We hope you all had a wonderful half-term break and enjoyed some quality time with your families. It has been truly delightful to welcome the children back to school, and we are pleased to share that they have settled back into the school routine as if they were never away! Their enthusiasm and excitement to learn has been heartening to see.

We would like to also thank you all for taking the time to attend our recent parent-teacher consultations. It was a wonderful opportunity to discuss your child's progress and celebrate their achievements together.

RWI

This week, we have organised the children into smaller groups, allowing us to tailor our teaching to their individual needs more effectively.

During our sessions, the children will be focusing on recapping any gaps in their understanding of Set 1 sounds. This will involve a variety of activities, including practising letter formation and building words with the sounds we have learned. This approach ensures each child receives the support they need to develop their phonics skills at their own pace.

To further support your child's learning at home, we ask you to now keep the pink sound books at home allowing you to help reinforce their learning through practice of speedy recall of our Set 1 sounds. Regular practice at home can significantly enhance your child's confidence and proficiency in reading, so we kindly encourage you to engage with these materials regularly.

Maths

This week, we have embarked on an exciting journey into the world of patterns, specifically focusing on AB patterns, where we have explored how certain elements repeat. It has been wonderful to witness the children's enthusiasm as they delved into this concept.

To begin our exploration, we spent some time identifying AB patterns in our environment. The children were engaged in spotting these patterns and determining which part of the sequence repeats. This was an invaluable opportunity for them to develop their observational skills and understanding of repetition.

Following this, the children creatively made their own AB patterns using a variety of resources available in the classroom. From coloured blocks to nature items, their imaginations ran wild as they constructed unique patterns. It was delightful to see them working collaboratively, sharing ideas, and discussing their creations with one another.

Lastly, we introduced an element of challenge by asking the children to identify a mistake within given AB patterns. This activity encouraged critical thinking and reinforced their understanding of the concept.

Next week we will be learning how to represent numbers including matching quantity to numerals up to 5.

Thematic

We are pleased to share with you the delightful experiences our classes have had this week as we explored the Hindu festival of Diwali. This celebration of light and joy provided a rich context for learning and creativity, allowing the children to engage with both the cultural significance and the stories associated with this vibrant festival.

We began our journey by reading the enchanting story of Rama and Sita. The children were captivated by the tale of how the evil king Ravana kidnapped Sita, and the subsequent adventure of Rama as he bravely fought to save her. The theme of good triumphing over evil and light overcoming darkness resonated deeply, as we discussed the importance of these values in our own lives.

To connect with the festival practically, each child had the opportunity to create their own diva lamps, which are traditional symbols of light used during Diwali. Using clay, the children moulded and decorated their lamps, fostering their creativity and fine motor skills. It was a joy to see their artistic expressions come to life!

Furthermore, we engaged in a lovely Diwali dance, which allowed the children to embody the spirit of the festival in movement. At the end of the week, as a culmination of our learning, we constructed our own indoor bonfire and toasted marshmallows. This activity not only reinforced the themes of warmth and togetherness but also provided a wonderful sensory experience that the children thoroughly enjoyed.

As we continue to explore various cultures and festivals throughout the year, we encourage you to discuss these themes at home. This can help reinforce their learning and promote an appreciation for diverse traditions.

Extra challenge!

Last term, we learnt about recycling and keeping our environment clean and tidy. We went litter picking and earned ourselves a rosette. If your child helps out with the recycling or does a litter pick outside of school, please email a photo of your child doing this and we will present them with a certificate at school. Thank you for those who have already done so.

Important Messages:

• If you need any WOW moments, please ask your child’s teacher.

• Your child will now be bringing a reading book home. Once your child has completed their book, please sign the reading record and return it in its zippy wallet on a Tuesday and a Friday for it to be changed.

• Some parents have returned items belonging to the school (e.g. resources, superstar learner cards). If you find that your child has accidentally brought something home from school, please could you return it to school.

• A reminder that children are not allowed to bring things into school to play with. We do not want things from home to get lost or broken! Many thanks for your support with this.

• Please make sure all clothing is named including PE kits.

Key Dates for Term 2:

3rd November – Poppies on sale for following 2 weeks; children to bring in donations in named envelope 

11th November – Service Uniform Day, children allowed to wear their service uniforms into school

12th November – Individual School Photos

14th November – Children in need – This year is a challenge yourself theme. We are challenging the children to come into school wearing as many spots as possible!

21st November – Reception Come Dine with me (Periwinkle 11.30 and Teal 11.40)

24th November – Book Fair on all week

25^th November – Team Periwinkle Naughty Bus trip

26^th November – Team Teal Naughty Bus trip

10th December – Christmas Fair 3.15pm-4.15pm

12th December – Reception Nativity at 9am in the hall

15th December – No PE this week

16th December -Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 Christmas Parties – children to wear Party Clothes to school

17th December – Christmas Dinner Day

18th December – Christmas Jumper Day

18th December – Final day at school; school finishes at 2pm and there will be no after school club

It is great that we are able to talk to families at the start and end of the day. If there is anything else you would like to share with us, please email:

nicki.cotton@chiltonprimary.co.uk

kirby.walker@chiltonprimary.co.uk

We hope you have a great week!

Reception Team