EYFS – Newsletter – 22.12.2023

Well, after what feels like months of build up, we have finally reached the Christmas break! It’s been a lovely week of festivity with lots of music, dancing and laughter (and a few tears!).

For the past term we have been lucky to have had our student teacher, the fabulous Miss Butler in Reception class. She has been a very valued part of the team but is now off to pastures new in January to start her next placement. We shall all miss her and the children helped us make a goodbye card filled with their self-portraits to thank her for all her hard work and kindness these past months. We all wish her the very best for the future and are certain she’ll be an amazing teacher when she qualifies in 2024. 

Phonics sessions this week have found us recapping our learning so far. Since September the children have been introduced to the whole of ‘phase 2’ letter sounds and it’s been really pleasing to take the time to revisit them all and see just how confidently the children are retaining and using their phonics knowledge to read and write. In January, we’ll begin learning ‘phase 3’ and the children will continue to go from strength to strength!

Christmas cheer certainly filled our Maths sessions this week, with the children practising their counting and number formation skills in a number of fun festive-themed activities.

This week we have done a couple of Christmas themed draw-along videos, during which the children have produced some fantastic pictures. As a kind gesture, some children were keen to visit staff around school to give their drawings as an early Christmas present. 

On Tuesday after school, many children joined the rest of KS1 for a Christmas disco party, filled with lots of dancing and a LOT of sweets!

Even our P.E. time this week was spent having Christmassy fun, with some team games in the hall. The children also got plenty of opportunity to engage in some festive-themed art and craft activities. We even had an impromptu visit from the Grinch himself, as he had kidnapped Miss Devine and was running amok around school!

Friday brought the end of term and fabulous Christmas party, with music, dancing and games followed by a much-needed rest to watch a seasonal movie with popcorn.

We have had a fantastic term since all the children started school in September and are very proud of how far they have all come already. Thank you for all your support with the children’s learning and to school life in general. We hope you’ll enjoy a lovely break and we look forward to welcoming the children back in January.

Merry Christmas and all the best for 2024!

The Reception Team

DATES FOR THE DIARY:

Monday 8th January – School reopens for the Spring Term.