Friday 23rd October

What an incredible first term it has been for our Early Years children! Although it has been a long one, we couldn’t be prouder of how far they have come.  We hope you have a restful half-term break. Please see below for some key information regarding Term 2!

Forest School:

Tues 3rd November	Hedgehogs
Tues 10th November	Owls
Tues 17th November	Hedgehogs
Tuesday 24th November	Owls
Tuesday 1st December	Hedgehogs
Tuesday 8th December	Owls
Tuesday 15th December	Hedgehogs

Swimming for Owls in Term 2 – every Thursday pm. 

Owls need to come into school with their swimming costumes, towels, swimming hats, goggles and poolside shoes (flip-flops/ crocs ) 

Please let us know if you would like to volunteer (as per school policy, you will need a school-based valid DBS and have completed the volunteer's safeguarding training. Please speak to Miss. Decker if that's something you are interested in). 

Hedgehogs will continue with Thursday pm PE lessons – please ensure all Hedgehogs have their PE kits ready. 

The last week of Term 1: 

Although this was our final week of Term 1, the learning certainly didn’t stop!

The children discovered the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, developing their storytelling and retelling skills. We were incredibly proud to see some children beginning to write their very first sentences! We explored the composition of numbers to 3, looking at different ways to represent numbers and having a go at lots of number-based challenges.

Our busy fingers have been working hard through play- dough, pasta threading and using tweezers to pick up small objects. Outside, we strengthened our whole bodies by rolling and flipping tyres and digging with spades in our digging areas.

The children welcomed us into their wonderful imaginative worlds, cooking the most delicious autumn pies, soups and leaf rolls, all served alongside a perfectly brewed cup of mud tea and, of course, a mud pie for pudding! 

Perhaps one of our proudest achievements this term has been seeing just how independent the children have become. They are now confidently collecting their own lunches and carrying their trays to the table without any spillages, which is much harder than it sounds! They are also becoming experts at getting themselves ready for Forest School, even tackling those very tricky wetsuits!

This first term has been truly transformational for our Early Years children. They have grown in confidence, independence and curiosity, and most importantly, they have become a happy and valued part of our school community. We are so incredibly proud of them all. 

We hope all of our children and families have a wonderful and well-deserved half-term break. Rest, recharge and enjoy some special family time together. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back on Monday, 2 November 2026, ready for another exciting term of learning, exploring and making memories together! 

 Little note: 

As the weather begins to change, we are finding that our stock of spare clothes is running quite low. The wetter and colder months often mean that children need a change of clothes more frequently, so we would be very grateful for your support.

If your child has borrowed any spare clothing from school, we would kindly ask that these items are washed and returned as soon as possible.

We would also greatly appreciate any donations of children's clothing, particularly pants, socks, trousers, leggings, and underwear. If your child has outgrown any of these items and they are still in good, clean condition, we would love to give them a new home in our spare clothes collection.

Friday 16th October

We have had another great week in Early Years! We've had a mix of weather this week but it hasn't stopped us being outside, creating wonderful narratives in our Pumpkin Soup kitchen and our mud kitchen!  In our Phonics lessons this week we have learnt the final 4 sounds of Phase 2 - h, b, f and l. In Maths we have been looking at the properties of circles and triangles and have been competing shape hunts within our environment of items that resemble circles and triangles. It was great the see the perspective of the children during this task as they noticed so many things that us adults didn't!

During Drawing Club, we have read the story 'The Gingerbread Man'. It has been great to see the development of children's confidence when writing - so many of them are starting to write their names and are giving letters a great go!

It has also been lovely to see some of the children performing in front of their class our poems! So far, we have learnt 'Chop, Chop' and 'Breezy Weather'. 

Our final week brings some notices with it, so please see below for key messages:

Tuesday 20^th October: Photo Day - Please send your child in wearing full school uniform. If you would like to send them in with a change of clothes for Forest School/Outdoor Learning, please do. We will change them into these clothes after our photos. 

Tuesday 20^th and Thursday 22^nd October: Parent Consultation Evenings - Please book your 10 minute slot with your child's class teacher to discuss how they have settled into their first term! If these days do not work with you, please speak with one of the EY team to discuss alternatives. 

Friday 23^rd October: Dress Down Day - Children are allowed to wear their own clothes to school. FoFS are asking for any donations of toys/bottles. This is also the last day of Term 1. We return to school on Monday 2^nd November.

