Opal Class - Reception
A warm welcome to Reception Class
The Reception children are taught by Mrs. Bayley.
Our teaching assistant is Mrs. Welsh.
Mrs Hawkins-Farrow also helps to support our learning.
This term's learning is going to be a bit different as we have now been asked to once again -
'Stay home, protect the NHS and save lives!'
Please take a daily look at our class website page to see suggested activities for the day.
We understand that each family will have their own challenges so please do what you can.
We know that we have a lot of creative thinking parents so please adapt or adjust the work ideas as you see fit.
Tapestry
Tapestry will be a very important way of you communicating from home and showing us all the fantastic learning that your child is doing at home. Please engage with this when you can and we will most certainly comment on your child's achievements.
Spring has sprung topic overview
Get ready for World Book Day 2021 - Thursday 4th March
Super Learning Gallery!
Well done to these children who recieved a certifcate this week!
5.3.21
Finlay, Alexander, Isarn, Ava, Rubie and Gabriella! 
Happy Birthday to these children who celebrate their 5th birthday this half term:-
Louisa, Danny, Aadam and Esmai!
A special secret!!!
Your grown ups have been busy reading stories for you. A new story will be posted each day for you to listen to at home as a family.
Click on the link below to listen to today's story.
I wonder who it will be tomorrow...
Keep clicking and checking.
Hello children,
I hope you are all well. Your Head Boy and Y6 buddy has set a joke challenge. See his video here
https://www.st-johns-keele.staffs.sch.uk/joke-of-the-week/
This week it's the turn of Opal and Sapphire class. Choose your favourite joke (just 1 please) and send us a video before Wednesday 20th January. We will put them all together at the end of next week.
Winter scenes!
Our topic this term is Winter and Toys. Click below to see an overview of the some of things we will be covering.
Topic information
Additional Websites to Support Home Learning
There are some fantastic websites that you can use at home to support your child's learning.
- BBC Teach have a range of Home Learning sessions available on the website. These are really interactive with lots of videos, games and quizzes. You can access these resources at www.https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach.
- BBC will be broadcasting Primary Education videos live from Monday 11th January 2021.
- Twinkl is normally a subscription website, however, to support school closures there are currently free resources available to support home learning. You will need to sign up using your email address and then use the offer code UKTWINKLHELPS
- Oxford Owl currently have a range of free eBooks and also provide support for reading and phonics. Take a look here: Oxford Owl for Home: help your child learn at home | Oxford Owl
- Phonics Play is a fantastic resource that we use in school to support children in reading real and nonsense words. It is also lots of fun! Follow this link: PhonicsPlay and sign in with username - jan21 password - home
- Crickweb have a range of free resources across the curriculum which can be accessed at http://www.crickweb.co.uk
We are Reception Class! Watch us learn!
Christmas craft homework
Christmas Newsletter
Christmas jumpers and yummy lunch!!
Oh I wish it could be Christmas everyday...
Jingle Bells!!
A super Nativity performance by Opal class and a visit to see the baubles on the tree at Keele village hall. Christmas is coming!!
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
Keele Village Hall - Today we had a lovely walk, socially distanced, to the village hall with the Nursery class. The children were super sensible while crossing the roads with their partners. We talked about the features of the village and posted our Christmas baubles ready to be hung on the horse chestnut tree in the grounds.
Lest we forget! We went to the cenotaph, socially distanced with our Yr 6 Buddies, to take part in the 2minute silence at 11am. Sapphire class told us some history about the cenotaph and read poems and prayers including the famous 'In Flanders Field' poem. We laid a poppy wreath which we had made in school and as we started the 2 minute silence the church bells started to ring the hour. We were very proud of how sensible our children behaved and at the end we all said "We will remember them!"
Pop! Bang! Whizz!!
Greek Dancing! Opal class enjoyed a fantastic Greek presentation by their year 6 Buddies (outdoors and at a safe social distance of course!). It included a presentation of their homework projects, which had been finished in a very short time and some Greek dancing. We thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you Sapphire class!!
Autumn days when the grass is jewelled ...
The topic this term is
Traditional tales and Christmas!
I have added the topic sheet below.
Topic leaflet
Super Family memory boxes!
We have had fun looking and talking about them.
Thank you if you have already brought in your Family memory box. It has been great to listen to the children as they tell us about the photos and souvenirs and been a lovely way to learn more about one another. I have begun to put them up on display and they look great!!
Please bring yours in next week if you haven’t already done so.
Thank you
Mrs Bayley and Mrs Welsh
What a super first week the children have had in school!
They have settled in very well, coped really well with the new routines and it was great to have them all together on Friday!! Hurrah!!
Thank you for your support and patience as we try to get to grips with the logistics of school life this term!
Just a few reminders:-
Everyone is in school on Monday in their PE kit/tracksuit!
Drop off time is 8.50am – doors open then
Pick up time is 3.00pm prompt.
Please return your snack form and money in a named envelope if your child would like to have toast/milk.
Dear Opal class!
A very big welcome from us to all our families from nursery and our new families joining us!
We hope that you enjoy the learning journey that your child is continuing through the foundation stage of their education and we are sure that you will be amazed by the progress that they make.
We will do a lot of learning through play,by exploring and investigating and we will be led by the children's current interests.
Things will be a little different this year but it won't stop us from making sure that your child learns, thrives and has a great time this year.
With your support the sky's the limit!
Important Class Information
Reading books are changed on a Monday.
We wear our PE kit to school for PE on a Monday.
At morning break, the children may have milk and toast. Toast costs 20p per day. Please send any monies for the half term into school in a named envelope.
Milk is free for Reception children until their 5th birthday and then it is 20p per day.
Free fruit is offered in the afternoons.
Please ensure your child has a filled water bottle in school everyday.
Parent Information
Useful websites and information for phonics and maths development
www.letterandsounds.com (useful for phonics)
www.doorwayonline.org.uk (useful for + - 10, odd/even numbers)
Twinkl phonics app (useful for phonics)
Bee Bot app - (useful for directional maths)
Heat pad app (useful for writing)
www.oxfordowl.co.uk/Library (this is a very good website)
www.phonicsplay.co.uk
www.tentown.co.uk
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/help-your-child-with-maths
Autumn Term - Home and School Support
Proud clouds
Please make a note on the proud cloud of any of your child's achievements at home. Date and send them into school to be displayed on our board. They are lovely to read and help to contribute to your child's assessment throughout the year.
We also use the Tapestry on-line journal to record your child's learning in school. You are encouraged to upload photos from home that show your child enjoying family activities throughout the year. Again this shows what your child is achieving at home with your support.
- The focus in mathematics is to gain a good grasp of number recognition to 20, ordering numbers and counting objects reliably. They will be learning to recognise more and less and to match numeral and quantity correctly.
- In writing, we are encouraging the children to mark make and build up their fine motor skills with lots of different activities. They will also be encouraged to hold their pencils/crayons correctly using a tri-pod grip. We will be learning to write our letters correctly using the correct formation.
- Reading progression will be developed by the children using their daily phonics lessons to 'sound out' words as they learn to read simple words. They will consolidate blending and segmenting sounds in words. Your continued support with their reading at home is very important. They will be entered into a raffle and could win a reading prize if their diary is signed five times a week!
If you have any queries about what your child is learning or about how you can help please don't hesitate to ask.
Early Years go 500 miles
