St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - Sun Bear Class

Sun Bear Class - EYFS

Welcome to Sun Bear Class!

Hello Sunbears (and families too)!

We are so excited to welcome you to Sun Bear Class. This year is going to be filled with fun, laughter, new friendships and lots of exciting learning adventures together.

Starting school is a very special milestone, and we are looking forward to helping your child settle into school life, grow in confidence, and develop a love of learning. In Sun Bear Class, we learn through play, exploration, curiosity and creativity. Every day brings opportunities to discover something new, whether it's building, painting, singing, storytelling, investigating, counting, reading or making new friends.

✨ Reception children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, which supports learning through hands-on experiences and purposeful play. Children develop key skills across all areas of learning, including communication and language, personal, social and emotional development, physical development, literacy and mathematics.

✨ We encourage children to become independent, confident and resilient learners by exploring, asking questions, solving problems and trying new things. Our classroom is a nurturing environment where every child is valued, supported and encouraged to achieve their very best.

As part of St Joseph's, we ensure:
A smooth and positive transition from Nursery to Reception.
Strong partnerships with parents and carers from the very beginning.
A start to school that meets the developmental needs of every child.
A safe, happy and secure environment where children can thrive.
Opportunities for children to learn, grow and celebrate their achievements every day.

💛 Dear Parents and Carers, please know that your children are at the heart of everything we do. We will nurture their interests, celebrate their successes and support them through every step of their learning journey. We look forward to working closely with you and making this first year at school a happy, memorable and successful one for your child.
We are so looking forward to working with you to make this a happy and memorable year for your little Sun Bear.

Together, we’ll make sure our Sun Bears shine brightly this year! 🌟

Mrs Austin

Mrs Johnson

Mrs Liew

💛 Helping Children Become Independent

One of the most important skills children develop in Reception is independence. We would be very grateful if you could support this at home by encouraging your child to practise putting on and taking off their coat, fastening zips, changing their shoes, and dressing themselves as independently as possible. These small skills make a big difference to children's confidence and help them feel proud of what they can achieve. While we are always happy to help when needed, encouraging children to "have a go" first helps them become resilient, capable learners. Thank you for supporting us in helping your child grow in independence throughout their Reception year.

🌟 A little practice at home can make a big difference in school!

**Important Information**
As the weather becomes more changeable, please can you ensure your child comes to school with:
- A coat every day
- A water bottle
- Wellies for outdoor learning
- A spare change of clothes that can stay in school
  - Please ensure all your child's items are clearly labelled with their name.
    
    You can leave a set of wellies, wet weather gear and a spare change of clothes (clearly labelled) so the children can enjoy play in all weather types and can change if they get too mucky or have an accident.
  - Please ensure your child brings a water bottle to school each day and book school dinners online in advance.
  Our PE day is Thursday: Please come to school dressed in your PE kit on these days with earrings removed or taped and hair tied back.
Forest School Sessions: Every Wednesday Term 5 - AM and Term 6 -PM
Please ensure your child has appropriate clothing for forest school.

Our school lunches are provided by Chartwells and can be paid for on Parentpay.

Please inform the school of any allergies ASAP

Click on the button below to see what Sun Bear Class have been getting up to!

Sun Bears Learning Journey

Term 2 - Big Wide World
In the Big Wide World project, your child will find out about the world in which they live. They will learn about different climates and explore habitats, including their flora and fauna. They will locate the United Kingdom on a world map and compare life in the United Kingdom with life elsewhere. They will also learn about caring for their environment, both locally and beyond.

Supporting your child at home
- Use Google Earth to explore where you live and look up places you would like to visit.
- Talk about places around the world you have visited, or places that family members or friends live. Look at the places on a map and talk about ways to travel.
- If you go on holiday, send a postcard to school to show where you went.
- Share and discuss the Did you know? resource.
Take a look below to see what Sun Bear Class will be learning this term!

/docs/Term_2_newsletter.pdf

**Home learning**

/docs/Home_Learning_Sunbears_Term_2.pdf
**Reading at home**
When we start giving out reading books, please bring Reading Records to school every day as we may read with your child during the day.
Please ensure that you listen to your child read 5 times a week and that you are supporting them. We will be monitoring this in class and changing reading books every Friday. If you finish reading your book before, then please re-read it for fluency. We will be sending home 2 reading books: 1 based on their reading level and 1 book of their choice.

If you require further support, please find someone in the Sun Bear team.

Sun Bear Class - EYFS

Welcome to Sun Bear Class!

**Important Information**

Click on the button below to see what Sun Bear Class have been getting up to!

Sun Bears Learning Journey

Term 2 - Big Wide World

Take a look below to see what Sun Bear Class will be learning this term!

**Reading at home**

Important Information

Reading at home