Welcome to Elf Owls!

Wednesday 4th September 2024

Dear Elf Owl Families,

We hope you all had a lovely summer! Here we are at the start of the new school year with lots of exciting learning to look forward to. This is your page to come to now that your children are officially in school as' Elf Owls' rather than 'Owlets!' Our topic for the term ahead will be 'What makes me amazing?' and it will be a great opportunity for us all to get to know one another. The topic encompasses themes such as; our families, our homes, where we belong, our feelings, staying healthy and class rules and responsibilities. 

Monster Phonics

We will start teaching daily phonics from next Monday. This term we will be learning to read and write different graphemes (the letters that represent sounds or 'phonemes'). As we learn an increasing number of sounds the children will learn to blend them together to read words; e.g. s-a-t= sat and segment words for spelling; pin= p-i-n. The children will also learn to read and spell high frequency words. Below is a week by week list of the graphemes and words we will be learning in class up until the October break.

W.b: 9th September: Graphemes: satp/ High frequency words: a at as

W.b: 16th September: Graphemes: i and n/ High frequency words: in it is I an

W.b: 23rd September: Graphemes: m, d, g/ High frequency words: and, dad, am

W.b: 30th September: Graphemes: o, c, k and ck/ High frequency words: to, into, go, no, the

W.b: 7th October: Graphemes: e, u and r/ High frequency words: get, can, got, on, dog, not, cat

W.b: 14th October: Graphemes: h and b/ High frequency words: up, mum, put, has, had, him, his, oh, big

W.b: 21st October: Graphemes: ff, l, ll and ss/High frequency words: he, she, me, we, be, of

 

Reading

To link with our learning in daily phonics lessons, we will read with the children in school 2-3 times weekly using the Monster Phonics books.  At the end of each week, your child will come home with a Monster Phonics book; please read and enjoy this with your child as it helps them to practise and consolidate their learning. In addition to the Monster Phonics books, we send home 'reading for pleasure' books. Please spend 10 minutes each day sharing these books with your child. Ideally, they will read to you, but if they are particularly tired one day, you can read to them! 

Book Bags

It really helps us if the children bring a book bag to school each day (rather than keeping their books in a backpack on their peg). This is because the children put their slim book bags into a central box in the classroom where we can easily find and open the book bags to change books/ write in reading records. Speak to a member of the office staff or find the link on the school website under 'uniform' if you need to order one. We will give each child a yellow reading record; we will write in these each time we read with a group or individual and ask families to do the same at home. A short comment or a smiley face and your initials is fine.

Maths

From next Monday we will gently start to introduce short maths lessons. These will sometimes be as a whole class or we may break into our smaller focus groups for maths games and activities. This term we will teach matching, sorting, comparing, shapes, patterns, measuring and number work.

P.E and Forest School

P.E this term will be taught by Mr Pearce on Monday afternoons. The children will participate in a variety of exercises to explore balance and managing their bodies, such as stretching, reaching and extending their bodies into a variety positions. Please ensure your child wears full P.E kit and trainers to school every Monday this term. Forest school will be taught by Mrs Howlett on a Friday afternoon this term. Please send your child to school wearing school uniform on Friday, but make sure they have a set of old clothes, waterproofs and wellies in school to get changed into.

Uniform and Clothing

Please make sure your child comes to school in full school uniform (see 'Our Parents' page on the school website for more details). As the children have access to the outdoors in all weathers, it is very important that the children have some spare clothes, waterproofs and wellies in the cloakroom at all times. Please label everything!

Snacks,water and milk

We will provide a fruit snack every morning and an optional drink of milk in the afternoon. If you would like to send in an additional healthy snack (no nuts please) for the afternoon (e.g. some vegetable crudities, fruit, rice cakes, a yogurt, cheese or crackers) then please do so. (We can store chilled items in our fridge). We have found that the children benefit from a snack mid-afternoon as it is a long time between lunch and going home time. (Though we usually have spare fruit left over from the morning if needed). Please send your child to school with a labelled water bottle daily.

We are really looking forward to a fantastic term ahead. In the meantime, please come and chat to us at the end of the school day or call the school office if you have any questions or queries and we will get back to you.

With our warmest wishes

The Elf Owl Team

Mrs Ray: Teacher (Mon-Wed)

Miss Taylor: Teacher (Thurs-Fri)

Mrs Howlett: Teaching Assistant and Forest School Teacher (Daily/ Forest School on Fri)

Miss Bush: Teaching Assistant (Daily)

Miss Belcher: Teaching Assistant (Mon, Wed, Thurs)

Mrs Fairfax: (Tues, Thurs, Fri)

Miss Putt: (Daily- afternoons)