September welcome letter - Gusford Primary School Homepage

Gusford Primary School“Promoting Achievement and Success.”Sheldrake Drive Ipswich IP2 9LQTel: (01473) 682148 Fax: (01473) 692142Email: admin.kee@e2bn.net Website: www.gusford.suffolk.sch.ukHeadteacher: Mr C Tapscott B.A. (Hons)Dear Parents/ Guardians,3rd September 2010Welcome to Year 2! We hope that you had an enjoyable and relaxing Summer Holiday!We thought that it would be helpful to provide you with an overview of the things that will beexpected of your child this year and provide you with some information that we hope willhelp your child settle quickly into Year 2.Attached is an overview of the first and second halves of the Autumn Term which details thetopics your child will be learning about over the coming weeks.“Meet the Teachers” Meeting – Friday 10 th September: 2.45-3.15pmWe would like to invite you to an informal meeting where you can come and meet yourchild’s teachers and some of the support staff that will be teaching your child this year.During the meeting, we will provide information about what your child can expect thisyear and an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have.SpellingsChildren will continue to receive daily phonics teaching which will support them in learningto read and spell words using a primarily phonetic approach. Within these lessons, childrenwill be regularly assessed on their ability to apply their knowledge of the spelling patternstaught to both their reading and spelling both within their daily lessons, and through a varietyof activities. We will also be continuing to use the Key Word Word-Packs to support thechildren with their learning of the reading and spelling of the Key Words.To enable us to check that all children have a Key Word Pack with their appropriateword cards in, we would ask that these be sent into school with your child by Wednesday8 th September please.ReadingChildren will bring home a personal “Reading Together” Record Book (now yellow!) and twobooks for them to read at home and in school. This Reading Diary will be an importantdocument this year as it will allow us to record comments about your child’s reading and willgive you the opportunity to record your own comments when you hear your child read.We would encourage you to hear your child read as frequently as possible. It may be that anolder sibling, grand parent or relative may hear your child read and their comments can alsobe recorded.

We would ask that your child’s Reading Record Book and books be in school every day as wewill attempt to hear your child read individually at least once a week, and our TeachingAssistants and Adult Support staff will also be available to hear children read.The children are encouraged to inform us when they need to change one or both of theirreading books. There is no expectation of how often this should be but obviously your childwill benefit from regularly reading with an adult, as often as possible. Please ask your child tolet their teacher know if they need to change their books and we will arrange for these to bechanged at the earliest opportunity.In addition, we will also begin to hear your child read in a Guided Reading group. This iswhere a group of children, of similar reading abilities, read and discuss a text together. Thisallows the teacher to not only hear a child read, but provides an opportunity for the group todiscuss and explore the content of different texts, and practice different reading strategies.HomeworkIn addition to their reading, children will be asked to complete one piece of homework aweek. An overview of the homework for the term is attached, detailing what they are expectedto do and when the homework is due.We have tried to make each piece of homework relevant to the work children are completingin class and hopefully enjoyable activities that they can do largely independently, withminimal support from you. Completed homework is shared and celebrated in class each week.PEChildren will do PE on the following days:Badgers (Mrs Rose): Tuesdays & WednesdaysFoxes (Mrs Tapscott/ Mrs Tapscott): Mondays & FridaysOtters (Mrs Fitzmaurice): Mondays & WednesdaysIdeally children should have their PE kit in school all week, as there are sometimes occasionswhen PE days need to change, or we undertake extra sessions.Children’s PE kits should include a white T-shirt, dark shorts and plimsoles or trainers.Because children will be doing some PE outside this term, it would also be beneficial forthem to have some tracksuit bottoms and/ or an outdoor jumper to help keep them a littlewarmer! Children with long hair should have it tied up or bring a band to tie it up with, and allearrings and jewelry should be removed. If your child finds it difficult to take out their ownearrings, it may be better to remove these before school, on the days your child has PE, oralternatively ensure your child has some tape or plasters to cover their earrings to preventinjury.PlaytimesWe encourage children to bring in a healthy snack for them to enjoy at morning break. Thiscan be a piece(s) of fruit or vegetables, raisins, a cereal bar (no nuts) or cheese biscuits/crackers. We would ask that if loose items eg grapes, strawberries, carrot sticks are bought in,that they be placed in a disposable sandwich bag or small plastic container that is clearlylabeled with your child’s name and class.We would also remind you that children’s personal toys should not be brought in to school(unless it is part of a class ‘Show & Tell’ or other class activity). Skipping ropes can bebrought in but we would ask that only those skipping ropes with light-weight handles be usedas we have unfortunately experienced accidents with the heavier, wooden-handled ropes.

And finally…We always welcome, and appreciate, additional Parental Support in our classrooms! As youwill be aware, we require all of our regular helpers to hold a CRB check. If you hold a CRBcertificate and/ or you think you would be interested in helping in your child’s class, please letyour child’s teacher know. You are always welcome! We hope that this provides an outline ofsome of the things that you, and your child, can expect this term, and hope that your childenjoys being in Year 2!Regards,Mrs Rose, Mrs A Tapscott, Mrs L Tapscott, Mrs Fitzmaurice