At the end of the school day, however tempting it is to use the castle, we are politely asking that no children use this equipment. We do not have a member of school staff available to supervise and this is necessary for our risk assessments and insurances. Thank you.

Have a lovely weekend.

The EYFS Team

Friday 9th October

This week, Owls and Hedgehogs have been very busy preparing for our Harvest Festival, meeting up with our buddies and doing lots of fantastic learning during Discovery Time!

In Phonics, we have learnt 4 new sounds – ck, e, u and r, with the new tricky word 'I'. We have been blown away with how well the children have been using Phonics in their Discovery Time, such as through Drawing Club or creating cards for loved ones. Our Maths has been focused on the composition of the numbers 1, 2 and 3. We have looked deeply at each number to 3 and have been looking at different ways of representing these numbers. 

During our outdoor learning session on Tuesday, we were able to jazz up our mud kitchen by introducing 2 brand new water butts, a table and chairs and some lovely crockery for the mud kitchen. We witnessed some lovely interactions between the children, often serving up mud cakes and mud hot chocolates!

Thank you to everyone who has brought back the reading book given out on Monday. As a reminder, we will give new books out on a Monday and collect them in on Friday. It is really important that we get every book back as it impacts the next group of children who need that book. If you are unsure which book you have, please ask your class teacher and we can check our record. 

During some of our Discovery Time sessions this week, the children have junk modelled cars, created boats with magnetic tiles and have enjoyed the writing station to create cards. All of these activities have encouraged the use of key skills such as problem solving, creative and critical thinking and working together. It has also supported the children to use what they're learning in class and apply this to their own child-led ideas.

Thank you for your continued support. We wish you a restful weekend.

The Reception Team

Monday 5th October 2026

Dear Parents and Carers,

If your child came home today with a new reading book, this means they have read their phonics book three times in school with their teacher during the previous week. This gives you an opportunity to see what we have been working on in class and to enjoy some reading time together at home.

Some of the books are wordless books. These books play an important role in developing early reading skills and offer many benefits, including:

• Developing comprehension – Wordless books encourage children to infer meaning from illustrations, helping them understand story structure, characters, and plot.
• Increasing vocabulary – Children are introduced to new vocabulary as they describe what they can see and discuss the events in the story.
• Building listening skills – Children learn to listen carefully to the story being shared without relying solely on text.
• Promoting critical thinking – Wordless books encourage children to use their imagination and observational skills to interpret what is happening.
• Encouraging independence – These books can boost children's confidence as they become more comfortable with the process of reading and storytelling.

These benefits make wordless books a valuable tool in early literacy development.

Each book contains guidance and suggested questions on the final page. Please refer to these if you would like support when sharing the book at home. Our aim is for you to enjoy reading the book with your child three times over the next few days.

We ask that all reading books are returned to school on Friday, ready to be exchanged for new books. It is very important that we receive these books back, as we have a limited number available that match our current teaching focus. Returning books promptly ensures that all children across the school have access to the resources they need.

We understand that finding time to read at home can sometimes be challenging. Busy work schedules, family commitments, and encouraging children to read can all be difficult. Please don't hesitate to speak to us if you are finding this challenging. We are always happy to offer support and encouragement to help develop a positive reading experience for your child.

I would also like to clarify arrangements for our upcoming church visit, as I understand there has been some confusion. I apologise if this was not made sufficiently clear in the previous newsletter.

To support EYFS children with their first transition to church, and then from church back to school, they will attend a slightly different church service. They will be supported by their Year 6 buddies, helping them become familiar with the routine in a calm and reassuring way. We hope this will make the experience less overwhelming and help build their confidence.

Therefore, on Thursday morning, please drop your child off at All Saints' Church at 8:45am.

As a Christian school, church forms part of our monthly routine. We maintain a close relationship with All Saints' Church, and each year group takes part in leading a monthly service linked to their value.

At the end of the service, we will walk back to school with the children and their Year 6 buddies.

If your child attends Breakfast Club, please do not worry. We will collect them from Newton Lang and walk to the church together.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

Kind regards,
Miss. Podlasin

 

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Friday 2nd October 2026 

What a wonderful week of learning, exploring and creating we have had in Reception! The children have been busy both indoors and outdoors, showing fantastic enthusiasm, curiosity and teamwork in everything they do.

