“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree.” Matthew 13:31–32

“Each one of you has to be God’s microphone.”  Saint Oscar Romero

Class Teacher: Mrs Rafique

Teaching Assistant: Mrs Barlow

Student Teacher: Miss Kendal

Welcome to our Autumn Term

We have had a busy and happy start to the year in Reception. The children have settled in well, making new friends and learning our daily rules and routines.

Our Catholic Vision

At our school, we follow Jesus’ example ‘Love One Another as I have Loved you.’ by showing kindness, love, and respect to everyone. This term, we have been learning to:

• Care for each other in our classroom and playground.
• Share and take turns.
• Say “please” and “thank you.”
• Celebrate God’s world through prayer, song, and stories.

Our Class Saint – Saint Oscar Romero

Our class saint is Saint Oscar Romero. We are Saint Oscar Romero class or as Mrs Rafique likes to say ‘Little Romeros.’ Saint Oscar Romero was a kind and brave man who loved God and cared for people who were poor or treated unfairly. He showed us that we should always stand up for what is right and look after one another. The children can be like Saint Oscar Romero by being kind to their friends, helping those in need, and using gentle words to make others feel loved and happy.

Seeds and Gardeners

Being the youngest children in school comes with its privileges. Each Reception pupil ‘seed’ is paired with a Y6 Gardener - who take on a special role of responsibility. The Seeds and Gardeners meet regularly for support, care and nurture in the first year of school.

What We Have Been Learning

• Religious Education: We have listened to ‘The Creation Story’ about God’s love and talked about how we can be stewards looking after God’s gift to people – our world.
• Literacy: We are learning new letter sounds in Phonics and enjoying story time together.
• Maths: We have been counting and exploring numbers to 5.
• Creative Play: We have enjoyed painting, building, and role play.
• Outdoor Learning: The children are exploring nature and enjoying the Autumn changes.
• PE: Practising our fine motor with lots of funky finger activities as well as gross motor skills with mark making outside and learning how to travel in different ways.
• Phonics Resources: Please use the following links to find out more about our Phonics teaching scheme Essential Letters and Sounds

https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/reading-schemes-oxford-levels/essential-letters-and-sounds/

https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/reading-schemes-oxford-levels/essential-letters-and-sounds/ 

Working Together  

We encourage children to take what they learn at school into their home life. You can help by:

• Reading together each day and recording in the home/school reading record.
• Practising homework each week
• Exploring your child’s library book
• Taking part in real life experiences – cooking, building, visiting the supermarket, the farm…
• Practising counting in everyday activities
• Engaging in conversation
• Talking about kindness and how we can follow Jesus at home.

Looking Ahead

As we continue our journey through Reception, we will keep growing in faith, friendship, and learning. We look forward to sharing more special moments with you on Class Dojo.