term 6 week 7

I promised the children I would announce the winner of the class colouring competition on the class website.  And the winner is Libby!  Come and get your prize next term, Libby.  Well done for some beautiful colouring and well done all the rest of you.  The standard was very high.

Thank you to everyone for such lovely, thoughtful gifts.  They will be treasured.

And so. all that remains to be said is, have a wonderful holiday and see you all in September children as you CREEP through Hazel class, onwards and upwards into Willow class!

Term 6 week 5

This week we had our transition day and the children really enjoyed going into Mrs Ferguson's class for the afternoon.  They prepared some lovely talks for the Acorns about what to expect in year 1.  

Term 6 week 4

Giving change in shops is tricky, especially when your parents use a card!  We have been role-playing this in our classroom and some children have really got the hang of it!

Handwriting

The children have progressed from whiteboards to handwriting books and a big cheer is heard when they see me get the books out, followed by total silence as they do the day's handwriting task.  It is quite extraordinary how totally absorbed they are!  Please keep up the handwriting over the holidays, as children often slip back.

Term 6 Week 2

This week, the children in Hazel Class learnt about the Jewish Festival of Hanukkah.  They made dreidels ready to play with next week.  They also had the opportunity to wear a Jewish Prayer Shawl and wear a Kippah.

The children who took their Phonics Screening Test all tried their hardest and we are very pleased with the results, so a big well done to them!  The class celebrated with biscuits and squash.

Term 6 week 1

Just to remind you, next week the children will be taking their Phonics Screening Test on Tuesday.  We have been preparing them for it this week, and they have no reason at all to feel worried.

Term 5 week 6

Your children have all been assessed against their termly targets and we have written alongside these whether or not they have been reached.  Quite often you will find that they have been reached in part, which means they still really need to work on these at home!   You will notice that the writing target has not been assessed.  We will be doing a COLD TASK when we return from our week's holiday to assess the children.

Thank you to those children who brought in games - they had a lovely time playing with these while we worked with them on their assessments!

In the second week of next term the children will be doing their Phonics Screening.  We aim for the screening to take place on Tuesday 12th June.

I hope you all have an enjoyable and restful half term.

Term 5 week 5

We have been orally rehearsing the story of 'What the Ladybird Heard'.  Take a look.

Term 3 week 4

Measuring is the theme of the week: weight and capacity.  The children have been comparing weights using bucket scales.  They have had a go at being human bucket scales too.  They made block graphs of the objects they weighed and also put objects in order, first when they estimated from heaviest to lightest, then after measuring them.  On Thursday we used water and sand to measure capacity (how much something holds).  We got wet and sandy!  The water was surprisingly cold.

Some containers took lots of yoghurt pots to fill them up, many more than we thought.  We learnt that to measure accurately the yoghurt pot has to be full to the brim.

Term 5 week 3

Take a look at a fantastic piece of writing done at home by Belle after our trip to see 'What the Ladybird heard'.  It just goes to show how well we write when we are enthusiastic about something!

The children have started to fly with their knowledge and understanding of numbers this term.  Today we were using a hundred square to work out what 61+10+10+10 equals.  The children were able to say how to find the answer on the hundred square and also that 10+10+10 is 30, so the number sentence could actually be written 60+10.

In science we have been looking at plants.  Here are some True/False questions for the children to test you on!

1.  A willow tree is a plant.

2.  Evergreen trees lose their leaves in winter.

3.  The stem of a plant holds it up.

4.  Grass is a plant.

5.  Roots are brown.

How many did you/the children get right? 

Term 5 week 2

To help the children with their learning in maths and English, we have a working wall.  This is updated regularly and a useful tool as they can use it to remind them what they have been learning in previous days during the week.  Often there are some challenging questions.  During independent work, early finishers are asked to go and find something challenging to do on the working wall.  More often than not they go to something within their comfort zone, but we do have a few children who love a challenge.

Term 5 week 1

Welcome back to school after a lovely long holiday.  The children have loved being outside in the warm weather this week.  However, it is not due to stay as hot next week, so please remember to give them a light coat to wear for chilly days.