This week, we spent lots of time exploring our outdoor environment and observing the seasonal changes happening around us. We talked about the jobs that autumn has planned for us and how the changing season affects the world around us.

Inspired by our discussions, the children worked together to begin preparing our garden for the coming months. We planted an incredible 100 daffodil bulbs, carefully placing them in our flower beds ready to burst into colour in the spring. The children showed great teamwork and perseverance as they dug, planted and covered each bulb.

We also spent time looking closely at the layout of our garden beds and discussing what we might like to grow next season. The children shared their ideas thoughtfully and listened carefully to one another as they planned for the future.

Through these experiences, the children demonstrated the Characteristics of Effective Learning by playing and exploring the natural world, actively engaging in meaningful tasks and creating and thinking critically as they planned and made decisions together.

Our newly refreshed mud kitchen was certainly a popular place this week! The children were excited to discover some new additions, including new utensils and seating areas.

Using natural treasures collected from around our outdoor area, the children became chefs, bakers and café owners. We enjoyed making:

• Pinecone pies
• Rose petal teas
• Seasonal stews
• Nature soups and special recipes

The imaginative play observed was wonderful to see. The children collaborated, negotiated roles, shared resources and used rich language to describe their creations. It was lovely to watch them confidently bring their ideas to life through play.

In maths, we focused on subitising numbers to 3. The children practised looking carefully at small groups of objects and recognising how many there were without needing to count each one individually.

We were incredibly impressed by their ability to observe, estimate and confidently identify quantities. Many children were able to explain how they knew the answer, showing excellent mathematical thinking and growing confidence.

Our phonics learning continued with the introduction of four new sounds:

g, o, c and k

The children worked hard to recognise, remember, write and pronounce each of these sounds correctly. We have been delighted by the progress the children are making and their growing confidence during phonics sessions.

Many children challenged themselves to use their phonics knowledge independently and had a go at reading and writing words such as:

dog, cat, pot, dip, pat and dig

We are so proud of the determination and resilience they are showing as they begin their early reading and writing journeys.

Our Drawing Club story this week was The Three Little Pigs.

The children were inspired by the story and used their growing phonics knowledge to create special codes and secret instructions to help their pigs achieve amazing things. Some pigs grew extra-long legs, others wore super-jumpy shoes, and some even gained special powers to avoid the Big Bad Wolf!

The imagination, creativity and problem-solving skills demonstrated during these sessions have been truly fascinating. The children are becoming increasingly confident at using their phonics skills for a real purpose, and it has been wonderful to watch their ideas develop on paper.

Inspired by Drawing Club, the children decided to investigate how to build the strongest possible house for the Three Little Pigs.

Using a variety of construction materials, they designed, built, tested and improved their structures. The children worked collaboratively, discussing which materials might be strongest and how they could make their houses more stable.

This was a fantastic example of the children creating and thinking critically, testing their ideas, solving problems and learning from their experiences.

We are incredibly proud of how settled and enthusiastic the children have become. Throughout the week, we have seen them:

• Show curiosity when exploring new experiences.
• Persevere when faced with challenges.
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with their friends.
• Develop confidence in their phonics and mathematical understanding.
• Use their imaginations in exciting and creative ways.

Thank you for your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful weekend and look forward to another exciting week of learning ahead!

The Reception Team 

 

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Friday 25th September 2026 

What a wonderful week we have had in Early Years! The children continue to amaze us with their enthusiasm, confidence and growing independence as they settle further into our routines and learning environment.

In phonics, we have been exploring the graphemes i, n, m and d. The children have enjoyed learning the new sounds, recognising them in words and beginning to apply them in their reading and writing activities. It has been fantastic to see their confidence growing each day. We have also introduced a new morning routine where the children practise writing their names. This daily opportunity is helping to develop letter formation, pencil control and independence, and we are already seeing great progress.

In Maths, the children have been learning about grouping objects and making sets. They have been carefully observing and noticing similarities and differences between objects before sorting them into groups. We have also been investigating weight, comparing objects that are lighter and heavier. Using balancing scales, the children made predictions, tested their ideas and discussed their findings using mathematical language. They thoroughly enjoyed being little mathematicians and scientists!

This week, our Hedgehogs enjoyed their very first Forest School session. The children embraced the experience with curiosity and excitement, exploring the natural environment, working together and developing their confidence outdoors.

