Many thanks for all the support you have given to your child's learning so far this term. The children have settled back well under difficult circumstances and have all made considerable progress which has been lovely to see.

We are having a school photography competition over the half term holiday with the theme being 'Autumn'. Children can enter the best photo they take themselves during the holiday. The photos can be taken on any device and don't worry if they can't be printed as you can also enter them via email or google classroom.

Judging will take place on Thursday 5th November. The winning photographs will be displayed and certificates awarded during our weekly golden assembly.

Spellings for the first week back are now available on google classroom along with our new maths recall sheets.

Enjoy your half term!

Many thanks for your generous donations for our harvest festival. The food bank now have a full box on the way to them!

Ideas for if you wish to take your learning further at home

Science – Our Bodies

· Collect photos of yourself from being a baby until now. Can you put them into the correct age order? How have you changed since you were born?

· Measure a part of your body e.g. your arm. Measure the arms of your family. Are they the same? How are they different? Why do you think this is?

· Play naming games , such as Simon says, using unfamiliar body parts

Topic – Families

· Make a simple family tree of your close relatives.

· Find out where your family members e.g. grandparents live. Is it in a village, town or city? Can you find it on a map?

· Paint or draw a portrait of your family.

Welcome back to school!

What's going to happen on Monday?

I expect that's the question that's on your mind. We are so looking forward to welcoming you on Monday, but we realise you might be worried. That's fine: it's okay to be worried, and we all sometimes get nervous about coming back to school after the summer holidays.

On Monday you will need to wait outside the main school entrance until 8:45am. Mrs Nudds will then open the gate and let you walk into the playground where Miss Chell will be waiting. Please go and stand near her. We will remain outside until all the children from our 'class bubble' have joined us either from the bus or morning club before we go inside. We will then head into our classroom where the first thing you will need to do is wash your hands. Miss Chell and Miss Parker will then explain all the things we need to do to help keep ourselves safe.

At the end of the day if you are going on the bus you will wait with Miss Parker and if not you will head out into the playground with Miss Chell. We will wait near the main gate and you will be called as Miss Chell sees your parent or whoever is collecting you.

Please make sure you are wearing shoes you can do up yourself and clothes which you are able dress yourself in. Please avoid any tricky buttons and zips as we will only be able to help you in an emergency.

Quick Answers about Coming Back to School:

Assemblies: We won't be having whole school assemblies at the moment, but we will still be collecting team points and giving out class certificates as normal.

Hand sanitiser and hand-washing: Everything needed is in the classroom or where we are working. We will be washing our hands regularly as a preference to hand sanitiser, but we might do both. You do not need to bring your own hand sanitiser, because we want to keep home things and school things separate.

Lunch: We are eating in the hall. There are some changes about where we queue and sit, but nothing to worry about. We will go into the hall at 11:55, spaced out after the Curlews, and will go out to play on our own playground area.

Pencil cases: You don't need these, so please don't bring them. I know that doesn't sound much fun, but we want to keep school things in school and home things at home. I've already put pencils and so on your desk tray.

PE - This will be on Wednesdays and Fridays. We will be using outdoors as much as possible for Wednesday PE sessions, and Fridays will start off as an a yoga session, so you'll be spaced apart in the hall.

Playtimes: We are separate from the rest of the school. Our playground is the area around the OLZ including the scooter and bike track. No-one else will be using that area of the playground and we will have our own box with bats and balls in.

Reading books: As reading is key in KS1 books will still be sent home so please read regularly with your child. Some children will also have tricky words to practice. When books come back to school they will go in a special place for 72 hours and you will take a fresh book. You will read in school but not to an adult who sits next to you. We will keep a distance. Please return any reading books that you have at home as so many were sent home over lock down that our stocks are a little low!

Seats: You will be sitting in rows, so you won't be facing each other. We won't be working in groups at the moment, but you will be able to work in a pair. Lessons are going to be spent sitting down, and there won't be much chance to move about, but I'll try to keep things fun, interesting and in short blocks to help you concentrate.

