Reception Curriculum Newsletter Spring 2015

Dear parents,

The children have settled back very quickly once again after their Christmas holidays. Here is a brief outline of the areas we plan to cover this term, under the topic heading BIRDS.

 Language, Literacy and Communication Skills

We will continue using a selection of Big Books during our Literacy Sessions to stimulate all areas of language [oracy, reading and writing]. We will continue to reinforce all the Jolly Phonics letter sounds. Hearing and recognising beginning, middle and end sounds in simple words will be reinforced. Writing letter sounds from memory to help with independent spelling will continue to be a focus, as well as naming letters and alphabetical order. The children will continue to build up their sight vocabulary for reading through learning their flash cards as well as being introduced to a range of other reading strategies during reading sessions. Reading folders need to be brought to school daily.

 Mathematical Skills

This term the children will continue to build upon the work introduced during the Autumn Term as follows:

Sequence of number-reciting the number sequence forwards and backwards to at least 10, reading writing and ordering numbers to at least 10 and comparing numbers to at least 10.

Number Structure-Show finger patterns up to 10, arrange a set of up to 10 items in a variety of ways and begin to use 1p, 2p, 5p, and 10p coins in play situations to pay for items.

Counting and Calculations– Counting up to 10 objects, understand addition as combining two groups of objects to find out ‘how many altogether?’ , as well as using counting on as a strategy for adding a collection within 10. Subtraction as ‘taking away’ and as counting ‘how many left?’

Measures, Handling Data, Shape, Position, Movement-Comparisons of objects using the language of weight and mass will be introduced. Children will collect, organise and compare information in purposeful contexts. They will continue to develop their maths language to describe shapes and positions.

 Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Through our topic about birds the children will be given the opportunity to learn the names of many common British birds. They will find out about the life cycle of a chicken and hatch some chicken’s eggs. When hatched they will care for the chicks and watch how they grow and change. We plan to visit Newport Wetlands to find out about the habitat of a variety of water birds. There will be a visit to school from the Welsh Hawking Centre, where they will have the opportunity to watch a selection of Birds of Prey. There will be a ‘Healthy Living’ themed week for the first week of the Spring term when the children will be made aware of the importance of keeping themselves healthy through a range of planned class and whole school activities.

 Welsh Development

The children will continue to build upon their Welsh through daily use of simple phrases, greetings and commands as well as singing Welsh songs and playing simple games.

 Creative Development

The children will work with a range of materials to produce topic related work, using many techniques. Much of our work will be based around our study of birds. The children will develop their skills of observation when drawing feathers and birds. They will explore the work of the artist/illustrator Ashley Percival, creating a picture of a bird drawn and decorated in his style. The children will explore texture and create a textured clay owl. The children will sing a variety of songs incorporating percussion instruments. The stories Noah’s Ark and The Very Hungry Caterpillar will be used as a stimulus for creative dance.

 Physical Development

PE will now take place on a Tuesday afternoon. The children will need to bring their PE kit to school and get dressed in school. They will not need daps until the Summer term as PE sessions will take place indoors. The children will continue to develop their fine motor skills through using small equipment in the classroom.

 Personal and Social Skills, Well Being and Cultural Diversity

The children will continue to build on their PSWBCD skills already introduced during the Autumn term through participating in SEAL [Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning] activities relating to the themes ‘Going for goals’ and ‘Good to be me’. The children will continue to learn to respect and value individual similarities and differences, through participating in role play activities and through discussions about issues raised in stories.

 Individual Pupil Targets/ Homework

Your child may continue to have small targets to work towards from time to time. Please give your child all the support they need to help them achieve these targets.

 Pupil Voice

At Glasllwch School we continue to adapt and improve our school curriculum to encompass the interests and experiences of the children. We believe that asking pupils about what they would like to learn is fundamental to providing an engaging and inspiring curriculum. Please discuss with your child what they would like to learn about during our topic about Birds.

 We hope you will find the above information useful.

May we extend an invitation to any parents who are able to support in the classroom in any way possible. Please call in and see us if you are able to help.

Thank you,

Jane Jones and Sue Martin

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