Please keep checking google classrooms for the homework. Please can you also send in lots of spare clothes for our new theme of 'Sand and Water.' 

Thank you for your support, 

The Reception Team

Please don't forget to send in reading folders everyday. Please can we have any recycling and we really need old spray bottles for our 'People Who Help Us' week(next week). We are excited to have a real paramedic coming in to teach the children some mini first aid. 

Welcome Back Reception

Wow- we can't believe we have reached our final half term. We are making the most of our last term with the children and we are having lots of fun and learning. We kicked this week off with a bang learning about 'Oliver's Vegetables.' We have been learning about flowers, plants, vegetables and eating healthily. 

A highlight this week was making vegetable soup, coleslaw and vegetable spring rolls. The children developed the skills of cutting, grating and peeling which in turn develops their writing skills. The children enjoyed taking part in a healthy food tasting session where they had to write some descriptive words of how it tasted. Oscar wrote 'The nectarine is sweet and sour.'

In maths this week we have been learning to make our own pictograms using paper and our ICT programme of purple mash. 

We have been rehearsing counting skills and addition skills through table top activities. In phonics we have been practising blending and handwriting with set 2 sounds. Some children are now writing in their own phonics books. 

Please ensure you are practising as much as you can at home. It is really important that we keep up the pace and we need your help to do that. As you know our reading system has changed- we now hear readers during table top activities and change books. Please send in their folders everyday. 

Next week we are learning through the text of 'The Tiny Seed.' We are looking forward to making seeded flapjacks. 

Please send in named spare clothes and a named rollerball sun cream and hat. 

Thanks for all your support- see below for our week in pics! 

The Reception Team 

Zog, Telling the Time and Melting! 10/5/21

It has been another whirlwind this week in Reception. The children have continued to learn through the text of 'Zog'and enjoyed performing the text in chronological order with Mrs Benedick. The children were able to role play characters using materials and other props to help them. It has shown their deeper understanding for the text .

In Maths the children have been learning about odd and even numbers and telling the time. With telling the time they had to pick and card and move the hands to the correct time on the clock face. They have been sorting  numicon pieces into odd and even. This was a tricky concept but it is part of our new curriculum. 

In phonics we continue to review set 2 sounds, practise handwriting and practise blending. Please practise through books and ditty sheets and the homework on google classrooms. 

We have had lots of fun investigation melting and freezing this week. The children conducted experiments with different materials- they had to find out how to melt the ice in the quickest time. Lots of them were holding the ice in their hands- showing great problem solving skills. 

We made a giant dragon challah this week to link with our fun learning. 

Next week we are covering Shavuot and the story called 'Sharing a Shell.' Please send in spare clothes - all named.

Thank you for your support. 

The Reception Team- see below for our week in pics!  

Book Week and Zog- 4/5/21

This week we have really enjoyed starting our learning about Zog. The children enjoyed helping the dragons learn how to fly and wrote some procedural instructions. Following this they made their own kites and were able to see if they could fly them! This worked out perfectly with the wind this week. 

For book week we have been learning all about football. The children have been writing rules to help others understand how to play football. A highlight has been playing table football and keeping score through tally charts. 

We have been making spells, exploring jelly and dining alfresco in our mud kitchen. Outside we have been developing our fine motor skills by squirting the sounds on the board with paint. The children have loved this. 

Next week we continue to learn about mythical creatures. Please ensure all cardigans and jumpers are named. Please could you also provide plenty of spare clothes including knickers and socks. 

Wishing you a fab weekend- don't forget to check google classroom for the homework. 

Thank you for all your support,

The Reception Team

Pirates and The Colour Monster- 19/4/21

This week we have continued our learning about pirates. We focussed on the text 'Pirates Love Underpants.' The children enjoyed choosing a pattern for their own underpants and designing them. Through this text we used lots of descriptive writing. We focussed on the fabulous images and thought about descriptive words. The children used words such as 'dark' 'gloomy' and 'scary.' 

In maths this week we have been learningand consolidating our doubling knowledge. We are constantly striving towards the end of year goals and ensuring children are secure in their knowledge. 

