Thank you so much to everyone who was able to make our ‘Dress to Express Parade’ today. We are so glad to have shared this with you, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

We have reached the end of term 5, just one more term together before the children move on to year 1. We cannot believe how quickly time has flown by, time flies when you’re having fun! We will be spending time over term 6 preparing children for their upcoming transition. Once we have more information regarding this, we will be sharing it with you.

RWI

Our children are making fantastic strides in their reading and writing skills this term! Their enthusiasm and hard work have truly been commendable, and it’s wonderful to witness their progress.

As we approach the end of the term, please do take a moment to check your child's reading record for their Term 6 target. This is an excellent opportunity for you to support their learning at home. Engaging in regular reading sessions, discussing stories, and encouraging writing activities will greatly benefit their development.

If you have any questions about your child's target or need suggestions on how to help at home, please do not hesitate to ask your child's teacher. We are here to support you and ensure your child continues to flourish.

In our classroom, we are currently focusing on set 1 and 2 sounds, practising speedy reading, and tackling trickier words, including multi-syllabic ones. This practice not only enhances children’s reading fluency but also builds their confidence in writing.

Maths

This week we have been focusing on the concept of repeating patterns. As part of our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, we have been exploring how patterns can be created around shapes, including circles and squares.

We used templates and stickers of food inspired by “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to create our own unique patterns. The children had a wonderful time selecting their favourite foods and arranging them in circles and squares. It was delightful to see their creativity flourish as they manipulated the items to form different types of patterns!

To recap, we have been learning about various patterns such as AB (e.g., apple, strawberry, apple, strawberry), ABC (e.g., pear, sausage, gherkin, pear, sausage, gherkin), and ABB (e.g., cupcake, ice cream, ice cream, cupcake, ice cream, ice cream). Each of these patterns helped the children develop their understanding of sequences and the rhythm of mathematics.

Thematic

This week, we have had an inspiring and educational time in our classroom, centred around the remarkable book Wangari's Trees. This poignant story follows Wangari Maathai, who leaves her lush hometown in Kenya only to return to a barren landscape due to deforestation. The tale highlights the significant issues caused by tree loss, including the displacement of animals and the disruption of ecosystems.

As part of our discussions, we explored the rich contrasts between Kenya and our own environment here in the UK. While we noted similarities, such as lakes and mountains, we also discovered the differences in wildlife and notable landmarks. This comparison has encouraged our children to appreciate the unique features of both regions while understanding the importance of preserving natural habitats.

In our lessons, we also learned about the different parts of trees, labelling them and discussing their essential roles in our environment. The children engaged enthusiastically, and it was wonderful to see them grasp the concept of deforestation's impact on the planet and the people living in it.

Next term our learning will be about dinosaurs. Your child’s love to learn book was sent home last week for their half term challenge.

Viking games

Our children had an absolutely fantastic time at the Viking Games held at RAPS. This was our very first experience of such an event, and I am delighted to report that our little ones were impeccably behaved, embodying the Chilton Way and representing our school with pride.

During the morning, the children participated in a variety of engaging activities, from team challenges to traditional games. It was wonderful to see them work together as great team players, showing not only their skills but also their enthusiasm and commitment to supporting one another.

Important messages

- Please ensure your child comes to school ready for the weather. As it is starting to heat up, we will need sunhats (named and on pegs) and suncream (named and in bags).

-Please ensure your child comes to school with a water bottle.

-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. 

- PE kits to be worn in to school every Friday

Important dates

1st June- Kent test registration opens 

2nd June – Year 6 Boonies Trip 

3rd June – Year 6 to Elev8 

4th June – Year 6 to Ramsgate Tunnels 

4th June – New Reception intake play session 

4th June – Year 4 to take Maths Multiplication Check 

8th June – Year 1 phonics screen week 

9th June - New Reception intake play session 

11th June 2.45– Year 2 class assembly 

11th June – Year 6 to Pfizer Jamboree 

16th June – New Reception class parent meeting  

17th – 24th June – Book Fair 

18th June 2.45– Reception class assembly 

18th June – Year 6 Come Dine with me picnic 

19th June – Zoe Artemedis (local Author) visiting school 

23rd June – Year 1 Come Dine with me picnic 

23rd June- Year 2 trip to Wildwood 

24th June – Class photos 

24th June 2.45– Year 6 class assembly 

25th June – Reception Come Dine with me picnic 

25th June – New Reception intake Teddy Bear’s picnic 

26th June – Year 2 Come Dine with me picnic 

26th June – Non-school uniform day for all in return for Summer Fair donations (see Summer fair letter that will come out early term 6 for details) 

29th June – New Reception (Team Cyan) stay and play 

30th June – New Reception (Team Turquoise) stay and play 

30th June – Music evening at 6pm 

1st July – Big fat quiz of the year (year 4 at 1.30pm and year 5 at 2.15pm) 

1st/2nd/3rd July – Year 6 secondary school transition days 

2nd July– New Reception taster sessions 

2nd July 2.45– Year 1 class assembly 

2nd July - Year 3 Come Dine with me picnic 

3rd July – Summer Fair 3.15-5.15 

7th July – Year 5 Come Dine with me picnic 

7th July – Year 6 production to parents 

8th July – Year 6 production to parents 

8th July – Year 4 Come Dine with me picnic 

9th July – Reception, year 1 and year 2 Sports day from 9.15 on top field 

9th July 2.45– Year 3 Class assembly 

10th July – Year 3-6 Sports day from 9.15 on the top field 

10th July – School reports sent home 

13th-16th July – New reception home visits 

13th, 14th, 15th July– Transition days (children will spend these days with their new class teacher) 

14th July 2.45pm – Parents invited into child’s new class to meet their teacher 

Many thanks,

Reception Team