Beech

Reception Class Letter Autumn Term 2009/10

Dear Parents,
Welcome to Beech Class and The Breck School. We hope you have had a lovely summer and are ready for the challenges ahead. Please find outlined below what we hope is some useful information about the term ahead.

Firstly we would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as your child’s class teachers, Mrs Coates and Mrs Richardson. Mrs Coates will teach the class on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and Mrs Richardson will teach the class on a Thursday and Friday.

Important Dates for Beech Class this Term…..

Meet the Teacher
We will both be available in the classroom on Monday 14th September at 3pm. This will provide the opportunity for you to meet us both and for us to answer any questions you may have.

Beech Class Assembly
Our Assembly will take place on Thursday 12th November at 3.10pm. We would love you to come and join us!

When dropping your child off in the morning please stand in the infant playground with your child outside Beech Class door. At 8.50 am Mrs Hammond will come out into the playground and greet you all and then bring the children into the classroom. If you arrive late and the classroom door is closed, please walk around to the office and your child will be brought to the class by a member of staff.

The Curriculum.
The Reception curriculum is topic based and for each half term there will be a topic that the children learn through. Our overall topic for the first half term is ‘Ourselves’ and then for the second half term we will move on to ‘Festivals and Celebrations’

There are six areas of learning which are:

  • Communication, Language and Literacy
  • Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
  • Knowledge and Understanding of the World (which includes Science, ICT, Religious Education, Geography and History based learning)
  • Physical Development
  • Creative Development
  • Social and Emotional Development

Please find below a brief overview of some of the things we will be covering in each of these areas this term:

Communication, Language and Literacy
In Communication, Language and Literacy we will be developing confidence in Speaking and Listening through stories, discussion and role play activities. We will be learning new skills in letter and word recognition, as well as developing pencil control and beginning to form letters correctly using a cursive style of writing.

Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
In Problem solving, Reasoning and Numeracy we will be familiarising ourselves with numbers to 10 (and beyond if appropriate). The children will begin to count, recognise and sequence numbers to 10. Measurement, shape and space will be explored through lots of fun, practical activities.

Knowledge and Understanding of the World
We will be naming and learning about parts of the body, learning about parts of the computer and how to use computers and programs, finding out about our local environment and learning through stories form the bible.

Creative Development
In our creative development we will be completing various Art and Music activities, including building our own role play area in Oak class.

Physical Development
Physical activities will take place on Monday and Wednesday each week. Your child will need a full named kit for these days. Most children leave their P.E bag on their pegs for a half term.

Assessments
A Baseline Assessment test will be carried out using the computer within the next two weeks. This is nothing to be concerned about and is simply a way to establish what stage your child is at on their entry to school

Homework
Homework will be given each Friday to be completed and returned to school by the following Wednesday. Homework activities are planned to support and reinforce the work that your child has been undertaking in class and we appreciate your support in helping your child to complete it.

Book Bags
Letters from school will be put into your child’s book bag, therefore please look inside on a daily basis. The book bags will be taken home at the end of each day and should be brought into school each morning and put into their book bag box in the classroom. Please find enclosed with this letter a list of key words for your child to learn over the next year and the Reception targets for Reading, writing and Number.

Reading Books
Your child will be given a reading book from the Oxford Reading Tree Scheme. These books are monitored closely and will be changed on a regular basis – usually twice a week. Stage 1 is designed to introduce the main characters within the scheme and develop language and story telling skills. The stories are based on Kipper’s family and friends, and on everyday events relevant to 4 and 5 year olds. The initial stories have no words – please talk with your child about what is happening in the pictures that tell the story. Also please encourage your child to try to use their imagination when discussing the stories and the pictures with you and try to predict what will happen next and why. Sometimes the books will be sent home with an extended version of the story to give you more information. As character names and key words are introduced through the scheme your child will be given a selection of words to help with their reading and to increase instant sight recognition of high frequency words. The title of each book will be written in the reading record. Please feel free to write down any comments you may have, and/or sign to indicate when you have read with your child at home. In addition to the Reading Scheme books your child is also free to select a book of their choice from our class library. They are free to change this as often as they would like, and are encouraged to do so at the beginning or end of the school day.

Finally, if you are unsure of anything or would like to discuss any aspect of your child’s learning, please do not hesitate to come and talk to us at the end of the school day or arrange another convenient time to discuss them. We are sure that your child will settle into life at The Breck really quickly and we look forward to seeing them progress to the best of their ability.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs K. Coates and Mrs S. Richardson