We had a really big focus on PSE this week and we learnt through 'The Colour monster.' The children loved this book and they are beginning to understand their own feelings and what the colours represent. We also encouraged lots of colour mixing - lots of mess and fun! 

Next week we are learning about Ramadan and Pirates- with a particular focus on boats.

​​​​​​​Please ensure you complete the homework and hand it in on Google Classrooms. 

Have a fab week,

​​​​​​​The Reception Team 

Israel's Birthday and Pirates

The children have settled in beautifully and had a really busy week. A highlight was celebrating Israel's birthday. The children made biscuits, danced, chopped Israeli salad, looked at maps and lots more. 

In Literacy this week we focussed on writing messages for the Kotel. The children enjoy writing for a purpose and have enjoyed posting their hopes and dreams in our class Kotel. They also have been writing messages in a bottle, in theme with Pirates! We played lots of Pirate Bingo where children had to read the words on their boards. Well done to all our winners! 

In maths this week the children have been learning about measurement and shape. We have been learning through the text 'Pirate Pete's Smelly Feet.' The children enjoyed measuring their feet using non standard measuring units. 

​​​​​​​Next week we will continue to learn about Pirates and we will also be exploring feelings through colour.

Please ensure you check google classrooms for the home work. If you have any question please let us know. Due to the time the children have missed it is really important to carry on the learning at home where possible. 

​​​​​​​Thank you for your support,

Shabbat Shalom,

The Reception Team

That's a Wrap! 

We had a wonderful week learning all about Pesach. Our Seder was magical and the children had a fantastic time. Here is our week in pictures. 

Please check google classrooms- this will keep the ball rolling over Pesach. 

Thank you for all your support and the lovely wish list gifts- they will be much loved and used.

See you all in a few weeks,

The Reception Team  

'Here We Are'

This week we have been learning through the text of 'Here We Are.' We started off the week by using Google Earth to look at our school. The children have been learning about wonderful nature. They enjoyed making wind streamers to investigate the forces of nature. We also made bird feeders to keep our local birds nice and full! The children enjoyed hanging these up and checking if the seeds had gone the next day. 

This week Reception have also been learning about 'The Bad Tempered LadyBird.' Mrs Benedick taught Reception how to tell the time and they enjoyed making their own clocks. The children also revisited doubling numbers and had to double the spots on the ladybirds back. 

We enjoyed developing our fine motor skills by making pizza. After we made our pizza we shared it between the class as we have been learning about halving and sharing. Challah baking has become a weekly event again- we are so pleased! 

In phonics sessions we have been recapping set two sounds- we are finding that the children are finding it hard to apply these. Please complete the phonics homework on google classrooms- this is aimed to increase fluency, develop blending, and recap set 2 sounds. 

Next Week we are going Pesach Crazy! We will be filming some bits of the Seder on Tuesday and will post some videos on tapestry for you. 

Thank you for your support and all the generous mud kitchen donations.

Have a lovely weekend,

The Reception Team 

Welcome Back

We are so proud of the children- they have settled back in so well and they are their usual happy selves. They deserve big credit for being so adaptable and taking these challenges in their stride. We have thoroughly enjoyed our week with them and it feels normal already. 

This week we have been learning about Animals feet for Science Week. The children have enjoyed comparing their own feet to different kinds of animals. We have been learning about why certain animals have hooves and why some have webbed feet. 

Mixed in with all of this we have been learning about 'Minibeasts.' The children have enjoyed looking after our pet 'hoppers' and have been digging for worms. We have been learning through the text of 'Superworm' and 'The Hungry Caterpillar.' A highlight has been making 'edible' mud and fresh fruit salad where children were able to cut the fruit themselves.

Phonics has restarted and we are working hard with the children to get them where they need to be. Please remember all the children are different- some children will be getting books, some ditty sheets/blending books. Please also complete the homework on google classrooms- this will be marked and you will be given feedback. All the activities are applicable to all the children when supported by an adult. 

In our maths we have been recapping essential skills and making sure we know where the children are. This week we have been going over addition and subtraction as well as practising number recognition and counting. 

