Welcome back to summer term in school!  Our theme for this half-term is ‘What a Wonderful World’; as Spring awakens, we will celebrate the changing seasons, appreciating the beauty and wonder of the natural world and understanding our responsibility as global citizens to protect our beautiful planet. 

Understanding the World

Wellies and waterproofs will be essential as we spend lots of time connecting with nature and engaging in wonderful outdoor learning experiences.  We will search for signs of spring in our local environment then celebrate Earth Day on 22 April.  These experiences will help us to look more closely at our natural environment, notice and respect the living things that grow and live there.  We will understand how our actions can have an impact on our world and know some of the ways that we can make a difference in protecting our planet.

We have planned a special visit from ‘Dylan’s Reptiles’ on 8 May. The children will get a chance to experience a close encounter with a range of amphibians and reptiles, learning lots about their habitats, discovering how they feed, move and protect themselves in the wild.  We hope to dispel any fears or misconceptions the children may have about these amazing animals and offer them the opportunity to hold some of them too!

Personal, Social & Emotional Development

We will discover how other cultures mark the beginning of Spring when we celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi, a carnival of colour which is always lots of fun, if a little messy! Mental Health Awareness Week takes place during 13-19 May, with the theme ‘Movement: moving more for our mental health’.  We will develop the children’s appreciation for the immense benefits that being physically active outdoors can have for their own mental health and supporting others to feel less alone too.  In RE, we will listen to the story of The Ascension and Pentecost; we will know that The Holy Spirit was God’s promise of a special gift after Jesus went back to Heaven.  In Collective Worship we explore the value of ‘Friendship’, we hope that the Friendship Fairy will visit to help us understand this important Christian value.

Literacy

We will focus on the work of the author Eric Carle and will introduce the children to his many stories, non-fiction books and poems celebrating the natural world.  We will recognise non-fiction texts as information books and use them to find out new things to answer questions about how and why things happen in the natural world. The children will read and write their own captions, labels and instructions and learn how to use diagrams, photographs, the contents page and index as tools to gain further information.

We have recently begun a new rotation of phonic teaching groups.  As the children have be familiar with their reading books in school and at home, your child will bring home the same books/ditty sheet over 3 (or more) days, depending on the progress the group makes.  Please send their small transparent reading wallet into school each day, to ensure it is changed at the right time.

Communication and Language

We will share a collection of nature-themed stories every day, developing comprehension skills by recalling and recounting significant events that we experience, incorporating increasing detail to engage the listener.  You can help develop comprehension skills by asking ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘why’ and ‘how?’ after sharing stories and books together. These questions can really support this aspect of learning.

Mathematics

We will build numbers beyond 10, identifying numbers to 20.  The children will begin to see that numbers are made of full 10s and part of the next 10, eg 14 is one full ten and four. Developing calculation skills, we will introduce the ‘First, Then, Now’ structure to create addition and subtraction stories in meaningful contexts. The topic of ‘Measures’ will be explored via practical activities as we explore growing.  The children will have opportunities to compare, measure, estimate and record the length, weight, mass, shape and size of various objects (including themselves) and will develop related mathematical vocabulary.

Expressive Arts & Design

Our Holi celebrations will initiate further enquiry into colour mixing; discovering how to create different shades and tones using watercolour and powder paint.  We will appreciate the artwork of Wassily Kandinsky to create our own interpretations of his colourful works of art.  On Earth Day, we will use recycled and natural materials to create a range of eco-crafts, including musical instruments, fairy homes, sun catchers, planters or wherever the children’s imagination takes them!  We will look at the natural artwork of Andy Goldsworthy and attempt to recreate some pieces of transient art using natural resources outside. 

Physical Development

We will get moving during Mental Health Awareness Week, increasing opportunities to include ‘moments for movement’ every day through brain gym, yoga, outdoor learning, PE, dance etc.  Our dance teacher Mrs Neil has choreographed another exciting dance and movement session for us based on Springtime/Growing themes.  We will finish the final two ‘Balanceability’ sessions with our coach from LSSP. Once complete, we will be provisionally licenced to hit the road on our own balance bike track and 5 bikes in Green Base!  We will also start training for Sports Day in our PE lessons, practising a range of throwing, catching, balancing, racing and jumping skills for 6 field events.  Further details to follow re: Sports Day in a separate notification.

As the children will be changing into waterproofs and PE kits a lot more this half-term, it would be helpful to check that any new items of summer uniform/school shoes are clearly labelled to aid the children’s independence in looking after their own belongings and reduce the stress for everyone when things get lost!

We are amazed that this will be the final term of the children’s first year at school!  As ever, we can’t thank you enough for your continued support and encouragement. 

Yours sincerely,

Emmaus Reception Team