Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a wonderful first week back in Pegasus class! The children have settled back into their routines brilliantly and have shown lots of enthusiasm for their new learning.

This Week

As writers, we have begun exploring our exciting new action and adventure text, Traction Man Is Here! by Mini Grey. We have enjoyed meeting Traction Man, an action figure who transforms everyday household objects and places into extraordinary adventures. The children have been using clues from the illustrations and text to make predictions about what might happen next. We have also been using our imaginations to create and draw our own secret missions for Traction Man, thinking carefully about the challenges and dangers he might encounter.

We have also started our new Read Write Inc. (RWI) Spelling programme this week. The children have been completing pre-programme activities to help them become familiar with the routines and strategies we will use to develop their spelling skills. Next week, the children will bring home their new spelling logbooks, which will help us record and practise the spelling patterns and words we are learning.

As mathematicians, we have continued developing our understanding of subtraction, with a particular focus on subtracting across a ten. We have been using practical resources, including tens frames, alongside number lines to help us visualise what happens when we subtract. The children have been practising partitioning numbers and using their knowledge of number bonds to ten to solve calculations more efficiently. We have also been encouraging them to explain their methods and think about which strategies are most useful.

In PSHE, we have been exploring how people can have different points of view, even when they experience the same situation. Through discussion and examples, the children have been thinking about why others might see or feel things differently from themselves. We have considered the importance of listening carefully, showing empathy and respecting other people's opinions, even when we do not agree.

Next Week

As writers, we will continue exploring Traction Man Is Here! and turn our attention to the imaginative settings in the story. The children will choose an adventure setting to describe, such as the mysterious underwater world of the bathtub or a dangerous mountain made from Lego bricks in a toy chest. We will begin by drawing and exploring these settings, before gathering interesting adjectives and using our five senses to help bring them to life. We will be working towards writing descriptive sentences that help the reader imagine what Traction Man might see, hear and feel during his adventures.

As mathematicians, we will continue developing our addition and subtraction skills, focusing on calculations involving two-digit numbers that require us to cross a ten. We will use practical resources, drawings and number lines to support our understanding before moving towards more efficient mental strategies. The children will also be encouraged to explain their reasoning and check their answers using different methods.

As scientists, we will begin our new topic exploring everyday materials and their properties. The children will investigate a range of familiar materials, such as wood, plastic, metal, glass and fabric, and describe their properties using scientific vocabulary. We will consider why different materials are chosen for particular purposes and begin to explore how their properties make them suitable for different uses. Throughout the unit, the children will have opportunities to work scientifically by observing, comparing, sorting and carrying out simple investigations.

As musicians, we will begin learning the songs for our Christmas performance! The children will practise singing together, focusing on remembering the lyrics, following the melody and performing with confidence. We are looking forward to sharing our performance with you on Tuesday 8th December, from 1:30–2:30pm, at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin in Oxford. More details will follow next week.

Home Learning

Please complete Maths Practice Journal - Week 7 and return it to school on Monday.

Please also continue to encourage your child to read regularly at home. Talking about the story, discussing unfamiliar vocabulary and asking questions about the characters and events are all valuable ways to support their reading comprehension.