This week we are sharing the brilliant Supertato stories! (One of our favourites in EYFS, hopefully the children love it as much as we do!)

Here are the big idea question's that we will be talking about:

• How do we stay healthy? 
• Why are fruits and vegetables good for us? 

What an exciting week we have ahead! We are celebrating Chinese New Year! We will be finding out how and why this tradition is celebrated, sharing stories and joining in with some celebrations ourselves. 

The Lunar New Year is celebrated by many different cultures and many different places. For people in China and Chinese communities around the world, the New Year celebration is full of fireworks, the colour red, and delicious food. But what’s the story behind this celebration? Watch this video to find out about what the children will be talking about next week: 

Here's Abbie and her brother preparing for Chinese New Year:

 

Here are our words of the week that we will be sharing with the children:

(F2) Please see your children's reading diary for how you can support their blending at home - this might be practising their speedy sound cards (or certain ones), practising letter formation of the letters they find tricky, sharing a blending book together or sharing their reading book/ditty story. 

We are beginning to blend sounds together to read longer words... Check out this alphablocks episode where they can blend some longer words. If your children are confident with their set 1 sounds, they could also have a go at our 'I spy and read' sheet for an extra challenge.

(F1) In F1, we are helping the children to develop their phonological awareness (helping them to distinguish sounds). This week, they will be playing the beat/syllables in words using our wooden claves and other instruments.

E.g Kangeroo- kan-ger-roo (3 beats)

Bear- bear (1 beat)

Alligator - al-i-gat-or (4 beats) 

Caterpillar - cat-er-pillar (3 beats)

The children will also be clapping the syllables in their names. 

 

• The children have been FABULOUS storytellers following on from our stories last week (We're going on a Bear Hunt and Goldilocks and the Three Bears). We have been BLOWN AWAY by the wonderful story language they are using and how confidently they can recall the stories... We have also LOVED their different voices for characters. Keep up the wonderful work Little Dreamers! 
• (F2) Most PE kits are in school, but if we could make sure all children have their PE kit in school for our lessons which will be on Wednesday mornings - thank you.
• Remember to send in a photo of your child's favourite book/books on tapestry if you haven't already done so- the children really enjoy talking about these in show and tell sessions. 

Thank you for your continued support 😊

 

 

Over the next half-term our topic is: Books, Books, Brilliant Books!

We will be sharing wonderful stories with the children, repeating them over and over, so the children can familiarise themselves with the story, gaining the confidence to talk about them and re-call the key parts.  We will also be talking about the different settings and characters that we discover in stories, and having lots of props in the classroom, so the children can recreate them and invent their own narratives.

Check out our big ideas' poster to share with your children at home (a clearer version is attached as a PDF below)

The UKHSA (UK Health Security Agency) has asked all schools to share the following information with parents in the EYFS:

You will be aware of the coverage in the media concerning Group A streptococcus infections, also known as Group A strep, strep A or GAS. Group A strep is a common bacteria, which many of us carry in our throats and on our skin. It doesn’t always result in illness, but it can cause infections, some mild and some more serious. More serious infections are caused by the bacteria getting into parts of the body where it’s not usually found, like the lungs or bloodstream. These are usually linked to invasive group A strep also known as iGAS.

The increase in cases is being investigated, but is not thought to be because of a new strain of bacteria. It is more likely to be as a result of a number of factors including more social mixing and increases in other respiratory illnesses.

Key messages for parents

1. Group A strep (GAS) is a common bacteria which causes a range of infections, including scarlet fever. These infections are usually mild. Invasive group A strep (iGAS) is a rare infection when the bacteria gets into parts of the body where it can cause more serious disease, like the lungs or bloodstream.

2. There are currently higher than seasonal expected levels of scarlet fever. The early symptoms of scarlet fever include sore throat, headache, fever, nausea and vomiting followed by a characteristic red, pinhead rash giving the skin a sandpaper-like texture. For more information and advice, please see: Scarlet fever NHS  (www.nhs.uk)

3. Good hand and respiratory hygiene are important, including:

• washing hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap
• catching coughs and sneezes using tissues – catch it, bin it, kill it
• keeping away from others when feeling unwell.

4. As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement. Contact NHS 111 or your GP if:
• your child has a sore throat, fever, chills or muscle aches, but they are getting worse
• your child stops feeding or is eating less than normal
• your child has a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehyrdration
• your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38oC, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39oC or higher
• your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty
• your child is very tired or irritable.

5. Call 999 or go to A&E if:
• your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
• there are pauses when your child breathes
• your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
• your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake

For more information please see: UKHSA Blog - Group A Strep - What you need to know.

In school, we are aware of the signs and symptoms of scarlet fever (which is caused by group A strep) and following rigorous hygiene routines such as hand washing, regular cleaning of the classroom and equipment and ensuring good ventilation. 

This week our big idea questions are:

• What is a story?  
• What stories were told 100’s of years ago?   
• How are castles different from where we live?  

Over the next couple of weeks we are blasting back to the past (over 200 million years ago) to find out all about dinosaurs! Our big idea question's over the next two weeks are:

- What does extinct mean?
-What does a palaeontologist do? 
-What is a museum? 
-Who is Mary Anning?

We will be sharing these wonderful books....

Dear Dinosaur 🦖

Winnie's Dinosaur Day 🦕 

We will be finding out who Mary Anning is, the woman who helped to discover that dinosaurs did once exist! She was a Palaeontologist and collected lots of fossils.

We will be singing along and doing the actions for this song!

Check out the Cbeebies website for lots of dinosaur inspired fun!

  

In F2, we will be continuing our small group phonics sessions-the children have been AMAZING during these! The sounds they have been focusing on will be in their reading diaries, along with some reading activities to try at home. 

As always, keep signing those diaries and working towards your bronze & silver reading awards! 

You could: 

• Practise your speedy sounds (just like we do in school) 
• Make up a story together
• Share a book together
• See if you can read any road names/aisles in the supermarkets/writing on packaging etc

F1's you could have a go at this- pressing the sound buttons and trying to work out what the different noises are.

Here is the vocabulary F1 will be learning over the next coupe of weeks-see if the children can talk about dinosaurs at home using some of these words:

Here is the vocabulary F2 will be learning during our two weeks of all things dinosaurs! 

• Huge thank you to everyone that sent in baby/toddler photos-the children have loved sharing these with their friends this week!
• If anyone has any stories or books with dinosaurs in at home-we would love to borrow these to share with the children over the next couple of weeks (please make sure your children's name is in them, so we can keep them safe).
• (F2) Keep up with your doodle maths (we currently have 50% of children on track, which puts us in 4th place across the school).
• Feel free to have a go at some of these dinosaur inspired activities at home over the next couple of weeks - or think of your own (we love seeing what you get up to on Tapestry!)