Fruit Break: Fruit will be provided however for the first day the delivery may not have turned up so please bring your own. You are always welcome to bring in your own fruit/ vegetable sticks if you prefer.

Team points: We're collecting these just like normal. The only difference is that there won't be an assembly on a Friday, but the scores will still be displayed in the hall so you can check them during PE or lunchtimes.

Toilets: We will be using the toilets next to our cloakroom. They are now unisex, and no-one else will be using them.

We look forward to seeing you all on Monday!

Topics for the Autumn Term

Our main topic for the half term is Families, with an emphasis on art, geography and science.

Art - we will be evaluating famous paintings of families and then creating our own works of art in their style. This will include developing portrait skills, colour mixing and exploring different ways of applying paint to achieve different effects.

Geography - we will be studying where different families within the UK live and finding out how villages, towns and cities differ. We will link some of the geography topic to our work in literacy, finding out about how the fictional character Katie Morag's family island home differs to ours.

Science - during this half term our focus will be on our bodies, including how people within our families grow and age.

Home learning

Ideas for home learning related to the topic of families will be added to google classroom towards the end of next week, along with a copy of your child's spellings should you wish to practice these at home.

From 2019/20

AM - daily

Individual spellings - these are available each week on Google Classroom

Phonics - based on phonics play which has a link on the blog home page

Maths - basic skills similar to those covered in the home learning pack or BBC bitesize lesson if you prefer

Writing - we are currently writing a story as a group about a cat which rescues an ill man. It is a 4 week unit of work which we will practice and apply skills similar to those found in your home learning pack e.g. question marks and exclamation marks.

PM - daily

Reading individually an appropriate book banded text taken from Oxford Owls, which has a link on the blog home page. to an adult

Reading individually own reading books

Mon-Wed

A geography topic about our world. The first week was an overview of the names of the continents and oceans. For each of the remaining weeks we will look at a continent and a country within it to make sure the children understand the difference between a continent and a country. For example Europe and France. We will the research key landmarks, weather, food, capital city, flag and other key facts about the country.

Thurs-Friday

Mr Speck is developing computer skills e.g. using a keyboard and learning about space, this was an interest of the 3 children currently in school.

If you wish to do some topic work at home you may wish to follow either of these topics, your own child's interests or may prefer to add variety by following BBC bitesize lessons.

Home Learning Key Points – All Year 2s and most Year 1s

• Maths and literacy packs will continue to be produced every 2 weeks. The next pack, number 5, will be available for collection from outside the main school entrance on Thursday 18^th June and on Google Classroom from Friday 19^th June.

• Reading books can be returned weekly by Thursday, changed by Miss Chell on Monday and ready to be collected the following Thursday. Please have names clearly visible.

• Spellings will be available on Google Classroom each Friday ready for the following week.

• With Miss Chell being in class Monday-Wednesday replies to any email queries may take a little longer than at present on these days.

• Access to the school will be closely limited. If you require access to change books or collect packs please bring your phone with so you can call Mrs Nudds in the office if you find the gate is locked.

We hope you had a good half term, enjoyed the fantastic weather and stayed safe.

It is a very difficult situation in which we find ourselves this term but we are committed to making it as positive an experience as possible, whether your child returns to school, stays at home or returns when the time is right. However, the Inca Jays will be far from the class your child knows. This update aims to give an overview of what time in school will be like followed by specific information for children who remain at home and those who return.

Class information

The photograph below gives an indication of how different things will be in order to keep children, staff and all of our families as safe as possible. Miss Chell will lead the class based learning Monday-Wednesday with Mr Speck leading on Thursday and Friday. They will always be supported by a Teaching Assistant to help ensure, as much as possible, that strict social distancing and hygiene measures are followed. We will increase outdoor learning, weather permitting.

Inca Jay children will be the only class using the main entrance to the school and they have been allocated sole use of the toilets within the main building.