Sun cream

Please ensure you have applied your child's sun cream BEFORE he/she comes into school.  Staff are not available to do this during break or lunchtime and children trying to apply it themselves often get it in their eyes.  Most products nowadays only need to be applied once, so the morning is an ideal time.

Many thanks.

Your children are polyglots!

Last term we started teaching a little French to the children ( see the video below).  This week they have started learning some Spanish!  Mrs Van Delden (Miles' mum) has kindly offered to come in and teach the children a little Spanish on Thursday afternoons.

Instructions

Your children have been giving and writing instructions this week in English.  They have made mini-beasts out of bottle tops and then told another child how to make them.  Next they will write their instructions.

Term 5 week 6

Children have been assessed this week and good progress can clearly be seen!  Well done everybody for working so hard, especially at your reading and phonics.  Maths assessments were harder this term but all the adults who help teach maths in Hazel class agree that you are getting very good at using a hundred square and some children used the hundred square to help them in their assessment.  They know that if you move down a square you are adding 10 and if you move up you are taking 10 away.

Term 4 Week 5

This week Hazel class are learning all about worms!  They have looked at them and are doing performance poetry about them.  They have also started transcribing a poem.  We looked at their writing targets before they started this, so that they would do their best possible handwriting.

For the Easter Service next Thursday in church the children will be reciting a poem that they composed with Mr File in our RE lesson.  Here is a copy of it for you to see.  You might like to practise it at home!

Term 4 week 3

After all the snow last week, it was good to get out on the playground in PE today.  The children all took part in a javelin competition to see who could throw it the furthest.  We practised rugy skills, but didn't go onto the field because it was too muddy.  Not everyone had their trainers - please ensure they are always in school on a Tuesday!

Term 4 week 1

At the beginning of the week the children started thinking about buildings and sketched some.  They will be designing a building of their own and need to start saving junk at home so they have something to build them out of!  Please will  you help your child to think about the building they want to build and the materials they want to use.  Nothing too tricky, mind you.

At the end of this week the children re-enacted some scenes of the Great Fire of London.  

Here are some photos!

Term 3 week 6

This week Hazel Class became authors!  Each child wrote a non-fiction book about a subject of their choice.  The books contained a front cover, blurb, sub-titles and captions and the subject matter ranged from dinosaurs and wild animals to computer games and the police!

We waved goodbye to Mrs Grady and are sad to see her go, but happy that she is going to train to be a teacher.  Mrs Fitzgerald will take her place on Thursdays and Fridays.  The children already know her as she has been volunteering since the start of the year.  In addition we will have Mrs Slingsby supporting us on some afternoons.  You lose one and win some!

Have a very happy half term.

Term 3 week 5

When your child's reading reaches a certain level he or she will be able to start using our Accelerated Reading Scheme.  All children develop differently, so not everyone in the class will be ready at the same time.  Some of the children have already started using the scheme and I wanted to explain how it works.

First of all your child will take the online STAR reading test with multiple choice questions to determine his/her reading ability.  Their reading age is then established and they will be allowed to choose a book from the library (also known as the Orchard).  The book goes home and they read to you.  Then when they have finished the book they will go back to the library and do a little quiz on the book to check their understanding.  It is important not to rush through the book because they will need to be able to answer the questions.  Depending on the difficulty of the book, your child will gain points for every quiz passed!

Children who are not yet ready to do Accelerated Reader still have the opportunity to choose their own books and we continue to monitor their reading through our daily Guided Reading sessions.

For a much more detailed explanation of Accelerated Reading, take a look at the pdf file 'Accelerated Reader' under the PARENTS banner.

Finding the features of non-fiction books

This week the children have been investigating the features of non-fiction books.  Can they find and share the following things with you?  blurb, title, sub-title, caption, photograph.

