Grange Farm Primary School

Parent Information Meeting

September 2017

Reception

Look out for voting on our new logo and tagline – coming soon!

Our teachers: Mrs Parker and Miss Wookey

Our teaching assistants: Mrs Pemberton and Mrs Trotman

Other adults we see: Miss Thomas and Mrs BrennanMrs Sahota, Mrs Jeffs, Mrs Kaur

Other important people to know: Mrs Heath, Mrs Sahota, Mr Ledgard

The world we live in seems to get busier and busier and that can make finding the time to talk really challenging. However, we know that effective home/school communication makes things work better for us all.

We have been working on setting up more varied opportunities for parents to come into school over the year (e.g. tonight’s meeting and open morning in the summer) and these occasions, along with parents’ evenings (dates on

the website), are really important.

However, if you are worried about something or puzzled or want some help, we would always say to come and talk to us.

If you can’t (or would prefer not to) catch us at the beginning or end of school, either ring the school office or send in an email and an appointment can be arranged to see us.

No day in school is ever quite the same but most days follow

a pattern like this:

8:45 to 8:55 Children come into classrooms

8:55 to 9:30 Register then class teaching session

9:30 to 10:30 Session 1: Group work/child-initiated work

10:30 to 10:50 Circle time and snack

10:50 to 11:45 Session 2: Group work/child-initiated work

11.45 to 12.05 Plenary session and toilet/washing hands

12:05 to 1:20 Lunch Break

1:20 to 1:45 Register then class teaching session

1:45 to 2.45 Session 3

2:45 to 3:15 Milk and story time

3:30 End of school day

Phonics is a method used to teach children to read. The children learn the sounds made by letters of the alphabet, both individually and when combined with another one or two letters, and then learn to blend these sounds

together.We use a method called Jolly Phonics. This involves learning the sound a letter makes and accompanying it with an

action. The action reinforces making the sound correctly.We have:

• A daily phonics class teaching session• Small group activities to reinforce the class teaching

• Child-initiated activities to further consolidate class learning

Alongside learning phonics orally, the children will learn to write the letters we are learning. We follow a writing scheme called Penpals. The children learn the correct way to form each letter which is important for when the

children learn to join letters together. Capital letters are used only at the beginning of sentences and the first letter of a name.

(A copy of the alphabet has been sent home today.) The children are also learning to hold a pencil in the correct way using a tripod grip.

The children will learn to use their phonics in their writing so that they can attempt to write words independently.

Each day there is a class teaching session focussing on maths – either number or space, shape and

measure. During the week there are also small group and child initiated activities to consolidate the class

teaching. Most activities are practical and are differentiated so that all children are moving on in

their learning.

•Recognise some numerals of personal significance.•Recognises numerals 1 to 5.•Counts up to three or four objects by saying one number name for each item.•Counts actions or objects which cannot be moved.•Counts objects to 10, and beginning to count beyond 10.•Counts out up to six objects from a larger group.•Selects the correct numeral to represent 1 to 5, then 1 to 10 objects.•Counts an irregular arrangement of up to ten objects.•Estimates how many objects they can see and checks by counting them.•Uses the language of ‘more’ and ‘fewer’ to compare two sets of objects.•Finds the total number of items in two groups by counting all of them.•Says the number that is one more than a given number.•Finds one more or one less from a group of up to five objects, then ten objects.• In practical activities and discussion, beginning to use the vocabulary involved in adding andsubtracting.•Records, using marks that they can interpret and explain.•Begins to identify own mathematical problems based on own interests and fascinations.Early Learning Goal Children count reliably with numbers from one to 20, place them in orderand say which number is one more or one less than a given number. Using quantities andobjects, they add and subtract two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find the answer.They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing.

