WELCOME TO RECEPTION!

New this Spring

We are introducing a weekly parent update.  This includes information about what your child is learning in school in English and Maths as well as useful websites that you can share with your children to carry on the learning at home.

Wow! Its snowing! 10.1.25

Happy Friday Reception!

What a crazy and unexpected week! We are amazed at all your hard work, so well done and a big well done to parents and families for adapting to this change!

If you have completed all the independent tasks from this week please give today's task a go! 

Dont forget to send in your work, work will only be published on the website if you have stated in the email it is okay for us to do so!

Myself and Mrs Plummer are super excited to see your work!

RB email work to rb.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk

RMP email work to rmp.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk

Phonics

Just like other days this week, there is a presentation with different words and sounds for you to practice. If you scroll down to files, you will find the presentation there. With all this hard work, you will soon be able to read and write lots of words! Keep up the hard work!

Maths

Today we will be recapping subitising dice dot patterns and showing your fingers to make the same and then playing a track game. Please see the powerpoint in the files section at the bottom.

English

Pretend you are going on a winter holiday! Discuss what a winter holiday might look like. Will it be cold? Could there be snow and ice? Decide where you are going to go on your winter holiday.

Then I would like you to think about things you might need to take on your winter holiday. It could be a coat, hat, bag, scarf... I would like you to write the ideas you come up with. Miss Bours has writen a couple of things to show you what the work should look like. I have written mine in a list. You can use mine but it would be great if you can add some of your own too!

Representation

On a Friday, we do representation where we practice drawing all together as a class: we like to think about the way we draw shapes to make a picture. Have a go at drawing this snowman.

First draw the circles. I have a big one, medium one and a little one.

I have also used a triangle nose and a semi-circle for a mouth.

What shape are the arms? We call this an oblong. You might have heard of it as a rectangle.

I look forward to seeing your snowman!

PE

Frozen ❄️ | A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure! Frozen Videos for Kids

Use this link to do some frozen cosmic yoga, please make sure you have cleared enough space and you don't bump into anything. 

Lets celebrate!

Lets have a look at some of your hardwork that has been sent in today! 

Miss Bours would like to say a huge well done to Penny, Rudy, Oscar, Elena, Bobby, Faith, Maeve, Leo, Robyn, Zach and Finley for staying in touch and showing me there hard work this week and will each receieve a star award certficiate on Monday! Great work guys!

 

Great Engish work Maeve! Brilliant Puss Bank writing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of  brilliant writing here from Faith! Well done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well done Zach! I love the little snowman!

 

 

 

Mrs Mallett would like to say a huge well done to Elijah, Lydia, Kira, Cole, Freya, Teddy, Poppy, Elliot, Emily D, Maya, Zach, Alanzo and Hana for staying in touch and showing me there hard work this week.  You will each receieve a star award certficiate on Monday! Great work!

 

The Gruffalo's Child 9.1.2025

 Crumbs Mrs Mallett has just looked out the window and it's snowing again where I live!  We hope you are all ok.  Here are a few things you might like to try whilst you are at home. 

It is also snowing here, where Miss Bours lives! Please make sure you are keeping safe in this weather and we look forward to being back in the classroom.

Please complete the tasks so far and then have a little go at of todays independent tasks.  For all tasks completed Mrs Mallett and Miss Bours will give you 5 Dojo's each!  Please email any work to either Mrs Mallett rmp.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk or Miss Bours rb.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk, if you would like to have your work displayed on the website please either ONLY include a picture of your work or ask your parent or carer to give permission for your photograph to be put onto the website.  

Handwriting

Lets have some more practice on our digraphs!

Can you write each of the digraphs 3 times?

• ff
• nk
• zz

Dont forget your finger spaces between each sound. It should look something like this:        ff       ff       ff

Phonics

When you have had a go at the other phonics powerpoints, have a go at this one! There is a new PowerPoint at the bottom of the web page called 'Snow Day Phonics 9.1.25'.  Have a little go!

Keep up the good work reception, Miss Bours and Mrs Mallett can see you are doing lots of hardwork at home!

English

I would like you to use the words that you spoke about to describe this cold, crazy weather yesterday. Use a new piece of paper and see if you can put a word in a sentence.

You might say:

It is cold.

It is freezing.

It is snowing.

Dont forget your finger spaces and full stops! Extra dojos if you can think of a different word than I have used above!

