Rowan Class Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome to a new school year in Rowan Class. We hope you had a good summer and that your children are looking forward to an exciting year full of new adventures and challenges.

TEACHERS: For those of you new to Rowan Class, the children will be taught by myself, Mr Vink (Literacy, Maths, Humanities and Science), Mrs Tilley and Mr Hopkinson (PE), as well as specialised subject tutors including Mrs Nightingale (Art) and Mrs Thompson (Focussed Support). We are also being joined by Mrs Stephenson and are looking forward to her added expertise in the classroom. All of this will enable your children to work at a more specialised level in their foundation subjects as well as getting used to different people, groupings and locations which will start to prepare them for secondary school. PE is on Monday afternoons; children will need their clearly named PE kit (double-bagged) and we recommend they keep it in school throughout the half term, taking it home to be washed at the endunless it is particularly wet or muddy.

TOPIC: This term our topic is ‘Celebrations’ and more specifically the inventions and advances that have occurred in the areas of light and sound. We will be looking at who, why and how people have had an impact on the world through their innovation, incorporating some PSHE, British Values and moral discussions. In science we will be looking at light and sound. We will be following the National Curriculum for Maths (using the ‘Mastery’ approach) and English - making it as relevant and ‘real world’ as possible.

HOMEWORK: Reading continues to be an essential part of children’s learning both at home and school although, as many of the children are now independent readers, we do not expect parents to listen to their children read as regularly, however, please encourage your child to read at home regularly and take the chance to discuss their books and sign their planner (when issued) when they have read. Weekly spellings and times tables will be set and tested at the end of each week, please try and support your child, little and often.

EQUIPMENT: As always, all the equipment your children need is available to them at school, due to COVID19 we would encourage children to bring in as little as possible – we will provide each child with a pencil case and the necessary stationery. DATES: As dates firm up for any events we will notify you and they will be displayed on the school website.

Obviously this is going to be a new adventure in schooling – we will do everything we can to make the transition back as smooth as possible. If you have any concerns or questions please feel free to come and talk to myself or a member of our team.

Kind regards

Mr Vink