Rainbows
Spring Term
School will start on Thursday 5th January. Our first day back will be our Wow day for the start of our new topic ‘Amazing Animals’. We will have lots of fun activities linked to this topic and children can come dressed up as their favourite animal if they would like. Below is the topic map.
Amazing Animals Topic Web 2023
Phonics- Spring Term 1
We are currently working ‘level 3’ of the Twinkl phonics scheme. More information on the Twinkl phonics scheme will be presented at the parents phonics information session on Wednesday 18th. We will also be sending home the level 3 sound mats for children to consolidate their learning in class at home. Below is the sounds we are currently working and the next few weeks as well.
W/C 9/1/23- ai, ee, igh & oa
W/C 16/1/23- oo (long), oo (short), ar & or
W/C 23/1/23- ur, ow, oi and ear
W/C 30/1/23- air, ure & er
W/C 6/1/23- recap of sounds learnt this term
Zones of Regulation
Over the next few weeks both Rainbow classes will be talking about the ‘Zones of Regulation’. This is a whole school emotional literacy program designed to enhance children’s ability to recognise, name and process their own emotions. It also helps teach children how to manage these. Below is the chart used in class.
Phonics and Tricky Words Packs
These packs went home in book bags on Friday. They contain the phonics sounds we have been learning this term, the actions to these and tricky word bookmarks as well. We have been learning set 1 but have included set 2 for you to use if you feel your child is ready too. These are there to support your child with the learning in school, please do not feel the need to spend great amounts of time each evening going over these. Little and often is key as is with the tricky words. Reading is a combination of decoding words but more importantly understanding them, the text and gaining meaning from it. If your child is reluctant to read to you then reading to them and asking them questions like who their favourite character is and why is just as valuable.
Rainbows Christmas Nativity
You might have heard your child singing some Nativity songs recently. We are busy learning the songs and actions to it. This week we will send home what part your child has and the clothes needed for it. These are mostly base layer (e.g. white top and bottoms for angels) as we aim to supply the main outfits and props ourselves. If your child has lines please spend time helping them remember and also rehearse these with the lines before so they learn their cue.
Terrific Tales
We will be kicking off our Terrific Tales topic with a Wow day on the first day back (Monday 31st October). Children can can come in dressed up as their favourite character from a book. Please dont feel the need go out and purchase a costume for the day and if you’re child would prefer to wear their uniform they are welcome too. We also have costumes in school they can wear. Please find the topic plan below as well.
Meet The Teacher
For those parents who are unable to attend the meeting please find the PowerPoint that we will be talking through. We shall also record the meeting and upload this for you.
Please find the recording for todays meeting.
Bookbags
There was lots of excitement as book bags went home last week with a book the children chose from the class reading box. An adult can read these books at home or the children can look through them. The key aim is to promote positive reading habits. Over the next few weeks your child’s class teacher will start to move the children onto the school reading scheme when appropriate for the child. This will be in line with the phonics taught and the ongoing assessment in class. Books will be changed twice a week.
With the weather starting to get colder and the children bringing in coats, jumpers, scarves and gloves, please make sure everything is labelled, if possible with class name as well so that it can end up back in the Reception area. It can be labelled as R1 or R2 if short on space. Please make sure that items brought home are your child’s as well as sometimes things get mixed up.
Tapestry
We hope that you have seen some of the activities they have been doing on Tapestry, if you haven’t seen anything please check your junk email in case you have missed any emails. If you still haven’t seen any information about linking your parent account or notifications about your child please speak to you class teacher. We will use this to record wow moments and accomplishments for the children throughout each term, if you see any of these moments you are welcome to share these on Tapestry as well.
Communication
There are lots of different communication methods at HSM. Lots of school dates and information is shared on the school’s Welcome to the Week email normally sent on Monday. If you are not receiving this then please speak to the office and they can set this up for you. The Rainbow page is updated frequently as well with lots of key information.
You can speak to us at drop off and pick up or we can arrange to call or meet with you. You can also email the office or class email below.
School office email:
office@haddenham-st-marys.bucks.sch.uk
Each class email:
- Tuesday 27th September- Meet the teacher. Please drop your child off at the school hall where a whole school assembly will take place with the children. Then go to your child’s classroom for meet the teacher. It will last 30 minutes.
Our Topic
Our topic for the first part of the Autumn term is ‘All About Me’. This will focus on new beginnings, starting school, new classes and the people who help. Our learning will be centred around this.
Please see out Topic Web for this term:
Please also find our Curriculum Overview with what we will be covering in reception this year:
September
The first day will be on Tuesday 6th September where the times will either be 9.30-11.30 or 12.30-2.30 depending on the letter your received. They will not have lunch in these sessions but can bring or have one of the school snacks. This is to allow a calm transition into school for the children and the staff to get know the class. Please email the school office if you haven’t received this letter confirming your child’s time during this week.
