Weekly Newsletter

19.1.26

Achieving excellence for ourselves and others.

Upcoming Dates

Wednesday 21st January

PSJ Rainbow Group with Mrs Steadman, straight after drop off

Week 4 & 5 (26th January - 6th February)

SEND parent review meetings

Thursday 5th February

Year 3 visit Stonehenge

Friday 13th February

Last day of Term 3

Monday 16th - Friday 20th February

Half Term break

Monday 23rd February

First day of Term 4

W/c 2nd March

Whole school CARE week

Monday 16th - Friday 20th March

Turing trip to Bordeaux

Tuesday 24th March

Dance Umbrella (Years 3 & 5)

Wednesday 1st April & Thursday 2nd April

Parent and teacher pupil progress meetings

Wednesday 1st April

Mini Police visit American Museum
Year 1 visit Holborne Museum

Thursday 2nd April

Last day of Term 4

Friday 3rd - Friday 17th April

Easter break

Monday 20th April

First day of Term 5

Monday 20th - Friday 24th April

Turing trip to Barcelona

Calendar

Term Dates

Message from Mrs Noall

What an amazing start to the year! So far this term our mini police have visited the Kingswood Fire Station, Year 4 have visited a Hindu temple, Years 3 and 4 have started forest school, Year 6 have taken part in workshops led by Stand Against Violence, and there is a gymnastic festival tomorrow. It is fantastic to also see so many children trying out Breakfast Club, several children for their first time.

News and Events

Careers Fayre - can you help?

The morning of Friday March 6th is our Careers Fayre when we invite people from the community into school to talk about their jobs. The children are always very enthusiastic, and hearing about possible careers really helps to broaden horizons and create aspiration.

We're looking for volunteers who could come in to school to talk to four classes for 30 minutes each. This could be a presentation, an activity for the children to do or a question and answer session with pre-prepared questions.

Please let the office know if you could help, or perhaps ask a neighbour or friend with an interesting job if they could give up their time.

We would be very grateful for any volunteers.

Reminders

Breakfast Club - we offer a free Breakfast Club from 8am every morning. No need to book; drop and go. We register children at the gate from 8am until 8:20am, when the gate closes. This provides children with a fun and sociable start to their day and ensures they are the first ones into their classroom to be ready for their learning day.

If you need an earlier start, we also offer a paid Breakfast Club with either a 7:30am or 7:45am start - please book this via Arbor.

Class News

Find out what we have been up to on our class pages and posts.

Class Pages

School News

Previous Newsletters

Home Learning

Please support your child to complete their home learning. Their learning includes reading, spellings and some maths, all planned to support your child's learning in class.

Home Learning Week 3

National Year of Reading 2026

Across the UK, children are reading less than they used to and stories aren’t getting the same space they once did. And it’s happening across all age groups, from toddlers to teenagers. When reading drops, confidence, imagination and learning take a hit as well. Reading helps children focus, express themselves, develop their curiosity, and it gives families an opportunity to connect. Over the next few newsletters we will explore hints and tips for how you can get involved at home with different aged children.

This week we will be putting the spotlight on children aged 0 - 4. This is because the earliest years make the biggest difference! It’s never too early to start sharing stories. Babies in the womb can already hear sounds and recognise familiar voices, so reading and talking to them during pregnancy is a lovely way to begin. Throughout their early years, a short story, a song, or a rhyme while you’re cuddled up, on the bus, or waiting for dinner – it all counts. It’s those small moments of connection and joy that matter most – that’s what children will remember.

Sing rhymes and songs - This is a good way to help your child learn new sounds and words through rhyme and repetition, as well as being a great way to have fun together. For more information follow this link: https://wordsforlife.org.uk/parent-support/books-with-songs/

Share stories together - You don’t always need to read the words in books. Looking at and talking about picture books is a great way to encourage your child to enjoy stories. For more information follow this link: https://wordsforlife.org.uk/activities/sharing-stories-together/

Create your own story sack - A story sack is a fun, hands-on way to bring books to life at home. With just a few simple objects, you can make reading feel exciting and interactive for your baby or toddler. For more information follow this link: https://wordsforlife.org.uk/activities/how-make-story-sack/

Happy reading!

Miss Skipp

SEND Updates

If your child is on our SEND Register, their teacher will find you this week to make an appointment with you to review their targets.

PFSA Updates

EYFS Updates

PSJ BITESIZE Mathematical Development - Pattern

Continuing a Pattern

Children need the opportunity to see a pattern, to talk about what they can see, and to continue a pattern. At first, they will do this one item at a time as an AB pattern, e.g. red cube, blue cube, red cube...verbalising the pattern helps. Children may then be asked to say what they would add next to continue it.

Copying a Pattern

Copying a pattern can be difficult for children if they have to keep comparing item by item. AB patterns are easiest – when presented to children, these should contain several repeats, to ensure that the pattern unit is evident. Discuss the nature of the pattern: how has the pattern been made? Patterns can have a range of features such as varying objects, size or orientation.

Making their own AB Pattern

As children progress from continuing to copying patterns, they can be challenged to create their own. Patterns can involve different aspects and modes such as sounds, words or actions: some children will need suggestions, while others will think of their own.

(NCETM, 2018)

Challenge

Think of your own patterns using your toys, objects in your home or in nature and an action pattern such as clap, thumbs up.

FUN FACT FOR PARENTS

Between 24 and 36 months, many children are building the skills to identify patterns. At this age, your child may be able to tell when objects in a sequence are the same size, shape, or colour.

Mathematicians have discovered that many natural and human-made patterns reflect patterns of numbers.

Patterns help children make predictions because they begin to understand what comes next. They also help children learn how to make logical connections and use reasoning skills.

USEFUL LINK

Patterns and connections (DfE, 2024)

https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/areas-of-learning/mathematics/patterns-and-connections