2025-2026

Your class teachers are Miss Law (Monday-Tuesday) and Mrs Hibbert (Wednesday-Friday) 

Your teaching assistant is Miss Varley.

Other members of Foundation staff you will see -

Mrs Rawcliffe, Mrs Coope, Miss Giller and Mrs Boden. 

Holly Harris is our Speech and Language therapist.

PE

Our PE day is Monday

Your child will need to have a PE kit in school at all times. We will send it home at the end of each half term. 

Please remember to label all clothes (even shoes) to avoid any mix ups!

Reading

Please bring reading folders to school everyday. Books will be changed and reads will be counted once a week.

Homework 

 Please read to and listen to your child read as often as possible. We ask children to read at least 3 times per week. Reads will be counted weekly and recorded for our Reading Mileage system. Please record reads in your child's reading diary. 

 A weekly 'Memo' will be sent via Tapestry on Fridays to let you know which number, phonemes and fast words we are working on in class. 

Spring Term 2026

In the Spring term we will be learning about Traditional Tales and Nursery Rhymes. 

We will be learning about the story of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' and doing lots of exciting learning around the story. We will be retelling the story in our own words, making porridge and writing letters to the 3 Bears. 

We will read lots of other traditional tales too such as 'The Little Red Hen', 'The Three Little Pigs', 'The Gingerbread Man' and 'Little Red Riding Hood'.

We will begin our 'Desert Island books' on a Friday where your child will be invited to bring in their favourite book from home and tell us all about it. Look out for when its your turn, we'll send a letter home to let you know, we can't wait to see and hear all about your favourite stories from home.

Tapestry

In Foundation Stage we use an online program called 'Tapestry' to share your child's learning journey with you.

Tapestry allows you to log in and see what your child has been learning in school and gives you the opportunity to share experiences at home with us.

This is a secure site which allows only you to view your child's learning journey and gives you an insight to the learning opportunities they access whilst with us in Foundation. If you are not signed up to Tapestry, please see Miss Law. 

We love to share the children's experiences at home during our carpet times. The children love seeing themselves on the big board! Please continue to share your special family times with us by posting photos and videos on Tapestry. Click on the link below to find out how... 

Reading

At Church Vale we value children's love of reading and want to begin their reading journey as soon as they start their time in Foundation Stage with us. 

We share books daily and recognise how important it is for children to listen to stories. Each week your child will bring home a 'sharing book' this is a book for you to read to them. Please take time in your busy days to share a story and have quiet, quality time with your child. 

Your child will also bring home a 'reading book' which is matched to their reading and phonics ability. This is for your child to read to you and practice the skills they have learnt in school. 

We expect our children to read at home at least 3 times a week. Additional to their reading and sharing book, encourage your child to reads books at home, magazines, signs and leaflets! 

We count how many reads your child has done each week and they awarded with a certificate and prize when they reach

25, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 reads.

Please see the 'Fast words' sticker in your child's reading diary to see the words we have learnt in Foundation so far this year.

Please encourage your child to read these words from sight. This will help their fluency of reading. 

At Church Vale we love to read! The children listen to stories everyday and we take part in a weekly session devoted to Reading for Pleasure. 

Our Core set of books that we enjoy reading to our children can be seen below. Links are included incase you would like your own copies of our favourites at home! 

Here are some useful activities and lessons to keep your child busy at home: 

Reading

Please encourage your child to read their reading book. Can they turn the pages, point to the words and spot the graphemes they know? Can they blend the phonemes to read the words? Can they go back and re-read sentences quickly? Can they answer who/what/why/when questions about the book? 

Remember, reading to your child is an important part of reading. Share your favourite stories. Talk to your child about their favourite parts, favourite characters and encourage them to join in with repeated phrases. 

Phonics 

Practice the Phase 2 phonemes using the formation sheets below. 

Practice blending sounds for reading using the phase 2 and phase 3 'Time to Read sheets below'

Watch interactive Phonics lessons via Youtube: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP_FbjYUP_UtldV2K_-niWw

Play some phonics games on the Phonics Tracker website. Follow the link and scroll down the page to find the games.

https://www.phonicstracker.com/games/index

Maths 

Watch 'Numberblocks' on the cbeebies website:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b08bzfnh/numberblocks

Visit the 'Whiterose Maths' website for some brilliant interactive lessons: 

https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/early-years/

Some useful websites and apps: 

• App: Hairy Letters 
• App: Teach you monster to read
• (you can download onto phones/ipads for a cost or play on the website for free: https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com) 
• Website: Numberblocks cbeebies iplayer https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b08bzfnh/numberblocks
• Website: Phonics play https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/Phase3Menu.htm (phases 2 and 3)
• Website: Phonics bloom https://www.phonicsbloom.com/uk/game/list/phonics-games-phase-2 (Phases 2 and 3) 
• Website: Number songs https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p065s47t
• Youtube: Mr Thorne does phonics https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7sW4j8p7k9D_qRRMUsGqyw
• Youtube: Mr Mc Super power words https://www.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEB&search_query=mr+mc+super+power+words
• Youtube: Boom shake the alphabet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emb2yvwAHtc

Fun Science Experiments to try at home

https://sciencebob.com/

Go Noodle are offering free videos to support physical and emotional well-being.  Lots of fun activities the children love to join in with at school.

https://www.gonoodle.com/good-energy-at-home-kids-games-and-videos/

Twinkl
https://www.twinkl.co.uk