Maths

In maths we are continuing to think and use our subitising skills.  There is a new PowerPoint at the bottom of the web page called 'Snow Day Maths Subitising 9.1.25'.  Have a little go it's lots of fun!

Independent task: Can you choose a number and then do that number of stamps, jumps, twists, wiggles, waves...?  There are lots of ways to choose a number for example: you could roll a dice if you have one that you might have got in a game, you could roll a virtual dice that you could ask an adult to put onto a cumputer OR you could draw out the die dot patterns on different pieces of paper, screw them up like snowballs, muddle them all up and then choose one.  If you open it up it will show you a die dot pattern and then you can play the game.

There isn't any recording for this independent task but you could always send a picture of your playing the game.  Ask your adult to write what action you are going.

Maths challenge:  If you would like to do a little something extra there are some extra activities in the File Download section called Writing Numbers and How Many?

Other activities you could try at home

Music

You might want to try this activity in a different room to your Mum, Dad or whoever looks after you as it might be quite noisy!

For this activity you will need some things from around your house- a saucepan, drinking glass, pot with pasta in it, two wooden spoons and two metal spoons. 

We are going to create a junk band.  You items from around your house are your instruments.  Can you play them quietly?  Loudly?  Quickly?  Slowly?

I'm walking in the snow
I'm walking in the snow
Leaving footprints as I go
I'm walking in the snow

If you can't quite remember it there is a link to watch.  Another teacher is singing it but it is exactly the same one.

Understanding the World

Take a look out of your window, we bet it looks very different to what it usually does!  Have a little go at using your five senses to think about what you can see, hear, smell, taste and feel.  There is a work sheet you can either print off or you could draw the boxes and fill them in.  The work sheet can be found at the bottom of the web page under 'Files to Download'- Senses worksheet.

Story time

In school we usually have a story at the end of the day.  Please click on the link below and listen to the story 'Gruffalo's Child' by Julia Donaldson.  Can you draw and label the different foot prints the animals made in the snow?  What would your footprint look like?

Keep up the Home Learning, you are doing a great job!

Please email either Mrs Mallett or Miss Bours if you have any questions or you would like to share something with us.  We would love to hear from you x

Let's celebrate!

Please find some photos of the hard work you have been doing at home whilst it is not safe to be in school.

Well done Hana on your work on the Colour Monster and how you feel.

Great job on your Gingerbread Man, Mrs Mallett loves his or her's colourful buttons!

 

Tiger in the snow 8.1.2025

Unfortunately, the school is closed again today due to the ice this time.  Here are a few things you might like to try whilst you are at home.  

Please complete the tasks so far and then have a little go at of todays independent tasks.  For all tasks completed Mrs Mallett and Miss Bours will give you 5 Dojo's each!

Handwriting

We want you to hear your favourite digraphs! Remember "2 letters, 1 sound is a digraph"

Once you have completed the phonics, have a think at which digraph is your favourite! Can you write the sound 4 times? Remember your finger spaces and your special puss bank writing, extra dojo points if you can write your name too! Take your time and off weeeee go!

For example:    ss     ss     ss      ss

English

Great work Team Reception Mrs Mallett and MIss Bours have been so impressed with your English and phonics work this week.  Take a little peek at some of the work that has been emailed in.

Well done Cole! I'm really sorry Mrs Mallett can't turn the picture round.  Your Gingerbread Man is super.

Brilliant writing Oscar!

 

Good phonics work Elliot

Great work Elena!

 

 

For English we can use the weather as a great opportunity for learning!

With your children, look outside. What does it look like? What can you see? 

"It is cold"            "It is slippy"

"It is icy"               "It looks white/bright/icy"

"The snow has frozen in the night"

Independent task: Write a word to describe the weather outside. 

Please e-mail your task to Mrs Mallett rmp.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk or Miss Bours rb.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk.  

Phonics

You will just need a pen and a piece of paper for this one!

Work through the PowerPoints provided, they shouldnt take too long! Encourage children to clearly say each sound remembering your pure sounds: a little "t" sound we don't want to hear "tuh" as this means we can't blend our words together after saying the sounds!. There will be two words to write at the end of the PowerPoint. Don't forget your finger spaces!

Please e-mail your task to Mrs Mallett rmp.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk or Miss Bours rb.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk.  

Maths

Wow Team Reception Mrs Mallett and MIss Bours have been so impressed with your maths work this week.  Take a little peek at some of the work that has been emailed in.

Great dot pattern work Lydia          Clever use of Lego people for your dot pattern Maya

 

Finley has been practicing his subitising! Great work!

