Thank you all for your support with our summer fair! We hope you had an amazing time.

RWI

As you may know, decoding is a crucial skill in helping our children become confident readers. This term, we will be exploring a variety of strategies to enhance our reading and decoding skills. Importantly, we are practising our Set 2 sounds, which will assist the children in both reading and writing words that incorporate these new sounds.

Some children are also beginning to tackle multisyllabic words—those that contain more than one syllable. This is an impressive milestone and demonstrates their growing confidence and understanding of phonics. Encouraging them to break down these words into manageable parts will greatly aid their reading fluency.

In addition, we are focusing on ‘speedy reading’ during our sessions. This involves looking at the first few sounds in a word and blending them together as we read. It’s a fantastic way to develop speed and confidence in reading! You can support this at home by reading together and encouraging your child to blend sounds quickly.

Another effective strategy we are using is ‘Fred in our head’. This technique allows children to sound out words mentally, which significantly enhances their fluency. By practising this at home, your child will be able to build their confidence and become more proficient readers.

Maths

First, the children were introduced to the idea of sequencing events, which is a crucial skill in maths as it helps them understand order and time. Together, we discussed the steps involved when we go swimming, make a drink and get ready for bed in the evening using the vocabulary first, next, then, after that and finally.

Then, the children eagerly partnered up, and with their buddy, they started following the steps to make their own sandwiches. They had a wonderful time as they carefully followed the steps, always remembering to speak through each step aloud. This helped them practice using ordinal words like 'first', ‘next, ‘then, 'after that', and ‘finally’.

After that, each child reflected on the experience by writing about how they made their sandwiches. They incorporated the sequence of events into their writing, which not only reinforced their understanding of order but also helped enhance their literacy skills.

Next week in maths, we will be making models and solving problems.

Thematic

As part of our dinosaur exploration, the children discovered that the farmer in our story, Dinosaur Farm, had a rather unique farm—quite different from the traditional farms we are familiar with. This imaginative setting sparked an array of creative ideas and allowed the children to delve into the fascinating world of dinosaurs.

To enhance our learning experience, each child designed their very own dinosaur egg, which they then had to protect during our power play sessions. This activity was not only fun but also fostered important skills such as teamwork and problem-solving, as they figured out how to keep their eggs safe.

The following day brought even more excitement when the children discovered that their eggs had hatched into dinosaurs! This development led us to have conversations about the care of these new creatures, instilling an understanding of their needs. We discussed where dinosaurs might live, what they might eat, and how they can protect themselves in the wild. It was wonderful to see their imaginations flourish as they envisioned their dinosaurs' habitats and lifestyles.

During our forest school session, we discussed different dinosaurs and their bones. We found sticks and created our own fossils. 

Next week we will be learning about Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs.

Important messages

-You may notice your child is no longer coming home with smiley cards. This is because we have transitioned to the whole school behaviour system of points and badges.

-All clothing should have your child's name.

- Reading record books are changed every Tuesday and Friday, please sign the record and put them in the basket to be changed. 

- Please complete the WOW moment sheets regularly so that we can add these to the children’s learning journey books.

Dates to remember

10th July Sports Day – KS2 9.15-12 Reception and KS1 1.30-3

11th July – Reports go out to parents

14th, 15th 16th July – Transition days; children to spend these days with their new class teachers

17th July – Inflatable fun day in school for all children

18th July – School finishes at 2pm for Reception to Year 5

 

Thank you very much for your continued support.

From the EYFS team.