Henri’s Scissors
Henri’s Scissors
What a busy and fun filled week we have had! We have been learning about the artist Henri Matisse using the book Henri’s Scissors. Our word of the week was ‘artist’ we did a fantastic job telling other adults that ‘an artist is someone who paints or draws’. Great work everyone!
We have also spent some time making our own pieces of artwork in the style of Matisse’s The Snail, we talked about the different shapes and colours we could see.
On Tuesday afternoon we spent time with Jamie Knight, who showed us his amazing football skills! We had a great time and discovered we have some super football skills ourselves!
Phonics
This week the children have learnt the phonemes (the sound a letter makes) h, f, b and l. The children have been listening to and saying words that begin with these phonemes (the sound a letter makes). They have also been practicing writing the graphemes (the written letter). We have also learnt our new tricky word ‘the’ the tricky bits in this word is the ‘th’ and the ‘e’.
We also loved our grown ups coming to watch us on Thursday, it was so much fun sharing our learning with them.
Poetry Picnic
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite the poem each day. By saying the poem out loud we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line.
This week or poem was Leaves are Falling
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
One fell on my nose.
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
One fell on my toes.
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
One fell on my head.
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
Yellow, Orange, Red.
Maths
This week we have been building on our Subitising skills, when we can say the number without counting the objects. We also have continued working on our skills to say the number of sounds that we can hear when somebody claps or drums a beat, without needing to count.
Finally, we have looked closely at small quantities of up to 4 cubes and talked about how the quantity is still 4 even if we put the cubes together in different ways. Great work everyone!
Help at home phonics sheet
Today, your child has come home with a new ‘learn at home’ phonics sheet. The sheets link to our current learning in phonics and will be sent home each Friday. Please support your child by practising their new sounds and reading skills at home.
Help at home
We are developing our model making area and will be re-launching it as a ‘Waste Innovation’ area so the children can show off their creative side. To make this area work we would really like the usual donations of cereal boxes, yoghurt pots, tubes (no toilet roll tubes please), bottles, bottle tops. But to enhance it further we would also love any old keys, beads (from broken necklaces), buttons, wool, corks or fabric. Anything that the children might find interesting. All donations throughout the year would be greatly appreciated, and just think of the wonderful models the children can bring home!
Next week our book of the week is Leaf Man, please can we ask for some donations of leaves. We are going to be creating our own leaf pictures and making leaf rubbings, so the more leaves we get the better!
Reminders
We will be doing PE on Monday, so please send your child to school wearing their PE kit and trainers. They will stay in this all day.
Stay and Learn Sessions
This is an opportunity for you to come into school to find out about the Early Years Curriculum and watch your child Learning in school.
Maths- 15.11.23 2.20pm-3.00pm
Phonics Phase 3- 16.1.24 2.20pm-3.00pm
Early Writing- 05.02.24 2.20pm-3.00pm
World Book Day 07.03.24 -8.50am-9.20am
Learning Journey Drop In’s
An opportunity to “drop into” school and share your child’ learning journal with them.
Times- 8.45am-9.15am and 3.15pm-3.45pm (Tuesday and Thursday)
Week beginning 11.12.23
Week beginning 25.03.24
Week beginning 08.07.24
Don’t forget to email your pictures from home stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org thank you, have a lovely weekend!
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon and Miss. Feldman
The Everywhere Bear
This week we have loved listening to our class story The Everywhere Bear by Julia Donaldson. We have enjoyed remembering all the different place he visited. We made some story maps to help us re-tell the story.
We even went on our own journey around school and found the slide! It was great fun having a little play on it! We have talked about maps and made some of our own.
“I’ve made a map of Wetherby, Mrs Kendrew you are the blue spot.’
‘I have made a treasure map!’
‘My map has a big hole; it goes all around the classroom!’
Phonics
This week the children have learnt the phonemes (the sound a letter makes) g, o, c and k. The children have been listening to and saying words that begin with these phonemes (the sound a letter makes). They have also been practicing writing the graphemes (the written letter). We have also learnt our new tricky word ‘is’ the tricky bit in this word is the ‘s’ phoneme because it sounds like a ‘z’.
You may choose to play an I Spy game at home using these new phonemes (the sound a letter makes).
Today we also visited the school library, the children really enjoyed picking a book to bring home. These books are our reading for pleasure books, we hope you enjoy reading them. Please can they be returned on Thursday with reading records so they can be changed and updated. Thank you.
Poetry Basket
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite the poem each day. By saying the poem out loud we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line.
This week or poem was Pointy Hat
A little old lady with a tall pointed hat,
Knocked on my door with a rat-a-tat-tat.
I peered through the window to see who was there,
And off on her broomstick she flew through the air.
Maths
This week we have been focussing on our counting skills – to find out ‘how many’ objects there are.
We have explored how all sorts of things can be counted, including sounds. By singing rhymes, we have enjoyed developing our knowledge of the counting sequence.
Help at home phonics sheet
Today, your child has come home with a new ‘learn at home’ phonics sheet. The sheets link to our current learning in phonics. Please support your child by practising their new sounds and reading skills at home.
