Beatrix Potter Class News Sept 2023

The children have settled in quickly and have been busy making new friends and exploring their new classroom. Thank you to all our Reception families for helping to prepare your child for the big transition to school and for also being brave on those first few mornings! We are all very proud of the way the class have settled into the routines and happily enter the school gates. They have really demonstrated our school values of friendship, love and courage.

The children have thoroughly enjoyed investigating the different areas of our classroom. We have our 'Enchanted Forest' (reading area), our 'Message Centre' (mark making/writing), 'Make Believe Mansion' (dress up and home corner), 'Imagination Station' (construction/small world), 'Creative Creek' (arts and crafts), 'Treasure Island' (sand), 'Ninja Number Nook' and our 'Goblin Factory' (playdough). They have all proved very popular and we are working on remembering to tidy up after finishing working in a given area. The class have been learning 'Choose it, Use it, Put it away!' and have all been very supportive at encouraging and helping each other to tidy up.

We have been enjoying developing our fine motor skills with ribbon dancing and a particular favourite has been 'dough disco' with our very own mini playdough pots. 

During the first few weeks, we are focusing on establishing our classroom routines and our good listening behaviours for learning time. We are learning to sit on the carpet with our quiet lips, still bodies, listening ears and eyes looking. The children have worked very hard to remember what it means to be a good listener. 

In Reception, we love a good story and over the past two weeks we have read lots of wonderful stories for fun and to also remind us of how to not only be a good listener but also a kind and caring friend. One of our favourites has been 'Dirty Bertie' which has helped us reflect on the importance of good hygiene and washing our hands after using the toilet and before eating. The class have particularly enjoyed joining in with the story saying "No, Bertie! That's dirty Bertie!"

Last week, we even met Fred the Frog who only speaks in sounds and over the course of the year he will help us to learn how to read using our phonics! This week we have been helping Fred by saying the sounds and orally blending them into words ('r-e-d' = red) and have started to learn our Set 1 sounds using the Read Write Inc programme.

We look forward to welcoming you to our Reception parent meeting on Wednesday 20th September at 2.30pm in the Hall. Here we will share an overview of the curriculum, how we teach reading and what you can do at home to best support your child. At the end of the presentation, you will be given the opportunity to visit your child's classroom.