Our topic this term is ‘Life Cycles’. We have already started thinking about Spring and new life and will be taking this further by setting up our own potting shed so, hopefully, the outdoor area will not only be bursting with learning opportunities but also with flowers! We will then be moving on to think about animals, starting with pets but then exploring life on the farm, the jungle and the ocean!

The focus in literacy is stories and rhymes to not only develop reading and writing skills but also to encourage children’s love of books by sharing some of our favourites. We will also be using information books to help us to find out more about plants and animals, giving real purpose to our reading.

In number work we will continue to explore patterns in numbers and build confidence in recognising and sequencing bigger numbers. Calculations will be linked to problem solving tasks to develop confidence in using and applying mathematics and also develop mathematical vocabulary. Through children’s play there will be lots of practical activities involving money: counting, making totals and giving change and also timed challenges to develop children’s concept of time.

Opportunities for investigative play and child initiated learning will continue to be a central part of daily activities.

Thank you so much for all your help and support so far this year.

Jill Evans

We had an absolutely fabulous day at ‘The Centre For Life’. The Planetarium was amazing and so were your children, teaching Toni, our guide, all about the moon and the planets in our Solar System. In the laboratory we analysed the planets, got down to some careful research to find out which rockets travelled the furthest, then finished off by creating our own star constellations. We barely had time for a rest! The children were a credit to you and Bede Burn School.

This half term we are beginning our Astronomy training, to find out the facts and the fiction about Space. The topic lends itself to lots of creative and imaginative play opportunities developed through stories, poems and of course children’s own ideas and imagination. At the end of the unit we are hoping to organise a visit to the Centre for Life to include a planetarium show and the opportunity to explore what life is like in Space.

The topic will give us plenty of reading and writing opportunities, using both fiction and non-fiction texts. The emphasis on developing reading skills will continue through shared reading sessions. As well as reinforcing keywords and developing word building skills these sessions will give us more opportunities to discuss story events, reinforce elements of story structure and for children to share their views in small groups. Thank you for your continuing support at home with individual reading books; children will continue to read these books in class on a weekly rota and new books will be issued at this time.

In phonics we will continue to reinforce letter sounds through word building and blending. The next phase in Letters and Sounds focuses on introducing vowel digraphs and phonics homework will reinforce these. (I know you are really looking forward to it!)

In number time we are hoping to extend children’s confidence in recognising numbers up to and beyond 20 through counting games, matching activities and sequencing tasks. Through practical sessions, we will be exploring numbers. Problem solving activities will be linked to measures including size, weight and capacity. Any opportunities at home to reinforce these activities will be very valuable to the children.

Opportunities for investigative play and child initiated learning will continue to be a central part of daily activities.

Thank you for your support.

J. Evans