Catkin Class have had an exciting start to the new school year as they helped to welcome twelve Reception children to our school family.
The Reception children who we affectionately refer to as Squirrels, have thoroughly enjoyed their first week in school getting to know each other, learning new routines, and most importantly spending time exploring Squirrels’ Corner and the Catkin’s Outside Area. The children are looking forward to further exploring our beautiful school grounds and meeting lots more members of our School Family.
Catkin’s theme for the Autumn Term is ‘Where in the World?’
Welcome to my world
‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ by Michael Rosen is our current class read and as a familiar favourite is already proving to be very popular. The children will be developing their confidence in engaging and responding to texts both through direct teaching and continuous provision in the outside area. In class we have started considering the feelings of the different characters in the story, most particularly the Bear. We have also been acting out the story along with Michael Rosen and have started to introduce our own actions and will soon be adding our own instrumental accompaniment. We are looking forward to bringing the story to life for the older children in Catkins class through our performance.
Later this half term we will be focusing on the text ‘You Choose’ by Pippa Goodhart. We will be using this text to learn more about each other and to explore the theme of making choices. The children will be making their own books and sharing them with their friends. We will use the children’s choices to inform provision and the half term will culminate in a ‘You Choose’ day.
Enchanted Woodland
In the second half of the Autumn Term the Reception children will be reading ‘The Gruffalo’ by Julia Donaldson and various versions of the traditional tale ‘Hansel and Gretel’. Once again they will focus on rhythm and rhyme and responding to the rich illustrations and characters in the texts. The children will enjoy the opportunity to bring storytelling to life by re-enacting these familiar tales in the woods during their weekly ‘Forest School’ sessions.
Read Write Inc
This term we will be introducing daily phonics sessions. We will be focusing on teaching the set 1 speed sounds before moving on to introduce the special friends [sh, ch, th, qu, ng and nk]. We will also be introducing oral blending through daily Fred Talk games and activities. The home reading books sent home twice weekly will be linked to the sounds we are working on in class. This is a great opportunity for you to practice these sounds at home with your child. More information in regards to the Read Write Inc phonics scheme will be sent home in due course.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to catch me on the playground at the end of the school day.
With best wishes, Mrs Merrett