January 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to the new term and hope you all had a festive and relaxing winter holiday.  Here is some information detailing our curriculum for the spring term.

English

In English our focus will be on learning and extending children's  phonics knowledge and developing their language and communication skills, with an emphasis on listening, speaking, signing and using PODD books and high-tech communication devices. We have daily phonics sessions and children will be reading decodable books 3 times a week. They will have the opportunity to share their reading books with their teacher and/or a Special Needs Assistant and some of them will take them home. If the book is sent home, please record in your child’s yellow book when you have shared their book with them and keep it in their school bag. This term children will also look at Poetry - Sensational Senses and non-fiction books about weather.

Mathematics

In Mathematics children will be learning to count reliably at least 20 objects and to read and write & order numbers & numerals from 1 – 20. There will be opportunities to estimate the number of objects & check by counting, to say 1 more/1 less to 20, to use ‘more’ & ‘less’ to compare two numbers, add two single digit numbers and  subtract by ‘taking away’ from a group of objects.  We will also explore and talk about weight, capacity and time.

Science

The topic of the term is ‘Light’.  Children will learn that darkness is an absence of light and carry out various activities which help them understand that light is necessary to see things. Children will learn about various light sources such as a torch or lamp and that shadows are formed when an object blocks light from a source.

Art & Design / Design &Technology

In Art and design lessons the children will explore formal elements of art, drawing lines, mixing colours for painting as well as using Lego for printing.

PSHE

There will be a strong emphasis on personal, social and emotional development. We will be reading stories, using rhymes, playing games and singing songs with links to our topics, ‘Managing strong feelings’ and ‘Changing and Growing’

PE

During P.E sessions we will focus on individual physical development and expression, including dance, swimming and Yoga taught by specialist teachers. 

Humanities

In the first half of the term, we will have Geography and we will learn about the local area.  In R.E. lessons children will explore friendships.

Computing

During the lessons, children will learn how to be safe when using the internet.

Thank you in advance for your support and cooperation.  We look forward to discussing your child’s progress at their PSP (Personal Support Plans) and Annual Review meetings.

With Best Wishes,

Dorota Witkowska (class teacher) and

Nadine, Maureen and Deloris (SNAs).