Alongside this, we have been continuing the exciting transformation of our outdoor learning area. We have built new benches, dug out more weeds and prepared additional spaces for planting. The children have loved watching the garden change and develop. We are especially excited to continue our gardening project next week when we begin our spring planting activities during Outdoor Learning. We cannot wait to see our garden bursting with colour and life as the year progresses.

Throughout the week, Discovery Time has provided many opportunities for the children to follow their interests, work collaboratively and solve problems independently. We have been particularly impressed by the way children are communicating with one another, sharing ideas and showing perseverance when faced with challenges.

A Friendly Reminder About Toys 

We know that many of our children have very special toys and treasures that they love dearly and are excited to share with their friends. While we love hearing all about these special items, we kindly ask that toys are kept safely at home unless requested for a special school event.

Our classrooms and outdoor areas are full of exciting resources to explore, and with so much busy learning taking place, treasured toys can easily become misplaced, broken or accidentally swapped. We would hate for a beloved teddy, superhero or special friend to go missing and leave its owner feeling upset. Thank you for helping us keep these precious toys safe and happy at home, ready to welcome your child after another busy day at school!

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

We love sharing your children's learning journey with you and look forward to another exciting week ahead.

 

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Friday 18th September 2026 

It has been lovely to see the children settling into their routines, building friendships, and approaching new experiences with such enthusiasm and confidence. We are incredibly proud of the resilience, curiosity, and determination they have shown as they continue their learning journey.

The children have been busy exploring a range of media through expressive arts and craft activities. As part of our learning about the changing seasons, they have been creating beautiful autumn displays and producing autumn leaves using a variety of materials and techniques. One of the highlights of the week was using our whole bodies to paint on a large piece of paper outdoors. The children thoroughly enjoyed this creative experience, exploring colour, movement, and mark making on a large scale. This activity encouraged the children to play and explore, one of the characteristics of effective learning, as they investigated different ways of creating marks and expressing their ideas.

This week we also explored outdoor learning and Owls had their first Forest School session. The children enjoyed discovering how to keep themselves, others, and the environment safe while exploring the natural world around them. They demonstrated excellent listening skills and were keen to discuss how we can care for our outdoor spaces.

The children enthusiastically took on a special project to improve our outdoor area.
They worked together to:

• Create sitting benches
• Weed our growing areas
• Add fresh soil to our vegetable patch
• Prepare flower pots ready for planting seasonal flowers

It was wonderful to see the children showing teamwork, responsibility, and perseverance. These experiences helped them to develop the characteristics of active learning, as they remained engaged and motivated while working towards a shared goal.

Our nature challenges continue to be extremely popular! The children have been exploring the outdoor environment and collecting natural treasures such as acorns, leaves, and other seasonal finds.

Using these objects, the children created repeated ABAB patterns, which we have continued to explore during our maths learning. They have also been learning about sorting and grouping objects. For example, they identified that leaves belong to one group whilst acorns belong to another. The children then challenged themselves further by creating different groups based on an object's appearance, weight, size, or texture. These activities encouraged the children to think critically and solve problems, developing their mathematical thinking through hands-on exploration.

In phonics, we continued to explore our first four sounds: s, a, t and p. This week, the children began learning how to write the corresponding graphemes on their whiteboards. We introduced a consistent whiteboard routine, and it was fantastic to see how quickly the children became familiar with it by the end of the week. We are so pleased with everyone's effort and enthusiasm when attempting to write their first letters. Most importantly, every child tried their best, showing confidence, perseverance, and a willingness to learn. We could not be prouder of them!

Housekeeping

On Wednesday afternoons, EYFS teachers have their PPA (Planning, Preparation and Assessment) time.

During this time, Mrs Golding and Mrs Greening will cover the classes. The daily routine will remain exactly the same, and both classes will continue to be supported by our fantastic teaching assistants.

• Mrs Golding will teach Maths and support Discovery Time.
• Mrs Greening will teach Music to both classes.

The children have responded very positively to this arrangement, and we are confident they will continue to enjoy their learning experiences.
 

On Monday, we aim to send home our first set of reading books. These will be wordless books.

