Gems pupils have been continuing to explore Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book. We have also been improving our cooking skills on Thursdays as we learn to mix the ingredients for pancakes. Last Friday, we began our biggest outdoor adventure to date, as we walked to Pembroke Lodge café in Richmond Park. We were so impressed with the Gems pupils who navigated busy roads and bumpy paths. We will continue with these adventures as we seek to improve our understanding of the community, our money handling skills and our awareness of how to behave in a public space. In phonics we have been learning/ recapping the sound ‘e’. Pupils have worked hard in speedy sounds and phonics this week. We continue to be impressed with how handwriting is improving and the effort that pupils put into the sessions.

A big thank you to families who helped with lovely costumes for World Book Day.

Please continue Phonics work at home if you can. But please rest assured, there is no expectation to know all phonics. All pupils are on a journey, and we want them to work at the pace that suits them. We have also started to send put differentiated reading packs. Again, this is just for confidence building and exposure to pictures and phonics. 

We find that LittleBig Foxes, Number Blocks and RWI songs on their websites are a great source of fun and education. 

   

    

Key messages

• There is a YouTube recording of Charlie Cook if you think children might find this easier than looking at the book. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEXYAuIP52o

• Please practise writing and saying the Set 1 sounds at home, using the phonics website by Ruth Miskin to help you. 

• Would families please be so kind as to donate some general cooking supplies to help with our Thursday sessions. eg, flour, oil, eggs, butter, life long milk, cup cake cases. This is not compulsory. Donations welcome.

• Pick up time for Gems pupils is 3pm. Please try to be prompt so we can maximise the time we have to set up for the next day’s learning.

• Please ensure that you have notified the school if you are going to be late.