Here are the first Golden Certificate winners of the new school year, well done!
Author: Mrs Dowell
Chestnut Newsletter 8.9.23
Welcome to Chestnut class! It has been great to see all the children back in school and eager to learn. We are already getting stuck into our new phonics scheme – Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised. The children are learning new skills and are focused during the lessons. More information can be found here:
Today, the children have come home with a list of Graphemes, Spellings and Tricky words that we have been learning this week. Please ask them to tell you all about them. We will be having little quizzes throughout the week to check the children remember them.
We have started our English unit which is based on the book ‘Dogger’ by Shirley Hughes. We have already predicted what might have happened to ‘Dogger’ when Dave could not find him at bedtime. Next week we will begin by labelling and describing Dogger using the text to help us. On Thursday, all the children are invited to bring in their own favourite soft toy. The children will then write labels and a description of their soft toy. They will use some of the vocabulary we have learnt in science and think about the materials used to make their toy.
In maths we are focussing on numbers to 10. We need to make sure everyone can count accurately, write numbers correctly and organise objects ready for counting. There are a few number reversals which we will be addressing in each lesson. Next week we will finding ‘one more’, ‘one less’ and counting on from a given number.
Please make sure that reading bags and books are in school everyday. We will be getting into the routine of checking these on a daily basis to make sure children are reading at home. Children need to read books more than once to become fluent and to have a full understanding of what they have read. Please ask them lots of questions. They will also start to bring home a ‘free choice’ book that they can share with you. They are not expected to read from these books, although, they may spot some familiar words in the text. Please take time to enjoy stories with your child, the classroom is at its quietest when they are engrossed in a story!
PE is on Tuesdays in Chestnut Class.
Children must come to school in the school PE kit.
- Plain black or navy shorts
- Plain black or navy jogging bottoms
- Plain white t-shirt
- School jumper or cardigan
- Pumps or trainers
NO EARRINGS ARE ALLOWED ON PE DAYS. Small metal studs on other days.
This week has been particularly hot in the classroom. Please make sure your child has a named water bottle in school everyday.
If you have any questions or would just like to say ‘Hello’, I would love to chat at the end of the school day. The mornings are quite a busy time as we welcome the children into school.
Enjoy the weekend,
Mrs Dowell, Mrs Armstrong and Miss Harrison.
Elm Newsletter 21.7.23
Summer is finally here, we just need to tell the weather!
This year has been fabulous. The class has grown from 21 to 27 pupils. Everyone has been welcomed and well looked after. All the children have grown in confidence and ability; I’m really proud to have been their teacher.
Thank you for the kind gifts, words and support throughout the year. It is very much appreciated!.
Have a fabulous summer break and we’ll see you all in September!
Elm Newsletter 14.7.23
This week the children have worked hard to produce an information poster about India. All the research that they have done over the past few weeks has been shown in their writing. Well done!
In maths, we have been solving problems using the skills they have learnt so far. They have had to think about what they need to do and how to record their workings out. The children are learning that there is often more than one answer to a maths problem.
It has been unfortunate that we have had to cancel two Sport’s Days. Hopefully the Key Stage 1 event will be able to go ahead on Wednesday morning. This will be the last opportunity of the year so fingers crossed!
All the children have had a fantastic year and made great personal progress. It’s hard to believe that they only have five days left in Year 2, it’s gone so fast!
Please keep reading and practising times tables.
Have a good weekend,
Mrs Dowell and Mrs Armstrong
Golden Certificate Winners 14.7.23
Here are this week’s winners, congratulations!
Key Stage 1 Sport’s Day! (Chestnut & Elm)
Our last chance to have a Key Stage 1 Sport’s Day will be on Wednesday 19th July at 9:30am. The forecast for Wednesday morning is currently good.
Children will need to arrive in PE kit. They do not need a coloured t-shirt, their normal white one is fine. They must wear trainers or pumps to run in.
Come prepared for the Parent’s Egg and Spoon race!
Elm Newsletter 30.6.23
This week the children have completed some assessments before our Bollywood dancing on Thursday. We all had a great time and are looking forward to you joining us for our second session next Thursday at 11am. Everyone was shattered afterwards; it’s a workout! They have all been asked to share some of the moves with you, get practising!
The children have started to gather facts for their information text about India. They are becoming very knowledgeable about the wider world. They have written definitions and checked them in a dictionary. Next they will be writing an introduction, making sure they hook the reader so that they want to find out more.
In maths, at this time of year, it is all about problem solving. They are learning to apply their knowledge and skills to new contexts. Regular practise of times tables is important so that they become fluent in their recall of facts.
We have an extraordinary amount of lost property in school. Please make sure your child’s belongings are clearly marked with their name. This way, items can be returned to the owner rapidly.
Have a fab weekend,
Mrs Dowell and Mrs Armstrong
Elm Newsletter 23.6.23
What a fantastic day we had at Fordhall Farm! It really is a great educational visit. The children learnt so much about where our food comes from. They had lots of questions for the butcher; I hope they have shared what they learnt about where some animal bones end up!
Katie told us that the hens had escaped into the garden overnight and they needed to hunt for the eggs in the vegetable garden. Not a single egg was broken – well done Elm!
In the afternoon, they thoroughly enjoyed working in teams to build a den in the woodland. There was so much to explore. There was no limit to their imagination. They learnt to carry huge branches safely by working with a partner and found the best position for each one.
I hope it will be an experience they will remember for a long time. The children initiated a fun game of Ninja Squirrels on the playground on Thursday afternoon, it’s great to see them bringing ideas into school that they learnt on their visit.
Have a fab weekend,
Mrs Dowell and Mrs Armstrong
Elm Newsletter 16.6.23
These weeks are going fast! We have worked hard at staying cool this week. The children are getting used to seeking out shade and keeping themselves cool.
We have written instructions for going on a tiger hunt using information from our story ‘Talking Tigers’. Next week we will start our information texts about India.
Please remember our trip on Wednesday. The children will arrive at school at the normal time and we will aim to be back by normal home time.
Your child will need:
- a water bottle
- packed lunch
- backpack
- sun hat
- applied sunscreen if it’s sunny
- school t-shirt and school jumper
- dark coloured leggings or joggers – no shorts or skirts
- waterproof coat if it is wet
- trainers or sensible shoes which will not come off when walking/playing in the woods
If you have any questions, please come to see me at the end of each day.
Have a good weekend,
Mrs Dowell and Mrs Armstrong
Golden Certificate Winners 16.6.23
Here are some of this week’s winners, well done!