 

 

 

In maths we are continuing to think and use our subitising skills.  There is a new PowerPoint at the bottom of the web page called 'Snow Day Maths Subitising 8.1.25'.  Have a little go it's lots of fun!

Independent task: Can you match the dot pattern to the correct numeral?

Please e-mail your task to Mrs Mallett rmp.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk or Miss Bours rb.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk.  

Other activities you could try at home

Group time

Before Christmas we read the story 'The Colour Monster' by Anna Llenas.  Please click on the link below and listen to the story again.  Can you remember any of the things that made the Colour Monster feel happy, sad, angry or calm?

Independent task: Can you draw one thing that makes you feel the different feelings/emotions?  There is a worksheet at the bottom of the page in the 'File to Download' section under The Colour Monster activity feelings.  Don't worry if you do not have a print at home you could always draw the jars, ask an adult to label them and then draw in the things that make you feel the different emotions.  We would love to see your work so please, if you can, email either Mrs Mallett or Miss Bours.  

Story time

In school we usually have a story at the end of the day.  Please click on the link below and listen to the story 'Tiger in the Snow' by Nick Butterworth.  Can you draw and label three things you have done in the snow?  

PE

You can practice our PE stretches and warm ups we do in school, at home! You can do this inside or outside, just make sure you are safe!

We like to do "Mr Strong" (balance on one legg)

"Little Miss Sunshine (Skipping)

"Mr Floppy" (Wiggle your bodies)

"Mr Tall" (Stretch as high as you can)

"Mr Small" (Curl up into a super small ball!)

You can then practice your aiming! Sit with a grown up and if you have suitable ball at home, practice rolling the ball to each other! See how many times you can do this! Good Luck!

Happy Home Learning!

Please email either Mrs Mallett or Miss Bours if you have any questions or you would like to share something with us.  We would love to hear from you x

One Snowy Day 7.1.2025

Unfortunately, the school is closed again today due to the snow.  Here are a few things you might like to try whilst you are at home.  

Please complete the tasks from yesterday and then have a little go at of todays independent tasks.  For all tasks completed Mrs Mallett and Miss Bours will give you 5 Dojo's each!

English

Please listen to the story again.  Can you join in with what the Gingerbread Man says in the story?  Can you say it in a squeaky voice/quiet voice/loud voice? 

Independent task: Why don't you see if you can think of any words that rhyme with "man". Remember words that rhyme are words that sound the same at the end and have the same ending. In this instance -an. Have a go at writing these using your best Puss Bank handwriting and bring any work back to school with your wonderful name on it!  We will add these to our display.  

Phonics

As we are due to start new learning in phonics this week, we would like you to go back over some of the work we did before Christmas so you are ready to start learning tomorrow.  You will need to scroll to the end of the web page to find the section you need.  It is called 'Files to Download- Snow Day Learning Phonics 7.1.25'.  If you wanted to keep active in the cold you could always write out the graphemes we have learnt so far on scraps of paper, ask someone in your house to hide them around your house and then go on a treasure hunt to find them all.

Maths

In maths this week we are thinking about subitising.  We have put a another PowerPoint on this web page.  You can find it at the bottom of this page.  It is called 'Files to Download- Snow Day Maths Subitising 7.1.25'.  Ask an adult to play the PowerPoint for you, hopefully you will hear me talking you through what we would like you to do. 

Independent task: Can you make your own dot patterns at home using objects you can find from your home?  If you are able to draw or photograph the subitising patterns you have made please e-mail them to me Mrs Mallett rmp.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk or to Miss Bours rb.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk.  

Other activities you could try at home

Expressive art and design

You could paint a gingerbread man and decorate with buttons, eyes, nose and mouth – use collage and craft materials or recycling! 

Or maybe you could go outside and collect leaves, sticks and berries and create transient art Gingerbread Man.  You might have to build a snowman first so that you can clear some of the snow away!

Understanding the world

To test your science skills why not make a boat using junk that will carry the Gingerbread Man across the river (or a bowl full of water!), test it using a play figure or make your own gingerbread man to test it with! 

Happy Home Learning!

Please email either Mrs Mallett or Miss Bours if you have any questions x

Snow library

Here are a few pictures of what it looks like from some peoples homes.

Mrs Mallett's snowman

RMP do you know who this is?

Mrs Hayak's back garden

 

  Miss Bours walking her dog. RB I wonder if you can recognise her?!

