Hello everyone! Welcome to the Squirrels class page. Here you will find some helpful resources and information and also an overview of what we will be getting up to this half term.
In Reception, Miss Early is the class teacher and Mrs Tomlinson, Mrs Rowely, Miss Kean and Mrs Newton are the Early Years Practitioners who will be working with the children throughout the week.
Miss Harrison is the Early Years Co-ordinator who will be popping in lots to check we are having lots of fun whilst we learn. She will also be taking Squirrel Class for our weekly Forest School Session!
We want your child to be happy and to enjoy learning. If you have any questions or concerns please come and see us! Don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions, no matter how big or small. Email us at squirrels@coppice.derbyshire.sch.uk
Meet the Squirrels Class Team
Miss L Early - Reception class teacher
Mrs D Tomlinson - EYFS Practitioner
Mrs L Rowley - EYFS Practitioner
Miss S Kean - EYFS Teaching Assistant
Mrs S Newton - EYFS Teaching Assistant
Our topic this term is…
'Down at the Bottom of the Garden'
We will be exploring all the creepy crawlies that make their home in our gardens, as well as finding out how different plants grow.
Week 1 – The Very Hungry Caterpillar
What did the caterpillar eat? How did he feel? What happened to him? What did her turn into? Why did he eat all that food? What type of animal is a caterpillar? Can you describe what a caterpillar looks like? What other minibeasts live in our gardens? Where can we find them? What is your favourite minibeast?
We will begin our new topic with a classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We will read the story as a class and explore the life cycle of a butterfly. We will make our own butterflies by printing symmetrical patterns on their wings – these will look great on our display! We will also make our own caterpillars with paper chains and practise our independent writing by writing a list.
In addition to finding out about caterpillars and butterflies. We will be heading out on a bug hunt in search of other bugs that live in our garden. What minibeasts might we find? Can you describe what they look like? What could we do to attract more minibeasts to our playground?
As we are starting a brand new topic, I thought it would be a nice idea to take a trip to our local library and take out some books about our new topic. We can start to investigate and find out about what happens in our garden.
Week 2 - The Tiny Seed
What is a seed? What does a seed grow into? How do we plant a seed? How can we look after a plant? What do plants need to grow? What type of plants can we grow? How have you grown and changed? What can you do now? How are you different? What might you be able to do when you’re older?
On week 2, we will be finding out all about plants and seeds by reading this beautiful book, ‘The Tiny Seed’. We will explore how to plant seeds and what plants need to grow. We will be heading out into our outside area to plant our own seeds, making sure that we take care of them so they grow!
As well as exploring how plants grow, we will also be looking at how we grow and change! Nearer the time, I will send out a message asking you to send a photo of your child when they were a baby. As a class, we will work out who is who from the baby photos. We may even include some baby pictures from the teachers! We will be talking about how we have changed from when we were a baby to now. What can you do now that you couldn’t as a baby? What might you be able to do as an adult?
Week 3 - Oliver's Fruit Salad
What foods are healthy? What foods are unhealthy? What is you favourite fruit? Where do fruits and vegetables come from? What does this fruit look like? How does it taste? What colour is it? Why is it important to eat healthy foods?
This week, we will be looking at the story, ‘Oliver’s Fruit Salad’ and we will be creating our own fruit salad at school. We will be revisiting learning we did previously on keeping healthy and building upon this. Can you remember how we can stay healthy? What foods are healthy?
When we prepare our fruit salad, we will explore the fruits carefully. Describing the outside of them as well as the inside. There might be fruit that you haven’t tried before, which is always exciting! We will also be using the different fruit to do observational drawings of them.
Week 4 and 5 - Elf and Fairy Fortnight
Who is living on our playground? Who is hiding behind the small door? Where might we find elves and fairies? What have they been up to? What are they doing? Where do we live? What places are special in our community? Who lives in our town? Where is our school? What is a map?
To finish off our fantastic topic, we will be visited by someone very exciting (and very small!) – our fairy and elf friends! They have left us some clues on our playground and we will become detectives as well carefully explore the clues and discover who else has been living on our playground.
We will have a go at writing letters to our fairy friends and we will also venture out in search of different plants and flowers to create our own dream catchers. I think they fairies will find these beautiful!
This term, we are also looking at the artist Georgia O'Keeffe, who is best known for her close up paintings of flowers and plants. We are going to have a go at creating our own artwork inspired by O’Keeffe. We will do this using oil pastels and flowers and plants we have found on our school grounds. I can’t wait to see all the lovely artwork you produce!
Reception Important Diary Dates
Here are the dates we have so far for this half term. We will continue to add to them as the half term progresses. Also remember to check your weekly newsletter for the most up to date information.
- 21st April – Bank Holiday Monday
- 22nd April – Start of the new term
- 5th May – Bank Holiday Monday
- 16th May – Balance bike training for Squirrel Class (PE kit)
- 23rd May – Last day of term
Knowledge Organiser
To see the Knowledge Organiser for this half term please click on the link below:
Down at the Bottom of the Garden - Knowledge OrganiserMagical Monsters Knowledge Orangiser
Topic Web
To see the Topic Web for this half term please click on the link below:
Stomp, Chomp, Roar - Here Come the Dinosaurs Topic Web
Parent phonics information
Parents information Powerpoint : Meet the Level 2 Twinkl Phonics Family
The Early Years Foundation Stage
In Squirrels class we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage which is organised into seven areas of learning. These seven areas are as follows:
PSED - Personal, social, emotional development (developing self confidence and self awareness, making relationships as well as managing behaviour and feelings).
