Amethyst, Diamond & Emerald Blog - Friday 19th July 2024

 Happy Friday, everybody! We hope you all had a lovely time at Sports Day last Friday! It was so lovely seeing all the mums, dads, grandparents and other family members out together on the field for a picnic lunch and watching the children compete together! 

It seems incredible that we are already at the end of the year - it has flown by! We have all absolutely loved working with all your children this year and it has been a privilege to watch them grow, learn and flourish as the year has progressed. We are all sure that they will continue to be just as fabulous as they move on to being Year 2's and 3's!

Don't forget that we are celebrating the end of the term with a picnic on the field with parents and carers at 12:00 on Tuesday 23rd July and all children can go home at 1:00pm.

UNICEF Shoeshare Appeal

We are once again holding a collection for Shoeshare so now is the time to start rummaging around in your cupboards for old shoes that don't fit or you no longer wear! Shoeshare is a collaboration between UNICEF and Clarks Shoes which works towards improving Children's Right around the world. More than 1.6 million pounds has been raised by Shoeshare to help ensure that children all around the world have access to quality education.

You can read more about the scheme here.

It's hard to believe that together we can make such a huge difference by the very simple act of sorting out our shoes but really we can. Shoes need to be in pairs and if possible held together with an elastic band. There will be a drop off point at the office or you can just send shoes in with your child at any point during the last week of term.

Thanks in advance for your continued support in helping our children to learn about sustainability, the wider world that we live in and how to care for others.

RRS: Every child has the right to an education and a clean and healthy environment.

Book Collection

All children have had their reading books collected in this week. We have let the children keep hold of their reading diaries as there are lots of useful logins inside these. Please bring these reading diaries back to school on the first day back.

The children's school work books will be coming home on Monday. We will be keeping some English and Maths books until October half term so please be aware of this if you find some books are missing.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER HOLIDAY!!!

We will be available on ClassDojo up until lunchtime on Tuesday 23rd July and then again from Monday 2nd September.

Remember: children return to school on Tuesday 3rd September.

All that remains is for everyone here in Key Stage 1 to wish you an amazing summer holiday. We would also like to give our heartfelt thanks for all your support and kind words over the year - it means so much to all of us!

Much love

Mrs Yuille, Mr Jude & Miss Smith

Amethyst, Diamond & Emerald Class - Friday 12th July 2024

 Happy Friday (morning), everybody! It was lovely to see so many of you all at our Open School Evening last night and, of course, visitors from lower years who will be in Key Stage 1 next year! Fingers crossed for a fun-packed Sports Day today!

Shoeshare 2024

We are raising money for UNICEF by taking part in the Shoeshare scheme with Clarks of Rayleigh.  So, please search your cupboards for old pairs of shoes that you no longer need!  Send them to school and we will do the rest.  Shoes need to be in pairs and of a wearable condition.  Money will be used by UNICEF to support education projects around the world.  Every child has the right to an education (A28 &29 UNCRC) and as a Gold Rights Respecting School we are proud to be supporting UNICEF with this project.

Reading Books

In preparation for next year, we will be collecting in all reading books on Wednesday 17th July. If you know you will be away before this date, please hand in your reading book before this date. We would encourage you all to take part in the summer reading scheme at the library during the holidays to help keep up your child's reading fluency during the 6 week break.

Homework

We would like to thank you all for your hard work in supporting your child with their homework this year. We have returned their homework book to them but we are not asking for them to be returned again this year.

If there are some pages left, please work through them at your own pace. The maths homework book is also a useful tool for looking back over the ideas we have covered this year as a reminder during the summer holidays so your child does not get too rusty over the 6 weeks off.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Best wishes

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille & Miss Smith

Amethyst, Diamond & Emerald Blog - Friday 5th July 2024

 Happy Friday, everybody! It is such a shame that the rain washed our Sports Day out today but we have everything firmly crossed for next week! Below are just a few reminders about the day.

Sports Day

This is now on Friday 12th July. Please see the letter on the website explaining the structure of the day.

Some key points to note:

• Sports Day begins at 9:30am for all children. The gates for entry are open between 9:00 and 9:15am.
• Children come to school on Friday in their PE kit but we would like your child to wear a colour t-shirt that matches their team colour: Brooklyn - Blue; Deepdene - Green; Hambro - Yellow; Teignmouth - Red.
• There will be a picnic lunch between 12:00 and 12:45pm. Please collect your child from their classroom at 12:00pm as you would usually at the end of the day. The children will be collected from the field by their teacher at 12:45pm ready to begin the afternoon races.

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 64 & 65.

For Year 1's this looks at 3D shapes. This covers the names of the 3D shapes the children should know and it is important to discuss the mathematical properties of these shapes, that is the number of faces, vertices and edges.

Below is a link to some games to help support these ideas.

For Year 2's this looks at drawing shapes and patterns. Patterns can be repeating patterns, sequencing patterns (like at the bottom of page 64) or symmetrical patterns. Look around you and see where you can find shape patterns.

