Welcome to Cygnets
Welcome to the Cygnets class page. Please explore the page to find out information about what your children will be learning each term, along with letters and other useful documents. Please do not hesitate to come and see a member of the class team if you have further questions or queries.
Early Years
'Children develop positive attitudes to learning in the Reception class due to the well-organised day, high expectations and interesting activities that encourage them to try new things and to do their best.' (Ofsted Feb 2014)
Meet the Staff
Mrs Katie Godsell - Foundation Stage Teacher
Mrs Nikki French - Teaching Assistant
How you can support your child
Useful Websites
www.mumsnet.com/learning/phonics/listen-to-the-44-phonic-sounds (You can listen to the correct way to pronounce the sounds when teaching phonics)
www.letters-and-sounds.com (This outlines all the sounds that we learn in Reception. Depending all the children's ability, we usually cover stages 2, 3 and 4).
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/3-5-years/counting (Lots of interesting maths games)
Tapestry 'Wow' Moments
Tapetry is our online learning journal software where we document each child's progress thoughout the year. To create a home/school link you will be able to comment on posts and also add your own posts about the 'wow' moments you see at home.
Here are some ideas of comments that can be posted on Tapestry along with photos and videos:
Curriculum Aspects
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Is there a moment when your child takes in turns or shares with others?
Does your child take steps to resolve conflicts with others, i.e. finding a compromise with a brother/sisteror friend?
Can they talk confidently about an interest, i.e. a book read or a television program?
Is your child able to talk about their own abilities, i.e. swimming well or writing their name etc?
Are there moments when they comfort others?
Can your child adjust their behaviour to different situations such as listening attentively to a show?
Communication and Language
Can your child explain and talk about something they have made?
Record moments when your child talks about a past or future event, i.e. a birthday, holiday or a visit to a relatives. Do they use the correct tense?
Physical Development
Does your child master a new skill such as catching or kicking a ball into a goal? Perhaps your child learns a new new ballet move.
Are you wowed by a new letter that they have formed or their ability to hold their pencil effectively?
Do they talk about healthy eating or how they feel after exercise, i.e. feeling hot and out of breath?
Writing
Any writing they have done at home, i.e. names.
Reading
Have they read a new word that they couldn't do before?
Have they used a particular strategy like sounding and stretching the word?
Maybe your child talks about a favourite story. Identifying characters, settings or events, or retelling the story with a different ending.
Mathematics
Does your child recognise numbers, i.e. on doors, birthday badge, signs etc?
Can they add amounts together, i.e. when playing with their toys?
Is your child able to share items fairly, i.e. when putting topping on biscuits etc?
Does your child comment on shapes of items, i.e. rectangle windows and a cylinder shaped tin?
Is your child able to talk about how heavy or light something is? Perhaps they use the language tall, short or long when describing things?
Perhaps your child uses positional language when playing, i.e., I am under the bed.
Understanding the World
Can your child independently perform functions on ICT equipment, such as operating a CD player or using the mouse well on their computer?
Are there any family customs or routines that your child has enjoyed joining in with such as attending a baptism or visiting a relative?
Can they talk about cultural differences such as making observations on different foods or dress?
Can the children talk about their environment such as seasonal changes or minibeasts they find?
Does your child talk about changes when cooking or can they comment on how they have changed by looking at baby photographs?
Expressive Arts and Design
Perhaps your child sings a song independently or makes up their own one.
Maybe they create a storyline to their play - you could write down their words!
