This week in Dexter Class
Welcome to Dexter Class! I am so excited to be starting the new school year and we have so much to look forward to whilst we get to know you and your children in these first few days and weeks.
Children will be in school for the mornings only this week and we will be completing some 'getting to know you' activities. The weather is meant to be lovely this week so we will hopefully spend time outside in are outdoor area so do remember sunscreen and a hat but don't forget coats just in case the weather turns again!
We will introduce the children to their Year 6 Buddies, other staff who they will get to know including our new headteacher Mrs Flight who will hopefully be popping in and out of the class to make sure everyone is settling in nicely. I will introduce our Values, Learning Powers and Behaviour expectations. We all want to reassure children and get them used to the routines and expectations of school life at Amberley.
We will be reading lots of stories and rhymes together including 'All are welcome', 'What Makes Me A Me?' and 'The Colour Monster Goes To School'.
We will also play maths games, complete puzzles and get creative with some junk modelling and art/music activities.
We will be consolidating Phase 1 phonics skills in readiness for the Phase 2 Phonics stage. These skills are fundamental to further learning and include:
Environmental sounds
Instrumental sounds
Body percussion (e.g. clapping, stamping)
Rhythm and Rhyme
Alliteration
Voice Sounds
Oral blending and segmenting (e.g. hearing that d-o-g blends to make the word dog)
The reason we revisit phase 1 is to ensure children are ready to listen attentively and prepare them for reading and writing in Phase 2 and beyond. This initial focus will help to enlarge vocabulary and encourage confidence when communicating with other children and adults, It will also aid with differentiating between different phonemes (sounds a letter makes) and segmenting words into beginning, middle and end sounds. If children do not fully develop these skills it can make it difficult for them to blend sounds together for reading and segment for spelling.
It can be difficult to chat to everyone at the school gates in the morning or at pick-up time but I will always try my best! However, if there are any real worries or concerns then please do email me at spenn@amberley.gloucs.sch.uk