Mrs Scofield's garden

Miss Chilton's view from her home

Happy Snow Day 6.1.2025

Unfortunately, the school is closed today due to the snow.  Here are a few things you might like to try whilst you are at home.  

English

Our new book this half term is 'The Gingerbread Man'.  You will need to scroll to the end of the web page to find the section you need.  It is called 'Files to Download- The Gingerbread Man Story 2025 voiced'.  You could either ask an adult to read the story to you (please use The Gingerbread Man Story 2025) or press play slideshow, I wonder if you can guess who is reading the story?

Once you have listened to the story can you draw a picture of your favourite character?  Remember to colour your picture in carefully using the right colours for your character.  You could add labels to your picture too.  Best Puss Bank handwriting please.  If you bring your pictures into school tomorrow Mrs Mallett and Miss Bours will put them on the display board for our topic this half term. 

Phonics

As we are due to start new learning in phonics this week, we would like you to go back over some of the work we did before Christmas so you are ready to start learning tomorrow.  You will need to scroll to the end of the web page to find the section you need.  It is called 'Files to Download- Snow Day Learning Phonics'.  If you wanted to keep active in the cold you could always write out the graphemes we have learnt so far on scraps of paper, ask someone in your house to hide them around your house and then go on a treasure hunt to find them all.

Maths

In maths this week we are thinking about subitising again.  Can you remember what subitising means?  Yes thats right to know a number without counting.  We have put a little PowerPoint on this web page.  You can find it at the bottom of this page.  It is called 'Files to Download- Snow Day Maths Subitising 6.1.25'.  Ask an adult to play the PowerPoint for you, hopefully you will hear me talking you through what we would like you to do.  There is an independent task to do too at the end.  If you are able to draw or photograph the numbers you find on your number hunt you can always e-mail them to me Mrs Mallett rmp.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk or to Miss Bours rb.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk.  

Happy Home Learning!

Please email either myself or Miss Bours if you have any questions x

 

 

Off We Go!

 

 

What are we doing this Spring half term?  

Our topic is 'Off We Go!’ We will be talking about where we live, our local community and learning the features of a map. We will learn how to follow a simple journey on a map, exploring the journeys of the Gingerbread Man, the Naughty Bus and our own Gingerbread Man local walk! Later in the term, we will think about and discuss our own cultures and traditions, comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences between them all.

What are we learning this half term?  

This half term we will be looking at the story of 'The Gingerbread Man’. We will be focusing on joining in with repeated refrains within the story. We will continue to practice our concepts of prints, for example finding the title, turning pages one at a time and finding where we start to read. We also talk about the characters and settings in the story. We will begin to write captions and sentences, using adjective to describe the characters and the setting of the story. We will also be looking at a non-fiction text ‘The Farm’. We will be discussing what the term ‘non-fiction’ means, as well as focusing on the features of a non-fiction text e.g. contents page, page numbers, headings. We will use our knowledge of the features of a non-fiction text to create our very own fact-file all about farms and the animals we find on a farm!

Important Information

PE will be on a Friday (inside). Children to come to school in school uniform and bring in a PE kit to keep here. 

Share a book- the first Friday of each month. The first Share a book session will be Friday 7th February 2025.  

Wednesday 8^th January- Pantomime

Thursday 23^rd January- The Gingerbread Man Walk- school grounds

Tuesday 28^th January- Learn phonics with me!

Wednesday 12^th February- RMP- Library Visit PM

Thursday 13^th February- RB- Library Visit PM

Phonics

At Puss Bank School and Nursery, we use the phonic scheme Little Wandle Revised Letters and Sounds to teach phonics. 

Please follow the link here to gain access to the Little Wandle Parent Information section on their website. 

Useful websites to help at home

How to say phase 3 sounds with your child.

Please watch this video with your child to support them in saying their new phase 3 sounds. 

https://youtu.be/DvOuc7cWXxc

Maths support

Maths Tutorial for EYFS - find out how children learn to count and understand numbers in the EYFS.
Remember to email if you have any concerns or worries:-

How to contact us

Mrs Mallett - RMP.Homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk 

Miss Bours- RB.Homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk 

Or email admin@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk

We have an open door policy at Puss Bank Primary School and we are always available to talk in the morning or after school.  Due to training needs we will find it tricky to speak to you on a Tuesday after school but we are always happy to arrange another time to chat about anything that you wish to raise with us.

If something happens during the day please feel free to telephone the school directly and a member of the office team will relay that information directly to the class teacher.