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Dear Parents,

We hope you all had a lovely Easter break! This term we are beginning an exciting new topic – Famous Faces. We will be using this topic to explore lots of famous people from the past and comparing them with famous people today!

The learning map, attached to this newsletter, outlines the areas we will be looking at and some of the work we will be doing in teacher focussed activities and group work. We are also placing an emphasis on joining our handwriting and spelling the Common Exception Words.

Year 1 will be practising using their phonics to read a range of real and nonsense words in preparation for the Phonics Screening Check which will take place during the week of 10th June next term.

Year 2 will be working on consolidating their skills from across the whole year and we will be assessing them on how much they have retained 😃

Some of the people we will be looking at in our topic are:

Do your children recognise any of them?

Home Learning Task

Pick a famous person from the past or present and write a fact file about them. There is a template attached to this letter but if you prefer you could use PowerPoint or use your own design – we look forward to learning about your chosen person. Please return these to school by the end of term.

Reading	Please read with your child at least three times a week, even if it is just for 5 minutes. When reading with your child, please acknowledge the fact that the book has been read by signing and dating in the reading record book. During reading sessions, please discuss the story with your child and ask them questions about what they are reading. These questions will help to develop their understanding of what they are reading as comprehension and discussion are key reading skills in Year 1 and 2. Books can be changed at the trolley in the learning zone at any time. Don’t forget that every child who reads three times in a week gets a special entry into the prize draw to win a book in the Friday Celebration Assemblies.
Spellings and homework	Thank you for your continued support with homework. This really is a great way for you to consolidate learning in class and a chance for you to share in your child’s learning. Spellings will be given out each week – Please practise these words with your child at home in their spelling book. These will then be tested on a Thursday in school and scores will be written in the book at the end of the week for you to see.
Maths	Please can children continue to learn their times tables at home. Year 1 children should be learning 10x, 2x and 5x tables When secure with the 2x, 5x and 10x tables, children should be moving onto 3x and 4x tables BBC Bitesize website has links to times tables songs that children can learn. www.bbc.com/bitesize/topics/zqbg87h Purple Mash Times Tables Games: www.purplemash.com Search for ‘speed tests’ and then choose the one that you would like to practise. MyMaths can be used at home for the children to explore and practise skills from class work whenever they choose.

Useful Websites

• www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/quizzes/blue-planet-big-blue
• www.phonicsbloom.com/uk/game/yes-no-yeti?phase=4
• www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html

Questions to Ask Your Child

• Who are the famous people in our topic?
• Would you like to be famous? What would you be famous for?
• Look at the time periods that our famous people lived in: How are the lives of our famous people different?

Quick Reminders

• Please can you make sure your child brings in a water bottle and their book bag each day.
• The children must always have a coat in school as the weather can be unpredictable.
• Our PE days are some Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays but PE kits should be in all week.

Thank you for your support,

Mrs King

Learning Map