9 Jan 2009 - Newsletter 9th January 2009

We hope everyone had a wonderful break. The children came back to school looking very smart and refreshed.

We look forward to working on some exciting topic work this term:

Year 1 Judaism, Light and Dark and Homes

Year 2 Nelson, The HMS Victory and Islam

We are fortunate that The Life Education Bus' will visit us on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. This bus is sponsored by Woking Council and is staffed to provide Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) education. During the day classes visit the bus (parked in the playground) to undertake the following activities:

Tuesday—Year 2 - Feelings Wednesday—Year R - All About Me Thursday—Year 1 - My Wonderful Body

Can we please remind everyone that the children need to bring track suits and trainers in with their PE kit on Mondays and take the kit home on Fridays for washing. Please can you put trainers in a carrier bag.

Please keep our children safe by:

Parking on the school side of the road

Not parking across driveways

Not parking too near to corners

It has been lovely seeing all the children again rested after the Christmas break and eager to learn. This week we have begun to learn the Bible tale of Noah and his ark - we have been painting pairs of animals and acting out the story. Some of your children may have come home in "painty" clothes - we have a few aprons in school but it is better if every child has their own one in school on their peg. An old adult t-shirt works well as there are no buttons or trailing sleeves to deal with. Next week we will be writing our version of the Noah Story and illustrating it.

In maths we have continued the Noah theme by counting on and back in 2's, playing pairs and making animals from unifix cubes.

On Tuesday 13^th we are going to visit the North West Surrey Synagogue as part of our RE topic. Please make sure all permission slips and money for the trip have been sent into school.

In maths next week we will be counting on and back in 5's and 10's linking this to money. In PE we will be continuing a unit based on making a sequence using small and large apparatus.

Mrs Palmer will be going into hospital on Monday 12th January for an operation on her shoulder. She will be away from school for two weeks. Mrs Alder and Mrs Pope will be teaching Ladybird Class whilst Mrs Palmer is away.

If you have any money left after Christmas (!) you could let your child count the coins in your purse or pocket.

The Year 2 team would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. Thank you very much for all your help and support over the last year. The children are now settled back and we hope will be working very hard this term as well as having lots of fun.

We are lucky enough to have three trainee teachers in Year two this term. They are Miss Simmons in Fox Class, Miss Hyman in Owl Class and Miss Stripp in Rabbit Class. The children may be working in small groups with these adults, on an individual basis or sometimes these trainee teachers will be taking the lesson under the class teacher's supervision.

We have a very exciting learning planned for this half term. The Life Education Bus is visiting next week. All-Aboard day is planned for the 19^th January, which will help to prepare the children for their visit to the HMS Victory on Friday 30th January. Our role play areas are now the inside of the Victory and the children will be learning writing, reading, speaking and listening and drama through role-play in this area. Science work is focused on forces and movement as is this weeks homework challenge below.

Thank you for your support. The Year Two Team.

Homework Challenge

Talking about our holidays and writing down our news

Thinking about winter and creating wintry scenes

Describing different fabrics and thinking what they might be used for

Learning how to subtract a smaller number from a larger number and count how many are left

Mrs Townsend. our regular supply teacher, will be teaching Hedgehog Class on Wednesday and Friday this term.

Please let us know if you able help in the classrooms in the afternoons.

Could you provide small boxes to be made into service vehicles next week?

As our role play areas will be post offices, do you have any used stamps?

We would be grateful for donations of boxes of tissues as there are many runny noses!

If you are able to make playdough for your child's class please see the teacher. Please DO NOT use nut oil (allergies)

for making the playdough.

Practise writing these key words from memory: I, the, to. We shall be testing their ability to write the key words at half term and we will giving you a few to work on each week.

Look for items at home that begin with t and i.

                                                                    Happy New Year and welcome back!

Once again it is time for the Night Adventure. Our theme for this year is night animals. The children will be able to explore the school field looking for clues to complete our quiz and learn more about the night creatures. This event is always magical especially when it snows. We will of course have our telescope out if it is a clear night.

Proceeds from the evening will be shared between the sponsorship of an endangered species, that will be chosen by the children on the night and restocking our vegetable garden. All of the family are welcome to come along anytime between 5,30 pm and 7 pm (or stay the whole time) to help solve our quiz. Wrap up warm and bring a torch. The children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

There will be frankfurters in rolls, soup and warm drinks on sale under the Reception garden roof which could save you cooking tea that night. To enable us to cater for numbers please can you indicate below whether you will be eating or not. Do not worry if you change your mind on the night and want to eat we will buy a little extra.

To purchase a entrance ticket, for the whole family, please enclose £4 in an envelope with the form below and post it through the class red post boxes post boxes outside of the ECO lobby and outside Hedgehog Class.

I WOULD LIKE ONE FAMILY TICKET. THERE WILL BE ......... FAMILY

MEMBERS ATTENDING.

Tickets will be issued on Tuesday 20th January.

Name..............................................................................................

Child's Name............................................ Class..............................

Telephone number: ...........................................................

I ENCLOSE £4

Please circle below as appropriate.