Reception 2024 Class
Mrs Crosbie Mrs Rowan Miss Daye
Hello Parents/Carers and Children!
Now your child is starting their school journey, we would like to give you a little information about life in the Reception Class. The class teacher is Mrs Crosbie, and I am supported by Mrs Rowan, We are looking forward to teaching your child and working in partnership with you to support your child’s learning.
Themes
Throughout the year we will plan activities based on themes. For example, some of last year’s themes were Pirates, Knights, Castles and Vets and Pets. In addition to this, we will plan activities based on the children’s interests to optimise their learning across all areas of the curriculum.
Religious Education
This term we will be studying the three themes of Domestic Church (Family), Baptism and Confirmation (Belonging) and Advent and Christmas (Loving). Each class will approach the themes through different topics. The children will also spend a week studying Judaism.
Please click here for further information.
PE
Your child will have lots of opportunities for physical play in our outdoor area. We also have timetabled PE sessions and Receptions PE day will be Wednesday. Children can come in their PE kit on Wednesdays.
Labels
Please remember to label ALL your child’s school uniform, shoes, water bottles and PE kit. I am sure you can appreciate the problems we face when the children take off their jumpers/cardigans at the same time!
Milk and Fruit Time
We are fortunate to belong to the National Fruit Scheme which provides free fruit and vegetables for our infant children. The children enjoy this snack and a drink of milk in the morning. If your child does not like the fruit provided by the school, they are encouraged to bring in their own fruit from home. If you have not signed up for your child to have milk you can do so here. Milk is free until they turn 5. When they turn 5 milk is chargeable. The cost is approximately £7 per half term. If you are eligible for Pupil Premium/FSM school will pay for your child’s milk.
Allergies
We do have a number of children in school with severe nut allergies. People who suffer from nut allergies can develop a severe, potentially life-threatening reaction. If someone has a nut allergy it is not just eating nuts that can cause a severe reaction, just being touched on the skin or smelling the breath of someone who has had nuts or a product containing nuts can trigger anaphylactic shock (which can cause breathing and swallowing difficulties). Therefore, we cannot have nuts in school in any form – we are a nut-free school. Please could we ask all parents/carers to check that there are no nuts or food with traces of nuts in school lunch boxes.
For example,
- Peanut butter sandwiches
- Granola bars
- Cereal bars
- Cakes and biscuits containing nuts
This list is not exhaustive, so please check the packaging of products closely. If you would like to check products with the school, please do not hesitate to contact the school to make an appointment. We appreciate your support in keeping all of our children safe.
Water
School water bottles are supplied for the children in class. They are filled with fresh water each day.
Home Time Routine
The Reception Class children will leave school via the door next to the canopy. We ask that parents stand in the Reception Class outside area at home time. To ensure the safety of the children we will send them out to their parents/guardians one at a time when we have seen that their parent/guardian is on the yard ready to collect them. This can take a little bit of time, so please be patient with us.
School Communication
Communication with our parents
We use a variety of different ways to keep parents up to date with events and information about the school:
- School Website You can find lots of information on our school website; please check it out. You can visit your child’s class page and find out what’s coming up in school via our School Calendar.
- Our School App (School Jotter 2) can be downloaded to your phone, Apple or Android. The app is our preferred method of communication, and it is essential that you download so you don’t miss any information. You will receive Notices and Newsletters via the app. You can easily access the school calendar, view previous newsletters, and find quick links to the school website.
- Studybugs – This is our platform for class registration and absences. You can register without a code or password, but you must wait until your child is added to our SIMS system. We will notify you once this has been completed. If your child cannot attend school due to illness, you can record the absence on Studybugs. This will directly record to the class register. Please provide as much information as possible about your absence. For example, ‘Billy has a headache and feels nauseous’ rather than ‘Billy is ill’. Studybugs is linked to NHS Child Health information and will provide you with real-time health information on any symptoms your child is experiencing. We ask that you report the absence before 8.45 am.
- School Newsletters Our newsletters are distributed at the end of every month. They usually contain information about what has happened in school over the last month as well as information about what is coming up in the next month. We ask that you read this carefully because it contains a lot of information.
- We also communicate via email and text messages. Please can you ensure that your contact details are all up to date.
Download Links & information
School Jotter App – Download now – Registration codes will be sent to parents during the first week.
SCOPAY (Online Ordering/Payment) – Log-in details will be sent over Summer – once received, please register, and select School Meals up to the October Half Term.
Studybugs – We will notify you when you can register over Summer.
Register with Cool Milk – Milk is given to children at morning break times.