Next week we are learning through a whole school text called 'Here we Are,' this is a fabulous text learning about the Earth we live on. It is also great for PSE activities linked to the current climate. We are also covering 'The Bad Tempered Ladybird.' 

As always- thank you for your support,

Shabbat Shalom,

The Reception Team 

That's A Wrap!!!

What a wonderful term it has been. We have seen the children grow into independent individuals who have a thirst for learning. We cannot believe how fast the term has gone and we can't wait for another exciting term ahead. 

Have a fabulous break- eat, play and be merry. Let us know what you get up to on Tapestry.

We will see you in January- please send in lots of spare clothes, underwear and socks. Please ensure it is all labelled. 

Happy New Year- and as always, thank you for your support.

The Reception Team 

Chanukah Crazy!

Another fabulous week in Reception. Our behaviour initiative is working brilliantly. As you all know we have introduced 'Mensch on a Bench,' for children being kind, helpful and completing their activities. We will run this throughout next week too, if your child has not been picked yet they will be.

We have been singing, learning the story of chanukah and learning all about the number eight! The children had to make 8 in lots of different ways using two or more pieces of numicon. 

The children really enjoyed making their Chanukah cards and we are so proud of their writing.

We have a Chanukah door competition next week and Reception have been making dreidels and doughnuts- we hope we win. Our present wrapping station is a big hit- this has enabled the children to develop cutting skills, writing skills and shape space and measure skills. They are also having to share lots of the paper and resources which is helping with social skills. 

Please let us know how they get on with their homework- it is essential that they practise at home so that their phonics is embedded. If you need help and support please email in.

We can't wait for our last week of Chanukah with the children. 

Shabbat Shalom,

The Reception Team 

Week 13- Space

It has been another fantastic week in Reception. We have been learning through the text of 'How to Catch a Star' and 'Aliens love Underpants.' We spent the beginning of the week learning about the stars and the moon. The children enjoyed designing their own stars. For our literacy we talked about descriptive language for stars, the children came up with words such as 'gold' 'sparkly' 'yellow' and 'pretty.' We then practised writing these words down. Later on in the week the children created their own Aliens and designed their own pair of underpants. They learnt about symmetrical patterns when designing these. 

In maths this week we have been learning all about 3d shapes and pattern. The challenge of the week was to create their own rocket ships out of 3d shapes. They had to explore shape and see which shapes balanced- and if they didn't why? The children continue to practise their numbers by playing our moon rock game. 

The children enjoyed making star shaped biscuits- sadly these didn't come out great as they were really child initiated! 

Chanukah art is well on its way and we hope you enjoy all the things the children will be bring home. Next week we are creating a present wrapping centre. If you have any old boxes, show boxes, cardboard boxes and wrapping paper we would really appreciate. 

Please complete the homework in their reading folders, upload this to tapestry so we can see and say well done to your children for having a go at home. 

Please ensure all items are labelled-even socks and knickers. Please replenish your child's spare clothes. 

Thank you for all your support, 

The Reception Team 

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!(Week 12)

This week has certainly been exciting. We have started learning all about Space and the children have enjoyed our key text 'Man on the Moon.' The children have done a wide range of creative activities such as making moon dough, moon rocks, science experiments and moon rock throwing! A favourite activity was our 'Picnic on the Moon,' where children wrote shopping lists for a healthy picnic. They enjoyed a range of crackers, fruits and vegetables. 

In Jewish Studies the children immersed themselves in 'Noah's Ark.' They learnt all about the symbolic rainbow and created their own with a range of materials. 

Phonics has been flying this week. We are reviewing all the set 1 sounds to ensure children are confident and that the sounds are embedded. We are doing lots of blending and handwriting to support the children with this. Please practise all the home work we send home - it makes a difference. As part of their phonics the children wrote letters to Bob who was going to the moon. They created some wonderful letters and were writing for meaning.

In maths this week we have been consolidating number through games. A highlight was our moon rock throwing game where the children had to throw the correct number of moon rocks onto the number. This was also fantastic for developing gross motor skills. 

Next week we continue to learn about space, aliens and stars.

Please send in labelled spare clothes, especially if your children are accident prone.