Within the class, children will need to remain in their places on a table by themselves (green chair) with a tray with all the resources they will need at the side of them. Their coat, lunch and bag will be on the spare chair (red) at the side of them.

Lunches will be eaten in class or allocated places outside.

There will be no whole school events/sessions, such as assemblies.

Staff will not be getting close to children, unless in an emergency when PPA will be worn, which will mean feedback, help and support will need to be given at a distance. Children will drop their books at a table then return to their places while we look at the work. We will then model, at a distance using whiteboards, to help them before they then collect their book and continue.

Reading will be taught via a text on the large whiteboard, as we cannot be close enough to share a book with them.

There will be no singing as this has a similar effect to coughing with virus particles. There will be no PE other than individual running, hopping etc. challenges and these only when we can be outside, as again heavy breathing increases the risk.

There will be no use of the class resources, other than those provided on the child’s table, and no free choice activities or Golden Time.

Home Learning Key Points – All Year 2s and most Year 1s

• Maths and literacy packs will continue to be produced every 2 weeks. The next pack, number 4, will be available for collection from outside the main school entrance on Thursday 4^th June and on Google Classroom from Friday 5^th June.

• Reading books can be returned weekly by Thursday, changed by Miss Chell on Monday and ready to be collected the following Thursday. Please have names clearly visible.

• Spellings will be available on Google Classroom each Friday ready for the following week.

• With Miss Chell being in class Monday-Wednesday replies to any email queries may take a little longer than at present on these days.

• Access to the school will be closely limited. If you require access to change books or collect packs please bring your phone with so you can call Mrs Nudds in the office if you find the gate is locked.

Returning Children Key Points – some Year 1s

• Please discuss the changes in the Inca Jay class with your child in order to prepare them.

• Send your child in clothes which will require no adult assistance hence contact. Shoelaces, tricky buttons or zips which stick are not emergency situations.

• Send your child with their own water bottle (the water fountain will be out of use), snack and lunch.

• Do not let your child bring in their own pencil case or toys from home.

• Although it is not government advice, children are welcome to wear a face mask. Please also explain to your child that some staff will be wearing face masks in enclosed spaces such as the classroom.

• Make sure your child has a waterproof coat and sun hat as we will be learning outdoors wherever possible.

• Reassure them that, although staff will be maintaining a distance from them, they still do care.

• If your child shows any symptoms, however mild, do not send them to school.

We hope the information given in this newsletter has provided you with a clearer picture of the situation and the measures we are taking to keep everyone as safe as possible. We have currently planned provision based on 3 children, as this was the number who requested to return on Wednesday 3^rd June. If your child is in year 1 and you change your decision, either to return to school or remain learning at home, please let the school office know.

It is vitally important that you do not just turn up on the day as safe provision will not have been made for your child.

If you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to seeing you when the time is right.

This weeks spelling sheets are now available on Google Classroom.

Maths skills to practice; Year 1 - halving even numbers up to 20, Year 2 divisions linked to your 2 & 5 times tables

Over the half term holiday there will be no phased spelling sheets sent home but please learn how to spell any unknown numbers from your activity pack.

Please could any books which need changing be returned by the Thursday of half term (28/5) so that I can change them on Monday (1/6) ready to be collected from Thursday (4/6).

Thanks for all of the second wave of reading books to change. 72 hours will have passed by Thursday pm so please come and collect your pack of new books when it is safe to do so!

The next pack of maths and literacy activities will also be available to collect from Thursday this week, ready to start working on from Monday 18th. It will also be on Google Classroom.

This weeks spelling sheets are now available on Google Classroom.

Maths skills to practice; Year 1 - doubling numbers up to 10, Year 2 your 2 & 5 times tables

Starline

If you are struggling and need help, you are welcome to could contact me or there is a StarLine team on 0330 313 9162 - you can find more more information here. Starline is a free-phone telephone number, which will offer personalised advice and support from a team of qualified teachers, education and parenting experts, to any family struggling with the demands and pressures of trying to learn from home. Parents phoning the helpline may require support with a specific topic or simply be looking for tips about how to structure the day, deal with difficult behaviour or manage the learning of several children at once.

