We have been very excited to welcome all of the children to St Wilfrid's. This term, we will be focusing on helping children settle into life at school and supporting them to become familiar with the school routine and rules. We will support all children to establish friendships and become confident members of their class.
Curriculum
Our project question this term will be ‘Who am I and Where do I Belong?’. We will be talking about emotions and feelings, exploring what makes us special and thinking about the different places we belong. We will be developing children in all areas of their learning through adult guided activities and extending their play during 'discovery time'.
We learn everywhere
At St Wilfrids we have a spacious outside learning environment as well as our indoor learning environment. The children will have access to both environments in all weathers. Please ensure your child has named wellingtons, waterproof coat and trousers at school at all times.
What is your child doing at school?
The Early Years team use an observation tool called Evidence ME. The app enables us to record those Wow moments in your child’s learning. The app also allows us to send you those special moments to celebrate with your child at home. Equally adults at home are able to share with us those wow moments at home.
Reading and Phonics
Your child will be given a book bag. Each Thursday your child will choose a story book to bring home and share with you. The books will be swapped each week on a Thursday.
We will begin RWI phonics as soon as all the children are in school fulltime. Once the children are familiar with a range of sounds they will bring home a reading book to practice the sounds they have learnt at school so far. The books will be changed each Tuesday. Please ensure that your child brings their book bag to school each day with their books in it. Once your child is given their first reading book, they will also be given a reading diary for you to record each time you read with them. Your child will receive a certificate for practicing their reading at home.
Power Maths
In early years we use Power Maths. Power Maths enables children to explore number, calculation, shape and space and measure in a investigative way along side our child centred approach to all learning.
Home Challenges
At the end of each term the children will receive a list of home challenges, activities that we suggest they do at home. Each challenge will underpin the learning that they have experienced that term at school. The children can choose which ones they do across the following term.
PE
Within the Early Years Curriculum, we plan and provide opportunities for the children to develop their gross and fine motor skills as part of our continuous provision. After Christmas discrete PE sessions will be planned within the week. On the day your child is having PE they will wear their PE kit into school. You will be given notice and guidance in the weekly newsletter when this will commence.
Water bottles and Snacks
Please ensure your child has a named water bottle every day, containing water. Children will be provided with a fruit snack, if they would like to bring in an additional healthy snack for break time they can (e.g. fresh fruit, dry crackers or breadsticks, a bagel, raisins). Please ensure any snacks are both nut and egg free.
We are really looking forward to the coming term and hope the children’s enthusiasm and engagement will shine through at home. As always, our door is always open and we are happy to answer any questions or discuss concerns. Please do contact us on the Early Years email: YearR@stwilfrids-hh.school if you have any questions.
Many thanks for your continued support,
Miss Killick and Mrs Malcolm
