Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage!

Welcome to Great Berry EYFS!

Happy New Year! We are excited to welcome you back into school for the Spring term. The children have made a great start to their school journey at Great Berry and we have a very exciting term ahead of us - and hopefully some warmer weather in sight! Please continue to bring coats, hats, gloves and scarves into school while the weather remains cold. 

Our topics this half term will include Transport, Chinese New Year and Animals. This half term we will also take part in our whole school Science Week.

We will continue our Show and Tell this half term (please see below for more information) and our PE lessons (every Thursday).

Important Dates for your Diary this term:

6th January - First day of Spring Term

W/B 20th January - Science Week

Tuesday 21st January - Maths Zoom @ 4pm (Zoom link being sent via Email)

Thursday 23rd January - Chinese New Year Workshop (Letter sent separately regarding Chinese Dance timings)

Tuesday 28th January - Maths Workshop in classrooms 3:30-4pm 

W/B 10th February - E-safety Week

W/B 17th February - Spring Half Term Holiday

Thursday 6th March - World Book Day

Friday 28th March - PTA Mother's Day Gift Sale

Friday 4th April - Easter Egg Hunt & Bonnet Parade

Reminders:

Please note that the drop off time for the children in the mornings is 8:30am. The collection time is 3:10pm and we ask that you wait in the main playground. We will line the children up in front of the climbing frames and send them to you one at a time as we see you. 

If there is any important information that you need to let us know quickly please contact the school office so that they can pass this onto the class teachers. 

Reading Record and Book Change Day 

Once the children are in school full time, they will be given their first reading books to bring home. In school, your child will read to an adult on a set day each week. The day your child will read on is outlined below. 

Monday – Oranges

Tuesday – Grapes

Wednesday – Lemons

Thursday – Apples

Friday – Bananas

The day your child reads on may change dependant on the activities taking place throughout the week, therefore please leave your child’s reading books and reading records in their book bags at all times, this will then mean that we can read with them on a different day if necessary. It is important to note that the above timetable will more than often be the structure we follow throughout the week.

Your child will read with an adult and will also change their books on this day each week.

When we read with your child at school, we will record this in their reading record, along with noting their new books for the week. Please record when you read the school reading books at home and make a short comment on their reading. Please continue to read a range of books at home, however, you do not need to record any other reading in their book. This book will be checked by us once a week so please do not put any important messages in them and continue to contact us in the usual way.

Show and Tell

Show and Tell will begin after the first half term in Autumn 2. Each colour team will have an Show and Tell date once, each half term. There will be a focus topic for each Show and Tell throughout the year. Below is an outline of the topics, in case you wish to prepare in advance. Your child can bring in photographs, books, props or work they have done at home or simply just speak to the class. The focus for your child's show and tell should be as follows:

Autumn 2 - Your favourite toy or game (they are welcome to bring in their toy to show)

Spring 1 - Your favourite place (this could be somewhere you have visited or would like to visit)

Spring 2 - A hobby or sport that you enjoy doing

Summer 1 - Your favourite animal

Summer 2 - Your favourite book

Before your child's Show and Tell day, it may be helpful to talk to them in preparation for what they could tell their friends. Please feel free to send in a covering note so that we can support them with this. There will be a chance for your child to answer questions from their peers about what they have shared.

The colour group dates for this half term are as follows:

Friday 17th January - Ruby (red) Group

Friday 24th January - Amber (yellow) Group

Friday 31st January - Emerald (green) Group

Friday 7th February - Sapphire (blue) Group

Homework

Homework/Write and Tell books will be given out on a Friday. They will need to be returned by the following Tuesday. Ideas for the homework will be available on the Weekly Overviews. Each week please give feedback on how your child found the activities, by leaving a short comment with their homework.

Keep checking back on this page for more updates and to see some of our brilliant work.

Please note that jewellery is not allowed to be worn in school. This includes hoop earrings, bracelets, anklets and necklaces. Only small studs are allowed, although these have to be removed on PE days. Our PE day is Thursday.