The purpose of these books is to encourage children to talk about what they can see, develop their vocabulary, and begin building early reading skills. Whilst sharing the book, you could:

• Discuss what is happening on each page.
• Ask your child to make predictions about what might happen next.
• Play simple oral blending games, for example:
  c-a-t → cat
  s-u-n → sun
• Ask questions such as:
  "What is the first sound you can hear in the word snake?"
  "What do you think is happening here?"
  "How do you think the character is feeling?"

If you are unsure how to use the book, there are helpful tips and suggested questions at the back to guide you.

Once you have shared the book together, please record the following in your child's yellow reading record book:

• The title of the book
• Whether your child enjoyed it
• What you discussed or practised together

Reading books will change regularly as our phonics learning progresses, and we will build upon the sounds and skills being taught in class each day.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Most importantly, enjoy exploring the books with your child and celebrating their early reading journey. We are always here to help and support you.

Thank you for your continued support.

Warm regards,

The EYFS Team

 

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Friday 11th September 2026
A wonderful first full week in EYFS!

What a fantastic first week back we have had in EYFS! We would like to say a huge well done to all of our children for settling in so beautifully and embracing the start of their school journey with such enthusiasm, confidence and smiles.

Throughout the week, the children have enjoyed exploring Discovery Time, where they have been learning through play and discovering the world around them. They took part in a range of exciting science based activities, including making mud bugs, spotting the early signs of autumn and creating beautiful leaf prints. These hands on experiences sparked lots of curiosity and conversation as the children explored and learnt together.

In class, we have also started our phonics lessons. The children have been learning the sounds s, a, t and p, and have thoroughly enjoyed exploring our daily sound baskets, looking at the graphemes and the sounds they make. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm and growing confidence as they begin their phonics journey.

The children have been busy working together as a team during group play, including designing and building pirate ships. These activities have provided an amazing opportunity for the children to get to know one another, support new routines and discover all the exciting learning experiences available at school.

We are beyond proud of our Early Years children. Everyone is settling in incredibly well, and their smiles, enthusiasm and positivity have brightened every day. It has been a joy to watch new friendships begin to blossom and see the children growing in confidence with each passing day.

Important Reminders

On Tuesdays, all children should come to school wearing their own clothes. This is because both classes will be learning outdoors, with one class attending Forest School and the other using the EYFS Wooded Area.

Please ensure children wear weather-appropriate clothing that can get muddy and dirty. We kindly ask that children wear shoes without shoelaces if possible.

Owls Class will have their first Forest School session on Tuesday 15th September.

For the first few weeks of PE, we will be focusing on changing shoes and socks independently. We will gradually work towards changing into full PE kits, but for now our focus is simply on changing footwear. Please ensure your child comes to school wearing socks that they can manage independently where possible.

Phonics Resources

 Thank you to those who attended Mrs Crumbie's phonics presentation this morning. We have attached some of the supporting resources, which can also be found on our website under:

Class Page → Home Learning

 

Thank you for your continued support. We are looking forward to another wonderful week of learning and exploration!

 

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Friday 4th September 2026 

A wonderful start to our Early Years journey!

We would like to say a huge thank you for such a wonderful first two settling-in sessions. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know your children, and we are so excited to welcome you all into our Early Years family.

We have been incredibly impressed by how kind, polite, and thoughtful the children have been. Their beautiful manners, warm smiles, and caring attitudes have already made our classroom feel like a very special place. We are so proud of the confidence, curiosity, and enthusiasm they have shown, and we cannot wait to continue our adventures together.

We have updated our Early Years class page with the information you will need for Forest School, Swimming, Church and our parent flyer for this term. We have also added the timetable we will follow for Term 1. Thank you for your patience whilst our new website launched!

A few gentle reminders before Monday:

School Lunches
Please remember to order your child's school lunch via ParentPay. If you experience any difficulties, please do let us know and we will be happy to help by ordering lunch manually for your child in the morning.

Contact Books
Please ensure your child brings their contact book to school each day.

Water Bottles
Please send your child to school with a named water bottle every day.

Labelling Clothing
Please label all items of clothing clearly with your child's name. With around 60 jumpers, cardigans, and coats in Early Years, it can be quite a challenge to reunite unnamed items with their owners!

Thank you for your support as we begin this exciting journey together. We are looking forward to a fantastic year filled with learning, laughter, friendships, and wonderful memories.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Warm wishes,

Miss Podlasin and Miss Holczimmer