Thank you to everyone who came to our book look today. We really appreciate you coming to share your children's wonderful learning with us. We hope you have a lovely, well-rested weekend.

RWI

We have been revisiting set 1 and 2 sounds regularly to ensure that all children are confident and secure in their understanding. This includes our special friends, such as 'sh', 'ch', and 'th'. To add a little challenge, we are also introducing multi-syllabic words, which are proving to be an exciting challenge for the children! Engaging with these words allows them to build both their confidence and decoding skills.

In writing, we continue to expand upon what they have learnt. We encourage the children to use not only the sounds they know but also topic words from our ditty stories. This practice not only reinforces their understanding of phonics but also helps in creating meaningful and enjoyable writing experiences.

Maths

This week we introduced the concept of addition through number stories. This engaging approach helps our learners grasp the fundamentals of adding numbers while igniting their imaginations through storytelling.

In our sessions, we have been using simple picture stories to illustrate the process of addition. We introduce the stories with phrases like "first", "then", and "now", which help the children understand the sequence of events and enable them to count how many there are altogether by the end. The use of these segmented narratives makes learning feel more relatable and fun, inspiring our children to actively participate in their own series of number stories.

After narrating some stories together, the children had the opportunity to create their very own number tales. This not only encouraged creativity but also provided a practical context for applying their knowledge of number facts. Encouraging them to recall answers using phrases such as "add" and "equals" helped solidify their understanding of these key mathematical terms.

To further enhance their understanding, we introduced some more hands-on activities using Numicon pieces. This tactile resource enables learners to visually and physically manipulate numbers, reinforcing the concept of addition in a very interactive way. We also explored reading calculations and representing these numerically using tens frames, which allowed us to solidify the children's grasp on number representation.

Next week we will be learning about 2D and 3D shapes.

Thematic

This week, we delved into what a rocket looks like and discussed the important features it possesses. The children engaged in conversations about the purpose of different designs, focusing on why certain items, such as scissors, have specific shapes—such as round holes to comfortably fit our fingers. Through this, they developed an understanding of why things are designed the way they are.

During our exploration of rockets, we identified three main features essential for their functionality: a pointy nose for aerodynamics, a cylindrical body for stability, and fins on the sides for balance. The children designed their own rockets, thoughtfully considering whether their creations would fly and the reasons behind their choices. They then worked collaboratively in small groups to make their rockets using their designs and checking they had all the features identified.

       

Towards the end of the week, we shifted our focus to the concept of gravity and its impact on our planet. We learned about Isaac Newton, who made significant discoveries regarding gravity. To bring this concept to life, we engaged in a hands-on activity where we created straw rockets to see firsthand how gravity affects movement.

This was our last week of space learning, next week we will be learning about the Hindu festival of Holi.

Important dates

24th March – Parent teacher consultation week

25th March – Year 3 trip to the Roman Museum

27th March – Year 1 local area walk

28th March – The Viking Speaker Final; 4 winners from Chilton to attend

2nd April at 9.05am – Easter Bonnet Parade for Reception, year 1 and year 2 in school hall

3rd April – Easter Egg Hunts in school

3rd April – Last day of term. School finishes at usual time.

Important information

• Thank you for coming in to read with your child at 3pm on Monday’s. As the weather begins to brighten up, please make use of our outside areas to read with your child.

• Reading books are changed every Tuesday and Friday, please place your child’s reading folder into the basket outside their classroom

Thank you for your continued support. 

e-mail addresses

emma.dudley-smith@chiltonprimary.co.uk

kirby.walker@chiltonprimary.co.uk