Dear Parents,

Seems like Spring is hear at last so we should be able to get our potatoes planted outside next week. We have already planted our bean seeds and the children are checking them each day to see if the first shoots have appeared. ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ has been a great hit and the children have produced some lovely writing/role play and art work this week.

We have a busy week ahead –  we will be continuing our ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ theme, measurement, and getting ready for Easter. On Monday afternoon we will be watching the Y3/4 Easter play rehearsal. Children, don’t forget to come dressed all in green on Thursday for St. Patrick’s Day and have a good breakfast on Friday morning ready for our exercise class in aid of Sport Relief. In Reception class we are raising money for Cafod by having a book swap on Friday – during next week Children can bring in an old book from home they no longer wish to read and then Children can bring in 50 pence on Friday and they can give an old book a new home. Enjoy the sunshine this weekend.

Yours sincerely

Miss Burns

Practising balancing skills

Dear Parents/Guardians,

This week we have been doing activities based on ‘The Gingerbread Man’. As well as reading different versions of the story we have also made a zig – zag book of ‘The Gingerbread Man’ where the children had to write the beginning, middle and end of the story. Whilst sharing story books with your children at home perhaps you could ask them to tell you what happened at the beginning, middle and end of the story. We also enjoyed making and decorating gingerbread men and I’m sure they will enjoy eating them after school today!

A Maths challenge has been set up in the classroom which we will change every week. This week we have been working on estimating. The children have been very keen to estimate the amount of sweets in the jar in the hope of winning the contents if they estimate correctly or make the closest estimate.

Next week we will continue looking at Traditional Tales and making special things in preparation for Mother’s Day. On Thursday it is World Book Day so it would be fantastic if the children could come to school dressed up as a book character. I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday or Wednesday for parent’s evening – if you can’t make your allocated appointment please come and see me to make an  alternative appointment.

Finally, good look to Ted and Finn who are taking part in the children’s Coventry Half Marathon on Sunday!

Yours sincerely

Miss Burns

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We have had great fun this week doing different activities. On Tuesday we made pancakes and based our writing on the story ‘Mr Wolf’s Pancakes’. On Wednesday we attended the Ash Wednesday Mass and as always the children behaved brilliantly – we are very proud of them. Yesterday we made sandwiches, decorated biscuits and made party hats for our Teddy Bears – the children loved their Teddy Bear’s picnic and playing parachute games afterwards so we had a good day to finish our half term. I hope you all have a good half term break and I look forward to seeing you all again on Monday 22nd February.

Yours sincerely

Miss Burns

Parachute Games

Teddy Bear’s Picnic

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Our toy/teddy theme has continued this week with lots of stories and writing about teddies. Next Thursday we will be having a Teddy Bear’s picnic so if the children haven’t already done so they could bring in a Teddy on Monday. If they haven’t got a Teddy then a favourite cuddly toy will be fine.

Thank you to Deacon Paul who came into class on Monday to talk about Baptism with the children. Do share this blog with your child so that they can share their learning with you. This week we have also enjoyed looking at different non-fiction/information books and looking at such features as contents/index pages. In maths we have been working on doubling numbers and counting in twos, so keep on practising at home children! If you came to our reading meeting on Wednesday we hope you found it helpful – we will also be sending out an information sheet about how to help your child with reading next week.

Finally, remember that next Thursday 11th February is the last day at school for the children before the half term break as Friday 12th is a teacher training day.

Yours sincerely

Miss Burns

Dear Parents/Guardians,

This week we have been continuing our toys theme and finding out about toys our parents and grandparents used to play with which has made me feel quite nostalgic. Our book focus at the moment is non – fiction books and we have been reading about old and new teddies. As a consequence the children are very keen to bring in their own teddies next week so we can set up our own teddy collection. Next week we will also make our own class information book about teddies.

Our focus in maths this week has been naming and talking about properties of 2D shapes and drawing robots using 2D shapes. On Monday morning Deacon Paul is coming into our class to talk about Baptism.

Reminders: Mon 1st Feb – Bring in a Teddy

Wed 3rd Feb – 3.30 – 4.15 – Reading Information Workshop

Yours sincerely

Miss Burns

Making 2D pictures

Dear Parent/Guardians,

This week we have enjoyed looking at and talking about old toys. We have also made moving teddies to put around our Toys display board. Thank you for letting the children bring in their favourite toys – they’ve had great fun sharing them with each other.

In R.E the children are learning about Baptism with Mrs Smith and they have taken on the role of proud parents and God parents to act out a Baptism. It would be lovely if everyone could bring in their Baptism photo from home to share with the whole class – could these please be brought in on Thursday.

Finally a reminder about our Reading information evening on 3rd February. If you can attend could you please return the reply slip next week – we look forward to seeing you there.

Yours sincerely

Miss Burns

Dear Parents/Guardians,

A very HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and it wasn’t too hectic. The children have been busy this week telling us about the wonderful presents Santa left. A very big thank you for all of your generous gifts, cards and well wishes, they were very much appreciated.

Well done to the children who have made a very good start back this week and have settled in quickly with our class routines (despite being a little tired and having to get up in the mornings again!). There have been a few changes to our timetable. Firstly, the children have been put into different phonics groups to cater for the different stages that the children are at in their phonics learning so some Reception children may now have myself, Mrs Atwal, Mrs McGovern or Mrs Cowley each day for phonics. Also when the children come into school on Thursday mornings they get dressed for P.E straight away – they get themselves dressed and undressed very quickly and efficiently now ( although there are still a few reversals and missed button holes etc!). Thank you for returning P.E kits this week. If your child needs new pumps could you please make sure they have them for P.E next Thursday.

In Maths this week we have been learning to say the number that comes after a given number either mentally or by using a number line – next week we will be concentrating on numbers that come before/is one less than a given number. For the next couple of weeks we will be basing our learning around toys – I will send a separate letter out about this on Monday. Our Termly News Letter will be sent out next Friday outlining the topics we will be covering in each area of learning and what our themes will be. Once again Happy New Year  and have a good weekend!

Miss Burns

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We’ve had a very busy and exciting week. I’m sure you’ll all agree that the children were fantastic in their nativity play – they were amazing and we are so proud of them! The children also have to be congratulated on their behaviour when we went to the Belgrade Theatre – it was lovely to see how excited they all were and how much they enjoyed the performance and meeting Santa, Ellie the Elf and The Rusty Robot afterwards. Great fun was also had making decorations with our Year 6 prayer friends and of course at our Christmas party on Friday. Thank you so much for all of your support this term and for your thoughtful cards and gifts. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year!

The Reception Team