A Very Warm Welcome to Foundation 

Welcome to Spring 2 at John Clifford from all the Foundation Stage Team. Our Early Years Unit is known as the Wildflower Garden, and it covers the Foundation Stage One (F1- Nursery- Sweet Peas) and Foundation Stage 2 (F2 – Reception). 

Welcome to Summer 2 at John Clifford from all the Foundation Stage Team. We are excited to jump into teaching and learning with our new topic:

This half term the children will learn about what we can see at the beach, taking care of our oceans, what is under the sea types of sea transport.

Our focus texts will be ‘The Rainbow Fish’, Sharing a Shell and ‘Pirates Love Underpants’.

Over the half term, we will also be learning:

• PSED- To continue to develop friendships with each other, share their stories about their experiences, take turns and share equipment. Express their feelings and be aware of how their behaviour affects others i.e. I can share with my friends just as the Rainbow Fish did. Develop appropriate ways of being assertive. Understand gradually how other might be feeling. Identify and moderate their own feelings socially and emotionally. Think about the perspective of others.
• CLL - Group discussions – expressing our point of view, using talk in our play to organise ourselves, connect our ideas and actions using longer sentences. Articulate their ideas and thoughts in well-formed sentences. Understand ‘why’ questions, like, “Why do you think the monster feels sad?” Learning new vocabulary related to our topic, talk about different environments; at the beach, under and on top of the seas/oceans, learn about pirates from the past, how they sailed ships and used maps.
• PD - Gross motor skills – Think about safety as they work as a team to move large items in their play outside. Remember a sequence of movements related to music and rhythm. Develop confidence, competence, precision and accuracy when engaging in activities that involve a ball. Develop the foundations of a handwriting style which is fast, accurate and efficient. Songs and dances related to the sea and pirates, weekly PE and Outdoor Learning activities with Mrs. Mitchell. Become more independent when changing for PE and Outdoor Learning.   Participating in Sports Day. Fine motor skills –To prepare healthy snacks; spreading and chopping using knives. Using scissors, playdough utensils, glue, cutlery, paint brushes and writing utensils etc.
• LITERACY - Non- fiction writing linked to our topic, ‘Under the Sea’; fiction- writing linked to focus texts.
  • F2 – follow ELS phonics scheme – segment and blend CVC, CVCC and CCVC words. Read some letter groups that each represent one sound and say sounds for them. Read simple phrases and sentences. Spell words by identifying the sounds and then write the sounds with the letters. Weekly adult led writing session linked to key text.
  • F1 – Phase 1 focus: rhymes, initial sounds, syllables on words, listening games. Name the different parts of a book e.g., front cover, back cover. Begin to form some letters from their name. Write some letters accurately. Recognise words with the same initial sound, such as mum and monkey
• MATHS - Subitise, compare numbers, count beyond 10, Understand ‘one more than/one less than’ relationship between consecutive numbers, recall number bonds from 0-5 and some from 0-10 with subtraction to 5, select, rotate and manipulate shapes in order to develop spatial reasoning skills. Compose and decompose shapes so that children recognise a shape can have another shape within it, just numbers can.
  • F1 – Link numerals and amounts: for example, SHOWING THE RIGHT NUMBER OF OBJECTS TO MATCH THE NUMERALS, UP TO 5. Experiment with their own symbols and marks as well as numerals. Solve real world mathematical problems with numbers up to 5. Select shapes appropriately e.g., flat surfaces for building, a triangular prism for a roof etc. Talk about and identify the patterns around them e.g., stripes on clothes, count a group of objects up to 10 and recognise some numerals to 5, then 10 and subitise to 3. Compare objects by length, height and weight.
• UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD- exploring our environment and compare characters and settings from stories. Learn about festivals celebrated by other cultures – link to Sikhism. Know that there are different countries in the world and talk about the differences they have experienced or seen in photos. Plan seeds and care for growing plants. Talk about the changes they notice
• RE- Sikhism
• EXPRESSIVE ART & DESIGN - designing and creating using a variety of media e.g.: collage, paint, chalk. Using different textures -collage/paint/pastels. Learning new skills and techniques to make 3D models using paper (sea creatures, boats, wheeled vehicles), twisting paper to create spirals and joining with glue and tape. Small world construction, junk modelling. Focus artist – Turner - seascapes
• BEING IMAGINATIVE- retelling focus stories using role play, songs and actions – remembering a sequence of actions and adding their own actions to a dance, performing solo or in groups
• MUSIC- Playing instruments with increasing control to express their feeling and ideas. Tap out simple rhythms, related to the topic and well-known popular children’s rhymes and songs. Respond to what they have heard, expressing their thoughts and feelings. Learn and perform a range of songs related to our topic. Create their own songs or improvise a song around one they know

PE and Outdoor Learning (ODL) Summer 2

PLEASE SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL WITH THEIR PE KIT FROM TUESDAY 2nd June.

PE kits will remain in school until the end of the half term To promote independence in dressing and for hygiene reasons please DO NOT send your child to school in their PE kit. Outdoor PE kit are also needed as our PE lessons will take place outside weather permitting. PE and Outdoor Learning take place each Monday afternoon.

PE kits consist of PLAIN black shorts or jogging bottoms, PLAIN white t-shirt, and trainers. PLEASE NAME ALL PE CLOTHES. Please see the timetable for this half term below:

Parent/Carer Reading Mornings 

Each Friday, we welcome parents and carers into the classroom to share a book with their child. This takes place from 8:40 to 9:00 am. We’d love you to come and join us.

Homework in Foundation

Each week, we ask that all children read with somebody at home at least three times a week. This could be any adult or an older sibling or friend. Every little bit of reading really does help children on the learning journey.

Nursery (Sweetpeas Class) Reading

Each day, a box with story books will be placed outside the classroom. Please help your child to choose a book to take home to enjoy together.  You can read this story book several times with your child – Talk about the cover, ask them to tell you what is happening when you read it again and talk about the characters and where the story is set. Encourage your child to tell you the story, using the pictures to guide them.

Check out the blogs below to see what we've been doing in our classes!