Sunday 15 September 2019

Reception Newsletter Autumn 1 Week 1

                                                                                                                     Autumn 1    15.09.19


Dear Parents/Carers

Welcome to our first newsletter of the new school year. Each week we will provide you with a newsletter which will be posted on our blog and Facebook page at the beginning of each week. The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you up to date with any relevant news in Reception. It will include a list of intended learning objectives, an overview of activities, the learning challenge (which we will not commence until the second part of the Autumn term), notices, important dates and the stories and topics that we will be focussing on.

What a fantastic start we have had to school life with the children settling into Mead really well. Thank you to all parents and carers for your support during this induction period. Our focus at the start of the year is ensuring all children are settled and happy in the setting. We have been teaching routines, rules and expectations as well as exploring all of the resources available. We hope you have had a chance to see the Reception blogs published so far on the Mead Facebook page and website.

The children will now be attending school full time with the new school day beginning 8.30-8.45am start with a 3.00pm collection time. Please note this week we have been experiencing a technical fault in the car park gates but from next week these will be locked. To gain access to the school you will be required in the mornings to walk through the main gate (Gate 1) and enter through the double Reception area doors. At 3.00pm Gate 3 will be open for parents to use the pedestrian footpath to enter the playground and the children will be released through the Reception area doors. Please do not crowd these doors as this will delay us in handing your child over.


Please note we are asking parents not to bring buggies into the corridors as they become overcrowded at peak times and pose a health and safety risk. Please be assured a member of staff will be on hand to provide assistance in looking after buggies in the morning.

On Friday your child brought home an 'All about me' bag for them to fill with 3 things. If they could please bring them back to school on Monday as these will be used during our circle times and provide us with an opportunity to get to know each other and our likes/dislikes.  If anyone is still yet to return their 'All about me' sheet and family tree could you please ensure these are returned to your child's teacher this week.



Your child will be bringing home a reading book (which is changed weekly) and a set of sight words this week. The expectation is your child reads at least 3 times or more each week. As we are promoting a love of reading, we encourage your child to read a range of books and is not limited to the one we send home with them.


The children all had an opportunity on Friday to see the dining hall in preparation for Monday. We have talked about the choices available to them and would also be grateful if you could discuss these with your child as well. Your child is also free to bring in a packed lunch from home if you know they will not eat any of the choices on offer.

We are on Week 3 of the Havering school menu. Monday's choices are:
Red - Sausages with mash potato
Blue - Cheesy tomato pasta pot
Green - Vegetable fingers with mash potato



School Uniform - 
Please be reminded that children are expected to continue to wear the appropriate uniform of:

  • Black or grey trousers (Joggers in Nursery)

  • White polo shirt with a bottle green jumper or cardigan

  • Black shoes or plain black trainers (no boots)
  • Black or grey skirt/dress 

Children will not be permitted to wear Hoodies.

Only plain school coloured head bands can be worn- no oversized bows.

Only studs can we worn in school, please make sure these are removed for PE.

Please ensure children do not have makeup on or acrylic/painted nails.

Uniform will be given to those children who do not wear the correct uniform in the morning and will need to be returned before the end of school.


Messages – 
  • PLEASE NAME all items of clothing. This will help when returning lost items, particularly jumpers and cardigans with the right child.
  • Our PE days are Thursday. Please ensure your child has a named PE kit in school. If they wear earrings they need to be removed on this day.
  •  Thank you to all those parents who have sent in a named set of spare clothes. If you haven’t yet could you please ensure your child has a named set of spare clothes and underwear on their peg as soon as possible.
  •  Children can also bring in a pair of named wellies to leave in school. This would be great for use in the mud kitchen and on rainy days.  
  •   If your child suffers with asthma please ensure their pump is in school and you have completed the relevant paperwork at the main office.
  •   Our Macmillan coffee morning is next Friday we welcome all parents to attend. Any donations including cakes would be really appreciated. 
  • If your child is unwell, please remember to call the school office on 01708  343616 and notify them of your child's absence.


Family news

This is a section of our blog where we celebrate any news from our Reception parents. We would like to welcome the old nursery parents and our new parents to Mead reception.

Important dates:

  INSET Dates and Polling day for 2019-20

INSET 1
INSET 2
INSET 3
INSET 4
INSET 5
4th September
3rd April
20th July
21st July
22nd July

Last day of the summer term will be Friday 17th July 2020.

You can access Havering term dates for 2019-2010 here: https://www.havering.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/2023/term_dates_2019-2020.pdf




Autumn 1
Thursday 19th September
Read, Write, Inc workshop
Friday 20th September
Jeans for Genes day
Friday 27th September
Macmillan Coffee morning – more information to follow
Friday 27th September
Stay and read morning – more information to follow
Monday 14th October
Parents Evening 1
Tuesday 15th October
Parents Evening 2
Friday 18th October
Last day of half term

Autumn 2
Monday 28th October
Pupils return to school
Friday 7th November
Reception Reading workshop
Friday 7th November
Reception stay and read
Tuesday 12th November
Friendship workshop
Friday 6th December
Stay and Play
Wednesday 18th December
St Pauls Church visit
Friday 20th December
Last day of term



Please note that the final day of the summer term will be on Friday 19th July, 2019.

Our learning objectives this term will be listed under these headings:

Personal, Social and Emotional

Can select and use activities and resources with help
Shows confidence in asking adults for help 

Communication and Language
To follow directions
To use talk to connect ideas 

Literacy
To sometimes give meanings to the marks they draw and paint
Listens to and joins in with stories 

Physical Development:
Runs skilfully and negotiates space
Mounts stairs, steps or climbing equipment 

Mathematics
Beginning to recite numbers in order to 10
Knows that numbers identify how many objects are in a set 

If you would like to contact a member of the EYFS team via email the address is: 
eyfs@mead.havering.sch.uk

We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Reception Team