Welcome back to term 4, we hope you had a restful week. Thank you very much for your children’s amazing efforts with their love to learn. It has been wonderful to see how children researched farm animals with such enthusiasm. From glittering planets to rocket ships made of recycled materials, their creations have not only enhanced our learning environment but also sparked interesting conversations among the children.

RWI

At this stage in our Read Write Inc programme, most of the children are working diligently on learning and practicing Set 2 sounds. It's wonderful to see their enthusiasm and engagement with the materials and activities we’ve been using in class. Additionally, some learners have begun to explore Set 3 sounds.

Our current focus includes reading 'alien words'. These fun, made-up words help the children to apply their phonics knowledge without relying on familiar vocabulary.

Furthermore, we continue to work on 'red words', which are high-frequency words that do not follow standard phonetic rules. These words are learnt by exploring which part of the word is not following the rule and recognising the word as a whole.

Maths

This week in maths, we have been exploring vocabulary linked to position and direction.

In our lessons, we began by moving a teddy bear to demonstrate its position, using phrases such as “on a chair” or “under the table.” This hands-on activity allowed the children to grasp the concept of position effectively. Following this, they practiced giving directions such as “forwards,” “backwards,” “left,” and “right.” We noticed that some children found distinguishing left from right a bit challenging, so we will continue to practice this skill in the coming weeks. Additionally, we used this vocabulary to create a farm in the tuff tray, where the children described the layout, for example, “the pond is next to the cow shed.” They also enjoyed drawing maps of our outdoor area, which further reinforced their understanding of spatial awareness.

Next week we will be exploring the composition of numbers 6,7 and 8.

Thematic

At the beginning of the week, we explored the British Values.

We began by exploring the value of respect, which aligns beautifully with our school value, treating others as we wish to be treated. We have been delving into individual liberty through the delightful story of Astro Girl, where the main character aspires to be an astronaut, just like her mum. This engaging tale has inspired wonderful discussions among the children about their own dreams and aspirations, emphasizing the importance of believing in oneself.

To further embed the principles of democracy and the rule of law, we came together as a class to brainstorm ideas for our own class rules. Each child had the opportunity to voice their suggestions, and then we held a vote to decide which rules we would adopt. This process not only empowered the children to shape their own learning environment but also provided a practical understanding of how democracy works. 

Later in the week, our exploration of thematic learning introduced the vibrant Hindu festival of Holi, often known as the festival of colours. The children thoroughly enjoyed delving into the rich narrative behind this joyous occasion, centred around the characters of Hiranyakashipu, Prahlad, and Holika.

Our story began with the evil king, Hiranyakashipu, who possessed special powers that rendered him invincible. His desire was for everyone to worship him as a god, but his son, Prahlad, firmly opposed this, remaining devoted to the Hindu god Vishnu. In his rage over Prahlad’s defiance, Hiranyakashipu conspired with his sister Holika. Holika, who possessed a magical cloak that protected her from fire, deceitfully led Prahlad into a bonfire. However, the outcome was quite different from what she had planned; the cloak flew off Holika and onto Prahlad, symbolising the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

To enrich our understanding further, we listened to traditional music associated with Holi, which beautifully captured the essence of the festival. The children expressed their creativity through art, using paints to create their own colourful masterpieces. Additionally, we learnt that Holi is celebrated with lively dances. The children enthusiastically participated, mimicking the actions from the story, and performed in front of their peers in their house groups.

To conclude our festivities, we celebrated with our own version of a bonfire, where the children enjoyed snacks and participated in a delightful activity by throwing chickpeas into the fire, representing the spirit of Holi.

Next week we will begin our new topic On the Farm.

World Book Day Thursday 5^th March 2026 

This year’s World Book Day theme will be books that make us laugh.  We invite children to dress up as their favourite book or character for World Book Day. The children will take part in a variety of fun activities throughout the day. All children will receive their £1 World Book Day Voucher.  This can be used at our school Book Fayre or in shops.   

Chilton Book Fayre 

The Chilton Book Fayre will arrive on Monday 9^th March and run until Friday 13^th March outside the Year 5 classrooms. Children will come home with a World Book Day book voucher.  These can be spent at the Book Fayre. Cash and online payments are also available, and a percentage of the monies raised will go towards funding more books for Chilton children.  

Reading competition 

We will be running a reading competition the week of World Book Day (week beginning 2^nd March).  We would like the children to read as many books as they can in a funny or unusual place! Please take a picture of these and email them to Mrs Rowland-Hill (helen.rowland@chiltonprimary.co.uk) A winner from Ks1 and a winner from KS2 with the most books read in a funny and usual place will win a prize! Deadline for entries is Monday 9^th March 2026. 

Mrs Rowland-Hill - English Lead/Upper Phase Lead. 

Important information

• Reading at 3 will be every Friday.

• Please make sure you name everything your child brings into school including gloves, scarves and hats

Important dates

Monday 23rd February – All children back into school at the normal time

Monday 23rd February – Friday 27th February – Bring in any unwanted world book day costumes

Friday 27th February – Second hand world book day costume sale from 3pm by school gates

Thursday 5th March – World Book day, children to dress as their favourite book character

Monday 9th March – Book fair in school this week

Friday 20th March – Red Nose Day (Wear something funny for money)

Monday 23rd March – Rock your socks for Downs Syndrome Awareness (Wear bright or mismatching socks to school)

Tuesday 24th March – Team Periwinkle to Quex Park

Thursday 26th March – Team Teal to Quex Park

Friday 27th March – Parents come into school to look at children’s books prior to Parent Teacher Consultations

Week Beginning 30th March – Parent Teacher consultation week

Wednesday 1st April at 9.05am– Easter Bonnet Parade for Team Periwinkle, Team Ocean and Team Cornflower

Wednesday 1st April at 2.45pm – Easter Bonnet Parade for Team Teal, Team Sky and Team Sapphire

Thursday 2nd April – Chilton Fundraisers Sponsored Eggscellent Event - Non-Uniform to be worn with further details to follow next term.

Thursday 2nd April - Last day of term. School to finish at 3.15pm

Have a great weekend!

From the Reception Team