Home-Link
Autumn is here and the children have enjoyed exploring acorns and conkers. If you have chance, go on an autumn walk and collect, draw or discuss all the signs of autumn. You may choose to collect items to bring into school or email pictures.
Reminders
We will be doing PE on Monday, so please send your child to school wearing their PE kit and trainers. They will stay in this all day. Please can we also remind every to only put water inside water bottles, thank you.
Stay and Learn Sessions
This is an opportunity for you to come into school to find out about the Early Years Curriculum and watch your child Learning in school.
Phonics Phase 2- 12.10.23- 8.50am-9.30am
Maths- 15.11.23 2.20pm-3.00pm
Phonics Phase 3- 16.1.24 2.20pm-3.00pm
Early Writing- 05.02.24 2.20pm-3.00pm
World Book Day 07.03.24 -8.50am-9.20am
Learning Journey Drop In’s
An opportunity to “drop into” school and share your child’ learning journal with them.
Times- 8.45am-9.15am and 3.15pm-3.45pm (Tuesday and Thursday)
Week beginning 11.12.23
Week beginning 25.03.24
Week beginning 08.07.24
Don’t forget to email your pictures from home stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org thank you, have a lovely weekend!
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon and Miss. Feldman
The Big Book of Families
The children have had another fantastic week settling into Reception, they’ve really begun to make some lovely friendships and have continue to learn our daily routines. We’ve had lots of fun exploring and learning this week- we’re so proud of them!
A big Thank you to all the grown-ups who came to our ‘Welcome to Reception’ meeting on Wednesday. It was fantastic to see so many of you! Any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Phonics
This week the children have learnt the phonemes (the sounds a letter makes) i, n, m and d. The children have been listening to and saying words that begin with these phonemes. They have also been practicing writing the graphemes (the written letter).
Poetry Basket
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite the poem each day. By saying the poem out loud we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line.
Our first poem is 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.
I am sure your child will enjoy reciting and performing it for you, they have done so well learning it in school.
Super Subitising
This week we have been practicing our subitising skills. This means, we have been looking and saying how many objects we can see – without counting one by one! Ask your child how many spots they can see by subitising.
Families
Thank you so much for the family photos already sent in, the children have really enjoyed sharing their home experiences with their friends! We have been reading ‘The Big Book of Families’ where we have talked about how different families can look.
Help at home
Today, your child has come home with a ‘learn at home’ phonics sheet. The sheets link to our current learning in phonics and will be sent home each Friday. Please support your child by practising their new sounds and reading skills at home. Your child will also be coming home with their reading diary and information explaining how to log on to the ebook, your child’s personal log in details are stuck inside the front cover, under the dinosaur! They will be visiting the school library next week to pick a reading for pleasure book to bring home too.
Reminders
We will be doing PE on Monday, so please send your child to school wearing their PE kit and trainers. They will stay in this all day.
Stay and Learn Sessions
This is an opportunity for you to come into school to find out about the Early Years Curriculum and watch your child Learning in school.
Phonics Phase 2- 12.10.23- 8.50am-9.30am
Maths- 15.11.23 2.20pm-3.00pm
Phonics Phase 3- 16.1.24 2.20pm-3.00pm
Early Writing- 05.02.24 2.20pm-3.00pm
World Book Day 07.03.24 -8.50am-9.20am
Learning Journey Drop In’s
An opportunity to “drop into” school and share your child’ learning journal with them.
Times- 8.45am-9.15am and 3.15pm-3.45pm (Tuesday and Thursday)
Week beginning 11.12.23
Week beginning 25.03.24
Week beginning 08.07.24
Don’t forget to email your pictures from home stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org thank you, have a lovely weekend!
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon and Miss. Feldman
Our First Full Week in Reception and Important Information shared on Friday 15th September
Wow! What a fantastic first full week have had in school with our new class family. The children have been amazing and settled, thank you all so much for preparing them all so well. It has been so lovely to begin to get to know each and every one of them. I hope they have had lots of exciting news to share with you.
We have started our phonics lessons this week. The children have shown great listening and were proud to learn their first four sounds (s,a,t,p). Today, your child will be bringing home a ‘learn at home’ phonics sheet. The sheets link to our current learning in phonics and will be sent home each Friday. Please support your child by practising their new sounds and reading skills at home.
PE Days
Reception’s PE day is on Monday. We will have our first PE lesson on Monday 25th September. Please can you send your child to school in their PE kit on this day.
Bookbags, spare clothes and wellies
Please send your child with their bookbags each day. Please also send a pair of wellies and a bag of spare clothes/underwear that can be left at school. We will send it home if it needs washing or replacing.
Please double check that all you child’s school items are labelled with their name.
Dates for your diary
This year we will be offering various opportunities for you to find out more about Early Years at school. There will be after school meetings with your child’s teacher. There’ll be stay and learn sessions where you can come into school and be part of a lesson and then find out how you can help at home. Then, opportunities to pop into school to share your child’s learning journey book with them. We hope that you can join us for as many of these sessions as possible.
