HOLLY PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL
RECEPTION CLASS AUTUMN TERM NEWSLETTER
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to Palm Class! We are happy to say that all the children are clearly enjoying being in
Reception and they are becoming increasingly familiar with many of their new routines. Once
all the children have settled we will be introducing separate carpet sessions to teach your
children a range of aspects from the curriculum.
From next week we will be starting to teach your children phonics. We are very keen to help
parents develop strategies to support their children with reading and writing and we would
encourage you to attend our Reading and Phonics Workshop on Tuesday 24th
September 3-3.30pm. During this session we will give you helpful tips on supporting your
child’s communication and literacy skills, supply you with a phonics information pack and
answer your questions. Over the next few weeks we will also focus on number recognition
and counting during our mathematical activities and you may like to encourage your children
to spot different numbers in the environment.
The children will shortly be bringing home their book bags. We will encourage your children
to choose books from our library areas to take home for you to share with them. In the next
few weeks we will also begin to send children home with a reading scheme book and key
words to learn and we will give you more information about this during our reading and
phonics workshop. Please ensure that your child brings their book bag to school every day
and places it in the red box in that week’s classroom.
The children are settling into their lunchtime routine well. If your child is having a school
dinner, please bring the dinner money to school in a named envelope every Monday morning.
If you have any queries regarding dinner money, please talk to Mrs. Williams in the school
office. We would also like to take this opportunity to remind you that Holly Park has a
`Healthy School Policy` and if your child is having a packed lunch it must not contain crisps,
chocolate or any nut or seed product.
Your child is welcome to bring in a healthy snack, which should be named and placed in the
blue bowl at the back of the classroom. Please do not put their snacks in a lunchbox container
as they often get muddled up with other children’s packed lunches. Children can bring in
named bottles of water to have during the day and we also have milk available, but we don’t
allow them to bring in sweet drinks or juice to have in the class room.
We will be starting P.E. sessions soon, so please ensure that your child has a P.E. kit in a
drawstring bag on their coat peg every day. It would also be very helpful if you encouraged
your child to practise dressing and undressing by themselves as they will be expected to
change for P.E. very soon! To avoid upset and confusion please write your child’s name
on all their clothing, book bags, lunch boxes, water bottles and P.E. kit.
Some reminders

If you are not sure which class room your child is in please check the signs on the class
room doors.

School starts promptly at 8.55. Please bring your child to school on time so they start
the day with their friends in a relaxed way.

Please make sure that you collect your child on time.

If your child is going to be absent, please let us know before where possible.

If someone different is going to be collecting your child, it is very important that you
let us know. Also, we will not let your child be collected from school by anyone under
the age of 16.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to speak to us at the end of the day.
As in Nursery, we ask for a voluntary contribution of £5 per half term to pay for play dough
ingredients, corn flour, pasta, shaving foam etc. We really appreciate any contributions that
you can make. Alternatively, we would happily receive any donations of corn flour, shaving
foam, baby bath, food colours, soap flakes, pasta, rice, lentils and bubble mixture.
Best wishes,
Mrs Walton, Mrs Casey, Miss Klanga and Mrs Elia
Child’s name___________________________________
I enclose a voluntary contribution of £______________
Signed______________________________ Date__________________