As we continue our learning on life in different countries, the children have been comparing pictures of life in Trinidad and Tobago with England, looking at the similarities and differences between the towns, open land areas, mountain and beaches. We have also been learning about Lunar New Year celebrations and making Chinese dragons. 

In maths, we have been learning many new words to describe the capacity of containers: full, empty, nearly full, nearly empty and half full.  We enjoyed predicting, then experimenting to see how many cups of water it would take to fill different size containers. Would the tall, narrow container hold more than the shallow, wide container? We also found different ways to make numbers, and we began thinking about number bonds (2 numbers that we add together).

During free learning, the children have been sorting real and nonsense words, enjoying small world play and as always busy in the creation station.

This week's topic books have been: 

Key Messages: 

Junk Modelling: We are running out of junk for modelling. Please can you send in your rubbish - cardboard boxes, egg boxes, milk bottles, kitchen rolls, yoghurt pots etc! Ensure that the containers are clean and did not contain nuts. 

Winter Clothing: Please make sure your child comes to school with a winter coat. If they bring hats, scarves and gloves, please make sure they are named and not their favourite ones! 

Spare Clothes: Please return any school clothes that your child has borrowed as we are running very low. 

Reading for Pleasure: Each week, we have some books that we read in class that are linked to our learning. We will add them to the news so that you can talk to your child about them or even find those books and read them at home together. You can find suggestions of amazing books for your child on these websites: 

https://www.booksfortopics.com/booklists/recommended-reads/reception/ 

https://www.sparkbookawards.co.uk/the-awards/early-readers

Family Library Time: Did you know that there is a family library time on Thursdays after school? You can go with your child/ren to the school library, read together and borrow books like a regular library! 

Carnival Day: As part of our topic learning, we are having a special Carnival Day on Friday 10th February. On this day, the children can come into dressed in bright, colourful clothing. We will be making headdresses and instruments, learning a calypso dance, tasting fruit from Trinidad and Tobago and finishing with a carnival parade! 

Family Story Time Session: The Reception teachers would like to invite parents and carers to join their child's end of the day story time on Tuesday 7th February! Come to the classroom door at by 2.50pm, and you can sit and enjoy the class story time with your child. Please note that the main school gates will open for a 10-minute window from 2.40-2.50pm on this day for you to enter the school site.