CL - Communication and Language (speaking, listening and understanding)
PD - Physical development (moving and handling as well as health and self care)
LIT - Literacy (reading and writing)
MATHS - Mathematics (numbers, shape, space and measures)
UW - Understanding the World (people and communities, the world and technology)
EAD - Expressive Arts and Design (exploring and using media and materials as well as being imaginative!)
Expectations
In school we have a set of non-negotiables for Literacy and Mathematics for the children to aspire to by the end of each year group. Click below to see what is expected by the end of their time in Squirrels class (end of EYFS).
Writing non-negotiables for Squirrels class
Mathematics non-negotiables for Squirrels class
We work towards the Early Learning Goals (ELG's) in Squirrels class. Click on the document to see what the Early Years curriculum is all about and what the children should be able to do by the end of their time in Squirrels class.
EYFS curriculum explained for Parents/carers
Squirrels' Stars of the Week
At our school we have a special 'star of the week' from each class! In Squirrels class we have Sammy Squirrel who goes home with the star of the week for a whole week and he has a special diary for the star of the week to fill in ready to be shared with the class the following week. Sammy can't wait to meet you!
Our School Values
Each week we have a new value – 12 in total. The children will have an assembly Monday morning about how to show and give respect to others both in school and at home! We will be expecting this to be demonstrated to all members of our Coppice community, it is important that even when we move onto a new value, the old one isn’t lost.
Our new core values will now form the basis of our ambassador passports (these have now been renamed – core value passports and the children can achieve their bronze, silver and gold awards throughout the year for each core value. We will of course keep you informed about how your child is getting on with this throughout the year.
Each week Mrs Seaton will send out a Newsletter that will reflect the value we are working on so that it can also be supported at home. We look forward to seeing our children bright and early ready to embrace the new weekly challenges!
Learning Journeys
During the last few years we have developed the way that we collect observations about what your child can do during their time in Nursery. Your child will have a gorgeous book called 'My Little Book of Adventures' where we put in evidence of what your child has been learning! As part of this we will be using an app called 'Tapestry' on our iPads to take photographs of your child completing different activities and make notes about what they are doing. One of the best features of this is that we can email you all the evidence we collect! You can also let us know of any 'wow' moments you witness at home. We will be sending home an information letter and permission form for this during the beginning of September!
We also love to hear what your child has achieved at home and so we ask you fill in proud clouds and share them with us!
Proud cloud letter - September 2022
Proud cloud template - September 2022
Information for Parents
The EYFS curriculum for parents/carers handout
Dough disco information leaflet
Letters and Sounds Phase 1 booklet
Letters and Sounds Phase 2 booklet
Letters and Sounds Phase 3 booklet
Coppice Primary School and Nursery - Early language development booklet for parents
Small Talk booklet - age related expectations related to communication
Communication friendly environments
Finger Rhymes
Stay and Play sessions
Each term we have a stay and play session so parents, carers and other family member can join us in Squirrels class to see what we do. The children love showing everyone their classroom and the type of activities we do every day in Squirrels class. We always end with an activity for both children and adults. This could be a story, a squiggle, a dough disco or a dance! Who knows!! We like to keep it a surprise!!
The children love showing their grown ups the Squirrels classroom and EYFS outside area. We cannot wait to welcome you to our stay and play sessions this year!
Have a question or concern?
We understand that there are times when you might have a question or concern! You have an open door policy in our school and you are always welcome and to come and speak to any member of staff. You can email me at Squirrels@coppice.derbyshire.sch.uk or our EYFS co-ordinator, Miss Harrison, at kharrison4@coppice.derbyshire.sch.uk. Alternatively you can ring school on 01773 712840 and we will do all we can to help.
Helping at home
There are lots of things you can do to help your child. We don't have formal homework in Squirrels class but below are some ideas of what you can do which are quick and easy and will help your child consolidate skills we have taught in school. Look on each topic web for some challenges we have set the children to help them gain extra points for their reward chart in school! If you would like any help or support please ask any member of EYFS staff. We would be more than happy to help with ideas!
Reading
Your child has a reading folder which includes flashcards, a homework book and reading book. Please practise these for 5 - 10 minutes every night if possible. We will hear your child read every week in school and will practise letter sounds and high frequency words in our Twinkl Phonic activities.
Phonics
Every week your child will have a phonics activity to complete at home. As we move through Level 2 and Level 3 phonics they will also be bringing flashcards home to practise.
Writing
Encourage your child to write their names on invitations and cards reminding them to have a capital letter at the beginning! As they learn their letter sounds help them practise writing them using the correct letter formation.
Mathematics
Play board games such as 'snakes and ladders' to encourage your child to count spaces to move their counters forwards or backward. When you are walking as the children to count how many foot steps from one place to another and ask the children to identify different numbers they see on doors or buses. Practise counting in order to at least twenty and backwards to zero.
Life skills
Encourage your child to put on and fasten their own coat, to put on their own shoes and to get dressed and undress by themselves. Remind them to wash their hands after going to the toilet and before eating a meal. When eating encourage your child to use a knife and fork correctly.