•Beginning to use mathematical names for ‘solid’ 3D shapes and ‘flat’ 2D shapes, andmathematical terms to describe shapes.•Selects a particular named shape.•Can describe their relative position such as ‘behind’ or ‘next to’.•Orders two or three items by length or height.•Orders two items by weight or capacity.•Uses familiar objects and common shapes to create and recreate patterns and build models.•Uses everyday language related to time.•Beginning to use everyday language related to money.•Orders and sequences familiar events.•Measures short periods of time in simple ways.Early Learning Goal Children use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position,distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. Theyrecognise, create and describe patterns. They explore characteristics of everyday objects andshapes and use mathematical language to describe them.

We cover a range of topics during the year. Some are based on the seasons and festivals/celebrations during the year.

Same are based on stories e.g. The little red hen, The three little pigs.Others follow interests of the children e.g. dinosaurs, space.

A notice on the window informs you of our topic for the week. We will let you know if there are activities that can be done at home or things that the children may bring in in connection with the topic.

The government expects children to do two hours of Physical Education every week, covering a variety of areas including games, gymnastics, dance, athletics (and swimming in KS2).

We try to have set times for P.E. (see Autumn term information letter) and these may change each term.

Please make sure that children have their full kit in school. The children need a white t-shirt, black shorts and black pumps (not trainers) for PE inside. They also need

jogging bottoms and a sweatshirt/hoodie for PE outside.Please make sure every item is named.

The kit will be sent home at half-term to be washed and checked for size.

Please practise the sounds and the actions in

the pink phonic books every day.

If the children are writing at home, please make

sure that they are forming the letters correctly.

On Wednesdays, the children visit the library. Please read/share their

book with them. The book needs to be returned the

following Wednesday.School reading books will

be brought home after Christmas.

Recognising numbers, counting activities, board

games…..(“Maths at home” – ideas for things to do has been

sent home)

• Help your child to practise putting on their

coat, doing it up and taking it off

independently• Please help us to

reinforce using manners.

Phonics/Writing Reading Maths Other

We will be looking at our approach to home learning this year. Keep an eye out for some new ideas on the way soon.

All children are different and one of the challenges that all schools face is meeting the needs of all of the different learners that we have. We all want every child to make the most of their potential.

Most of what we do is about differentiating children’s experiences in lessons, setting independent tasks and asking questions that help to challenge them at an appropriate level.

However, where there is something specific to work on, a child may do some extra work (either individually or in a group) with a teacher or a teaching assistant. This extra bit of work is called “intervention” and can be because a

child has a particular hurdle we are trying to overcome or because we think we can push them on a bit further with some of their learning.

Our school SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) is Mrs Sahota. She will support teachers, children and families where a specific barrier has been identified that could have a longer-term impact on their learning. If you

have any concerns about anything like this, please do talk to us.

Muddy Mondays – an opportunity to use the whole grounds, whatever the weather (wellies will be required). We will let you know when we will be starting these.

Show and Tell - on alternate Thursdays children can bring in something to show the class and talk about – details to follow.

Please will you make sure that all items of clothing are named.

It helps the children to settle more quickly in the classroom in the mornings if parents say goodbye and then leave promptly. The children often find extended goodbyes more unsettling.

Every term we try to run as wide a range of clubs as we can. A letter will come out explaining what is running and we then ask parents to request places for the clubs their child would like to do. We always try to get children into

the clubs they want and allocate places as fairly as possible where clubs are oversubscribed. We also run lunchtime clubs because this helps us provide as many opportunities as possible for our children to be healthy and

active during their week

As the children go through school, more opportunities open up for the children to be involved in a range of clubs.

In reception, the children have an opportunity to join a dance club on a Monday lunchtime.

Fun for Kids provide wrap-around care facilities at school every school day of the school year from 8am to 6pm. If you need this provision, please call Tracey Russell-Brookes (07940 128172). They have also started to offer holiday

clubs at school and you can now book for the October half-term week.

Teachers assess children all the time. The staff in the reception classes are continually observing and assessing the children as they are involved in their many different activities. By observing the children, talking to them and

listening to their interactions with others, it gives us valuable information about the things they can do and what they need to work on next.

We will be adding more to the website throughout the year – we will let you know in the newsletter

Thank you for coming.