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Preston
Primary School
Academy

Foundation Stage Weekly Newsletter

Puffins and Penguins Weekly Newsletter, 26th November 2021

Celebrations and Festivals

Christmas is fast approaching, and we have started to practise our nativity. The children have been told their part and will be coming home today with lines to learn in their book bag. We have also put a copy of their lines on Seesaw, along with songs to practice. The children are very excited about filming the nativity for you. We have lots of costumes in school so you will not need to supply anything unless we have specifically spoken to you. Please help your child learn their lines over the weekend. We have been encouraging all the children to project their voice and say their lines with confidence. Thank you for your support.

Maths

In Maths this week, we have been exploring the concept of ‘1 less’. We have been using number songs which count backwards (5 little ducks, 5 speckled frogs, 5 little monkeys, etc.) to practise counting backwards from 5. We have been representing the animals with cubes and physically removing 1 cube each time. Some of us have been drawing representations of the ducks on our whiteboards and numbering them – and the children were challenged to explain why we couldn’t just rub out any of the drawings, but why we had to remove number 5 duck first, then number 4, etc.

Woodland Camp

We have been talking about how birds often do not have enough food during the winter months, as bugs and berries are scarce. This week we followed instructions to make ‘bird cakes’. We mixed together suet, bird seed and cranberries to make the treat for the birds. We added the mixture to pine cones and we hung them in trees in both the woodland camp and above our mud kitchen. Some of us have already spotted birds investigating and stopping for a snack! We have a very friendly robin who likes to visit every day to feed on the one in the mud kitchen. The birds are great fun to watch, and it is good to know that we are helping them! We linked this activity to talking about ‘responsibility’ for wildlife.

Christmas lunch

On Wednesday 15th December, there will be a Christmas lunch in school. This is a very popular event so please book in advance via the Aspens Select website so that the kitchen can order in the correct amount of food. Login (aspens-services.com)

The children all eat together in the hall while festive music is playing. Each table setting also has a Christmas cracker supplied by FOPPS (Friends of Preston Primary School), our PTA. A couple of our children eat packed lunches – please be assured that they will also be included – they will sit with their friends and also be provided with a cracker.

Home Learning

  • Check your book bag or Seesaw for this week’s phonic activity.
  • Enjoy listening to the story on Seesaw.
  • Practise your Nativity line. Remember to use expression and to project your voice.

Book recommendations

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum, and we are always looking for ways to promote reading for pleasure. On Seesaw, we invited the children to tell us all about one of their favourite books. We will be posting three recommendations in each newsletter.

‘Wild’ by Emily Hughes

recommended by Beatrix

The story is about a little girl who is wild and lives in the forest. My favourite part is when all the animals teach her how to do the things they do in the forest and when she gets angry and runs away. I think you will like it because it has really good pictures.

‘Each Peach Pear Plum’ by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

recommended by Theo

I look at this book to find the characters. My favourite characters are the three bears.

‘There’s a dragon in your book' by Tom Fletcher

recommended by Elliot M

This is my favourite book. You get to join in with the book and I love it because it is entertaining! When you read it, you get to do actions in the book.

Messages

  • Please remember that you can also view this newsletter on the school website where you can also see any photographs that we include.
  • Please continue to contact the school office by email admin@preston.torbay.sch.uk or phone 01803 607075 with any questions or queries.
  • In the event of your child being poorly, please call our absence line is 01803 607589 where you can leave a voice message.
  • There is also lots of useful information, as well as event dates and term dates, on our school website  https://www.preston.torbay.sch.uk/

Dates

  • Christmas lunch – Wednesday 15th December. Please book in advance on the Aspens Select website. Login (aspens-services.com)
  • Last day of term – Friday 17th December. Children can wear a festive jumper on this day. Please don’t feel that you have to buy a jumper just for this one day – maybe wear a top that they already have which is appropriately coloured, e.g. red. Children will wear school trousers / dresses as usual.

From Mrs Bastin, Mrs Clague, and the Foundation Stage Team

Address
Preston Primary School Academy
Old Paignton Road
Torquay
Devon
TQ2 6UY

Phone
01803 607075