The Great Big Book of Families
We’ve had a busy week using our focus book The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith.
We’ve talked about how all families are different and special and made pictures of our families using pebbles.
Our word of the week was family the children have really enjoyed using this during their learning.
“My family live in a house, we have 5 people and daddy is the only boy.”
“My family has lots of people in it.”
Poetry Picnic
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to the children about how this can help us become better readers. This week our poem was called Breezy Weather.
Breezy weather. Freezy weather.
When the leaves fall, we all fall together.
Breezy weather. Freezy weather.
When the wind blows, we huddle together.
Phonics
This week, we have learnt the phonemes (the sounds a letter makes) i,n,m and d.
During our phonics learning, we listened carefully to the initial sound in a word and sorted objects by the sounds they begin with.
Help at home: Look out for a ‘learn at home’ sheet which recaps the phonics learning from the week. Please look at this with your child and complete the activities.
Reading practice
Reading daily at home is an essential part of your child’s reading journey. If you have any issues logging onto Collins eBooks, please let me know. Please make sure your write in your child’s reading record and return it every Thursday.
Maths
This week, we’ve focussed on perceptual subitising (recognising the number of objects without counting) up to 3. We’ve been learning how to use our fast eyes when looking at small sets of objects.
Reminders and Notices
PE– Is on Monday please send your child to school wearing their PE kit and trainers they can fasten themselves.
Sharing Books– Sharing books were sent home this week. Please can these be returned on Wednesday for the children to pick a new one.
Family Photo-please can I remind you to send in a photo of your child with their family so we can add them to our class display. You can send in a copy of your photo or email it to:
stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org
Have a happy and healthy weekend
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Miss. Feldman, Mrs Linton, Mrs Cairnes and Mrs Small
Our Class Family
We have welcomed all the children into class this week and we are so proud of how everyone is settling in, getting to know their new classroom and making new friends. There are lots of routines to learn and things to remember at this stage, but we’ve been amazed at how quickly children are settling in.
PE Day
PE will start on Monday 22nd September. Please send your child to school in their PE kit every Monday. ( plain white t-shirt, navy blue shorts, school jumper/cardigan and trainers they can fasten themselves.)
Bags, Wellies and Spare Clothes
Don’t forget to bring in your school wellies and a draw string or small bag of spare cloths/underwear to keep in school. Thank you to the parents and carers who have already provided these.
Family Photo
We will soon be talking and learning about different families. Next week we will introduce out first focus book The Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith.
To support our learning, please send in a photo of your child with their family. You can send in a copy of your photo or email it to:
stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org
Poetry Picnic
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to the children about how this can help us become better readers. This week we introduced our first poem called Chop Chop.
Chop, Chop, Choppity Chop.
Cut off the bottom and cut off the top.
What there is left, we put in the pot.
Chop, Chop, Choppity Chop.
Help at home– Ask your child to recite the poem to you, can they remember the action as they perform it to you?
Phonics
This week, we have learnt our first four phonemes (the sounds a letter makes) s,a,t and p.
During our phonics learning, we listened carefully to the initial sound in a word and sorted objects by the sounds they begin with.
Help at home: Look out for a ‘learn at home’ sheet which recaps the phonics learning from the week. Please look at this with your child and complete the activities.
Have a happy and healthy weekend.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Miss. Feldman, Mrs Linton, Mrs Cairnes and Mrs Small
Best start in life
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has written a letter to parents with a focus on ensuring children have the best start in life. It signposts parents to the best start in life website – there’s information on Best Start Family Hubs and support with your child’s early health and learning.
Welcome to Reception meeting
It was great to see so many of you at the ‘Welcome to Reception’ meeting this week. For those of you who were unable to attend, please find attached the PowerPoint shared at the meeting.
Welcome to Reception
A reminder that our ‘Welcome to Reception’ meeting is on Wednesday 10 September, 2025 at 6pm. This is held at school.
Following our first welcome session, this is an opportunity to find out some basic ‘need to knows’ about life in Reception.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Reception Baseline Assessment
Packed Lunches
Does your child have a packed lunch at school? If so, please download our Guide to Healthy Packed Lunches.
Did you know that popcorn is a choking hazard for children under 5? Lot’s of people don’t! The Food Standards Agency. has published the following advice on how to prepare food safely for your young child.
Welcome to Early Years
We’ve been busy over the summer holidays washing all the teddies and toys so we’re ready for when you start ‘big school!’
Your classroom is all ready and set up and we’re looking forward to lots of learning, making new friends and having fun!
We’re looking forward to the year ahead, getting to know you and your children.
Mrs. Kendrew, Miss. Feldman, Mrs. Rippon, Mrs. Linton and Mrs. Cairns
Me and my family!
The Fish Who can Wish
This week our focus story was The Fish Who could Wish by John Bush and Korky Paul.
We talked about how the fish was different to all the other fish and used our word of the week Unique to describe him and ourselves.
“I am unique because I have curly hair, my nanny has curly hair but she has glasses so we are not the same.”
“I am unique because nobody can sing like me.”
“I am unique because I am not the same as my sister.”
Sports Day
We’ve also been learning all about Being Healthy and had the best sports day competing in the egg and spoon race, the sack race, the bean bag shuffle and a running race. We made sure we wore our sunhats, stayed in the shade and drank lots of water as part of keeping ourselves healthy in the sun.
Forest School
We’ve had out last forest school this week with Born of the Forest, We enjoyed looking for minibeasts, looking at a birds nest and egg shells and making tea for the woodland animals. We finished by toasting marshmallows over a fire with the help of Sparky. We’ve had the best time and can’t wait to go again in year 1.
“I love forest school, it’s so cool!”
“Let’s go this way and be quiet we might get to stay and have another one!”
