Maths

This week, we have been focusing on the number 9. We can quickly show 9 on our fingers because we know that it is 1 fewer than 10. We can subitise 9 on a ten frame because it is almost full but there is just 1 missing. We then looked at Numberblock 9 in a square arrangement and we noticed that he is made up of 3 rows of 3. We then explored the composition of 9 (how 9 is made up), by using a part, whole model to split 9 into parts. We used images and models to help us - with our fingers we could easily see that 9 is made up of a 5 and a 4; on Numberblock 9 we partitioned 9 into a 3 and a 3 and a 3, or a 6 and a 3; using a ten frame we could see a 5 and a 4, and an 8 and a 1. All of this gives children a secure ‘number sense’ so that they can visualise number arrangements and partition them.

Clubs

We are excited to offer a variety of afterschool clubs for children in Puffins and Penguins next term. These clubs will start after the Easter holidays and will run for the whole term.

• Tuesday - Multi Activity Club with Mrs Wenman.

Children will enjoy a variety of activities each week, including Lego, arts and crafts, yoga, cooking, and animal care.

• Thursday – Dance Club with Mrs Chadwick.

This club is also for Key Stage 1 (KS1) children.

• Friday – Multi Skills Club with outside agency Premier Education.

This club is open to Foundation and KS1 children.

These clubs will run 3.15pm – 4.15pm and are booked on a first come first served basis.

You will receive a separate e-mail next week with more information and to confirm when bookings will open.

Rock Up and Read

We held our first ‘Rock up and Read’ session this week, with some parents coming into the classroom to share a book with their child. The children were delighted to be able to share a book with their grown-up as well as showing them the places that we read, like in our reading hammocks and in our reading ‘boats’.

We will be holding two more sessions before half term :

• Morning Session - Thursday 30^th March 8.40am – 9.05am

The adult dropping off in the morning can come into the classroom with their child to share some books. We will be finishing promptly at 9.05am as the children will need to get ready for their phonics lesson.

• Afternoon session - Wednesday 22^nd March 2.50pm – 3.10pm

In the afternoon session, the adult collecting your child will be able to arrive a little earlier and come to the classroom to share some stories.

We know that some grandparents drop off and collect in the afternoon – please let them know that they are more than welcome to come in for the reading session.

If you are unable to attend the sessions, your child will still be able to enjoy reading for pleasure with their teachers and their friends.

Mother’s Day

The children have been busy preparing some Mother’s Day surprises. This week they had the opportunity to spend some money at the Friends of Preston Primary School (FOPPS) Mother’s Day shop. The children browsed the items on sale and then independently selected an item for the special lady in their life. This was a great opportunity to realise that money is exchanged for goods as they had to swap their coin for the gift. The children have also made a special card and painted a portrait of their mum. On Sunday we will be posting a special Mother’s Day video on Seesaw for you to watch and enjoy together.

Local Trips

Beach Maths

Unfortunately, the weather prevented our maths beach trips from happening this week. We will rearrange them to another date in the near future.  

Preston Community Pre-School

On Monday 27^th March, all of the children have been invited to Preston Community Pre-School to hear the children perform their Easter songs. Puffins and Penguins have decided that they would also like to perform some songs for the pre-school. It is fantastic that our children have the passion and courage to perform in front of an audience. It is also wonderful to be able to connect with the local community and share our learning. Many of our children attended Preston Community Pre-School, so it will be lovely for them to go back and say hello. We will be travelling on the school minibus.

If you have any queries regarding the local trips please come and speak to a class teacher.

Seeds and growing

We are very lucky to have an Environmental area in school. We have prepared our vegetable beds, ready for planting. We believe that this is important to give children an understanding of where their food comes from.

We are going to begin planting in the next week or two. We would welcome any donations of seeds, seedlings, or seed potatoes so that we can really utilise this area. Thank you in advance. We aim to harvest them before the end of the school year so that children get to eat their produce.

World Down Syndrome Day – Tuesday 21^st March

Each year, on the 21st of March, we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day. People with Down Syndrome have an extra chromosome (they have 3 copies of chromosome 21 - hence 21/3, 21st March!)

We will be demonstrating our support for World Down Syndrome Day by wearing lots of colourful socks. Why socks? Some say that chromosomes look a little bit like pairs of socks.  Sometimes people have an extra ‘sock’ or chromosome and a person with Down syndrome has an extra copy of chromosome 21.

Children can come to school on that day wearing colourful socks.

Home Learning

• Enjoy the story on Seesaw.
• Check your child’s book bag and Seesaw for phonics activities and reading to complete at home.
• Try the new Six Brick activities on Seesaw.
• Spoil your mum on Sunday and make sure that she has a lovely Mother’s Day! Watch the special Mother’s Day video on Seesaw.

Important Dates        

• Tuesday 21^st March - World Down Syndrome Day – Wear colourful or odd socks to school.
• Wednesday 22^nd March - 2.50pm – 3.10pm – ‘Rock Up and Read’ afternoon session.
• Sunday 26th March - Redeem your World Book Day token for a special book by this date.
• Monday 27^th March – Preston Community Pre-school visit.
• Thursday 30^th March 8.40am – 9.05am – ‘Rock Up and Read’ morning session.
• Friday 31^st March – last day of term.
• Monday 17^th April – first day of Summer term.

From Mrs Bastin, Mrs Clague and the Foundation Stage Team