The following Monday the whole class will be in for full time: the gates to school open for drop off at 8.50 and registration will be taken soon after this. Pick up is at 3.05. The children will have access to a snack in the morning but are welcome to bring in their own snack. We ask for all snacks to be nut-free and brought in on Mondays in a named container where the children can have one each day throughout the week.
School Uniform, PE and Forest School
Both Rainbow classes will have Forest school on a Tuesday, they will need to come to school wearing appropriate Forest School clothes (please see guidance under the ‘The Magic of Forest School on our website). Both classes will have P.E. on a Wednesday, children should wear their PE kit for these days. In hot weather they can wear a t-shirt and shorts, in colder weather they can wear their PE bottoms and PE/School jumper. Please bring in a pair of named wellies for your child to remain in school to be used when the weather gets wetter. Below is the school uniform flyer emailed out for your information.
RECEPTION CURRICULUM 22-23 EYFS HSM
The Summer Holidays
We hope that everyone has a nice holiday over the summer. Please do not worry about teaching your child lots of phonics or calculations. Make sure you spend lots of time creating memories, encouraging their interests, reading to them and most of all having fun!
June 2022 – New Starters Information Meeting
If you were unable to make the meeting on 28th June, please see slides below.
Tuesday 28th June New Starters PPT
Information Meeting for Open Day October 2021
Please click on the link below to watch our online presentation:
Online Meeting October 12th 2021
Welcome to Haddenham St Mary’s Church of England School
‘We love to learn’
OFSTED
We were thrilled to have received ‘Outstanding’ in our early years provision in our most recent OFSTED inspection in September, where the inspectors looked at both Reception and Little Forest Friends in great depth.
‘The curriculum in early years is exceptionally well planned and taught. Leadership of this aspect of the school’s work is inspirational. Children get off to a brilliant start in their education. Staff are highly skilled. This is evident in the expert way they support children’s communication and language skills. Staff use every opportunity to engage children in conversation and foster learning. Children sustain attention and engage fully in all that there is on offer.’ OFSTED 2021
To read the full report , please click on the link below:
Our Vision:
At Haddenham St Mary’s Church of England School we are committed to excellence, care and fun for all. We want every child to achieve their full potential in a stimulating, exciting and safe environment – and at the same time to develop a lifelong love for learning. Integral to our approach is the Christian ethos of caring for one another in school, in the local community and in society. At Haddenham St Mary’s, every child matters and everyone cares.
Our Aims:
We work in partnership with parents, governors and the wider community to –
- Promote curiosity and enthusiasm
- Develop all abilities
- Reward effort and achievement
- Encourage independence
- Promote creative and logical thinking
- Encourage respect and sensitivity for others
- Develop self confidence and self-esteem
- Support Christian values
Our Legacy:
For every child and every family to take away wonderful memories of their early years with us.
The Team
Headteacher: Mrs Collett
Rainbow 1 Class Teacher, Mr Williams (EYFS Leader)
Rainbow 2 Class Teachers, Mrs Roads and Mrs Butler:
Please look at the school gallery to see the sorts of things we get up to!!
TAPESTRY
At Haddenham St Mary’s we use ‘Tapestry’ to record the children’s learning. Tapestry is an online journal recording much of the learning and fun of children’s early years’ education. It can be downloaded on an app onto your phone/iPad and you will receive regular notifications when observations have been made. Please see separate letter/consent form which will be sent in your admin starter pack. NB When completing the consent form please write your email address as clearly as possible with correct capital/lowercase letters etc. as this will be used to activate your account, many thanks.
PHONICS
Phonics is taught in differentiated groups across their year groups. Each group works on a specific phase matched to their ability. Children are assessed regularly and may move groups accordingly. We follow the ‘Letters and Sounds’ document. At Haddenham St Mary’s we have high expectations of all pupils and we support each child to help them achieve their full potential. For more information and resources please look at the phonics page on our school website.
Please click on this link to see how each sound is pronounced:
OUR GOLDEN RULES
We have a set of Golden Rules for pupils in school. These embody good manners, respect for one another and ways to help us all to get on well together in a group. At the end of the week for the last part of Friday afternoon, children are rewarded with golden time for keeping these good principles. At golden time children can choose from a range of fun activities such a construction sets, water play, parachute games, craft activities. It is a very popular time! Golden time will be reduced or removed as a sanction if children break the golden rules.
School Office Times 8:30am – 3:15pm (Monday & Friday)
8:30am – 4:00pm (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday)
Term Dates 2022-2023
To view Bucks term dates online, please click on the link below:
We really hope we have provided you with all the information you need for now. In the meantime, if you have any queries or concerns, please contact the EYFS Coordinator, Max Williams, via the school office.
Best wishes,
The Rainbow Team
