Reception Newsletter

For week ending 7th February 2020

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This week’s learning has focussed around the traditional tale of Little Red Riding Hood. The children wrote get well cards and saw a film clip that put forward the wolf’s take on events and then had to talk about which story they found believable.  This week was also an ideal opportunity to talk about who keeps us safe, both in the community and at school.  The children watched in parts a BBC serialisation pitched at their level of the traditional story, but with some imaginative embellishments – follow this link to see it at home: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p055pyb8 .  We unfortunately couldn’t see the final parts as our internet was turned off at 3pm today, so you may like to finish it at home.

In maths we tackled number 18, and progress to the giddy heights of 19 and 20 next week in time for half term.  In Music Mr P introduced the children to many different percussion instruments and singing in a round (which was also a struggle/challenge for the staff members helping).

A Writing Workshop was held on Wednesday evening for parents and was not well attended, which was disappointing.  The powerpoint slides and fine motor activities mentioned are on the school website – if you go to the Classes / Reception / Home Help tab you can find what you need, and the presentations from the workshops held last half term on maths and phonics are there also.

Apologies for not posting the newsletter last Friday – I experienced some technical difficulties which Miss Clogg managed to resolve for me on Monday.  Hopefully this week I’ll be luckier…

Next week is one of our whole school enrichment weeks, the focus being on plastic in the oceans.

Requests and reminders

• Parents and carers must be reminded that they are not allowed into school in the mornings unless they have an appointment with their class teacher.  An adult is always available outside to take messages, or they can be sent my email. Some parents have been attempting to get past the adult on duty – with 180 children all accessing this part of the school building via one door it is not possible to have parents on the premises too.  If grandparents bring your child please also make them aware of this.  We are trying to keep your children safe after all.
• Also, parents and carers may not access the building at the end of the day to search for missing articles of clothing.  There have been some instances this week of carers demanding staff drop everything and search for clothes and items left by your children – but as Miss Clogg has pointed out to all families this week, if clothing items and possessions are named they will make their way back to you, and that after school is the staff’s time for getting on with all the tasks we routinely do once the children have left.
• Next week is Eco Week – thank you for all the amazing donations of junk modelling that have already come in – we will be creating sea creatures with bottles and yogurt pots in particular, but will also be creating a rainbow from coloured junk, so any highly coloured items would be gratefully received – Mrs Bacon and I have offered to eat lots of Quality Street this weekend so that we can use the cellophane wrappers in our activities…  In addition magazines (suitable content of course) and things like coloured crisp packets would also be gratefully received so that we can chop them up.
• Upcoming events – parents evenings are on the Tuesday and Thursday of the second week after half term – booking opens soon.  Please book a slot as soon as you can.
• You will also be/have been asked to contribute to the cost of two Science Museum workshops which your children will experience in the week after half term.  These are not cheap, so please make sure you contribute when asked, otherwise we will not be able to book these in the future.

 

Have a lovely weekend,

The Reception Team

pgreenwood@wimbledonpark.merton.sch.uk

fdavies@wimbledonpark.merton.sch.uk

obacon@wimbledonpark.merton.sch.uk

Quotes of the week:

Teacher to a child using scissors – “why have you cut your trousers?...the response – “because I want to see how good my mummy is at knitting…”

We are talking about which people can help keep us safe.  One child confides to his teacher  “my daddy helps me because he makes lots of money…”

One class is talking about what a thermometer is.  A child explains “I know what a thermometer is – if you stick it in a cake and it comes out sticky it’s not cooked, but if it comes out clean it is cooked….”  Wow !!  - that is a skewer rather than a thermometer, but even so, that is great baking knowledge.

The teachers will rotate through the phonics groups after half term.  One child says excitedly “I’ve got big news!! … Miss Davies is going to Mrs Bacon’s room, and Mrs Bacon is coming to us!...”