Red Class Weekly Blog

Learning next week:

Rhyme Time

This week, we will be exploring some different nursery rhymes:

Down at the Station
Hey Diddle Diddle
Hickory Dickory Dock
Humpty Dumpty
Jack and Jill

We will play lots of fun games linked to the rhymes, including “What’s That Sound?”, sound patterns, clapping syllables, identifying words that rhyme and finding the odd one out.

Maths

We will be singing lots of counting songs and reading counting books. We will also be introducing the children to five frames.

We will demonstrate how to use a five frame and focus on understanding the difference between a full five frame and an empty five frame.

What are five and ten frames?

Five and ten frames are simple maths tools that help children develop their understanding of numbers, counting and quantity.

Why are they useful?

Five and ten frames help children to:

See numbers and quantities rather than just reciting numbers.
Develop subitising – recognising how many objects there are without counting each one.
Understand number bonds, such as 2 and 3 making 5.
Recognise that 10 is made up of two groups of 5.
Compare numbers – which is more or less?
Develop a strong understanding of place value as they progress.

How can you use them at home?

You don't need a special resource! You can simply draw a five or ten frame on a piece of paper and use buttons, pasta, Lego, toys or coins.

Try asking your child:

“How many can you see?”
“How do you know?”
“Can you show me 5?”
“Can you show me 7?”
“How many more do we need to make 10?”
“Can you show me a different way to make 6?”

The aim isn't simply to get children to count correctly, but to help them see and understand how numbers are made.

Phonics

We will be starting our phonics sessions on Monday 21st September.

You will receive a home learning sheet each week so that you can see which sounds we have been learning. This is a great opportunity for your child to practise at home and share with you what they have been learning in school.

Show and Tell

Every Monday, the children will have the opportunity to take part in Show and Tell.

Children can bring something they have done at home to share with the class, or they can talk about something they have done outside of school.

We look forward to hearing all about their adventures and experiences!

Reading Books

Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their reading journey by continuing to practise at home.

There are two types of reading books that your child may bring home:

Reading Practice Book

This book has been carefully matched to your child's reading level and the phonics stage they are currently working at. Your child will have read this book in school before bringing it home to share with you.

If your child is reading the book with little help, please don't worry that it is too easy! Re-reading familiar books helps children to develop fluency, confidence and enjoyment of reading.

Please listen to your child read the book and give them lots of praise and encouragement – celebrate their success! If they can't read a particular word, simply read it to them and encourage them to continue.

Once they have finished, talk about the book together. There are also comprehension questions at the back of each book which you can explore together.

The title of the new book will be written in your child's reading record by the adult who has read with them that week. We do not write additional comments in the reading record, as we feel it is more valuable and impactful to spend this time giving verbal feedback to the children during their reading group.

Please feel free to date the book when you have read with your child and record any comments for your own records.

Reading books are changed once a week. Each term, we will let you know which day this will take place via Tapestry.

Sharing Book

To encourage your child to become a lifelong reader, it is important that they learn to read for pleasure.

The sharing book is a book that your child has chosen for you to enjoy together. This book is for sharing with an adult and is not intended for your child to attempt to read independently.

Please read the book to or with your child. You could:

Talk about the pictures.
Enjoy the story together.
Predict what might happen next.
Use different voices for the characters.
Explore interesting facts in a non-fiction book.

The main thing is that you have fun and enjoy reading together!

Sharing books can be changed at any point during the week.

We will be sending home a sharing book and a wordless book with your child next Friday.

???? Notices
Snack
Please can we ask that children do not bring yoghurts or other liquid foods in their snack pots.

Please send in fruit or another suitable savoury snack.

To help keep snack time manageable, please keep snack pots to a minimum. Children should only bring two snack items for the day.

Gate
We would like to encourage the children to walk into school independently.
Please can parents drop their child off at the gate and allow them to walk into school on their own or with a friend.
We completely understand that this can be difficult for some children, particularly at the beginning, but building this independence from the start will really help them to develop their confidence and self-reliance. If you have any messages for the teacher please put it on Tapestry or you can tell the member of SLT on the gate and they will pass the message on to their class teacher.

Wellies

Please ensure that all children have a pair of wellies in school ready for outdoor learning and Forest School.

Forest School

Every Friday, both classes will take part in Forest School with Mrs Honey.

Red A – Forest School in the morning
Red B – Forest School in the afternoon

Please ensure your child comes prepared for Forest School.

They will need:

Wellies – these will be kept in school.
A waterproof coat, puddlesuit or waterproof trousers.
A change of socks for afterwards (and a change of trousers if they don't have waterproof trousers).
A cap to help keep the rain/sun off their face, or a warm hat during colder weather.
A NAMED plastic bag to take muddy, wet or dirty clothes home in.
Why do we ask for long sleeves and long trousers at Forest School?

We ask children to wear long sleeves and long trousers to help protect them while they are exploring and playing outdoors.

Exposed skin can be vulnerable to:

Nettles and brambles.
Thorns on bushes.
Long grass.
Bites from insects.
Ticks.
Scratches and grazes.
The sun, particularly during warmer weather.

Puddles and muddy areas are rarely crystal-clear rainwater, so we also want to reduce the risk of dirt getting into scratches or grazes.

Ticks can be found throughout the year, so covering arms and legs provides an additional layer of protection when children are exploring natural areas.

Long sleeves and trousers also help to keep children warm when the weather is cooler, windy or wet.

However, they will get wet and muddy!

Therefore, warm, dry clothes to change into afterwards are essential.

Thank you for helping us to ensure the children are comfortable, safe and ready to enjoy their Forest School adventures!

Thank you for your continued support. We are looking forward to another fantastic week with the children!

Red Class Team

Posted: Sep 10, 2026

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