Autumn Term 2024

Who Am I?

This will be our first topic this year.

Within this theme, we will be looking at who we are, our likes and dislikes, our families, our senses, parts of the body, our favourite food, portraits and birthdays.

There will also be a mini topic on Maweni Primary (introducing our sister school in Tanzania). If you would like to learn more about Maweni, follow this link - Maweni Primary. We will also be learning all about our favourite toys, the seasons and, of course, Christmas.

We also like to consider the children’s interests; therefore, we will also cover several mini-topics developed by the children. Keep an eye on the 'This week' page for more information.

Reception (Class 1) is part of the Early Years Foundation Stage. We work from the same framework as your child’s nursery or preschool. If you are unsure about this or would like information about the end-of-year expectations, then please take a look at the ‘Supporting your child in class 1’ page.

The Early Years curriculum has a Government baseline assessment to be completed in the first few weeks. The baseline assessment is a literacy and numeracy activity that will be completed one-on-one with me once the children are settled. If you would like more information about this, then please do ask.

Every day we will be learning a new sound. At Hanley Swan, we follow the ‘Read, Write, Inc’ scheme (Please see the ‘Read, Write, Inc information page). It is multi-sensory and particularly suitable for young children. It also means that the children are being taught the main 42 sounds of English, not just the alphabet sounds. With this knowledge, they are taken through stages of blending sounds to form words and then to reading. At the same time, they are taught to write by identifying the sound and relating the letter symbol to those sounds. To help you understand a little bit more about phonics I will send home an information booklet for you to read.

Reinforcement of the sounds is very important, and each week I post on the 'This Week' page the letters that we will be covering. Please spend a few minutes each evening going over the sounds with your child and helping them to learn them. You can read them, spot them around the house, spot them in magazines & newspapers and find them in reading/story books. Most important of all is to have fun with them.

At Hanley Swan Primary School we use the pre-cursive script for writing. The children are taught pre-cursive handwriting right from the start of class 1. If you ask your child to do any writing at home, make sure they are trying to do pre-cursive writing.  All letters start and finish on the line, if you are unsure about the letters there is a printable alphabet on the ‘Supporting your child in class 1’ page.

Activities in maths will involve sorting, matching, counting and shape/pattern work. Initially, these will be largely practical and include the playing of number games and singing and acting out number songs and rhymes, followed by the undertaking of simple recording activities. We follow White Rose Maths and there will be headings to the daily activities on the 'What are we doing this week?' page.

We will be starting Forest School in a couple of weeks. The children will need wellies (and these are best kept in school). I will let you know on the ‘This week’ page when it is due to start.

PE will take place each week. Please make sure they have their PE kit (named) in school every day. When it gets dirty and/or at the end of each half-term they will bring it home for a wash. They will need their labelled PE kits in school straight away.

Things to bring to school

PE Kit – Stays in school and sent home to wash if dirty and/or at the end of each half term.

Wellington boots– Stay in school.

Water bottle - returned each day with water in.

Packed Lunch or Lunch ordered through Black Pepper

Coat and if needed cold weather clothes.
When hot – a hat and suncream

In Bookbag – every day:
Reading Folder & Home school liaison book.

(Details about these will follow on the ‘What are we doing this week?’ page)

If you have any queries about school, please do not hesitate to pop in and ask.