I hope you all had a nice, if different, Easter.

• From 20th April the BBC are producing a wide range of daily learning opportunities, please see details below.

• Home learning packs with maths and literacy activities, enough for approximatly for 10 days, are on Google Classroom to be downloaded or can be collected from the school, just outside the front door, if you are passing. These were prepared on Tuesday so will have had 72 hours with nobody handling them. Please check which pack you take as there are now 2 boxes, one for year 2 and one for year 1!

• New Spelling sheets will be put on Google Classroom Monday am.

• Maths skills - Y1 recognise odd and even numbers, Y2 multiplication and division facts for x5 table

• Reading - I understand that many children would like to change their reading books. This is possible, but I ask everyone to follow the procedure below for everyone's safety and combine this with daily exercise and necessary shopping.

1) Return your child's reading books by placing them on the table near the front door with your child's name paperclipped to or folded round the top book. Please do this by Thursday 23rd April.

2) I will change the books on am Monday 27th April and set new books out by the front door with your child's name clearly visible.

3) Please feel free to collect your new pack of books after 72 hours have passed (Thursday pm).

Home - BBC Bitesize

www.bbc.co.uk › bitesize

It's a strange time to be a school pupil right now but wherever you're doing your lessons, BBC Bitesize is here for you - more than ever.

From 20 April, you’ll be able to access regular daily lessons in English and Maths, as well as other core subjects, in an expanded version of our website and also on special programmes broadcast on BBC iPlayer and BBC Red Button.

We’ve worked with our colleagues in other parts of the BBC and education experts from around the UK to make sure everyone who needs it can access learning resources during this uncertain time. You can also expect some of it to be delivered by well-known faces.

The Bitesize website you use now will expand to offer additional help for students and their parents. New Maths and English lessons will be available every day for all ages. These will be created with resources from Bitesize, other parts of the BBC and other education providers. The content of these lessons will be backed up by new videos, practice tests, educational games and articles. Regular lessons on other core subjects, including science, will also be available. Mums and dads can get advice on how to teach anyone who is home-schooling and the Bitesize website will also have guides for pupils with SEN (special educational needs).

Lessons on screen

BBC iPlayer and the Red Button service will host Bitesize Daily. These are six different 20 minute shows, each designed to target a specific age group, from ages five to 14, and for pupils throughout the UK. Experts and teachers will be involved, covering what should be learned that day for the different year groups and key stages. Maths, Science and English will be covered in dedicated programmes, and other subjects such as History, Geography, Music and Art will also be covered.

Schools would normally have broken up for the Easter holidays at the moment.

Under the circumstances, I believe it would be beneficial to keep some sort of daily routine which includes learning activities and helps prevent the chidren getting too restless.

Reading

Please keep reading—the web sites on the blog home page are great, as is the Oxford Owls.

Spelling

I have put a copy of the key words the national curriculum requires children to be able to spell by the end of the year on Google Classroom and a hard copy in each pack collected from school. The holidays will be an ideal opportunity for the children to learn to spell any of these which they do not already know.

Easter Activity Pack

Copies can be collected from under the porch near the main entrance at Docking School. Please do not make a special journey, but if your daily exercise or trip to the shop for milk takes you past the school please collect one. The activities are also available on Google Classroom. Please pick and choose which you wish to do.

I will still be checking my mail and the Google Classroom throughout the holidays so please feel free to contact me.

Happy Easter!any children now being online you may like to have a look at the thinkuknow website.

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

They offer age appropriate advice along with safety clips and activities.

I hope you are all enjoying the learning activities you have tried so far from your pack. Please keep up with your daily reading and spelling practice. I have uploaded your new spellings for the week onto google classroom.

Maths

Key Skills need to be practised to ensure good recall. Five minutes each day working on a key skill will be very valuable.

