Happy New Year to all our parents and carers! Thank you for all your Christmas gifts, cards and good wishes. They were very much appreciated. xxx
Recipe for play dough
(Parents you will have to make this for your children as you need to use boiling water. When made it will last in the fridge in an airtight container.)
2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1 tablespoon of oil
2 tablespoons of cream of tartar
2 cups of boiling water and food colouring if required
Put all of the ingredients in a bowl together and mix together with a spoon to form a soft dough.
Microwave the dough for 1 minute if too wet.
Knead the dough when it has cooled a little.
When the dough is cool it is ready for your child to use.
Please click below to see the recent PPT presentation for parents of new Yr R children September 2022.
New_parents_reception meeting_presentation June 2022v1.ppt
Letter to new Yr R parents July 2022
Please also click below to find resources to help you, as parents and carers, prepare your child for school:
My-starting-school-checklist.pdf
Preparing-your-child-for-school-a-guide-for-parents-poster-a3.pdf
Please click on the links below to see the poems from the autumn and spring terms:
A WARM WELCOME TO BLACKBIRD CLASS!
The staff in the Early Years Foundation Stage work as a team to ensure that everyone can...
"be the best that they can be!"
Reception Staff:
Mrs Whittingham - Class teacher Mon- Tues
Mrs Kitson - class teacher Weds - Fri
Mrs Pilott - Teaching assistant Mon - Thurs & Fri a.m
Mrs Murza - Learning Support Assistant (& Teaching assistant Fri p.m)
Mrs Spiers - Weds p.m to cover PPA
Welcome to Blackbird Class 2022 -23!
What are we learning about this term?
Our topic this half term is "When I Am Big!" (people who help us), followed by "Out and About”, after the half term break.
In March we have a class trip to Wisley Gardens to look forward to, and at the end of the spring term we also have ‘Living Eggs' joining Blackbird Class! Blackbirds will be celebrating and showcasing their learning with a class assembly in the last week of the spring term – parents and cares are warmly welcomed to attend.
Teaching and learning in all seven areas of the curriculum will be linked to the main themes and events. Through our topics we will also be using every opportunity to develop spiritual, moral, social, and cultural values, through encouraging children to: explore beliefs and experiences; show respect for faiths, feelings and values; learn about themselves, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect. The children will learn through a balance of adult directed and child-initiated activities, (with an emphasis on learning through play), both inside and outside. Please refer to the medium-term planning below for more details! Please also look at the list of dates at the bottom of the page for other events happening this term and refer to the Little Wandle phonics information (also below) to see how you can continue to support your child at home with their literacy skills.
Thank you.
Please also note that...
Library Books will be changed on Fridays, P.E will take place Wednesday afternoons and, up until half term (February 13th),Outdoor Learning (Forest School) will take place on
Thursday afternoons. Please ensure that your child has their P.E kit in school every day, and comes to school on Thursdays, wearing clothing suitable for our Outdoor Learning sessions.
-Curriculum information
Please click on the links below for information:
Spring Learning Objectives curriculum plan
MTP_January - March week by week.pdf
Parent Curriculum Letter Spring 2023
Please also scroll down to the bottom of the page for recommended reading lists for children who are in the Early Years (Nursery and Reception).
For long term learning objectives and planning please click on the links below:
Blackbird Whole Year Progression of Skills & Curriculum Overview (2022 - 2023)
Please note that these plans are 'a work in progress', which will be adapted as necessary in order to incorporate interests, specific events, and the weather! For more details on SMSC development in the early years, please refer to the SMSC section below.
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Assessment
Since September 2021 there are now 2 statutory assessments that have to be undertaken in Reception year. Neither assessment is a test.
The Reception Baseline Assessment is a check of each child's early literacy, communication, language and maths skills, which takes the form of a set of practical tasks carried out
between the child and the teacher within the first 6 weeks of starting. Children’s results are then sent to the government Standards and Testing agency. The results are not shared with
the school, except for a short narrative statement to describe how each pupil performed on the overall assessment.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile is a summary of each child's attainment at the end of the Reception year based on what they have demonstrated they know, understand and
can do in all Prime areas of learning, literacy and maths, against the ‘Early Learning Goals’. Attainment for each area is described as either meeting the level of development at the end
of the EYFS (expected) or not yet reaching this level (emerging).
Please click on the link below to see the Early Learning Goals
EYFS Early Learning Goals 2022-2023
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Phonics will be taught using a programme called Little Wandle:
"Little Wandle Letters and Sounds is a complete systematic synthetic phonics programme (SSP) developed for schools by schools. Based on the original Letters and Sounds, but extensively revised to provide a complete teaching programme meeting all the expectations of the National Curriculum, the Ofsted Deep Dive into reading and preparing your children to go beyond the expectations of the Phonics Screening Check".
Find our full Reception and Year 1 teaching programme overview below, to see what your child will learn and when:
Programme-Overview_Reception-and-Year-1.pdf
Please also refer to the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised parents’ resources for more information, and the PPT below:
LS-PowerPoint-for-parents-presentation-1.pptx
As your child progresses through this programme additional links will be added below, so that you, as parents and carers, can support and extend your child's learning at home:
Autumn 1 Sounds Pronunciation and Formation Guide
Autumn 2 Sounds pronunciation and Formation Guide 2
LS-Grapheme-info-sheet-Phase-3-Spring-1.pdf
Maths
This term we will be using a mixture of schemes to teach maths, with an emphasis on the White Rose scheme. Click on the link below to find out some more information:
For extra information on how to support your child with maths at home, please click on the link below:
Reception - Maths Targets booklet 1
Websites
PurpleMash
All children will be allocated with their own logins and information about Purple Mash at the start of the new term.
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SMSC
We will be using every opportunity to develop SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural) values; encouraging the children to ask and reflect on the questions:
Who am I?
Who are we?
Where do we live?
How do we all live together?
Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural curriculum Spring 2023
Value of the Month
We have 4 core values which we will revisit every term.
Please take time to talk about these values at home, with your child:
Respect
Resilience
Empathy
Reflection
Achievements at Home
We would love to know about your child's achievements and learning at home.
Please download the sheet below and return to a member of Blackbird staff, when completed. Thank you.
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Dates for your diary
Spring Term 2023:
Tues 3 Jan INSET DAY
Wed 4 Jan First day of Spring Term
Mon 13 Feb – Fri 17 Feb – Half Term Holiday
Mon 20 Feb INSET DAY
Tues 21 Feb Back to School Wed
Wed 8 Mar Blackbirds to Wisley
Wed 29 Mar Blackbird Class Assembly - 9am
Mon 20 Mar – 31st Mar – Living Eggs visiting Blackbird Class
Fri 31 Mar End of Term – Finish at 2pm
Please do not hesitate to talk to a member of the reception staff if you have any concerns or questions. Thank you.