Autumn Term 1 (2024)
Welcome to our Reception class and the start of your Southill School journey. We are excited to start learning together!
During this first half term, we will focus on getting to know eachother, exploring our classroom and outdoor setting and learning new routines. We will experience an exciting range of opportunities and start to find out about our next steps to develop as curious learners.
Our main focus will be on the prime areas of learning (Communication and Language, Physical Development and Personal, Social and Emotional Development) to underpin everything we do. In addition we will plan and experience many activities and opportunities to enhance the specific areas of learning (Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design). We will plan a smooth transition as we move into our new setting.
Daily phonics sessions will start soon, following our Little Wandle phonics and reading programme. After a few weeks of following this programme, books will be sent home weekly, after reading the book three times at school. Children will also bring home a library book each week. Our phonics focus this half term will be on introducing new letter sounds.
Our Talk for writing focus this half term will be favourite nursery rhymes. We will learn to sing them together, adding actions too. We will introduce the idea of a story map to look at when performing the rhymes. Then we will deepen our understanding through practical activities to explore the settings, characters and structure of the rhymes. As writers, we will explore many different ways of mark making, with a focus on gross motor development.
As mathematicians, we will find out about matching, sorting and comparing lots of different resources. We will also talk about patterns around us and different sizes.
Our topic for this half term will be Marvellous Me! This topic supports children starting school: developing routines, sharing experiences and building friendships. It will encourage us to feel confident in our class. We will also think about being helpful, kind and thoughtful at home and at school. This project also teaches children how they are unique and special, the importance of friendship and how people in their family, school and local community are important and can help them.
As we start to become nature detectives we will make use of our amazing school grounds through a mini topic Exploring Autumn. This project explores the natural changes that happen during the season of autumn, including how the weather changes, why trees lose their leaves and how wild animals prepare for winter.
Things to remember:
Please bring a drink of water every day for snack time/lunch
The weather can still be unpredictable so bring outdoor clothing to cope with this – rain coats for those wet days and especially sun hats for sunny days. Please apply sun screen before coming to school.
Once we start our reading programme, read every day and write comments in the reading diary. This should include time for sharing your sounds in your phonics book, reading your Little Wandle book and looking at your sharing book from the library.
Remember to check the website for our weekly class blog. We love it when you leave us a message too as we read them out in our class.
Our day for taking part in a P.E session will be on a Thursday. Please wear your kit to school for the day.
We will welcome children through our blue gate from 8.45-8.55 in the morning. Please leave your child with staff at the gate and we will settle them in to school.
If you have any questions or you would like to send me information about any of your learning at home, please contact me by email.
Mrs Puddick
a.puddick@southill.dorset.sch.uk