Weekly News! 14/11/25
Thank you all so much for your kind donations for Children in Need today, the children looked fantastic in their spotty outfits. Some information regarding Reception’s Christmas performance is coming home in bags today. Please make sure you read these.
RWI
This week we continue to focus on practicing our Set 1 sounds. As you may know, our approach is not just about recognising letters; it’s about making the learning experience engaging and practical for our little ones.
During our sessions, we are concentrating on words beginning with the sound of the day. For instance, when we practice the sound ‘c’, we introduce words like caterpillar, conker, and clap. These examples help the children connect sounds with familiar objects.
We are also focusing on letter formation through a simple pattern: “curl around the caterpillar” for the letter ‘c’. This method makes it easier for children to remember how to write the letter correctly. Letter formation is an essential skill to have as we move up the school.
Alongside this, we are practicing writing CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words like cot, can, and cash. We use our ‘Fred fingers’ to segment the words into sounds making it easier to then spell them.
Another key aspect of our phonics activities is oral blending, which we emphasise to support your children's early stages of reading. Building upon this, many children are beginning to use this skill to practice 'Fred Talk'—an essential part of our phonics programme. ‘Fred Talk’ encourages children to speak the sounds in a word, making it a useful way to decode new words together.
As we continue this phonics journey, we encourage you to engage with your child at home.
Maths
This week we have been focusing on number recognition and exploring numerals up to 10.
This week, the postman needed our help to pack parcels ready for chrismtas. Each child was given the task of placing the correct number of toys into envelopes based on the numeral displayed. This activity not only helped reinforce their number recognition skills but also encouraged teamwork and communication as they worked together to ensure the right amounts went into each envelope.
We also played a game where the children moved objects around to trick their teacher into thinking the quantity had changed. This experience encouraged them to understand that while the position of the objects may alter, the amount remains constant – a valuable concept known as conservation of number.
Next week we will be exploring the relationship between numbers including one more and one less.
Thematic
We are excited to share with you what we have been up to this week during our Kindness Week across the school. It has been a wonderful opportunity for our children to explore the concept of kindness and its significance in our daily lives.
We kicked off the week by encouraging the children to say kind things to one another. It was heartwarming to witness such kindness in action as they complimented each other and shared positive messages. This simple act not only brightened their day but also helped to establish a supportive classroom environment where everyone felt valued.
Throughout the week, we delved into the theme of friendships. The children learned what healthy friendships look like and, more importantly, how they should make us feel. It was lovely to see them recognise the traits of a good friend, such as trust, respect, and empathy. We discussed how friends support each other and the importance of communication in maintaining these relationships.
Additionally, we talked about conflicts – a natural part of any friendship. The children discovered how conflicts might arise and the significance of compromise. We encouraged them to share their thoughts on handling disagreements and offered strategies for resolving conflicts positively. Teaching them these skills will undoubtedly benefit them as they navigate their friendships, not just now but in the future as well.
Next week we will begin our transport topic.
🎄 Christmas Card Competition 🎄
Our school has been invited to take part in the annual Christmas card competition organised by our local MP, Polly Billington.
Children are encouraged to create a festive design, and the winning cards will be printed and shared with businesses and organisations across East Thanet, as well as Members of Parliament in Westminster — spreading festive cheer far and wide!
Competition Categories
Under 7 years
Under 11 years
Children should complete their Christmas card design on the back of the consent sheet. Please note, all designs should be hand drawn on A4 paper with colouring pencils, crayons, felt-tips pens or paint. Please do not use glitter, sequins, or digital artwork.
Consent
A permission form will be sent home to allow your child to take part.
At no stage will full names be used; however, winners’ first names, ages and school names will be shared.
Please complete and return the form along with your child’s artwork on the back of the consent form.
Deadline
Entries must be returned to school by Wednesday 12th November.
We can’t wait to see the wonderful designs our children create!
Thank you for your support — and good luck to all our young artists!
Important Messages:
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If you need any WOW moments, please ask your child’s teacher.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Please make sure all clothing is named including PE kits.