home. There will be a further induction meeting when all the children are in full time. At this meeting we will give further details regarding the types of comments you can make but we love to read your comments and always respond to them.
If you have anything you are unsure about please do not hesitate to see a member of the Foundation Stage Team.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Information for parents of children already starting school.
This week we will be working on developing our Nursery Rhyme Land (our classroom). The children will receive a letter from Humpty Dumpty explaining that he is very worried because he is having a new house built (our home corner) and the last wall he sat on fell down! The children are to investigate brick bonds and work in pairs to create a wall for Humpty. They will test it out using a programmable toy. They will have to program it to try to know Humpty off the wall. this activity will support the children's understanding of problem solving, team work and knowledge of the world. The use of the programmable toy named Roamer is taught early to enable the children to know how to use it in other areas of the curriculum.
Following our theme on Humpty Dumpty the children will be investigating how eggs are changed when they are heated. If you feel like you want to have an egg-citing breakfast (sorry, counldn't resist!) why not have scrambled egg on Monday, boiled egg on Tuesday, fried egg on Wednesday (using fry-lite of course), poached egg on Thursday and finishing the school week off with an omelette.
We love our craft activities in the Foundation Stage and therefore the children will be making jointed Humpty's and creating members of his family. This is to develop the key scissor skills.
Below are a list of websites that you may want to use with your child. They are mainly based on the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/Foundation/humptyjig.html - this has a lovely jigsay for the children to put together again (because the all the King's horses and all the King's men couldn't!)
http://ngfl.nothumberland.gov.uk/ict/mouseskills/ted.html - click and drag to develop the children's mouse skills and create a picture of teddy's face.
http://wgfl.digitalbrain.com/wgfl/web/foundation/humpty/humpty.htm
http://themouseclub.co.uk - this is obsessive particularly if you play noughts and crosses - I was on for about half an hour!
www.snaithprimary.eril.net/index.htm
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=5# - dress Humpty for hot and cold weather and make up your own rhyme (this is an evaluation copy but it still works)
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=4# - sequencing the rhyme and mending Humpty
www.hendersonville-pd.org/hpdnursery.html - range of nursery rhymes ( be warned! the music almost sends you to sleep!)
www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/humpty/index.htm - colouring pages, finger puppets and paper crafts.
www.starfall.com - for those letters of the alphabet!
As part of our Here I Am topic on babies we also ask that you send in a photogragh of when your child was a baby. We will be sticking it into a book so please do not send one that is really treasured. You will also receive a copy of a prayer you may wish to share with your child.
Handwriting homework will commence this week. Details of how to go about it will be on the inside cover of the book you receive home.
Many thanks
Jayne Narraway x
Information for new starters (18th September 2006)
Welcome to St Vincent's!
This is the first day of your child's exciting learning adventure at St Vincent's. There will be lots of new things to take in and many changes ahead. Please do not worry as the induction process has been carefully structured in order to enable your child to feel secure and happy making the transition into primary school.
This blogspot will be updated on a weekly basis and will contain lots of information regarding what your child will be learning in school for the week, websites you could visit to support the learning in school as well as activities you could try at home. It is updated every weekend in preparation for the coming week.
The next few weeks will be a settling in time allowing the Foundation Stage Team to get to know your child, their needs and starting point. This indepth induction process enables us to provide your child with the right start to their learning, as we would not like to repeat anything that they have been taught before. If your pre-school provider gave you any records please could you let us have a look at them as this will help us to tune in alot quicker. Please do not worry if you do not have any.
Finally, information will be sent home via your child's reading diary. You should have received this today. The diary is a means of communication between home and school, and in particular we ask that you make a comment every week about your child's reading at home. There will be a further induction meeting when all the children are in full time. At this meeting we will give further details regarding the types of comments you can make but we love to read your comments and always respond to them.
If you have anything you are unsure about please do not hesitate to see a member of the Foundation Stage Team.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Information for parents of children already starting school.
