Reception Newsletter 21st October
Dear Parents/Carers,
It was lovely to have parent evening chats this week, to talk about how your child has settled into school. Thank you for all of your kind comments and positive feedback. The children have settled into school brilliantly and deserve a well-earned rest over half-term.
Show and Tell
After the half-term we will begin some work based on different nursery rhymes. We will begin with the rhyme ‘Humpty Dumpty’. For ‘Show and Tell’, please can your child learn the rhyme (if they don’t already know it)and show/talk about something related to rhyme. They could bring something in or could draw a picture.
Labels
Please ensure that coats, jumpers and shoes are labelled with your child’s name so that we can return them to the right owner when they are taken off.
PTA Matchbox Challenge
Our fantastic PTA are still coming up with creative ideas for fundraising. In your child’s bag you will find a matchbox for them to fill with as many things as they can. There are prizes for the most items in a matchbox. Please see the rules for what should and shouldn’t be in the box!
Dates for your diary
Friday 23rd October – Non Pupil Day
Week beginning 26th October – Half term break
Monday 2nd November - Back to school
Friday 18th December - Break for Christmas
Thank you,
Mrs James Mrs Stephens
Dear Parents/Carers,
Show and Tell
Next week, we are going to be learning about ‘shape’. Please could the children look for different shapes around the house, or when out and about, to talk about. They could draw some different shaped objects, e.g. a clock, a door…..
We will be encouraging the children to use everyday language to describe the shape of things, such as ‘round, curved, straight….’
Parent’s Evening – Monday 19th & Tuesday 20th October
A slip with the appointment time for your phone call with the class teacher was put into your child’s bag last Monday. The phone call will be no more than 10 minutes. Please see your child’s teacher if you will be unable to take the phone call at the given time.
Reception Photographs
If you wish to order photographs, your forms must be returned by this Friday 16th October. A proof of your child’s photo was put into your child’s bag on 5th October. You can also order photos online.
Non-pupil day – Friday 23rd October
Don’t forget that children break up for half term on Thursday 22nd October at 3.00.pm. We will welcome them back on Monday 2nd November.
Harvest Festival Donations
We are not able to celebrate Harvest Festival in the same way as we usually do, due to the Covid restrictions. However, we thought it would be lovely for the children to bring one sealed, non-perishable food item or toiletries and a voluntary donation of £1.00 into school. We will collect all of the items in and take them to the local Epping Forest Foodbank.
Labels
Please ensure that coats, jumpers and shoes are labelled with your child’s name so that we can return them to the right owner when they are taken off.
Snack Money
Thank you for all of your donations, they are much appreciated.
Dates for your diary
Week beginning 19th October – Parent’s Evening week/telephone appointments
Friday 23rd October – Non Pupil Day
Week beginning 26th October – Half term break
Back to school – Monday 2nd November
Thank you,
Mrs James Mrs Stephens
Wednesday 7th October
Dear Parents/Carers,
Show and Tell
Next week, we are going to be talking about harvest festivals and our favourite foods. For ‘Show and Tell’ please can the children talk about their favourite foods. They can bring in a wrapper, carton, picture or could create a collage plate of their favourite food items.
Lunch Time
The children continue to do very well with their school dinners; we eat with them daily so are able to see how much they are enjoying them. Thank you to Gabby and the kitchen team for working so hard to ensure that every child in school has the option to enjoy a school meal served in the hall with their class friends, whilst still adhering to the Covid guidelines. This is quite an achievement, as the alternative provided in many schools is a packed lunch brought in from home and eaten in the classroom.
Parent’s Evening / Telephone Appointments – w/c Monday 19th October
A slip with the appointment time for your phone call with the class teacher was put into your child’s bag on Monday. The phone call will be no more than 10 minutes. Please see your child’s teacher if you will be unable to take the phone call at the given time.
Labels
Please ensure that coats and jumpers are labelled with your child’s name so that we can return them to the right owner when they are taken off.
Snack Money
Thank you for all of your donations, they are much appreciated.
Dates for your diary
Week beginning 19th October – Parent Evening week/telephone appointments
Friday 23rd October - Non Pupil Day
Week beginning 26th October – Half term break
Thank you,
Mrs James Mrs Stephens
Wednesday 30th September
Dear Parents/Carers,
The children have been amazing during this first full-time week and are coping very well with all the new routines, including lunch and play time.
