Winter events coming soon!
It's that time of the year when we celebrate out winter!
Our Winter Fair is coming up on Thursday 26th November after school at 3:30pm. It is being held at our Highfields campus. Please do come and visit - there will be games, face painting, treats and much more!
Our Winter Wonderland performance is also very soon! We have two shows - 1/12/2015 in the morning and 2/12/2015 in the afternoon. A letter has been sent home with a reply slip at the bottom - please return these to school asap for your tickets.
For our show, the children will need to bring some party clothes in a named bag for their costume. Please ensure you name all your clothes if possible, as well as the bag, to ensure clothes go home with the right owner! Please bring these to school no later than Monday 30th November.
We look forward to seeing you!
Our Winter Fair is coming up on Thursday 26th November after school at 3:30pm. It is being held at our Highfields campus. Please do come and visit - there will be games, face painting, treats and much more!
Our Winter Wonderland performance is also very soon! We have two shows - 1/12/2015 in the morning and 2/12/2015 in the afternoon. A letter has been sent home with a reply slip at the bottom - please return these to school asap for your tickets.
For our show, the children will need to bring some party clothes in a named bag for their costume. Please ensure you name all your clothes if possible, as well as the bag, to ensure clothes go home with the right owner! Please bring these to school no later than Monday 30th November.
We look forward to seeing you!
Children in Need
Thank you so much for everyone making the effort to come to school in their sports clothes today - and for all your donations! We had a really interesting conversation about what Children in Need is for ... it links brilliantly to our Community theme. Each child in Apple class thought about what they were grateful for and lots of them wanted to make thank you cards to you for being brilliant parents! I hope these cards found you safely as they were really touching.
Shiny!
Apple class were very lucky today! We were visited by some very talented performers who entertained us with a show called Shiny! Two ladies acted out a story line by dancing to music....there were no words at all! Every single child watching was captivated by the performance and loved being able to get involved with it too! We experimented with different materials which then led to lots of discussion back in the classroom. We learnt words like shiny, rough, spiky, and smooth to describe different objects. The children had lots of fun and it was a joy watching them enjoying the show.
Welcome back!
Hello and welcome back!
Thank you so much for everyone who came to parents evening... I left school feeling really proud of all the things your children have achieved in such a short space of time - I hope you feel the same too!
Below is a link to the Alphablocks episode I spoke to you about at our parent workshop and tonight at parents evening. It goes through the alphabet phonetically which really helps the children with their phonics. If you search for it yourself on YouTube, please make sure you are with your child to ensure they do not follow a different link by mistake. Enjoy watching!
Thank you so much for everyone who came to parents evening... I left school feeling really proud of all the things your children have achieved in such a short space of time - I hope you feel the same too!
Below is a link to the Alphablocks episode I spoke to you about at our parent workshop and tonight at parents evening. It goes through the alphabet phonetically which really helps the children with their phonics. If you search for it yourself on YouTube, please make sure you are with your child to ensure they do not follow a different link by mistake. Enjoy watching!
Happy Half term!
Happy half term everyone! We now have two weeks off!
Thank you for a lovely start to the year! We are really impressed with all the 'weekend challenges' that we are getting back each week - we hope you are enjoying helping your child at home with them!
We have given out reading diaries and books as well as some extra resources. Please try to listen to your child read or you to them, at least three times a week - please do fill in the diary too as if they can show reading 3 or more times a week, they get a dojo! How very exciting!
Please remember the Tuesday after half term is parents evening - your times have been given out but please do ask if you are unsure. It is a lovely evening sharing with you all we have done so far!
Keep safe over the two weeks, and I look forward to hearing about all the exciting things you have been up to!
Thank you for a lovely start to the year! We are really impressed with all the 'weekend challenges' that we are getting back each week - we hope you are enjoying helping your child at home with them!
We have given out reading diaries and books as well as some extra resources. Please try to listen to your child read or you to them, at least three times a week - please do fill in the diary too as if they can show reading 3 or more times a week, they get a dojo! How very exciting!
Please remember the Tuesday after half term is parents evening - your times have been given out but please do ask if you are unsure. It is a lovely evening sharing with you all we have done so far!
Keep safe over the two weeks, and I look forward to hearing about all the exciting things you have been up to!
Dunkirk's 'Peace One Day' event!
Below you can see some of our brilliant art work Apple class did for our 'Peace One Day' event! The children really enjoyed looking at the different peace symbols and loved creating them in different ways! They concentrated really hard to make their work beautiful and neat so we could display them for our parents at our after school event. We hope you enjoyed looking round!
What an amazing start to the year!
We have been so proud of all the children in Apple class for their brilliant start to the year! They have learnt our class rules and routines, they have all made lots of new friends, and above all, they are happy whilst they are learning.
In true Dunkirk fashion, we have made sure we have accessed the outdoor environment every day...even when its rained! The children have all become masters at getting ready independently with their boots and waterproofs. In the sunshine, we have used paints and chalk outside which helps with our creativity and our motor skills. On the rainy days we put our science hats on and experimented with the water! We have also been learning important life skills such as how to share, how to work as a team and how to keep ourselves and others safe.
In true Dunkirk fashion, we have made sure we have accessed the outdoor environment every day...even when its rained! The children have all become masters at getting ready independently with their boots and waterproofs. In the sunshine, we have used paints and chalk outside which helps with our creativity and our motor skills. On the rainy days we put our science hats on and experimented with the water! We have also been learning important life skills such as how to share, how to work as a team and how to keep ourselves and others safe.
