1. Exploring Art and Design There will be lots of opportunities both indoors and outdoors for children to explore their creative side, including colour mixing, sewing skills and cut and stick activities to make Christmas cards. Through role play and small world activities children can show their imaginative side and the music area will allow them to explore instruments and of course we will be practicing our Christmas production. Literacy Daily phonics sessions will focus on blending and segmenting simple words as well as introducing some digraphs. We will be learning our tricky words as well through reading activities. In writing we will be looking at how to form a sentence about our favourite books. Mathematics There will be lots of opportunities for us to continue to develop our counting and recognition skills as well as exploring addition and the language linked to it –more than, equals, altogether. We will also be engaging in activities linked to measure Understanding of the World We will be looking at our environment and how it changes this time of year. We will also be looking at how we celebrate Christmas around the world and in our own homes. In ICT we will be exploring programs that allow use to create pictures What we will be learning this term… Personal, Social and Emotional Development This term we will be continuing to focus on the Golden Rules as well as following the second step program which looks how we can have different feelings towards different situations and how we deal with these feelings appropriately. We will also be at celebrations that happen this time of year, including Diwali and of course Christmas. Communication and Language. All the activities in class will allow us to use of communication skills from working with people, talking through our ideas to listening to other people’s thoughts and feelings. Physical development There will be lots of outdoor opportunities us to move freely in a variety of different ways using various pieces of equipment, safely and with control. In PE we will focus on key skills such asdance, throwing and catching. We will continue to develop our fine motor skills and pencil control through finger gym, ‘squiggle whilst you wiggle’ and ‘dough disco’ as well as sewing. We will also be looking at how exercise can affect our bodies. How can you contribute to your child’s learning? Continue Look for WOW/Proud parent moments at home and add them to out parent as partners display in class. Share a story at night with your child, this could be the reading book, phonics bug or your child’s favourite story. Play games that will help with working as a team, sharing and taking turns. Use maths in everyday activities e.g. counting items when shopping. Share maths games at home Encourage your child to dress/undress themselves. Engage in activities such as mark making and cutting to develop fine motor skills. Writing lists and simple sentences with tricky words If you need any help or advice please feel free to speak to your child’s class teacher. Useful websites Phonics bug (login details will follow shortly) Finger gym ICT games Topmarks Cebeeies

2. Saltersgate Infant School Reception Termly Newsletter This term’s topic is: Seasons and celebrations The key learning challenge question is: What happens this time of year? Foundation Stage Team Class 7 Mrs K Oliver (Class Teacher) Mrs L Watkinson and Miss L Hurst (Teaching Assistants) Class 8 Mrs J Linley (Class Teacher) Miss K Monaghan (Teaching Assistant) Class 9 Miss N McCue (Class Teacher/Foundation Stage Leader) Miss R Laben (Teaching Assistant) Home Learning challenges this half term Leaf man pictures For the beginning of December Advent Calendars (more details to follow). Water Bottles Water bottles can be brought to school but NO juice or flavoured water please. Snack Additional fruit for afternoon snack can also be brought to school. Please NO ORANGES due to severe allergies.