Over the past two weeks in Reception, we’ve had a fantastic time filled with learning, creativity, and exploration. One of our key focuses has been introducing the children to ‘chatty friends’ - a-e, i-e, u-e, o-e. They have loved this extra challenge and have really enjoyed applying their new phonic knowledge to their writing. In English, the children have written sentences about what they would like to be and do in the future. Some children have ‘stretched’ their sentences and included the conjunction ‘because’ to describe why. 

Before half term, we celebrated MANGO Week, which was a big hit! It was so special to welcome our grown-ups into the classroom to join in with play and activities. The children were so proud to share their learning spaces and show off their favourite games. 

In maths, we have introduced the children to rekenreks—an exciting tool that helps us visualise numbers and understand counting, addition, and number patterns. The children have loved sliding the beads to solve simple number problems and strengthen their early maths confidence.

Our topic work took us back in time as we began learning about dinosaurs! The children surprised us with their prior knowledge of dinosaurs. They have used playdough to make fossils, completed shadow tracing outside and dinosaur addition hunts in the learning garden. 

Finally, our Vineyard Adventures have taken us outdoors, where we’ve had fun building dens, working together, and exploring nature. It’s been a joyful and busy fortnight full of teamwork, imagination, and discovery!

  

  

 

               

 

Key messages:

• A reminder that children are not allowed to play on the climbing frame or use the school equipment before and after school, including siblings.
   

• Please continue to give us donations of clean recycling to add to our junk modeling, as we use it throughout the year—small boxes, toilet rolls, etc. However, we cannot accept anything that once contained nuts, eggs, or fish.
   

• As the weather most days is hot and sunny please ensure your child comes to school with suncream already on and a hat to wear on the playground.
   

• Here is a reminder of the Vineyard Adventurers sessions:
  

        Please make sure your child comes to school with full length trousers and                  something with sleeves. Waterproof trousers are desirable, but not necessary;            as long as their legs and arms are covered, to protect them from stinging                    nettles.

• Advanced reminder: FUDGE week 30th June, 2nd, 4th July. Please fill out this form to let us know if you will or won’t be able to attend: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBDKH7fbVMWOOxGWGHAQmZGXqCWREwe5d0q8fl-ndvM8-PPw/viewform?usp=header