23rd January 2012

Dear Parents/Carers

We hope that you enjoyed the photographs in the card, celebrating a very busy and successful Autumn term.

Welcome back to Spring Term with an exciting collection of topics to stimulate and develop your child.  For a start we will be immersed in reading and writing and following instructions.  Your child will tell you that they have been playing games but to do that they will need to follow instructions and also write their own.  Some of the games will also be superb for teaching calculation and strategies. This is applying what we teach in maths – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  You will be able to help practise the 2, 4, 5 and 10 times tables as our problems become more complex.

Mrs Woodings will be teaching geography this term, focussing on our local environment and comparing this with experiences from different parts of the world with a particular focus on our link school in Pakistan.

Science and art will be taught in a very linked way by myself and Claire Simpson, our artist in residence.  We are studying different materials and exploring ‘forces’.  I am a sailing fanatic and will share this with my class as we make and test boats during National Science Week! This will start 12th March.

ICT – we are getting more complex and challenging.  We will share this on the website and during a future ‘open afternoon’.

We will be completing the NFER tests in maths and English over the next few weeks so early nights always help!  We will use the results to plan and help the children in their weakest areas which I will share with you at the next parent/carer evening in April.

Miss Yvonne will keep up her sterling work supporting and monitoring in all areas of classwork.  However, you will also meet Ms Dale and after half term, Ms McDonnell, who are both working with Oak class whilst training as teachers.

PE:

Your child needs to bring their PE kit on a Monday morning and take it home on a Friday.  Please note that for safety reasons jewellery should not be worn.  If your child is unable to do PE on any day please let us know in the morning or send a note with your child.  We are unable to accept verbal explanations from children alone.

Learning together

We intend to keep using different tools to develop our practical skills and it is also so important to learn how to work together.  The children have really enjoyed learning outside, especially in the Nature Garden and on our decking:
The children have made kaleidoscopes and here is an example of the view through one of them.

Homework: 

Homework is sent home on Friday in your child’s “What’s New” book.  The aim is to make the homework fun and educational whilst involving you as parents or carers.  


Your child will continue to bring their reading book and diary home each evening; please read with your child and talk about what they have read as often as possible - 10 minutes each night is very beneficial.  After reading with your child please make a comment in their reading diary, bring the book to school and your child can then change it for a new book.  Your child should bring their book and diary to school EVERYDAY whether they have read that evening or not.

Snack time

As Dunkirk is a ‘Healthy School’ we would like to just give a gentle reminder that chocolate bars, crisps and sweets are not allowed for the children to have as their morning time snack.  Therefore, could the children please bring in either a piece of fruit, a healthy snack bar or buy fruit from our fruit shop at a cost of 20p.  Palm class also receive a free fruit snack.  There is always water for your child to drink but we also have a space in the classrooms for water bottles so your child can sip during the day and keep hydrated (which helps our children concentrate better!)    
 

Dinner Money/Consent Forms/Money for Outings

Please ensure that all money and consent forms are handed to me (class teacher) in a sealed, labelled envelope.

If any of you are interested in becoming a regular volunteer in school, please let us know

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Woodings

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