This week we will be working on developing our Nursery Rhyme Land (our classroom). The children will receive a letter from Humpty Dumpty explaining that he is very worried because he is having a new house built (our home corner) and the last wall he sat on fell down! The children are to investigate brick bonds and work in pairs to create a wall for Humpty. They will test it out using a programmable toy. They will have to program it to try to know Humpty off the wall. this activity will support the children's understanding of problem solving, team work and knowledge of the world. The use of the programmable toy named Roamer is taught early to enable the children to know how to use it in other areas of the curriculum.
Following our theme on Humpty Dumpty the children will be investigating how eggs are changed when they are heated. If you feel like you want to have an egg-citing breakfast (sorry, counldn't resist!) why not have scrambled egg on Monday, boiled egg on Tuesday, fried egg on Wednesday (using fry-lite of course), poached egg on Thursday and finishing the school week off with an omelette.
We love our craft activities in the Foundation Stage and therefore the children will be making jointed Humpty's and creating members of his family. This is to develop the key scissor skills.
Below are a list of websites that you may want to use with your child. They are mainly based on the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/Foundation/humptyjig.html - this has a lovely jigsay for the children to put together again (because the all the King's horses and all the King's men couldn't!)
http://ngfl.nothumberland.gov.uk/ict/mouseskills/ted.html - click and drag to develop the children's mouse skills and create a picture of teddy's face.
http://wgfl.digitalbrain.com/wgfl/web/foundation/humpty/humpty.htm
http://themouseclub.co.uk - this is obsessive particularly if you play noughts and crosses - I was on for about half an hour!
www.snaithprimary.eril.net/index.htm
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=5# - dress Humpty for hot and cold weather and make up your own rhyme (this is an evaluation copy but it still works)
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=4# - sequencing the rhyme and mending Humpty
www.hendersonville-pd.org/hpdnursery.html - range of nursery rhymes ( be warned! the music almost sends you to sleep!)
www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/humpty/index.htm - colouring pages, finger puppets and paper crafts.
www.starfall.com - for those letters of the alphabet!
As part of our Here I Am topic on babies we also ask that you send in a photogragh of when your child was a baby. We will be sticking it into a book so please do not send one that is really treasured. You will also receive a copy of a prayer you may wish to share with your child.
Handwriting homework will commence this week. Details of how to go about it will be on the inside cover of the book you receive home.
Many thanks
Jayne Narraway x
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Week beginning 11th September 2006
Weekly update
Information for parents of the first intake
The first two days of the school year went very well. Many thanks for supporting your child on entering school, selecting their names and placing their belongings in the correct spot. The children have now started to understand the routines of the day and things are running very efficiently. Last week we concentrated on getting to know where the resources are, tidying up after a session as well as assessing your child on some basic skills. All the assessments for your child will be completed by Wednesday to enable the next intake to start theirs.
We would also appreciate it if you could make a comment in your child's diary when you have read with them, looked at the high frequency words, etc.
What will happen after the assessments?
The children will participate in a little project based on the story 'Lost and Found' by Oliver Jeffers. This book was the winner of the Gold Award last year in the Nestle Children's Book Prize. As a class we are entering a competition to become judges for this year's competition. The first round involves the children creating an environment using paint, oil pastels, etc for the penguin who is lost. Therefore, we will be completing activities linked to this. The last time we entered this competition, we did get through the first round and becomae judges for the 2004 awards. This is a great opportunity to be involved in the national love of children's literature.
Your child will also become a 'buddy' to the next intake of children. As they have had the benefit of a large adult-child ratio, they now take on the role of supporting the other children. This is an excellent way of providing the children with responsibility, a skill needed throughout life.
If you would like to start doing any ativities with your child, I would suggest visiting:
www.starfall.com - this is a great website that can be used to support letter recognition. The sooner we start the better!
