Spring 2
Foundation 2
Curriculum Newsletter
Goldfinch & Robin
Classes
Our theme for learning this half term is ‘Wake up to Spring’.
We will carry this theme through the half term with various stories such as ‘Egg Drop’, Chicken Licken, The
Odd Egg, The Easter Story and with our exciting visit to Brackenhurst.
Mathematics
The children will calculate with numbers to 20 by
mentally counting on or back to add or subtract. We
will introduce sharing, grouping, doubling and
halving small amounts and continue to work on
knowledge of shapes and patterns. We will begin to
introduce non standard measures by comparing the
weight and length of objects using cubes or marbles
which can be counted.
Understanding of the World.
Understanding the world is a big part of this term’s topic.
We will be learning to look closely, observing patterns and
changes in the outdoors as Spring arrives. We are looking
forward to our visit to Brackenhurst where we will learn
where wool comes from, how cheese is made and how
animals grow from babies . We may be lucky enough to
see some lambs being born. We will look closely at eggs
through or stories this half term and approaching Easter.
Communication and Language.
We would like all the children to develop the ability to
question why and how things happen to develop their
knowledge and understanding, and our rhyme challenge
is designed to help children become more confident in
speaking and to develop their vocabulary.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
PSED will be focussed mainly on developing the
children’s ability to work together with others in cooperative groups and with partners. We say ‘two
heads are better than one’ to encourage children to
talk to others and listen to and tolerate the ideas
and views expressed by their friends and partners.
We will also build in to our everyday programme a
circle time where we reflect on our day, encouraging
positive behaviour and good learning.
Literacy
In reading and writing, we will be working towards
building fluency with most of the children, so that they
can read and understanding sentences independently
and write simple sentences and short narratives.
Phonics carries on daily and a focus will be on the
children learning to read and spell all their tricky
words (copies have been sent home with the children
as ‘tricky word bears’) and securing the vowel digraphs
learned so far whilst practising blending and
segmenting more difficult combinations of letters.
Expressive Arts and Design.
Our role play this half term is a home corner with a
difference. We are learning to recite rhymes and the role
play will be enhanced for children to begin to explore the
characters and stories of these rhymes as they develop
their co-operative play to include a ‘storyline’ or narrative
element. We will use musical instruments to accompany
our rhymes and will be exploring patterns and textures on
the creative table. We are encouraging the children to plan
their modelling and making activities before they begin,
making choices about joining and fixing and the materials
they use.
Physical Development.
P.E is still mostly on Wednesdays but please ensure
the children have a PE kit at all times (shorts and tshirt). We are working on large apparatus at the
moment where children MUST wear SHORTS – not
long PE trousers.
Plenty of outside physical development and learning
will be on offer as the weather (hopefully) continues
to get warmer.
Handwriting and correct letter formation is high on
our list of priorities from this point onwards so
children will practise daily first thing in the morning.
Spring 2
Foundation 2
Curriculum Newsletter
Goldfinch & Robin
Classes
Have a go at home:
Learn a rhyme to recite each week – choose a favourite or find one on the internet. Children can perform them at
school for their friends. Try to tell the rhyme as a story – eg. the real story of Humpty Dumpty.
Have a walk outside and spot the signs of Spring. Look for buds and blossom on trees and in the flower beds, listen
for and watch the birds arrive in our gardens and open spaces.
Talk about the sequence or order of things to help with sequencing instructions and daily events. Use words such as
‘before’, ‘after’, ‘next’… Also it is time for the children to be able to follow more complex verbal instructions – you
could help by giving children two instructions to carry out (eg. put your PJ’s on then clean our teeth), then try more.
Here are some websites to provide you with information and help your child learn at
home…
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http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/home - this is an excellent website with a huge range of information and activities
related very closely to school learning and expectations. The e-books are particularly good and ‘tablet’ friendly
too.
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Spring/WhatIsSpring.aspx - this section of the topmarks website gives lots of
information about spring. You can use the Topmarks website from here to search for any learning games and
activities you like.
www.teachyourmonstertoread.com - this website is HIGHLY recommended and includes a downloadable app. It
has helped lots of children to secure their early reading through phonics and it now has new levels of difficulty.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Don’t forget – when your child turns five years old, school milk is no longer free.
You will need to register with ‘cool milk’. Further details at the school office.
Ladies afternoon – 2.30 – 3.30 on Friday 4th March – all ladies welcome to join our activities in F2.
Brackenhurst visit – 15th March. Please ensure that we have all consent forms and outstanding
payments as soon as possible. The children will need wellingtons for that day.
World book day – 3rd March – dress as a character from Alice in Wonderland.
Parents evenings are this week – Wednesday and Thursday – make sure you have booked an
appointment with Mrs Cottee or Mrs K.
Other up and coming events will be announced in separate letters nearer the dates.
Here is some of the vocabulary we will develop with all the children during the next few weeks:
Mathematical vocabulary: Shape names: cube, cuboid, cylinder, sphere, pyramid, triangular prism. Corner,
face, edge, curved, flat. Share, double, half, group, add, take away, equals, more than, less/fewer than.
Coin, spend, amount, change.
And questions: What if…? Why do you think that?... How do you know?...’I think…what do you think?’ ‘Do
you think we could try…?’ Young, adult, male, female, grow, change, learn.