Show and Tell
Next week, we are going to be talking about the things which make the children unique. For ‘Show and Tell’, please can the children talk about themselves and why it is good to be them, e.g. “it’s good to be me because I am a really great helper / am always kind / am good at football…..”
They can draw a picture of themselves, if they would like.
Jeans for Genes Day – tomorrow, Thursday 1st October
Tomorrow, your child is able to join the rest of the school in wearing jeans in exchange for a donation, in order to support this charity event. They are able to wear any suitable top with their jeans or their school top, if you’d prefer.
https://www.jeansforgenesday.org/
Individual Photos for Reception children only – Monday 5th October
The children SHOULD NOT WEAR PE KIT on Monday, as they are having their individual school photos taken by the photographer. If they have an older sibling/s in school, they will also have a photo taken with them.
9.00am start for Reception children who do not have older siblings in school.
The Reception classes open at 9.00am for Reception children, unless they have an older sibling whose year group begins at an earlier time (in which case, they can also arrive earlier). Please do not arrive earlier than 9.00am if there are no older siblings, as the staggered time is to aid social distancing around the school. Thank you.
Snack Money
We ask for a voluntary donation of £5 per term to purchase additional snack items such as rice cakes, breadsticks and biscuits and to contribute to classroom activities, such as cooking, or additional items such as spare pants or special craft materials. Please put the donation in an envelope and give to the class teacher or put in your child’s book bag. Thank you to everyone who has sent in a donation so far.
Dates for your diary
Jeans for Genes – Thursday 1st October
Individual School Photos for Reception children – Monday 5th October
Thank you,
Mrs James Mrs Stephens
Monday
Abigail
Archie
Artemis-Lydia
Bohdie
Cody
Defne
Tuesday
Elliott
Florence
Georgia
Harrison
Hugo
Isabella
Wednesday
Jessica
Leo
Liev
Lukas
Matvie
Max
Thursday
Maya
Reece
Rosa - Maria
Ruhi
Savannah
Sofia
Friday
Thaddeus
Thea
Trinity
Violet
Wilf
Zain
Please find below the notes which replace the Early Year Information Meeting for parents, which is usually held in early September. Unfortunately we are unable to go ahead with this meeting due to the current restrictions surrounding group gatherings. Please email me if you have any questions.
Thanks
Claire James
Wednesday 23rd September
Dear Parents/Carers,
It has been lovely to welcome the children into Reception this week. They are settling in brilliantly and it has been wonderful to get to know them all.
Each week we will post a newsletter on the school website and it will also get sent to you via Parent Mail. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to speak to either Mrs James or Mrs Stephens.
Each class has a class page which is in the ‘Children’ section of the school website.
https://www.buckhursthillprimary.co.uk/class-pages/
The majority of children begin full-time next week, Monday 28th September. Children should arrive at school at 9.00am and be brought through to their class. Please make sure your child doesn’t run ahead and that we all abide by the social distancing measures. School finishes at 3.05pm and children are collected from their classroom. Please do not wait in our outdoor area for older siblings to finish.
Please can children start to bring in their book bags daily; they will be placed outside the classrooms for collection at the end of the day.
Show and Tell
Each week, your child will be asked to either show or talk about something to the rest of the class, relating to our learning (don’t worry, they get lots of help with this and no one is forced to say anything if they don’t want to). We will post the children’s ‘Show and Tell’ day outside the classrooms and on the ‘Class Page’ on Friday.
Next week we would like your child to talk about their family. They might want to bring in a photograph of the people they live with, or they might want to draw a picture of their family to talk about. It would be lovely if we could keep these for our classroom displays so do not send in anything precious! If your child forgets to bring in their ‘Show and Tell’ on the appropriate day, don’t worry, we can always do it on another day!
Jeans for Genes Day – Thursday 1st October
Your child is able to join the rest of the school in wearing jeans in exchange for a donation next Thursday, in order to support this charity event. They are able to wear any suitable top with their jeans or their school top, if you’d prefer.
https://www.jeansforgenesday.org/
Early Years Curriculum
There is an overview of our Early Years Curriculum on the school website but we will also post some slides on the class pages from the information meeting we usually have for parents at this time of the year.
