Welcome to Parrot’s class 2021-22

EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM

In the Early Years we have developed a wonderful curriculum which caters for the children's interests.  The overview below contains an outline of the topics we cover, but the content of the topics are adapted according to the needs and interests of our children. To find out more information about our EYFS curriculum please see the curriculum map below. 

For more information on the new Early Years Curriculum 2021 please go to - Key Information- Curriculum - Early Years. 

Alternatively please go to the bottom of the page and click on the document 'Development matters ages and stages' and Early Learning Goals. 

KEY WORKERS

Every child in Reception is allocated a key worker. Miss Best will be your child's key worker. 

• The key person works alongside parents and carers to ensure that there is continuity of care for the child thus supporting the child’s emotional well-being.
• The key person, and other staff, observes the child to identify how they learn through their play, their next aspect of development, what their interests are, whether there is any cause for concern or need for extra support.

• They keep a record of your child's learning journey and update it regularly on Tapestry.

We have selected these recommended reading lists from Peters Education to ensure that our children have access to a wide range of books.  These books are all available in school and form our 'core' texts in our class libraries.  These lists are chosen because they:

• link with our curriculum for each year group
• represent different cultures
• introduce children to new authors and expand their knowledge of familiar authors
• ensure progression 
• match topics of interests for our children
• tackle current themes

New to our school September 2021

From the beginning of the year, our school implemented a new Behaviour Policy which is built upon the ‘5 pillars of Pivotal Practice’ (‘When Adults Change, Everything Changes’, Paul Dix):

• Consistent, calm adult behaviour,

• Relentless Routines,

• First attention to best conduct,

• Scripting difficult conversations,

• Restorative Follow-up.

We have three simple goals: Be safe, Be a Learner, Be Kind and Respectful.

Summer 2022

This term we are going to be Nature Detectives!

We will start by thinking about the lifecycle of frogs and butterflies before exploring animals around the world and their habitats. After the half term we will then be thinking about the seaside. What is it like? What lives there? How can we keep safe at the beach? How can we keep safe in the sun? 

In Maths we will be practising counting on to add two small amounts, counting to 20 and back from 20. We will also be introducing doubling, halving and odds and evens. After half term we will be exploring weight, capacity, money and some simple data collection and interpretation before spending the final couple of weeks using everything we have learnt this year to solve some problems. 

In phonics we are introducing phase 4 but will also be recapping Phase 3. We aim for all children to be at least Phase 3 secure by the end of the year and working within Phase 4. The children will continue to bring home a book matched to their phonics ability. Please practise regularly, preferably a little each day, and comment each week. They will read with an adult in school. We will also continue to have small group guided reading sessions each week. 

EYFS Sports Day will be Wednesday 22nd June - more details to follow on Tapestry and ClassDojo. 

The summer term will hopefully bring lots of lovely sunshine so we ask that children have sun cream applied before school and that they have a named water bottle in school everyday. We will help the children to fill these up once empty. British weather is very changeable so we also ask that children have a coat in school everyday.

Please do contact us on ClassDojo if you have any questions or queries. 

Thank you 

Miss Best

Summer 1 2022

The summer term is always a very enjoyable term within reception. As we have much better weather, we will be spending more time outside and it is encouraged you do the same. On sunny days, please ensure your child is wearing sunscreen, as we cannot apply this in school. We also encourage children to bring a sunhat, please ensure this is named.

We will begin this half term thinking about animals and their habitats and the life cycle of frogs and butterflies.  We will then be looking at countries around the world. 

In Maths we will be adding and subtracting numbers, doubling and looking at odd and even numbers. Homework will be set on Tapestry every Friday.  

For phonics, we will be continuing with Phase 4. Please continue to read with your child a little each day if you can or at least once a week and ensure reading books are in school every day.

PE will continue to be on a Friday. Please make sure your child has their full kit in school each day. They may bring joggers and Velcro trainers. Please name everything. 

Homework will be added to Tapestry each week on a Friday. Please add photos to Tapestry of completed homework.

Any question please email on parrots@ourlady-st-gerards.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you for all continued support, it is very much appreciated. 

Miss Best

Spring 2022

It was lovely to see all the children on the first day back and to hear about all their activities over the holidays.

This half term we will start by look at Pirates. We will then be reading Pirate Pete and his Parrot. After this, learn all about Growth and then Easter! All the children are making fabulous progress with their writing and can now segment the sounds in words. We will now be practising writing simple captions and sentences.

In phonics, we will continue to recap the Phase 3 digraphs and tricky words. Busy Things has lots of activities that will help your child to practise blending to read and segmenting to write, the log in details are on Tapestry. Phonics homework will be set each Friday on Tapestry. Reading books will be changed each week, we do not have a set date for changing books so please ensure books are in school every day. Thank for all the continued support with reading at home.

In maths we will explore numbers 5-10 and looking at the composition of these numbers. After this we will be investigating length and then will be spending some time consolidating our learning. Maths homework will be set each Friday on tapestry.

During RE we will be thinking about Gathering and Easter. We will think about how we gather in church and spend time with our family and friends.

We really value your support. Please do get in touch with any queries. 

parrots@ourlady-st-gerards.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you,

Miss Best

Autumn Term 2021

Dear Parents/ Guardians,

This term will be looking at Diwali, Bonfire Night and then moving onto learning all about Christmas. We will be carrying on with our phonics and will be working within Phase 3, the weekly homework showing all the sounds we have been learning will be in book bags and on tapestry.

Thank you for all the support from home, we have loved seeing all the pictures of homework and all the wonderful activities the children have been doing.

If you have any questions or queries please don’t hesitate to contact me on parrots@ourlady-stgerards.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you,

Miss Best

Autumn Term 2021

Firstly, we would like to welcome all the children to Parrots. We are all so excited to see the children start their journey into school.  

As well as myself and the Penguins class teachers, Mrs Buckel and Mrs Goldstone, we are very pleased to have Mrs Crook and Mrs Wagner to further support the children’s learning and development. The children so far have all settled into the school routine fantastically and have enjoyed being with friends, old and new. The children have thoroughly enjoyed exploring all the areas of our classroom, both inside and out.

The first theme we will be learning over this term in Reception is ‘Knowing me, Knowing you’. This will include the children learning all about their senses, their homes, feelings and families. We will also be following 'Letters and Sounds' for our phonics. We will be sending weekly reading books home with the children to further support the teaching of reading in class. We really value and appreciate all the support at home with the children’s learning and a strong relationship between home and school will lead to a very successful year for the children.

This year we are looking forward to guiding and supporting the children though their first year at school. In Reception, we have high expectations for the children in both their learning and behaviour. We have a positive and engaging environment for the children where respectful behaviour is encouraged and praised. In our class we ask that all children have a go and try their best in every task. 

We cannot wait to show you all photos of the hard work we have been doing in reception but also all the fun we have been having.

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact me on: parrots@ourlady-st-gerards.lancs.sch.uk

Thank you,

Miss Best

Meet the teacher 

Thanks to all the parents that came to meet the teacher. Don't worry if you didn't get chance to make it as I have added the PowerPoint below. 

Our first day in school!

Extra Resources