Thank you for your support, Shabbat Shalom.

​​​​​​​The Reception Team 

Next week we are changing the topic to 'Space.' We are learning through the text of 'Man on the Moon.' Please continue to send in any recycling materials for our space projects. 

We hope you enjoyed your board game homework. Please upload this to tapestry to let us know how you got on with it. 

Please ensure you send your children in with spare clothes including underwear and socks. 

Many thanks,

​​​​​​​The Reception Team 

Week 10- Farmer Duck, Eggs and Rumble in the Jungle

It has certainly been an exciting week for Reception class. This week we have been learning through the story of Farmer Duck. Unfortunately Farmer Duck came in and took our class egg which the children named 'Star.' The children were set tasks by Mrs Scott in order to get Star back to school. They wrote letters, drew pictures and maps so that Farmer Duck would return Star. They used their creative skills to make safe boxes for Star so that she wouldn't break on the way home. The children enjoyed decorating their own eggs with acrylic paints. 

The children enjoyed our safari hunt where they went searching for animals in the outdoors environment. This linked to their story 'Rumble in the Jungle.' When they found their animals they wrote down on clipboards which one they found. They also baked some Rumble in the Jungle biscuits- that looked like snakes! For maths we have been learning about patterns and taken part in lots of counting games. 

The children enjoyed their class prize morning for reaching the top of their golden egg jar. They chose a morning of messy play- we hope you enjoy the tapestry updates!

In phonics we have finished set 1 sounds. We will continue to review these before moving onto set 2 sounds. 

Next week we are learning about Diwali, we have 'Zoo Lab' coming in and it is also nursery rhyme week. 

Please ensure reading folders are in their bags every Wednesday. New games and activities will be sent home each week. Please continue to revise ALL set 1 sounds. 

Thank you for all your support,

The Reception Team 

              Week 9- Animals, Patterns and Fireworks!

The children have come back with a bang (we had to get a firework joke in there)! They have settled in beautifully to the start of their second half term and have really enjoyed our topics and learning.

At the start of the week we have been learning through the story of 'Old Mikamba Had a Farm.' This is a fantastic twist on the original 'Old Mcdonald.' We explored African animals, learnt about Africa and located it on the map. The children became immersed in African culture and enjoyed making their own repeating pattern necklaces. We also learnt about fair trade bananas and made our own banana cupcakes (this was vey child initiated!)

Another highlight was learning about Bonfire night. The children enjoyed acting out the story of Guy Fawkes- we hope you enjoyed the tapestry videos. They were able to mix colours and use a variety of different resources to create their firework picture. 

In maths this week the focus has been repeating patterns and finding one more number. Fred the frog helped us find one more and one less number and the children enjoyed playing a maths game using dice and counters.

Phonics is getting harder, please ensure you are doing lots of practise at home with their sounds, blending and letter formation. 

Next week we will continue to learn about animals. We are learning through the story books 'Farmer Duck' and 'Rumble in the Jungle.' 

​​​​​​​Thank you for all your support, 

​​​​​​​The Reception Team 

                                  Week 8 Learning

This week has been such a fun week. We cannot believe how much progress has been made in just eight weeks. The children are becoming more independent each day and they have a thirst for learning. 

We have created lots of writing opportunities for them this week. Matody stole our class pumpkins and the children had to write letters to get them back. They loved this activity and we got some brilliant mark making and writing from it. We posted the letters and the pumpkins got returned- thankfully! 

The children have been  making spell books , dressing up as witches and role playing with small world characters from 'Room on the Broom.' They enjoyed cutting , peeling and chopping vegetables for making pumpkin soup. They tried it and lots of the children enjoyed it. 

In maths this week we have been learning about the concept of one more. The children have been pretending to drive a bus, when the bus stops another person gets on and then they count the total. We have been singing lots of number songs and playing number games on the whiteboard.

Thank you for all your support this half term. Have a lovely break, we can't wait to see the children in November.

