Welcome to the Sandpipers Class!
Staff
Teacher: Abbie Heseltine, Carol Whitehead (Thursday)
TAs: Diane Molden, Nathan Tierney, Emily TIbbs and Sephanie Heywood
Newsletter
Food Glorious Food
The Sandpiper class had a fun-filled half-term learning about our topic, ‘Food Glorious Food’. In English, they explored ‘Which food will you choose’ by Claire Potter (Author), and Ailie Busby (Illustrator). The learners explored the story through reading, role play, small-world characters, and sentence completion. They also created sentences around the story using colourful semantics. In phonics, the Sandpipers have been practising Phase 2 to ensure retention, introducing new Phase 3 sounds and common exception words. In the mornings, the Sandpipers have been working hard on one-to-one reading. In one of their favourite lessons move and mark, the students try their best to improve their letter formation.
In maths, the learners have been working on numbers up to 20, heavy vs light, and repeating patterns. They have enjoyed festive maths activities, including spring, Mother’s Day, and Easter. In science, the Sandpipers have been learning the structure of a plant. The sandpipers have been handling plants and digging in the outdoor learning area.
In PSHE, the focus has been on families and what different members you can have in a family, including pets. In Art, the Sandpipers learned about the artist Claes Oldenburg. His artwork inspired them to create a soft food fruit sculpture.
In Geography, the Sandpipers explored the Globe; the green means there is land, blue means there is the ocean, and they have ignited where the United Kingdom is; they know they live in England and where England is. The Sandpipers have enjoyed Spring 2, and everyone is excited to welcome them back from Spring 2 ‘The World in my Town’.
Signalong
At Halcyon Way we use Signalong as a part of a Total Communication Approach, we are constantly using core vocabulary with the children to support their language development and then through each of our topics we introduce new signs and language, which extends their vocabulary further. We also have two “Signs of the Week” which helps maintain and extend key knowledge and skills of everyday vocabulary.
Each half term we will be creating a short video showcasing and demonstrating signs relavent for the current term so that you can learn the signs and further this learning at home.
Click play to watch this half terms Signalong video!
Lunchtime
If your child has a school dinner, the school menus can be accessed by clicking here. For children who bring a packed lunch, please remember to provide healthy and balanced options. We are a Healthy School and will be focusing on healthy eating and how children can make healthy lifestyle choices.
How You Can Help at Home
The following activities are suggested as support activities you can enjoy with your child and will reinforce the learning we are focusing on this half term. Our topic this half term is “The world in my town”.
- Our main literature is ‘The Smartest Giant in Town’. Please share the literature at home to support retention; it can be found on YouTube.
- Enjoy reading your child’s weekly reading book. Ask questions to support decoding and blending words; discuss what you see in the picture.
- We will explore high-frequency words; the sounds for this term will be phases 2 and 3.
- In Science, we will explore light. The children will be making scientific enquiries into light and dark. Explore with your child shadows and mirrors. Can your child find their shadow? Does your child know when a room is dark or light? Can you and your child pull funny faces in a mirror?
- In Geography, we will be focusing on locational knowledge. Have a day out and take your child for a walk. Can they remember the way to the park or back home?
- In Physical Education, we will be practising dance. Put Just Dance videos on YouTube so they can practice their moves!
- In Outdoors and Up for it, the children will explore what they can find outside. Go on a scavenger hunt with your child. Can they find some coloured flowers? Allow your child to bring them into school so they can tell their friends about the walk and what they saw.
- We understand numbers up to 20. Can you and your child count 20 of the same thing, maybe flowers?
As the fifth parent guide of the school year, I thank you for all your support and understanding. Let’s make this year successful and fun!
Sandpiper Team
