Welcome our class page
This is the home of 1StM
Our class is in Unit 1 and our class is named after Our Lady Saint Mary.
We have 21 children in our class this year.
My name is Mrs Wallace and I have the privilege of being your child’s first teacher at St Patrick’s! I am passionate about early years and have been teaching for 25+ years, mainly in EYFS because I enjoy it so much! I love working at this school because of its unique ‘family feel’.
There is also teaching assistants in our unit
Miss McCarthy
I am Miss McCarthy and am a Teaching Assistant across Reception. I have worked within the Early Years sector for over 15 years and enjoy supporting all children to be the best possible version of themselves. My favourite part of the school day is story time and I love engaging children in a whole range of fun and exciting stories. At home I have 2 children of my own who keep me very busy and we love to go on days out to the sea side.
Miss Radford
I am Miss Radford and I am a Teaching Assistant across Reception too. I enjoy helping children with their reading and writing and it fills me with joy to see them grow in confidence over the year. Outside of school, I enjoy walks in the hills with my family. I am a Mummy to three children and I have two pets – a cat and a giant snail.
We work together with Class 1StJ (Saint Joseph) as a whole unit with the children being able to access all areas once whole class teaching / carpet time has finished.
More about how EYFS works at St. Patrick’s
The Unit 1 family, consists of two reception classes, which operate on a free-flow basis. Our EYFS staff work together as a team to provide quality provision which enables each child to develop their talents, personalities and abilities in a safe and stimulating environment. Through our thematic approach to learning in EYFS, we offer personalised and unique learning experiences which enhance the children’s imaginations and develop their creativity with a careful balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning experiences.
Parent updates
As well as the usual parents’ evenings, reports and weekly whole school newsletters, there are three main ways to stay in touch with your child’s learning throughout the year:
Twitter:
Our exciting year is documented with weekly updates on Twitter, please follow our class page to get regularly tweets @MrsWallace_EYFS
Class curriculum newsletters:
At the beginning of each half-term, we will also send home a curriculum newsletter with new information about our learning for the term and how you can support your child at home.
See Saw: Whilst exploring the indoor and outdoor classroom, we will capture moments of significant progress and wow moments on a website/app called See Saw. See Saw is an online learning journey which documents your child’s learning when in continuous provision, it will build a picture over time and will allow you to see the observations as they take place. The thing we love most about Saw See is that parents can contribute wow moments from home too – this could be something your child has done which you are proud of, an experience which they have been a part of or something they have done for the first time. We love seeing what our children get up to at home and can’t wait to see your updates too!
Other information:
- BOOK BAG – Once all the children are settled and we have assessed them, they will start to bring a reading book and other activities home. These bags will be stored stacked in a small box – so no ruck sacks please.
- Spare Clothes – All children should have a bag in school with spare clothes, as accidents do happen. This will be left on your child’s peg. You do not need to bring anything else into school. Fresh fruit, milk and water is available. You may be asked to bring in your favourite story, an item for show and tell, or something else but advance notice will always be given. Please do not bring your home toys to school; we’d all feel so sad if anything happened to them.
- Homework is given out on a Tuesday and is expected in for the following Monday. Homework typically consists of a phonics, maths or fine motor-based activity, occasionally we may send home projects relating to our topics.
- Reading books will follow the same pattern, it is expected that you read with your child 5 times per week. In Reception, children will bring home green/red words as part of their reading homework.
- NAMES – Please make sure children have their names in all items of their uniform and PE kit. It helps us make sure your child has the correct uniform – you will be surprised how easily things go missing! This includes coats, hats, gloves, scarves and shoes. Initials on a white tag can save lots of time.
- PE is on a Wednesday and all children must wear their St. Patrick’s PE kit on this day.
- Wet Weather Attire – All children need a pair of wellies and a raincoat with their names on. With the fantastic English weather, we can expect lots of rain. We go outdoors in all weathers! During colder months, please ensure your child also has a hat, gloves and a scarf.
- WATER BOTTLES – Children should bring a water bottle into school with their name clearly labelled on it. We do ask parents to make sure that the bottle contains only water. They can drink this throughout the day as and when they get thirsty.
- UNIFORM – We ask all children to wear a school uniform. In EYFS we wear the same uniform as our friends in the other year groups at St Patrick’s. Our uniform policy is on the school’s website.
- For full information about learning in EYFS and EYFS specific policies, please see our EYFS section on the curriculum
Things to do at Home to help prepare for your transition into reception.
We suggest that you could:
- Phonics– Play I spy, look at phonic songs on YouTube and ask your child what letter sounds animals/object/places begin with. Anything is great!
- Reading– Read with your child as much as possible and encourage them to discuss their favourite characters and favourite book(s)
- Writing– Learn to write your name (first and last). Help to create shopping lists.
- Maths– Draw your child’s attention to numbers and shapes within their environment. E.g. door numbers, shapes of household items Learn to count to 20, learn to count objects to 10.
- Topic– Discuss family life with your child, including immediate family members along with their visual traits and what makes them so special. We will be also be looking at Autumn, so you can enjoy collecting conkers, looking at the changing colours, autumn animals etc.
- Draw – Encourage your child to draw lots of pictures and talk about them.
- Playand sing – lots of ring games such as Farmers in his den, Duck, duck goose. What time is it Mr Wolf? Hopscotch with chalk outside. Lots of nursery rhymes.
- Practise– putting on and taking off their coat independently, having a go at buttons and zips. Putting on and taking off shoes.
We look forward to all the fun and exciting things we will be doing together this year
If you have any queries at all, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am always available at the end of the school day for a quick chat in person or over the phone and can also be contacted via email. Should you feel that you need a longer time to talk, please contact myself or the office to arrange a meeting.
Thank you,
Mrs Wallace & the EYFS Team.
Some useful websites to support home learning:
Phonics play: https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/resources/phase/2
Phonics bloom: https://www.phonicsbloom.com/uk/game/list/phonics-games-phase-2
Maths on Topmarks: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=16&AgeGroup=1
Numberblocks: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/numberblocks
Alphablocks: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/alphablocks
To see our Tweets login to Twitter