The Reception Team 

Week 7 - Black History and Autumn

It has been another wonderful week of learning for our Reception children. We had a mixed topic week to celebrate Black History and the joys of Autumn. We started off the week learning through the story of 'Leaf Man' this is fabulous abstract story where children can use their imaginations. They were able to go on a leaf hunt, create leaf art and make their own leaf men/women. Some of the children even made their own leaf books.

For Black History we learnt all about the boat called 'Windrush' through a lovely story called 'Coming to England.' The children learnt all about a family coming to England by boat and we spoke about how they may have felt upon arrival. The children designed their own boats and chose who they would take with them on their own boat journey. They also learnt about the life of Usain Bolt and how fantastic he is at sport. The children enjoyed watching one of his races and then practising in the playground. We supported their understanding of different cultures through the story of Handas Surprise. 

In maths this week the children began by learning about size. We modelled lots of different ways to measure each other and the children had a go with non standard measuring units. This was lots of fun! Reception also learnt how to make their first pectoral graphs using leaves. This is a fantastic method which enables them to represent number in different forms.

As you can see from he homework phonics is getting harder- please upload to tapestry and keep us updated about learning at home. 

Next week we are going all out SPOOOKY!! We are learning through the texts 'Room on the Broom' and 'Pumpkin Soup.' We can't wait......

Thank you for your support,

The Reception Team 

                      Week 6- Houses and Homes

The children have thoroughly enjoyed learning about houses and Homes this week. We have learnt through the story of 'TheThree Little Pigs.' They have been learning the skill of story mapping with Mrs Benedick and are now able to recite the story from start to finish. We talked about our own houses, looked at what they are made of and compared and contrasted to the Three Little Pig Houses. The children enjoyed going on a number hunt around the houses near school. They recorded numbers they found and were able to recognise lots of numbers.

We also looked at homes around the world. One of the objectives for the end of the year is for children to understand that some people are different to them and live differently. The children really enjoyed looking at the Igloos that some people live in.

We have been celebrating Israel this week and Reception have been drawing large scale maps and using the cars to race around the map. We combined geography and ICT into one lesson. We had a fantastic musical visit to the Succah. 

We had circle time on emotions and how we express ourselves. We then made emotion cookies and ate them!

In maths this week the children have been learning about subitising which is a really important skill to develop early on. They have been using dice, numicon and other hands on resources to help them with this. In addition to this we have been learning about repeating patterns. 

Next week we are learning about Autumn and Black History Week. 

Please don't forget to send in a labelled snack and labelled spare clothes. Please make sure you label all uniform.

Thank you for your support,

The Reception Team 

Week 5-Senses

​​​​​​​The children have enjoyed learning about senses this week. We started off the week learning about the 'taste' sense. The children enjoyed tasting some unusual fruits and were adventurous and brave for trying them. We planned lots of sensory activities that involved the skill of looking, listening and smelling. A highlight was making lavender play dough, lots of the children described it as 'smelling like flowers.' They really enjoyed making their musical instruments and shaking them to music and making different sounds. These skills are really important for good phonological awareness.

In maths this week we have been continuing with our counting skills and have done some number ordering activities. With hands on resources such as cubes and numicon the children have been counting , matching and ordering. It is really important that the children are confident with this before moving them on to trickier concepts such as subtraction. 

We have been developing creativity in Reception by making decorations for the Succah. The children are really excited to hang them in the Succah during our visit next week. We have been working on cutting and glue spreading skills and the children are becoming more confident using sellotape. 

Phonics is flying- this week it has become a little bit harder. Please practise your phonics letters at home. The more practise the better! 

Next week we are learning about houses and homes, repeating patterns, and 'The Three Little Pigs.'

Thank you for your support,

The Reception Team

Week 4- Recycling and Yom Kippur

It has been another fantastic week of fun and learning in Reception. We started off the week learning about recycling through the story of 'Michael Recycle.' We set up small world bins and rubbish collectors and the children had to separate their plastic, cardboard and metal. We later added to this theme by reading 'Michael Recycle meets Litterbug Doug.' The children enjoyed the Superhero twist on this and designed their own litterbug Superheroes.

