Pre-School 2025 - 2026

Welcome to Pre-School Spring Term 1 2026  

We will be starting our first SpringTerm topic 'Traditional Tales' please enjoy looking at the topic web in the file section below.

We have lots to look forward to this half-term including all our making and baking activities and puppet shows 

Welcome to all the new children and their families starting with us in January, if you have yet to receive the welcome pack with details about the Pre-School day, then please ask at the school office or download the PDF in the files section attached to this page.

Routines, Reminders & Messages for Children starting Reception 2026: 

• Tapestry – If you have not yet sent any family photos or photos of special times for your child then we would love to share them in class. Please upload a photo of your child’s family as soon as you can, thanks so much!  

• Book Bags – Please look out for our ‘wow stars’ to complete at home, we will share your child’s celebrations/achievements together at school. Also, it is really great to share any news or information about home life with us, we would love to see any type of news in their books when you bring them back to us each week  

• Reading for Pleasure' books - Your child will choose a 'Reading for Pleasure' every week.  These are lovely books for you to share with your child at home and are wonderful as a bedtime story or snuggling up on the sofa to read together. These books are also changed on your child's specific Book-Bag Day and again we have a limited supply, so would appreciate your support in ensuring they are returned on time to be available to be chosen by another child.  

• Phase 1 Phonics- We will be learning about how to hear and say sounds at the beginning of words. We will start with letter s and work on a new letter each week: a,t,p,i,n will follow. Each week you will receive a small poster with instructions on how to model the pure sound and practise new words at home together. 

• Lunches - You may change lunch option at any time for your child so if you wish to switch to a school lunch provided by our kitchen, please do not hesitate to let us know, an order form and menu can be obtained online or from the school office.   

• Passwords - We require a password for every child. If you have not provided a password on your registration form, then please inform myself or Miss Moss at drop-off or pick-up time so that we can update our records. Also, if there are any changes to normal collection routines, please let us know on the day or contact the school office.  

• Tapestry Learning Journey - If you are new to Tapestry as a family then please look out for an email with instructions on how to get started by the end of this week. If your child has an older sibling and you already have an Tapestry login then please reactivate your previous account, it should be able to be accessible by the end of this week. If your child attends another setting we can share accounts with the other setting with your permission. If your child had a previous account at another setting then we can continue their Learning Journey by accessing a Key Code from the manager, please contact your previous setting and ask the manager to email Rode Heath Admin with the key code and we can then transfer the data to our Pre-School. As always, please let us know if you have any problems.
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Week Commencing: Monday the 9th of February 2026 

''Happy Chinese New Year, the year of the Fire Horse 2026''

Communication & Language:

This week we will enjoy the traditional tale of the Chinese New Year story. We will learn all about the 12 animals that raced across the river. We will also learn about the year of the snake and what types of dances, music and food is involved in Chinese celebrations. Our new words this week will be based around sequencing the story and the characters names of pig, horse, snake, dragon, rat and many more and what positions they arrived in the race. Who came first and who was last?.

   Personal, Social & Emotional Development:

This week we will enjoy the calming movements and breathing techniques of Thai Chi. We will also have lots of opportunities this week to express our feelings through music and dancing. We will also explore Chinese style food and talk about how we feel when we are in new places and experiencing new things.

Physical Development:

This week we will enjoy learning all about the dance of the dance of the Chinese dragons. We will pretend to be a dragon moving up and down and swirling around. We will see how two dragons interact with each other to tell a story as they move along the floor in costume. We will play follow my leader and move to the rhythm of the drum, trying to stay on the pathways and lines in the large playground. We will use ribbons and materials to create the body of the dragon We will explore making marks with chop sticks in dry rice and play with noodles with two or more chopsticks. We will paint with fine brushes following intricate Chinese symbols for numbers 1-3.

Literacy:

This week we will learn about Chinese New Year. We will look at Chinese writing and use fine brushes to copy letters and symbols. We will create a wish for the new year and talk about fortune cookies and good luck. We will share simple sentences for our cards and create good luck money wallets. 

Phonics:

This week we will have lots of fun exploring how to make the pure sound 'i'. We will enjoy playing a picture bingo game to match the pictures to the picture board whilst practise each word; igloo, insects, instruments, invitation and many more, enjoy using your ‘I spy’ picture boards in your child’s news book together at home.

  Mathematics:

This week we will consolidate our learning so far. This will include exploring patterns using drum beats and following simple movement and song actions. Saying I see 1,2,3 and show me 1,2,3. We will also label objects such as animal from the Chinese Story giving them numbers for corresponding amounts. How many snakes are on the raft?.

    Understanding the World:

This week we will learn all about China and where China is in the world. We will explore dry rice and noodles and role play Chinese restaurant serving and making lists. We will look at chop sticks and have a try at using them with wet and dry noodles. We will have lots of fun watching dragon dances and looking at what happens during the celebrations.

   Expressive Arts & Design:

We will immerse ourselves in relaxing Thai Chi music and learn how to play simple drumbeats and cymbals as we dance like a dragon. We will explore the colour red and collage Chinese lantern pictures. We will role play in our Chinese restaurant and our small world house party.

We know that the first few weeks at Pre-School can be a bit of a scary time, even for mums and dads! If you have any worries then please come and talk to us- mornings at the door can be a bit busy but we have more time to talk at the end of the day. Please email the office directly if you would like a phone call or a meeting.

Our door is always open, please contact us for help at any time.  At busy times, please telephone to leave a message or email and we will respond as soon as we can.