Class News

Maths: Less than, greater than, equal to

Today, the children have been introduced to the greater than (>) and less than (<) symbols when comparing numbers.

The class have moved on from describing whether there are “fewer”, “more” or the “same” number of objects to comparing numerical values using the vocabulary “less than”, “greater than” or “equal to” alongside the symbols <, > and =.

Top tip

The open end of the symbol always has the largest number next to it.

Using the images below, the class added the correct symbol accordingly.

Next, using conkers and lolly sticks, the class made up their own statements and recorded them in their books.

Help at home

Children may want to use the word “bigger” rather than “greater”. For consistency of language, encourage children to use the word “greater”. “Bigger” often refers to the size of an object rather than a number, for example a bigger teddy or a bigger slide.
Children may get the symbols mixed up. Using cubes and straws to physically make the symbols can help children to understand them.

Mindfulness Matters

Year 1 began their Friday morning with some mindfulness and yoga. 

Being mindful means having your mind on what you are doing. It’s the opposite of rushing or doing too many things at once. To be mindful, you slow down to take your time, which is hard to do in our busy lives.

The children learnt a breathing technique called ‘Balloon Belly Breathing and were able to demonstrate some basic yoga poses.

Living and Learning: I respect others

Our Living and Learning statement last week was…

I respect others

Year 5 and 6 have been learning about equality and discrimination. We have looked at many scenarios where an individual (or group) was being discriminated against. We discussed what these reasons might be and what we would do to change the world if we could.

Then, we had a look at the Equality Act (2010) and our protected characteristics that we can’t be discriminated against. Pupils were mature, engaged and active in this learning, which resulted in some fantastic discussions and advice for others.

Here are the nine protected characteristics:

• sex
• sexual orientation
• gender reassignment
• disability
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• religion or belief
• race
• age

We will continue to focus and test ourselves on these characteristics throughout the year.

Help at home:

Have regular conversations with your child about the nine protected characteristics. Ensure the children fully understand what discrimination could look like, and who they could talk to for help/advice.

A forest, a dark gloomy forest…

We took a visit to the forest this week in search of a bear!

Our focus story for the next 2 weeks is ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ by Michael Rosen. The children having really enjoyed how engaging this story is, using repeated refrains throughout the book. We particularly enjoyed being able to join in with Michael Rosen himself re-telling the story.

Help at home: Enjoy reading ‘we’re going on a bear hunt’ at home and see what else you might find on your journey. What else could you see in the forest? What sounds might you hear? If you don’t have access to this book at home here is the re-aloud the children have enjoyed this week

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iou5LV9dRP0

(This is a YouTube link. Top tip for watching YouTube with your child: go to the settings cog along the play bar and turn off autoplay – this avoids an inappropriate clip coming up automatically, and helps to discourage your child from passively watching clip after clip)

Have lovely weekend and we will see you next week for more bear hunt adventures!

Miss Ward

Forest School

The children have been enjoying their Forest School sessions on a Friday.

So far, they have enjoyed den building, peeling a stick and decorating using coloured wool and using flint and steel to start a fire on a cotton wool bud.

Help at home: Talk with your child about how to keep safe while at Forest School. For example listen to the adult instructions, only light fires with a flint under adult supervision.

We are geographers

Year 1 have been learning about the countries that make up the United Kingdom and their capital cities.

Help at home

Quiz your child on their knowledge of capital cities. Can they tell you the four capital cities of the countries in the United Kingdom?

Today, the children have been locating and naming the seas that surround the United Kingdom.

Help at home 

Using the images below, ask your child to match the body of water to the correct location. The children have really enjoyed using Google Earth to explore scale and size of different locations. Why not go on an exploration at home? By zooming in on planet Earth slowly, the class were amazed by the amount of water there is on our planet.

Finally, we spent some time looking at an atlas. Some of the children were able to locate the UK and the surrounding seas.

Spellings for the first half term

Below are the 40 spellings for this half term. Please continue to learn these at home. There will be a test every Friday on 8 random words from the list. If your child is finding it difficult to learn the words, have a look at our Super Spelling Strategy document on the school website – it’s got some great ideas!

Loving Latin

The children have really enjoyed learning Latin this week and discovering that many words we use today are heavily influenecd by the Ancient Greeks and Romans. Here are some examples:

Tele (far away) – television, telephone, telescope
Micro (small) – microphone, microscope, microbe
Tri (three) – triangle, triplets, tripod

As a class, we enjoyed learning, collaborating and then sharing our thoughts and findings.

At home, see what your child can remember.

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

I’ll huff and I’ll puff!

Nursery have had a busy week of learning. The children have been engrossed in purposeful play within our circle time’s and within provision. As we’re getting to know everyone, we like to talk about our families and home life.

To encourage children to tell us more about their family life, please e-mail or bring a photograph of your child with their family to Nursery next week. Our email is:  stjamesnursery@spherefederation.org

We will use these to create our own family trees to display in the classroom.

Our focus story this week has been The three little pigs. The children really enjoyed listening to the story and thinking about what might happen next. We used our themed tuff tray to role-play the story in provision.

Just a little reminder…

Have a happy and healthy weekend!

Miss Ward