Longtown Community Primary School

Longtown Community Primary School

Early Years Hub

Dear Parents and Carers, 

I hope you have all had a fabulous summer and are as excited as I am about starting this new Autumn Term.

Myself, Mrs Fawcett and Miss Sowerby extend a very warm welcome to you all.  I will be teaching on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with Mrs Fawcett teaching every Wednesday. Miss Sowerby will be with us on Mondays and Wednesdays when Pre-School is open. We are very much looking forward to exploring our topic, ‘All about me’ with the children this term.

If you are bringing your child into the preschool building, please help your child say hello to everyone and encourage them to independently put away their belongings and self-register. It is always helpful for the children if you are able to help settle your child to an activity before leaving them to their day with us. If they initially get upset we have  experienced staff who will be able to calm them and resettle them ready for the exciting activities that are planned. Please collect your pre-school child from the pre-school gate at the end of their session.

Reception children will enter school through the small green gate near the office in the mornings, a Year 6 buddy will be waiting for your child at the main school gate and will take them to the Early Years Hub to put their belongings away, self-register and then take them out to play.

During phonics, your child will develop confidence in blending and segmenting words as well as building up their sound knowledge. Your child will receive a school reading book and a reading record. Parents are encouraged to share the book at home with their child for approximately 5-10 minutes each night. Please use the reading record to write a comment which lets us know your child has read. It is important to share the same book with your child over 2 days, so they can create their own narrative, adapt the story, make predictions, learn the keywords and for you to ask comprehension questions when finished. At the beginning of the year, the children will be given picture books. As soon as the children have developed their understanding of blending and segmenting words, they will be given a book with words in. Please keep your child’s reading record and reading book in their book bag and bring this to school every day. In class, children will be heard reading by a member of staff every day. This term, I will be inviting Reception parents to a phonic session which will help you and your child at home when reading and writing this year.

All Early Year Hub children will be provided with fresh fruit or vegetables as part of the government free fruit and vegetable scheme. Your child can also bring in a healthy snack of fruit or vegetables if they wish to do so. Reading We will be sharing a wide range of story books and we hope that you will continue to do this at home.

The Early Years Hub will have PE on a Tuesday and Friday. Please ensure their PE kit is in School for the half term to enable them to learn to change independently. Wellie Wednesdays will continue in the EYFS hub. Please can children come into school wearing clothing appropriate for the weather on Wednesdays as they will be outside all morning.

We ask that all of your child’s belongings are clearly labelled, to avoid items going missing.

As a school we use Tapestry to communicate your child’s learning to you. Tapestry allows you to login with a secure username and password so you can view all your children’s observations, photographs and videos. You can like and comment on observations that we add for your child and it’s also possible for you to add your own observations from activities at home. Your comments and own observations will allow us to find out about which activities your child really enjoyed and the learning they get up to at home.

Attached is also information regarding the teaching and learning in the EYFS Hub for this term as well as KIRF for maths. Supporting your child in their learning at home will help them develop a good foundation for learning as they progress through the school.

Hopefully this answers any questions you have. If there are any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me, either at the end of the school day or by booking an appointment with the school office.

I look forward to the fun-filled year ahead!

Mrs Irving