For more information on your child’s learning this week: 

• Click here to find the latest half-termly learning bulletins on our website 

• Check the ‘Latest News’ section for their year group - Reception or KS1

Welcome to Summer A! How quickly the year is going by and how amazing to see each child’s individual progress over the last 2 terms - we are all very proud of your children.

Science: How our seedlings are progressing! Each day, the children are checking and caring for their growing plants. 

       

                          

Art: The children enjoyed painting blossoms on trees for Spring. They chose their colours carefully to dot paint the blossom to create their trees.

                

                                      

D&T: The Year 2 children enjoyed making hand puppets for their D&T topic. They worked hard to develop their sewing skills and were so proud of the finished puppets. How amazing!

                

                      

Please look on Tapestry for all the amazing photos from Zoolab day. All children enthusiastically and bravely participated with their corresponding mainstream classes! 

In Gems’ English lessons, we are reading Meerkat Mail. 

                                    

Here is a video link for you to share the book at home with your child https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo8mr6j4XUA

 

Here are some of this week’s Attention Bucket activities across the 4 stages: 

• Making flour castles 

• Making ladybird using a toilet roll

• Making an origami dog

 

Useful resources we use in Gems: 

• Theraputty video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0a0ujIez20 

• Movement breaks and action songs: Danny Go https://www.youtube.com/@DannyGo 

 

Messages: 

Please write in your child's reading record every time you hear your child read at home. We recommend reading daily with your child. 

When reading with your child, you can: 

• enjoy reading other stories to them

• stop half way through and predict the ending

• talk about the story

• make links to other books

• retell the story

• answer a few questions about the story

 

Gems PE Days:

• Reception children - Thursday
• Year 1 – Wednesday and Thursday 
• Year 2 – Tuesday and Wednesday

 

Dates: 

Thursday 30th April  - 2026 Mini Marathon 2mile run (whole school PE kit, with plain white T-shirt)

If your child does not want to take part with the colour throwing part of the run, please discuss with a Gems member of staff before Thursday 30th.

• Tues 5th May Y2 Trunk Theatre - The Great Fire of London

• Thurs 7th May - Open Classrooms 8:45 - 9am in Gems / 8.45-9.15 Whole School

• Fri 8th May - David Attenborough whole school picnic after school.

• Tues 12th May - Gems Holly Lodge School trip - Butterflies, Bugs and Beetles

• Week 11th to 15th May -  MANGO week in Reception 2-2.30pm

• Tues 19th May Class Group photo shoot

• Thur 21st May Reception - Urban farm