Once again, thank you for your support.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Information for new starters (14th September 2006)
Welcome to St Vincent's! This is the first day of your child's exciting learning adventure at St Vincent's. There will be lots of new things to take in and many changes ahead. Please do not worry as the induction process has been carefully structured in order to enable your child to feel secure and happy making the transition into primary school.
This blogspot will be updated on a weekly basis and will contain lots of information regarding what your child will be learning in school for the week, websites you could visit to support the learning in school as well as activities you could try at home. It is updated every weekend in preparation for the coming week.
The next few weeks will be a settling in time allowing the Foundation Stage Team to get to know your child, their needs and starting point. This indepth induction process enables us to provide your child with the right start to their learning, as we would not like to repeat anything that they have been taught before. If your pre-school provider gave you any records please could you let us have a look at them as this will help us to tune in alot quicker. Please do not worry if you do not have any.
Finally, information will be sent home via your child's reading diary. You should have received this today. The diary is a means of communication between home and school, and in particular we ask that you make a comment every week about your child's reading at home. There will be a further induction meeting when all the children are in full time. At this meeting we will give further details regarding the types of comments you can make but we love to read your comments and always respond to them.
If you have anything you are unsure about please do not hesitate to see a member of the Foundation Stage Team.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Information for parents of the first intake
The first two days of the school year went very well. Many thanks for supporting your child on entering school, selecting their names and placing their belongings in the correct spot. The children have now started to understand the routines of the day and things are running very efficiently. Last week we concentrated on getting to know where the resources are, tidying up after a session as well as assessing your child on some basic skills. All the assessments for your child will be completed by Wednesday to enable the next intake to start theirs.
We would also appreciate it if you could make a comment in your child's diary when you have read with them, looked at the high frequency words, etc.
What will happen after the assessments?
The children will participate in a little project based on the story 'Lost and Found' by Oliver Jeffers. This book was the winner of the Gold Award last year in the Nestle Children's Book Prize. As a class we are entering a competition to become judges for this year's competition. The first round involves the children creating an environment using paint, oil pastels, etc for the penguin who is lost. Therefore, we will be completing activities linked to this. The last time we entered this competition, we did get through the first round and becomae judges for the 2004 awards. This is a great opportunity to be involved in the national love of children's literature.
Your child will also become a 'buddy' to the next intake of children. As they have had the benefit of a large adult-child ratio, they now take on the role of supporting the other children. This is an excellent way of providing the children with responsibility, a skill needed throughout life.
If you would like to start doing any ativities with your child, I would suggest visiting:
www.starfall.com - this is a great website that can be used to support letter recognition. The sooner we start the better!
Once again, thank you for your support.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Information for new starters (14th September 2006)
Welcome to St Vincent's! This is the first day of your child's exciting learning adventure at St Vincent's. There will be lots of new things to take in and many changes ahead. Please do not worry as the induction process has been carefully structured in order to enable your child to feel secure and happy making the transition into primary school.
This blogspot will be updated on a weekly basis and will contain lots of information regarding what your child will be learning in school for the week, websites you could visit to support the learning in school as well as activities you could try at home. It is updated every weekend in preparation for the coming week.
The next few weeks will be a settling in time allowing the Foundation Stage Team to get to know your child, their needs and starting point. This indepth induction process enables us to provide your child with the right start to their learning, as we would not like to repeat anything that they have been taught before. If your pre-school provider gave you any records please could you let us have a look at them as this will help us to tune in alot quicker. Please do not worry if you do not have any.
Finally, information will be sent home via your child's reading diary. You should have received this today. The diary is a means of communication between home and school, and in particular we ask that you make a comment every week about your child's reading at home. There will be a further induction meeting when all the children are in full time. At this meeting we will give further details regarding the types of comments you can make but we love to read your comments and always respond to them.
If you have anything you are unsure about please do not hesitate to see a member of the Foundation Stage Team.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
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