Key Skills this week are:

• Year 1 - Count on in 1s up to 100. Start at any number e.g. 38 or 79.

• Year 2 - Know the answer to quick fire additions of 1 digit numbers (recall not just work out on your fingers!) e.g. 4+5 or 2+6.

Phonicsplay

In response to the ongoing situation, PhonicsPlay is currently free to use.

Children can use the site at home without needing to subscribe. To access resources all you need to do is log on using the following details.

Username: march20

Password: home

Good morning I hope you all had a good and safe weekend.

Why not start the day with a Joe Wicks body coach workout aimed at KS1 children?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3LPrhI0v-w

I have posted details of the kinds of learning activity it would be good to cover on a daily basis with your child (reading, writing and maths), if possible, and a couple of great web sites.

Weekly spelling lists have been posted on Google classroom.

I will be checking my email rchell@stmaryfed.org.uk daily Monday-Friday and would love to see any completed work/activities. Also please contact me via email if you have any difficulties.

Daily Learning Activities

Reading - if you only can manage one activity to do with your child - please read!

Your child was sent home with some books last week which are suitable for them to read to you. Please also read to them and discuss what is happening in the story. The Oxford Owls website is amazing, packed with fun activities, and has a free ebook library! You do need to sign up, but this is totally free! www.oxfordowl.co.uk

Children can also apply their phonics knowledge on Phonics Play. Please follow the link on the home page of the blog and they will find some free games which they are familiar with.

Writing

Weekly spelling lists are uploaded onto Google Classroom. Please practice these daily - they only take a few minutes!

There are also many written activities in the TTS pack or you could try one of these:

Write a minibeast shape poem

Find out about your favourite minibeast and make a fact file

Please try to encourage your child to apply their handwriting skills as once children slip into forming letters incorectly it can be a hard habbit to break.

Maths

Key Skills need to be practised to ensure good recall. Five minutes each day working on a key skill will be very valuable.

Key Skills this week are:

• Year 1 - Recall of number bonds to 10 (2 numbers which go together to make 10, such as 2 and 8 or 5 and 5).

• Year 2 - Count back a single digit number from a two digit number (such as 36 count back 8)

There are also many maths activities in the TTS pack or you could try one of these:

Record and make a pictogram of the minibeasts you find in your garden.

Record and make a pictogram of the birds you see from your window in 10 mins.

Please try to encourage your child to form their digits correctly and rewrite out correctly any which have been reversed.

Dear Parents,

This page is to update you with current topics and key dates for each half term. We will also include our ideas to take learning further at home.

Topics

The main topic for this half term is Minibeasts. We will be linking our topic work closely to our literacy units of cyclic diagrams and shape poems . The children will use what they learn about minibeasts and their habitats to design an area to attract minibeasts to our school garden.

Swimming/Recorders

It is our turn for swimming this term and this will be on a Thursday morning at the Bircham pool. The class will be split with the year 1 children swimming this half term. Children will require a one-piece costume, towel and swimming hat. If your child needs armbands please send these ready inflated. The 1^st session will be on Thursday 27^th February for the Year 1s and children will be travelling to the pool on our new federation minibus with two adults accompanying them.

During these times the year 2s will begin recorder lessons. We have school recorders but if your child wishes to bring their own into school they are welcome.

Library Visits

Our school library day is on a Tuesday. Please ensure that your child has their book in school to change.

Home Reading

Many thanks for all your help and support with home reading. All children have made fantastic progress since September and reading at home to practice and reinforce the skills learnt in class is a key part of this.

If you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us to make an appointment. We look forward to seeing you at the parental consultations.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Chell and the Inca Jay team

Taking learning further at home

Science

You could set up a small area of your garden to encourage minibeasts for the summer.

Literacy

Write a minibeast shape poem.

Find out about your favourite minibeast and make a fact file

Maths

Record and make a pictogram of the minibeasts you find in your garden.

or

Record and make a pictogram of the birds you see from your window in 10 mins.