Please name all items of clothing, but crucially cardigans, sweatshirts and coats. The children frequently remove cardigans and sweatshirts in the classroom/gym hall, and it can be impossible to reunite them the rightful owner if they are unnamed. Similarly for coats which are often left behind in the playground – if it is named it means it can be taken directly to class.

We currently have an age 6-7 purple GEORGE cardigan which has clearly been passed on and is still named with the name of its original owner (who definitely wouldn’t fit it now). There is also an un-named grey TU cardigan (age 3). If you think either might belong to your child please let me know.

Please check this blog every Friday as we will share the learning from the week. We would encourage you to look at it with your child so that they can talk to you about their experiences in class. The blog will also include this week’s ‘homework’ activities

We may also share other information via the blog during the week, so you may wish to set up an alert for new posts.

Our learning this week

Here are some photographs of us developing our skills through our independent learning opportunities and experiences this week. Please take time to share these photographs with your child so they can share their learning with you.

Literacy focus

This week we have been learning to recognise and begin to write the graphemes s and a

When revising these sounds at home please always use the pure sound of the letter (e.g. sssssss and not suh or the letter name Ess ). As we begin to use our knowledge of letter sounds to blend and build words to read and write, not using the correct pure sound can make things tricky for us. If you would like further explanation please just ask at the door.

We have also been looking at letter formation in our names. Today your child will bring home a reference sheet for you to keep at home which shows correct letter formation routes. Please encourage your child to use this correct letter formation as they write their own name.

We have been practising some of the pre-writing patterns

Our detailed drawing and story telling prompt this week was I am reaching up high

Maths and numeracy focus

In P1 we use the SEAL programme ( Stages of Early Arithmetical Learning) which promotes number literacy. Pupils will be learning skills and strategies appropriate to their current stage of development. This includes ( but is not limited to) recognising numerals to 10, 20 and beyond; counting forwards and backwards in sequence; counting objects with accurate 1-1 correspondence; ascribing numerosity to random arrays, spatial and finger patterns; counting two seen/unseen collections; describing and creating equal groups; partitioning patterns and numbers.

Other areas of the Curriculum

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In PE we have been developing skills in sharing the space and travelling safely.

We have been practising and demonstrating our gross motor skills such as ascending/descending stairs one foot on each step without support, hopping on one leg, jumping with two feet together, and skipping ( the travelling kind, not with a skipping rope). These skills are tricky for some of us, so additional practice at home would be useful.

PE days will be Wednesday and Thursday. Children should come to school dressed ready to participate as we will not change clothes in school -e.g joggers/leggings/shorts and a T shirt with a Buckstone jumper on top.

As far as the weather will allow , Thursday PE will take place outdoors until October so outdoor shoes on that day would ideally be trainers if possible.

Looking ahead to next week

We hope to have a walk round our local area on Tuesday

‘Homework’ ( things to practice at home)

Most of the children are really independent, able to change their shoes, put coats on and open snack packets themselves. If this is something your child hasn’t quite mastered yet, please continue to practise at home. Opening fiddly straw packets on milk/juice cartons is one for a few of us to work on.

• Try to write your name with correct letter formation (no capitals other than the intial one)
• Turn sleeves from the wrong way to the right way.
• Go on a hunt around your house for things featuring the sssss or ah sound ( no aeroplanes !)
• Play’ ‘I spy’ for a and s
• Look for numbers in the environment ( buses, shop prices, car registration plates etc) – if single digit numbers are easy for you, look for teen numbers.