SIMS Parent Lite App – This app allows you to check if the details we hold on our records are up to date. You can amend any changes via the app. You will receive an invitation email in September. (Apple store) (PlayStore)
KIRF'S (KEY INSTANT RECALL FACTS)
Friday 18th October
That is our first half term in Reception Class....done! We could not he happier with the way that they children have settled into our school family. Already, we have a seen a huge change in some children who have gained in confidence from day one and now arrive every day with a cheery "good morning" ready to begin their learning. Today we had a special assembly with Mrs Webster to show off our amazing Learning Challenges which came in every shape and size. The children were so proud of their efforts and were rewarded with a sparkly star to wear proudly on their school ties (different colours to collect over the coming terms!)
We also enjoyed looking at different instruments in our music lessons including the violin, flute, electric piano and a trumpet.
As we couldn't find a trumpet we found the closest thing, a bugle. We enjoyed playing a few notes and all I can say is when we need musicians for the Christmas Nativity we won't have to look too far.
Friday 11th October
Reception class enjoyed a lovely Autumn walk this week, around the school grounds, We talked about the four seasons and in particular the changes we can see in Autumn. We found lots of coloured leaves that had fallen from the trees, acorns, toadstools and conkers too!
As this month is Back History Month we have also had the opportunity to try some Bollywood dancing. Jenny came into school bringing selection of colourful scarves and some Bollywood music - she taught us a dance and we loved dancing to the beat.. Some children got a Bindi jewel to wear on their foreheads.
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Friday 4th October
Can you believe we are in October already? As October is the month of the Holy Rosary we have added the Hail Mary to our daily classroom prayers. We have also added some rosary beads to our holy area in class and are teaching the children how to use them.
If an apple a day keeps the doctor away Reception Class will be fighting fit! We have been testing our sense of taste this week as we continue with our All about Me topic. Tasting 3 different types of apple and deciding which one was our favourite. We tried red apples, green apple and even yellow apples.
For our sense of sight we also designed a pair of snazzy glasses. We looked fabulous!
Our number of the week was number 3 so we have added this to our Numberland display and been finding 3, making 3, counting 3, painting 3 and writing 3!
Thank you for your Harvest donations of cereals, we will be collecting all next week too so you're not too late if you would like to donate. The school council will be organising all donations and they will be taken to the local food bank. Reception class were so proud to bring in their cereals and help other people, we love to help others when we can.
Friday 27th September
As we continue with our "All about me" topic we have been learning about the five senses. We have been testing our sense of hearing with Miss Daye, recognising the sounds of different instruments. We have also been using our sense of smell in a mystery smell game. Mrs Crosbie put different smells in a cup and covered it was so that we couldn't see, we had to use our sense of smell to work out what we were smelling.
We have also been enjoying our music lessons where we have been listen=ng to different kinds of music (this week Peggy Lee!) and we have been finding the beat and also clapping back some rhythms. We have been learning a new version of the nursery rhyme Pat-a Cake, Pat-a-Cake in a rap style. We have learnt that rapping is when you talk to music instead of singing. Mrs Crosbie said rappers can often look quite serious , so we practised our rap faces too.
Thank you for your contributions of cakes and money towards our MacMillan Coffee Morning. The children were so excited to see their parents and grandparents in school - it made it a really special event for them and the extra sugar made the morning lessons go with a bang!
After enjoying our story of The Boy Who Hated Toothbrushes we had some enthusiastic children who couldn't wait to practise their letters on giant teeth! And judging by the amount of tiny tongues sticking out concentration was at an all time high. Good work Reception.
Friday 20th September
A busy week in Reception Class! The children are coming in so nicely in the morning and saying goodbye to parents happily, ready to start the day. We are so proud of them.
The weather was so beautiful this week, we decided to take advantage and take our learning outside with a number hunt for number 1. The children were set a challenge to find all ten of the number 1's hidden in our outdoor area. They didn't hang around, they were off like rockets!
This week our children were also paired up with a special friend from Year 6 to be their gardener. Reception children are the seeds and the gardeners take care of them and act as role models for them throughout the year. They spend time together on Friday afternoons and also sit together in our Friday afternoon assemblies.
After reading Silly Billy by Anthony Browne we also had a go at making worry dolls of our own. The story explained that if you have anything that you are worried about, you simple tell the worry to your doll, pop the doll under your pillow and they will worry for you leaving you to have a peaceful night's slumber.
Friday 13th September
We have had lots of fun welcoming our new Reception Class to Christ the King. They look smart in their uniforms and are full of enthusiasm . I have put together a few photos of their couple of weeks at school for you to enjoy. I try to update the website every couple of weeks, it's the best place to find out what is going on in class.
Mrs Crosbie