Reading
We read with the children and change their books on their ‘Show and Tell’ day (the children will all be given a book this Friday). Every child will begin with the same level book, which will be picture books or will have just a few words on each page. Your child will be put onto the appropriate level in the next few weeks. Please share the book with your child, asking them to describe/ answer questions about what is happening in each picture. Encourage them to point at each word and repeat it after you. They might be able to recognise a few letter-sounds, or find a particular letter-sound/word on each page. Please write a comment in their reading diary every week so that we know they have read. Your child will also begin to bring home letter-sounds and words to practise at home.
Outside Area
We are very proud of our outdoor classroom. Please can you refrain from allowing your child and their siblings to use the resources in the outdoor area before and after school. When you have collected your child, please leave the area promptly to avoid mixing with other year groups.
Friday Fun Walk
Please bring in a pair of wellies, to remain in school, for your child to wear when we go on our ‘Welly Walks’. Weather permitting, these will begin next Friday.
P.E.
P.E. will take place on a Monday and Wednesday, from 28th September. Please send your child into school in their PE kit on a Monday, being mindful of the weather, as the children will remain in their kit all day. On Wednesdays the children should wear their uniform and do not need to bring their PE kit into school.
Labelling uniform
Please ensure that your child’s clothes are labelled as it makes it impossible for us to match a jumper/cardigan to a child without it.
Individual Photos for Reception children
The Reception will have individual photos taken at a date yet to be arranged. On this morning, they will also have photos taken with older siblings who attend our school.
Snack Money
We ask for a voluntary donation of £5 per term to purchase additional snack items such as rice cakes, breadsticks and biscuits and to contribute to classroom activities, such as cooking, or additional items such as spare pants or special craft materials. Please put the donation in an envelope and give to the class teacher or put in your child’s book bag.
Dates for your diary
Children start full time – Monday 28th September
Jeans for Genes – Thursday 1st October
Individual School Photos for Reception children – to be confirmed
Thank you,
Mrs James Mrs Stephens
Starting School Reminder
Week beginning 21st September - part time
Morning session - 9.30-11.30am
Afternoon session - 1.00-3.00pm
Children are not having lunch or doing PE this week.
Week beginning 28th September - full time
Reception children - 9.00am - 3.05pm (unless your child is continuing with part time hours which will be 9.00am - 12.00pm). Please adhere to these timings to aid social distancing.
If your child has a sibling in another year group, Reception children are able to fall in with their siblings drop off and collection time.
Children will be doing PE this week and should come in their PE kit on Monday only. They do not need to wear or bring their PE kit on a Wednesday.
Wellies - children should have a pair of wellies which can remain in school.
Arrangements for drop-off and collection
Parents and children should enter through the side gate which is at the far right of the school and continue round to the Reception classes.
RJ should follow the red feet in the Reception outside area, queueing with a 2m space where possible.
RS should follow the blue feet in the Reception outside area, queueing with a 2m space where possible.
To exit, you should then turn right up the ramp and follow the one-way system through the upper playground and car park to the exit gates.
Don't worry, we will be directing you on the first day!
(If someone other than a parent is collecting your child, please ensure your teacher knows in advance)
Illness
Children should not attend school if they have a high temperature or new, continuous cough (please inform the school if this is the case). Please follow the school guidelines which are on the school website.
Book Bags
Children can bring their book bags from Monday 21st.
Water bottles
Children should not bring a water bottle to school as we will provide water for them.
Sun hats / sun cream
Children can bring a sun hat to school. Please apply sun cream, if necessary, at home.
Medication
Please ensure asthma pumps and other medication is in school on Monday.
Please contact us - claire.james@buckhursthill.essex.sch.uk/angela.stephens@buckhursthill.essex.sch.uk if we have missed anything out.
Enjoy your weekend, we are looking forward to starting next week.
A warm welcome to RS' class page!
Mrs Stephen's is the class teacher. Your child will also be supported by Mrs James (the other Reception teacher), Mrs Tassie, Mrs Clements and Mrs Collischon.
We will inform you of the children's ' Show & Tell' and reading days once they have settled in. P.E. is on Monday & Wednesday
Each week, we will upload the Reception newsletter to the website along with any other information you might need. Please check the class page regularly for updates.
Please email me if you have any questions or concerns - angela.stephens@buckhursthill.essex.sch.uk.
We are looking forward to meeting all of the children this week!