Sept 2020 - July 2021
Our Year One children are taught in Hogglestock Hedgehog Class. We enjoy learning both through structured lessons and through opportunities for creative play and outdoor learning. We have a main classroom, another room and a lovely little outdoor area. We also use the school raised beds to grow fruit and vegetables.
We have two TA's. Mrs Perry works with us every morning and Mrs Rowlatt works with us every afternoon.
Hedgehog Class Newsletter 1 Friday 4th September 2020
Dear Parents,
The children are settling in quickly and getting used to our new routines both in school and in Year One. They are proudly learning to organise themselves and keep their personal table space and pencil pot tidy.
Our topic this term is Bishops Cannings. Weather permitting, we will go on one or two walks around the village to look at the landmarks. In science, we will look at how animals, including humans can be grouped and what they eat. We will think about the food we eat and how to keep healthy. All the children will have a go at cooking something healthy and delicious! In Art we will look at some portraits painted by the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and the children will make their own portraits.
Home Reading
We will change the reading scheme books on Mondays. Children will bring three books home for the week. They will be changed the following Monday and all returned books will be held for a week before they are used again. Please comment in their reading record. If they are still halfway through a book, note down the page they are up to so we don’t change it!
Homework
Each Friday, starting from next week, your child will bring home some maths and spellings or phonics work to learn. Please ensure homework books are returned on the following Thursday. We will do a spelling test on Thursday morning. The children will bring their spelling test book home so you can see how they did and if there are any words to relearn. PLEASE MAKE SURE THEIR SPELLING TEST BOOKS STAY WITH THEIR HOMEWORK BOOKS AND COME BACK ON THURSDAYS.
Special Additional Homework
If your child needs further practise on a particular aspect of their maths, handwriting or phonics, or if they have missed something essential, I will send a learning activity home in their reading record.
P.E.
This term, our regular PE slot will be on Friday afternoon and the focus is gymnastics. Children must wear their PE kit to school on Fridays with their normal school shoes. This should be a white t-shirt and black/navy joggers or leggings. Please can they bring simple well-fitting black school plimsolls (daps) in a bag which can be left at school. They can change into their daps for indoor PE. They can also wear a black/navy hoodie or a school sweatshirt to keep them warm. Please make sure their black daps and dap-bags are named.
Name labels and coats
Please also make sure every single school jumper, cardigan, shirt, hat, coat etc, is named. It makes all our lives SO MUCH EASIER! Please also make sure your child has a coat every day. We need to avoid children getting cold and wet.
Water Bottles and Snacks
The children each have their own named school water bottle in Hedgehog class for them to drink from. The bottles stay in school and be washed out and refilled daily. I will teach the children about the health benefits of water and keeping hydrated and we will all drink together.
Please provide a healthy snack for the morning break. The children will put their reusable snack pots straight back in their bags to bring home. If you are providing grapes or cherry tomatoes, please cut in half to avoid the risk of choking.
Ideas for healthy snacks –dried fruit, fresh fruit, raw vegetables with perhaps a rice cake, oat cake and cheese cut into cubes. No crisps or anything with sugar/sweeteners in, thank you.
Lunchtime Drinks
Children can bring a different drink for lunchtime if they wish, but this is not necessary as they have water bottles.
Other Information
Mrs Wallace will teach the class RE on a Wednesday afternoon.
Hogglestock Hedgehog will come home with your child one weekend during the year. He is getting a bit old but is still up for fun and games.
End of day:
Please make sure your child knows how they are getting home every day.
Finally, do feel free to email me if you have any worries about your child, or put a note in their reading record.
Thank you,
Ms Kath Steggall Class Teacher Mrs Zoe Perry TA am Mrs Mandy Rowlatt TA pm