Acorn Class Ightham Primary School

Welcome! Class teachers: Miss Cook – Monday - Thursday Mrs Warnes –Friday HLTA - Mrs Warnes TA – Ms Rae TA – Miss Langford

Routines Morning arrangements. The school day begins at 8:50am. The register closes at 9am. If you arrive later than this, please sign your child into the school office. The school gate is locked at 9am. Please do not let children or siblings play under covered way with any toys or equipment before school. Children are encouraged to come in independently. Hang up own coat, put own book bag and water bottle in box. Afternoon arrangements From 16th September. Collection at 3.15 pm from classroom door.

Reading Reading is very important. Please hear your child read daily – 5/10 minutes. Record comments on their reading in the reading record book – adults will also do the same in school. Each child will be allocated a specific reading day. They will read 1:1 to an adult and will have their books changed on this day. Two books will be sent home a week. Next level book sent home when assessed to be ready. Homework Sent home on Friday. To be returned by following Wednesday. Will be an activity linked to learning throughout the week.

Home learning comment sheets will be sent home Home learning comment sheets will be sent home. Please record any comments around how your children got on with the homework and return these sheets each week. Your comments on your child’s learning at home form an important part of our assessments of your child.

Woodland Learning Every Thursday afternoon – Children to come into school wearing long, comfortable trousers/jogging bottoms/leggings every Thursday. No dresses/skirts. Children need a named pair of wellies in school everyday. A waterproof coat should be brought into school everyday. Waterproof trousers? PE Will begin when children start full days. Children will need a named kit (shorts, T-shirt, plimsolls) in school everyday. NAME EVERYTHING – ESPECIALLY TIES! Children will be encouraged to undress and dress independently. Please practise this at home.

Behaviour School code of conduct and behaviour policy can be found on the school website. Class rules and expectations Adults clap out a rhythm, sing a short phrase or shake a tambourine. Children are expected to stop and look at the adult and echo clap or phrase. Adult emphasises need to listen for instructions. A good learner needs to be a good listener.  At carpet times visual cards are shown to emphasise expectations for good sitting, good listening and waiting turns to speak. These are reinforced constantly.

Sun, Rainbow, Star – Every child starts on the ‘sun’, showing that they are ready to learn. If they show excellent behaviour, their star moves up onto the rainbow – they may also be rewarded with a sticker or house point. Star of the day – If a child shows outstanding behaviour or learning, they may be chosen to be ‘Star of the Day’ and rewarded with a special sticker. Marble jar – To encourage positive behaviour as a collective class. A marble is given to reward working as a team, showing excellent behaviour/attitude as a class. Filling the jar will be rewarded with a treat at the end of term.

Super hero capes Linked to Building Learning Power (BLP). Children are encouraged to use important characteristics of learning. Rewarded with a cape to wear. Relationship Risk Taker Reflective Resilient Resourceful It would be lovely if you could use a ‘wow moment’ to let us know if your child has used any of these at home.

Uniform Please label EVERYTHING! Smart uniform is required everyday No nail polish Long hair should be tied up everyday Please ensure your child knows where their items are labelled – should be able to identify bottles, bags, jumpers etc. as independently as possible Please ensure your child has a waterproof coat in school everyday Earrings to be plain studs only. Must be able to be removed by child independently for PE.

Medicines All medicines need to be taken to the school office by an adult. Medication form to be completed. Inhalers / Epi-pens (2) to be in school at all times. Please send inhalers / Epi-pens into school in clear plastic boxes and ensure the box is clearly labelled. Allergies/dietary requirements – Please let us know ASAP if you have not already. School nurse is able to support if you would like advice. We are a nut free school. No nut foods in packed lunches.

Medicines Illness Due to the needs of our class, please make sure your child does not attend school if they are unwell. If they have recently had or still have a high temperature, please keep them home. Chicken pox – please keep your child away from school until spots have fully scabbed over. If we feel your child is too unwell to be at school, we will call you (or other emergency contact). All cases of sickness/diarrhoea require your child to stay away from school for a minimum of 48 hours. Please notify the school by telephone before 8.50am.

Our Partnership Weekly Newsletters From headteacher every Friday. From us every Friday – Acorn class specific. Our newsletter will tell you what we have been learning this week, what we will be learning next week, phonics focus, any reminders, key dates coming up and any messages. Sent via parent mail and put onto class webpage. School Website Webpage has lots of information! Timetables, key days, show and tell timetable, curriculum overview, home support materials.

Home - School Contact Book Signed daily by parents and staff Any messages for us – regarding pick up, child’s well-being etc. If urgent, let us know in the morning. We will only let your child go home with someone different than usual if we have been informed – in person or via contact book or message from office.

Parent Mail How school shares important information regarding non-uniform days, whole school events, class specific information, important notifications about cancellations etc. Please speak to office if you have not signed up for this. Wow Moments! Four ‘wow moment’ notes will be sent home each term. These are for you to record any ‘wow moments’ that your child has achieved outside of school! These could include: Writing their name Helping someone at home or being kind Riding their bike for the first time Or anything else!

These will be displayed on our ‘Wow Wall’ and kept in your child’s learning journal.

School Houses Each child will be assigned to one of the four school house families – siblings will be placed in the same house. School house names are; Mote (blue), Knole (yellow), Chartwell (red) and Oldbury (green) Show and tell dates Your child will be given a specific week in which they can bring in a toy or item of interest to talk about. This may be linked to topic. List to be sent home at the beginning of each term. Topic - an over view is given at the beginning of every term – this will be on the website shortly. This term it is ‘Colour’.

Timetable The termly timetable can be found on the Acorn Class webpage on the school website. Timetable will vary to follow children's interests.

Healthy School The children are provided with fruit in the morning. Every child is entitled to a carton of milk everyday up until they turn 5. Can continue to pay for this after birthday. www.coolmilk.co.uk Only water in water bottles. This is a whole school requirement. Please bring in named, practical water bottles – prefereably ones that don’t have screw tops. Please don’t keep bottles in book bags due to leaks!

Open Classroom Drop in time for Acorn Class is Tuesday between 3.20-3.30pm Share child’s work If you have anything you would like to discuss If any concerns, please make a note in the home school contact book to speak to us at another convenient time.

Marking Work will be marked against the specific Learning Objective Pink for positive comments Green for next steps In Reception most marking will be verbal feedback

Assessment Your child’s progress will be recorded in their Learning Journal books. Tapestry online journal is used to record photo evidence of your child’s learning . We observe your child within child initiated times and adult directed times and record their current level and use this knowledge to plan how to challenge them further. Assessment is discussed at Parents’ Evenings – October and March. We would love to see and hear about your child’s learning at home, please complete wow moment notes and home learning notes and send them in!

Parent Volunteers If you would like to be a parent volunteer, please advise us – help with reading, craft activities. Class trips We go on various trips and outings e.g. Leeds Castle, walks into Ightham, Wisley. If you would like to volunteer to help us with these, you will be invited to when information about the trips are sent home.

Key Dates Coming Up... Harvest festival – Friday 4th October at 9:15am: Reception and KS1 in school hall. Parent Consultations – Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th October - Parent Mail will be sent out nearer the time. Last day of Term 1 – Friday 18th October Acorn Class Christmas Performance – Wednesday 11th December at 9:15am in school hall. Please check Parent Mail and the school website for other important dates throughout the year.

If you have a question, please come and ask us 