Please help your child to become an independent learner by encouraging them to do these things without support. * Putting on their coat and doing up the zip * Carrying their own things in to school eg, water bottles and book bags * Taking responsibility for their belongings – ensuring things are tidied up and put away properly * Encourage children to get their reading book out when they are ready to have it changed * Changing for PE * Going to the toilet and wiping their bottom * Using their words to try and resolve minor disagreements with friends * Using a knife and fork to cut their food.

‘Communication is the number one skill. Without it, children will struggle to make friends, learn and enjoy life.’ * Playing board games that involve taking turns helps them to listen and concentrate for longer. * Encourage children to talk without being questioned. This can help them to talk more about their experiences. Open questions like 'What are you going to play with today?' encourage children to say more than 'yes' and 'no'. If they find it difficult to answer such open questions, give them choices, such as 'cars or animals?‘ Encouraging children to use ‘because’ is a great way to extend their speech and reasoning skills. * Although children may know lots of different words it is important to introduce new words and phrases. This helps them to continue learning. Don’t assume children understand words from story books – you’ll be surprised! *Having fun with words and rhymes can help children learn skills they need for reading and writing. * Children may need time to think before responding to questions and instructions. Give them time without answering for them or finishing their sentences. (If your child is a little shy be careful not to speak for them)

Children must read their school reading book every night. Children should practice their tricky word lists and sound flash cards every night. If you are struggling to get your child reading at home please speak to me! Don’t get stressed, it can be frustrating but they aren’t doing it on purpose I promise! Read to your children – this helps their inference, expression, love of reading. A bedtime story every night is as important as children reading their school reading book. Discuss books you have read – it’s ok not to enjoy certain books, even better if you can articulate why. Visit the library

By the end of Reception

By the end of Reception

By the end of Year 1

Encourage a correct pencil grip whenever your child is using writing tools. Don’t teach your child to write in capital letters other than where they are meant to be! Regularly help your child practise letter formation – when a new sound is added to their sound book, spend some time practising writing them. Habits are quickly formed so it is important children are familiar with the correct formation. If your child’s pencil control is poor – avoid practising letter formation with paper and pencil – this doesn’t mean don’t practise!

Let your child see you write – even if it’s a text or email Let your child see you write – even if it’s a text or email. Children need to understand the importance of learning to write! Encourage your child to speak in full sentences. Resist the urge to respond to one word answers. Encourage children to write birthday/thank you cards. Teach your child to write their name. Once your child is writing, insist on the use of capital letters, finger spaces and full stops! They use them at school! Year one – support your child in being able to spell the year one common exception words sent out over summer. For words that can’t be ‘decoded’ like one or who for example write down two spellings a right and a wrong. The more children read and think about spelling the more they will be able to choose the correct spelling from a choice.

Count from 1 – 20 and from 20 – 0 - Count everything Count from 1 – 20 and from 20 – 0 - Count everything! Count forwards and backwards.... And then count again! Count on when you play board games (take a maths counting game tonight!) One to one correspondence – count out sweets, cutlery, toys. Model correct counting by lining things up and saying one number name for each object. Recognise numerals to 20 – play snap, memory games, notice numbers on houses, birthday cards at supermarkets. Flash cards for a minute every day – start with 1- 5 then increase. Talk about shapes – your child should recognise a square, triangle, circle and rectangle as well as simple 3d shapes – cube, cubiod, cylinder, sphere and pyramid.

Year 1 – Visit the maths passport page of the website and use the booklets provided to support your child with their maths.

Please don’t leave without... Reception information on development matters, a really useful document that sets out the age related expectations for the end of reception A maths counting game Year 1 Age related expectation sheets for Writing, Maths, Reading A maths passport and booklet