September 2015 - July 2016
In Apple Class our learning is split up into 7 different areas; PSHE, Communication and Language, Physical Development, Literacy, Numeracy, Knowledge and Understanding of the world and Expressive arts and Design.
PSHE
During the first term we will focus on the children getting to know one another and creating friendships in the class. We will discuss the school rules and promises, thinking about how we can share equipment and look after one another while we are at school.
We will achieve this by modelling behaviour to the children, playing a number of games which encourage team work and having class discussions regarding the school rules and promises.
During the first term we will focus on the children getting to know one another and creating friendships in the class. We will discuss the school rules and promises, thinking about how we can share equipment and look after one another while we are at school.
We will achieve this by modelling behaviour to the children, playing a number of games which encourage team work and having class discussions regarding the school rules and promises.
Communication and language
This term we will focus on developing your child’s vocabulary and ability to use narrative in their play. We will aim to develop your child’s confidence when speaking in front of others, allowing them to practice their skills in both listening and speaking.
We will achieve this by modelling to the children while they are playing and giving them opportunities for them to speak to the class during show and tell time as well as 1 to 1 to adults and peers.
This term we will focus on developing your child’s vocabulary and ability to use narrative in their play. We will aim to develop your child’s confidence when speaking in front of others, allowing them to practice their skills in both listening and speaking.
We will achieve this by modelling to the children while they are playing and giving them opportunities for them to speak to the class during show and tell time as well as 1 to 1 to adults and peers.
Physical Development
During this term we will aim to develop both your child's fine and gross motor skills. Alongside this we will encourage your child to develop independent dressing skills and an understanding of the need for a healthy diet and active lifestyle.
We will achieve this by going for a number of walks in the local area, visiting local parks and by having a range of malleable materials in school, for example, play dough and clay. We will encourage your child to dress in their waterproofs independently and take their shoes and socks off independently before dance. During snack time and dance sessions we will discuss the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the benefits this has on your body. As a healthy school this ethos will be continued by the mid-day supervisors during the lunch hour.
Literacy
During this term we teach your child how to read and write. We will begin teaching specific phonics lessons where we will teach your child to recognise the sounds letters make and how to blend these sounds together to make words. As your child progresses we will move on to reading sentences during guided reading sessions. We will also model reading every day to your child during story time helping them to develop their comprehension skills during this time.
We will develop your child's writing skills by encouraging their fine motor skills as well as letter development and spelling. We will offer a number of activities to develop your child's fine motor skills, such as modelling play dough, cutting with scissors and digging in the mud and sand. During daily phonics sessions we will teach your child letter formation and directionality starting with individual letters and progressing to words and sentences.
Reading books and writing implements will be out continuously throughout the day so your child will always be able to access these during free flow.
During this term we teach your child how to read and write. We will begin teaching specific phonics lessons where we will teach your child to recognise the sounds letters make and how to blend these sounds together to make words. As your child progresses we will move on to reading sentences during guided reading sessions. We will also model reading every day to your child during story time helping them to develop their comprehension skills during this time.
We will develop your child's writing skills by encouraging their fine motor skills as well as letter development and spelling. We will offer a number of activities to develop your child's fine motor skills, such as modelling play dough, cutting with scissors and digging in the mud and sand. During daily phonics sessions we will teach your child letter formation and directionality starting with individual letters and progressing to words and sentences.
Reading books and writing implements will be out continuously throughout the day so your child will always be able to access these during free flow.
Maths
We will teach your child maths daily through a range of activities. During the register we will focus on recognising numerals, counting up to 30, discussing one more or less and discussing the days of the week, months and year. During snack time we will focus on sharing out the snack equally among our friends. When it is time to line up will we practice counting in two's, this will help the class learn about odd and even numbers and mark the beginning of their education in multiplications.
During free flow and cooking sessions we will use language related to time, distance, measures and size, both modelling the appropriate language with the class and questioning them to develop their understanding. During art activities we will focus on the children recognising and creating patterns and utilising shapes to achieve a planned effect.
We will teach your child maths daily through a range of activities. During the register we will focus on recognising numerals, counting up to 30, discussing one more or less and discussing the days of the week, months and year. During snack time we will focus on sharing out the snack equally among our friends. When it is time to line up will we practice counting in two's, this will help the class learn about odd and even numbers and mark the beginning of their education in multiplications.
During free flow and cooking sessions we will use language related to time, distance, measures and size, both modelling the appropriate language with the class and questioning them to develop their understanding. During art activities we will focus on the children recognising and creating patterns and utilising shapes to achieve a planned effect.
Knowledge and understanding of the world
During this term we will focus on the similarities and differences between ourselves and others and between different places and different living things. We will learn about a number of religious festivals being celebrated this term including Rosh Hashanah, Diwali and Christmas.
During specific ICT lessons we will learn how to turn on and log on to the computer, how to open and use a specific programme and then how to turn off the computer. We will begin by creating pictures in an ICT programme and move on to adding text to our pictures.
Expressive Arts and Design
During this term your child will have the opportunity to develop their skills in art working with an experienced artist to learn and develop new techniques and styles. Your child will also be encouraged to develop their skills in dance, singing and role play.
We will achieve this by having regular dance and singing lessons learning a variety of songs and dance styles. We also have a number of resources available throughout the day to allow your child to engage in a number of role play activities.