Good afternoon,

First of all, we would like to say how proud we are of the Reception children for completing their first half term at school! They have all settled well and have fantastic attitudes to learning.  This week we have been learning about treating each other equally and have had discussions about being fair, which has linked to the whole school equality week. We had read Julia Donaldson’s book ‘The Smeds and the Smoos’ which explores differences, acceptance of each other and learning to get along.

In phonics, we have been learning the sounds b, f, e, l and h. As well as recognising the letters and being able to say the sounds, the children have been practising the formation of these letters too. Keep practising at home with your green speed sounds book, flash cards and using the handwriting sheets for extra practise. The green books include the handwriting phrase, which you can practise at home together.

To help the children with getting ready to read words, it is important to practise blending sounds together. This can be done through oral games like ‘Fred talk’, you could choose some items for your child to get, then sound out the item such as ‘get some s-o-ck-s’. You can also use the flashcards to make CVC words, the children can them break the word down into sounds and read the word ‘Fred talk, read the word’. In the holidays, make some time to read your child’s favourite book. It would be lovely to see some pictures on Tapestry of what you are reading at home.

In maths, we have continued learning about the number 2. We have represented 2 on a 10 frame and have used these to solve problems through mathematical stories. We have also discussed fair and unfair sharing using odd and even numbers. You can practise sharing items at home using plates and food items or sharing sweets between favourite toys. The children have looked at 1p and 2p and have discussed the differences and similarities between the coins. You could practise counting coins at home by making a shop and paying for items with small amounts of money.

After half term, we will learn:

Sounds: r, j, v, y, w

Maths: We will begin our learning of number 3.

Understanding the world: What festivals are in Autumn and how are they celebrated? The children will explore Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali.

We hope that you and the children have a well-deserved rest over half term. Thank you for all your support.

The Reception Team