Below is a link to some games to help support these ideas:

Shape Games

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. Keep using the range of questions we have discussed previously as well!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day - we would love to see you!

Have a lovely weekend!

Much love

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille & Miss Smith

Amethyst, Diamond & Emerald Blog - Friday 28th June 2024

 Happy Friday, everybody! It has been another busy and hot week in Key Stage 1 and we are all very busy working on our textiles seaside animal felt toy in Design & Technology. Fingers crossed they will be ready for you all to see at Open School in a couple of weeks time!

Upcoming Dates

• Friday 5th July - Sports Day
• Thursday 11th July - Open School (3:45-5:30pm)

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 62 & 63.

For Year 1's this looks at 2D shapes. This covers the names of the 2D shapes the children should know and it is important to discuss the mathematical properties of these shapes, that is the number of sides and corners (or vertices).

Below is a link to some games to help support these ideas.

For Year 2's this looks at sorting shapes. This again helps the children to focus on the different shapes mathematical properties - faces, vertices and edges for 3D shapes and sides and vertices for 2D shapes.

Below is a link to some games to help support these ideas:

Shape Games

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. 

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day - we would love to see you!

Have a super weekend!

Much love

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille & Miss Smith

Amethyst, Diamond & Emerald Blog - Friday 21st June 2024

 Happy Friday, everybody! It has been a very exciting week in KS1 as we enjoyed a visit from Chris the Punch and Judy man! He gave us all the things we needed to make our own mini-booths and puppets and then we went in the hall to watch the show. Chris talked to us about the history of Punch and Judy and how it has been performed in this country for over 350 years! All the children loved the show and it was lovely to see such happy faces and laughter!

Upcoming Dates

• Friday 5th July - Sports Day
• Thursday 11th July - Open School (3:45-5:30pm)

PSHE - Changing Me

This half term in Personal, Social and Health Education we are learning about how to cope with change. This includes learning about change in ourselves as we grow from a baby to how we are now. It also includes a lesson next week in which we will be noting the differences between male and female bodies, using the correct terminology. This lesson is very much laying the foundations for future Relationships and Sex Education, which is now a statutory requirement to be taught in schools. We see this as a crucial part of Safeguarding our children and keeping them safe. We are planning to deliver this lesson during the next couple of weeks.

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 60 & 61.

For Year 1's this looks at measuring time. Understanding how time is measured helps work out slower and quicker times and whether times are earlier or later than each other. Try timing your child doing different tasks and compare the times that it took. Also reinforce how 60 seconds make up a minute and 60 minutes make up an hour.

Below is a link to some games to help support these ideas:

Time Games

For Year 2's this looks at 3D shapes. This focuses on the names of the shapes the children should know and their mathematical properties - faces, vertices and edges.

Below is a link to some games to help support these ideas:

Shape Games

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. Keep using the range of questions we have discussed previously as well!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day - we would love to see you!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Best wishes

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille & Miss Smith

Amethyst, Diamond & Emerald Blog - 14th June 2024

 Happy Friday, everybody! It has been a lovely day today where we all took part in our Race for Life on the field. Look out for photos in next week's newsletter! A reminder of some important diary dates for our last half term together:

• Friday 5th July - Sports Day
• Thursday 11th July - Open School (3:45-5:30pm)

We are also looking forward to a visiting Punch and Judy show on Wednesday next week! Because of this visit, we will not be swimming this Wednesday but will make this week up before the summer holidays.

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 58 & 59.

For Year 1's this looks at reading and writing the time on an analogue clock. This can often be quite a tricky concept so take the time to notice how the hands of the clock are different from each other and they have a distinct role in telling the time. Practical reinforcement of reading the time to the hour and the half hour around the home will also help embed this concept.

Below is a link to some games to help support these ideas:

Time Games

For Year 2's this looks at 2D shapes. This focuses on the names of the shapes the children should know and their mathematical properties - sides, corners (vertices) and lines of symmetry.

Below is a link to some games to help support these ideas:

Shape Games

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. Keep using the range of questions we have discussed previously as well!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day - we would love to see you!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Best wishes

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille & Miss Smith

Amethyst, Diamond & Emerald Blog - Friday 7th June 2024

 Happy Friday, everybody! Welcome back to our last half term in Year 1 or Year 2! And what an exciting end of the first week it has been with everyone rocking out to their times tables! Keep an eye out for all the wonderful photos that will appear in the forthcoming newsletters.

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 56 & 57.

For both Year Groups, this continues to look at the area of time.

Keep practicing these areas as outlined in the homework books and relate them as much as possible to your child's everyday life. We will leave the same links as before to help support this learning at home.

Months Game 1

Months Game 2

Time Games

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. Keep using the range of questions we have discussed previously as well!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day - we would love to see you!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Best wishes

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille & Miss Smith