The children have thoroughly enjoyed learning about Yom Kippur through the story of 'Jonah and the Whale.' They created their own whale puppets on sticks and were able to re-enact the story with Mrs Benedick. In their jewish studies lesson the children spoke a lot about saying sorry. They then made a pretend river to throw away their 'sins.' 

A highlight of the week was finding our pet slug. When we were outdoors we came across a slug. The children cared for it, fed it and made sure it had a roof over its head. We then had a naming vote and reinforced our tally chart learning. The children came up with a range of interesting names and then had to vote. We counted all the votes and the name 'Dave' won. Dave became part of the classroom for at least one day! 

Phonics is speeding up now and green word time has started. Please look further down the blog for some resources to support with this. 

In maths we have been focussing on positional language. We had a fun carpet time on following the instructions e.g. put your bean bag in front of you. We followed this by using our electric cars to navigate around blocks and create maps. We have also been recapping counting and ordering numbers. The children enjoyed doing this through conker collecting. 

Our new hairdressing role play has been a hit this week. The children have enjoyed making appointments for their teachers to visit. 

Next week we are learning all about our senses. 

Please keep us updated in their reading diaries. These are for you to tell us how their sound and handwriting practise are going at home. We would love to see this on tapestry.

Thank you for all your support,

The Reception Team

This week we have started word time. This is where the children segment and blend a word assisted by a teacher. Please have a go at practising these words at home by segmenting and blending. It is really important that each child says each sound before they blend the word. Please make sure you are using the pure phonics sounds. Let us know how they are doing in their reading diary.

For example: m-a-t =mat 

                      s-a-t=sat 

Rosh Hashanah Week 3

This week the children have enjoyed learning about Rosh Hashanah. We started off the week with Apple Tasting. The children were able to cut and try a variety of different apples. They then had to vote for their favourite apple and tell us why. The most popular apple was the Royal Gala with lots of children describing it as 'sweet.' They have really enjoyed singing Rosh Hashanah songs. 

On Monday afternoon  we had our capacity lesson where children learnt how to bake honey cake. With Miss Barber, they followed a pictorial recipe and they each added in ingredients. We used cups as our measurements as it is easier for the children to understand and therefore they can bake more independently. 

As you all know our Phonics journey has started-hip hooray! The children have had a flying start and have learnt the sounds 'm' 'a' 's' and 'd'. Please keep practising sounding these out and don't forget to practise the letter formation rhymes to ensure correct forming of the letters. This is on going practise- please let us know how they are getting on at home in their reading record books. 

In our maths we have been doing lots of counting with cubes and dinosaurs. This week we noticed the children were interested in number blocks. We set up  a number block interest tray so the children could recap their counting and also create their own number blocks. As part of our daily maths we count our Golden Eggs - we are near the top of our jar!

Music and movement was another hit this week. The children had to clap and dance to the beat. We introduced the parachute to develop their gross motor skills which is vital for early writing.

Next week we are learning about Recycling, maths through numicon, learning new phonics sounds and learning about Yom kippur through the story of Jonah and the Whale. 

Please be reminded to send one named fruit or vegetable snack in for your child.

We are wishing you all a happy and healthy new year. Thank you for your support this week.

The Reception Team 

Welcome to Reception

Wow- what can we say. We are so proud of each and every one of the children for starting Reception and settling in so well. They are using their environment purposefully and are engaged in all that they do. 

We have been learning about our school rules, and the children are enjoying receiving their house points and golden eggs. A highlight of the week was learning through the story of 'Silly Billy' where the children were able to talk about their worries and make their own 'Worry Dolls.' Some of the children even named theirs. 

In addition to this we have been talking about our own families. This has been a great way for us to get to know the children. They enjoyed re enacting 'Owl Babies' and drawing their families. 

In our mathematics we have been learning about 3d shapes. We explored shapes in the environment and had a go at describing them. We linked this learning to a fun song, here is the link if you want to sing it at home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cg-Uc556-Q

Next week we are learning about Rosh Hashanah, baking honey cake and taking part in apple tasting.

Please don't forget to send a fruit or vegetable snack in the labelled box. Please email in if someone different is collecting your child. 

We hope you have a restful weekend.

Thank you for your support.

The Reception Team