Term 3 week 4

This week the children have made a little break through with their maths.  They have learned that, when adding two numbers, it is best to start with the greater number.  They have learned to put the greater number in their heads and show the number they are adding on their fingers before counting on.  They have also learned to use a number and a hundred square, by finding the greater number and moving their finger along the numbers.  Another thing they have discovered is that when you use a 100 square and move your finger down a column you add ten each time.  The photographs of our Maths working wall below shows some of the equipment the children use to support their learning and the sort of questions we ask them about maths.  

Term 3 week 3

This week you will find three Abacus books inside your child's bag.  These are surplus books that we no longer need at school and they are very similar to the updated versions we have in class.  We thought your children would enjoy working on them at home.  At school we use them to consolidate the learning we do in class.  At the bottom of each page there are challenges as well.  We hope you enjoy working through them!  They are yours to keep and do not need to be brought back to school.  We wouldn't recommend doing more than one page at a time - 10 to 20 minutes max.

Term 3 week 2

This week we welcome Mr Draper, a third year student, who will be working in Hazel Class with the children for the next few months.  It is great to have an extra person in class, and the children always respond well to a new face!  Mr Draper will be teaching a substantial amount of the lessons.  We also welcome Mrs Slingsby, who has offered us her support once a week.  

This term the children are learning about The Great Fire of London.  They are being taught this topic through English, in the form of a non-fiction text, which they will learn through our usual 'Talk for Writing', in which children learn first to 'talk' a text, then write it.  The children are enthused by the subject and it is interesting to see how many facts they already know about the historical event.  The topic will also link to our Science topic 'materials' and our Art topic.  The children have also posed some really interesting questions.

Term 3 week 1

We have taken these two days of school to familiarise all the children with Mathletics.  The children's passwords are in the front of their reading records, so they can log on whenever they want to!  Please encourage your child to use Mathletics.  The activities are fun and engaging.

Term 2 week 7

The children have had a lovely variety of Christmas activities this week.  During the week they made their Christingles, Christmas cards  and crowns for the Christmas lunch.  Today they enjoyed playing with their games brought in from home and watching a DVD  with a carton of popcorn each.

In their bags you should find their end of term report with an explanation of what the gradings mean.  We have also assessed them against this term's targets and set some new ones.  In their reading record you will find a black and white copy of this term's targets saying whether or not they met them.

We wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year and look forward to seeing the children back on January 4th 2018!

Term 2 weeks 5 & 6

Last week and this week the children have been continuing to innovate their texts about Harvey Slumfenburger.  The children are beginning to develop the resilience needed to write longer texts.  This comes easily to some, but is a struggle for many.  Some children bring 'work they have done at home' into school to show us in the mornings and this is an excellent way to get children excited at home about the writing process.  Team points get handed out and the children are invited to read their sentences/number sentences out to the others.  Up until now the 'work' has mostly been based on the alphabet, but now I have told the children I would like to see a whole sentence or two...

We  have had many rehearsals for the nativity play and today was the dress rehearsal!  The children are looking forward to acting in front of their mums and dads!

There are no spellings to learn for next week.  The children will be much too busy enjoying themselves...

Term 2 weeks 3&4

The children are learning their songs for the Nativity play and tickets have gone out to parents.  Some of you will have received a note asking you to send some clothes in.  If you haven't had one this is because the costume is being provided by us, but please check your child's book bag.  Most of the rehearsals have been in the afternoon, but we had one last Wednesday morning and I was impressed with their singing and behaviour.

Our Talk for Writing text is based on a book by the timeless John Burningham and is a Christmas Story called Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present.  It is a story with lots of repetitive language that the children can join in with.  Please have a look at the story map below and ask your child to read the summary to you.

In maths we have been focusing on addition and subtraction by counting on and back.  The children are getting to grips with using a number line and understanding that teen numbers are 'ten and some more ones' - lots of children still say forty instead of fourteen, fifty instead of fifteen, so this is an area you could help with.  We have played  Snakes and Ladders and other counting games to support their counting.  In week 5 the children will be comparing numbers to 20 and recognising the value of coins.