Welcome to Reception
An invitation to this event was emailed to you back in July but here is a reminder. Come to school to find out the basic ‘need to knows’ about life in Reception. 20.09.23- 6pm-6.30pm
Stay and Learn Sessions
This is an opportunity for you to come into school to find out about the Early Years Curriculum and watch your child Learning in school.
Phonics Phase 2- 12.10.23- 8.50am-9.30am
Maths- 15.11.23 2.20pm-3.00pm
Phonics Phase 3- 16.1.24 2.20pm-3.00pm
Early Writing- 05.02.24 2.20pm-3.00pm
World Book Day 07.03.24 – 8.50am-9.20am
Learning Journey Drop In’s
An opportunity to “drop into” school and share your child’ learning journal with them.
Times- 8.45am-9.15am and 3.15pm-3.45pm (Tuesday and Thursday)
Week beginning 11.12.23
Week beginning 25.03.24
Week beginning 08.07.24
Home link…
Next week, we’ll be talking about our families using the book The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith, as our talking point. To help the children in our discussions, please send in a photograph of your child with their family. You can send the photos to the Reception email address stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org . We will also be doing some observational drawings in our Creative area so if you go on a walk and see any natural objects such as leaves, pebbles, conkers and pieces of wood please can you bring them up for us to draw. Thank you so much.
What an amazing year!
I cannot believe we are at the end of the school year. What an amazing year we have had. I am so proud of everyone for their hard work and determination. I know that everyone will be fantastic in year 1.
I would like to say a big thank you to all parents/carers. You hard work at home has meant that everyone could flourish.
I would like to share the song we sang at church on Wednesday. I am sure you will agree that the children were amazing.
I will miss you all very much. Have a great summer!
Mrs Payne
EYFS Sports Day 2023!
Hello Everyone!
A massive thank you to all our parents/carers for attending our sports day this year! I’m sure you will all agree with how fantastic the children were. They showed great determination, resilience and brought team spirit to make it a really enjoyable morning. It really displayed to us how hard the children have worked this year and we are so proud of them!
Well done everybody!
Miss Ward and Mrs Payne
Transition
On Thursday, Reception Class spent the morning in their new Year 1 classroom. The children were excited and coped incredibly well with this change. We enjoyed playing some fun games and some getting to know you activities. Following this, the class completed a drawing of themselves onto their own footprint – look out for these in our science lessons next year!
Regular communication between home and school is important so please feel free to pop in if we can help with anything at all.
Help at home
There will be plenty of up to date posts on our Year 1 Class News page so do please keep having a look with your child. This is a great opportunity to hold a conversation about what’s been happening in school.
Reading Competition
Here at St James’ CE Primary, we love reading. Over the Summer holidays, we’ve a challenge for your child… Show us how reading-obsessed they are by sending us a pic of them reading in an extreme place or position.
Here’s someone who’s already getting stuck into some extreme reading. (can’t think who it could be!)…
To enter, email your pics to stjamesoffice@spherefederation.org by Friday 08 September. Enter ‘Summer competition’ as the subject.
All entries will be displayed in school, and there are prizes for our favourites
To finish with, we wish you all a very happy and healthy summer break and look forward to welcoming your child into Year 1 on Tuesday 5th September 2023.
Year 1 staff
Mrs Freeman – Class Teacher (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday)
Miss Gledhill – Class Teacher (Thursday)
Mrs Cairnes – Teaching Assistant
Miss Rigley – Teaching Assistant
Week 4 – Clean up!
Our focus book this week has been ‘Clean Up’ by Nathan Byron. This story helps us to understand why looking after our planet is so important and the impact pollution can have on our environment. The children have loved thinking of ways that they could help people to remember to take their rubbish home or put it in a bin.
Our book was set in Jamaica. We learnt more about where Jamaica was in the world and that it was an island. We recognised that we live on an island too! We then labelled the land and sea and made our own islands.
As there has been more rain this week, this made us think about rain coats and what materials are best to keep us dry. We decided to conduct an experiment to see which materials would be best to make a jacket for a polar bear.
We have learnt more about the sculpture Alexander Calder. We looked at some of his pieces of work and created our own inspired pieces using wire and polystyrene 3d shapes.
Our poem this week was all about peas! We hope you enjoy it!
Week 3 – Sharing a Shell
What a great week we have had in Reception. Our focus book this week is Sharing a Shell by Julia Donaldson. We recognised that this author has written lots of other stories and remembered some of our favourites.
We have been learning more about rockpools and creatures that live inside them. We used dough and construction to make our own ones.
We created our own ice-creams using puffy paint! We used shaving foam and glue to make our ice-creams come to life!
This week for poetry basket we learnt more about a song. We hope you like our version.
We hope you have a great weekend!
Our School Adventure
We had such a fantastic day at Piglets Adventure Park on Tuesday. Even though the weather was a little rainy we had an amazing day. On the coach we saw what it is like to drive through a city. We saw different buildings and spoke about how the roads were busy.
We learnt more about what the animals need on a daily basis and the correct vocabulary for adults and their young.
The sand areas were great for us to discuss the beach and ways we can keep safe.
Thank you to everyone who made our trip possible.