Term 2 week 2

This week children have been working hard at their number bonds to 5, 6, 7 and 10.  They have also been adding and taking away numbers up to ten.  You can help at home by asking them questions like, "If I put two forks on the table and you put two more on, how many forks are there on the table altogether?" or "There are five smarties in my hand.  I eat two.  How many are there left?"

We had fun meeting a man from the fire brigade.  The children enjoyed trying on their clothes and know exactly what to do if there's a fire at home and what number to dial!

Term 2 week 1

The children have worked very hard this week and we have two new members to our lovely class, making it now 20 children!  A warm welcome to Miles and Rohan, who have both fitted in well.  Can you spot them on the class photograph?

This week we have been ordering numbers, saying one more and one less than specific numbers and learning ordinal numbers.   In English we  have been writing a poem about our bodies.  Can the children tell you what they wrote about themselves?  

Targets!

Your children have come home with targets for next term.  These are stuck in their reading records and should remain there.  Please read their targets with them and explain them so they come back to school knowing what their targets are, ready to work on them!

Many thanks,

Ms Shepherd & Mrs Grady

A note about reading records

We  have had several comments in reading records, saying that an adult has not listened to them read for a week or two.  This is not the case.  Your children are heard during guided reading, we have volunteers come in during the week and next term year 5 children will also be listening to them.  Please don't assume that because there is not a comment or a stamp in the book, we are not listening to your children read.

Thank you,

Ms Shepherd & Mrs Grady

The week started with a wonderful story telling and music session by Tales from the Book of Life.

Term 1 week 6

To mark the beginning of book week we had Ian 'The Bendy Man' come and take the children on an amazing super hero journey to a planet to rescue an alien.  Don't forget next week is Book Week and on Friday all children need to dress up as their very own superheroes!

Term 1 week 5

We have started our first Talk For Writing of the year!  The children learn a story off by heart, by reading a story map (See below) and using signs and symbols to remember it.  Then they 'box up' the text into five sections:  opening, build-up, problem, resolution and ending.  Can they explain what these words mean to you?  Can your child read the whole story to you?  When you read a story to them, it will really be helpful if you can get them to identify the different parts of the story, using the words we use in class.  Thank you!

Term 1 week 3

Your children are bringing their first set of spellings home this week.  Spellings will be sent home on a Friday in a small green book.  The children will need to practise their spellings with you  and then they will have a spelling quiz on the following Friday.  They will use the same book for the quiz, so you will be able to see how they have done.  It is really important that the green book comes back into school on Friday please.

You will also find a fun practice sheet for the children to record their spellings on as they practise them during the week.

The children have started their afternoon schedule this week, with different teachers.  They have had a great time learning with Mr File, Mrs Godden, Mrs Waters & Mrs Fergusson.  

Term 1 week 2

It was good to meet many of you on our 'meet the teacher' day.  I  hope you found the information helpful and enjoyed letting the children show you around the classroom.

The children have managed really well in this first full week of school.  Routines are becoming established and we are ready now to do some serious learning!

Below are some pictures of the children doing Guided Reading activities.  While one group reads with the teacher, other groups do independent activities: ordering the letters of the alphabet, reading alphabet books in the book corner and working in the Prayer and Reflection corner, either writing prayers or trying to match pictures and sentences to one of our six different values.

Homework!

We have spent the whole week trying to learn the names of the letters of the alphabet, through books, sorting letters, creating a class alphabet and singing and chanting.  Please help your children learn the letter names as this is one of the year 1 targets.  They need to be able to say the names as well as the sounds.

Term 1 Week 1

A very warm welcome to Hazel Class.

Your children are wonderful and have settled into the class beautifully.  I look forward to meeting you all next Wednesday, when you will be able to look round the class.  Please do introduce yourselves to me, as many of us have not yet met!  I only work in the mornings, so appreciate that some of you will want to make appointments to see me if you have any concerns.  Just ask the adult who brings the children out at the end of the day to let me know and I will contact you.

Here are some pictures of your children changing their books and settling down to read first thing in the morning.