Pre-School 2025 - 2026

Welcome to Pre-School Autumn 2 2025 

Welcome Back! We hope that you have had a lovely break together. 

We have started our second topic 'Celebrations and Light' please enjoy looking at the Topic Web in the file section below. 

We have lots to look forward to this half-term including our EYFS Christmas Celebration!

• Pre-School Parents Evenings - Wednesday 19th of November and Wednesday 26th of November
• Christmas Fayre- Friday 28th of November (after school time tbc)
• EYFS Christmas Celebration performance dates - Tuesday the 2nd of December and Thursday the 4th of December at 2:15pm. (Further information will follow)

Tapestry is Changing Soon...

You may have seen that Tapestry (our online learning journal) are making some changes that will take effect before the end of the year. We will let you know as soon as we have confirmation of the exact date. Desktop Users will not need to do anything but App Users will need to download a new app (not an update) from the App Store / Google Play store. We have sent you a Tapestry memo with more information and new user guides.

Routines, Reminders & Messages 

• Book Change Day - please check the label on your child's book bag to know which day to bring it back into Pre-School, we can't wait to see who may have new news to share this week.
• Tapestry – We would love to receive any family photos or photos of things that are special to your child so that we can use tapestry to share those lovely things together in class. Please upload a photo of your child’s family as soon as you can, thanks so much!
• Passwords- We require a password for every child. If you have not provided a password on your registration form then please inform the office via telephone or email so we can update your information. 
• Changes to collection arrangements - If there are any changes to collection arrangements for your child then we must have a password and please let us know the details in advance.
• Lunches - If you would like to order a school lunch for your child then please look at the Pre-School menu on the website and complete any payments via Scopay. If you require any assistance then please contact the school office
• School Spider App- Please ensure that you have uploaded the School Spider App at your earliest convenience. General messages and information from both Pre-School and the main school will be communicated to you. 
• Book Bags - By the end of the first week every child will have enjoyed a short group read session and will be provided with a book bag for the year. Please read the letter inside and look at the news book together. There is a short guide to what to expect and which day to bring your child's book bag back into school.
• Reading for Pleasure - Your child will choose a 'Reading for Pleasure' to share with you at home. During the Autumn term the selection of books we provide will specifically focus on skills such as observing the pictures, the textures and discovering what's behind the flaps. Enjoy sharing the simple repetitive phrases and sentences together and discussing what they can see. We will record the book that you have shared in a column on the inside of their news book and you can keep it safe at home for that week.
• Phase 1 Phonics- We will be learning about how to tune in to the sounds around us both inside and outdoors. Any contributions of Pine Cones, small twigs, bark and shells or pebbles would be gratefully received.
• 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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Our Learning Journey: Monday 3rd of November 2025

'This week we will explore Autumn time and bread making ’ 

Communication & Language:

This week we will enjoy listening to and joining with our new nursery rhyme 'Higgety Piggety My Red Hen' using our hands to count and clap. We will add actions to the song Ready 'Steady Stop' and practise answering simple questions about the pictures in our new story this week 'The Little Red Hen’. At Welcome Time we will listen for our names and practise saying the first sound in our names using our name cards as reference.

   Personal, Social & Emotional Development:

We will be playing alongside other children in role play activities with our colour monster resources and the colour yellow. We will remember to follow our Stop and Go signs and will now follow the rules and routines in our class. We will enjoy talking about how to make bread and the different breakfasts we have.

Physical Development:

This week we will be learning how to build with different equipment in Pre-School such as making a house for our hens. We will also enjoy rolling small amounts of bread playdough, first we will pinch the dough then we will cut with scissors and roll into different shapes such as baguettes and bagels. 

Literacy:

This week we will continue to look at our capital letter written down and practise forming diagonal shapes with mark making tools.  We will choose a special book for our new Book Bags and enjoy the story 'The Litte Red Hen'. As we listen to the story we will practise saying the names of the animals and simple phrases too. Look out for the list of words to share with your child in their new news and phonics book.

Phonics:

This week we will sing our new song 'Ready Steady Stop' and 'listen to the sounds' made by clapping and tapping on our instruments. We will begin to guess the sound made with by covering our eyes as we distinguish between two different sounds. We will explore how to make sound shakers with cups and different materials.

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  Mathematics:

This week we will begin to learn all about what a pattern may look like using natural materials. How many things can we find to make a repeating pattern? what fits in the pattern, what doesn’t? Our outdoor challenge is to create a hen house with different sized bricks including a house for the dog and cat from the story.... taller or shorter, does it have a roof?

    Understanding the World:

This week we will begin to talk about how bread is made. We will focus on the sense of touch as we roll and decorate our hedgehog bread. We will enjoy looking at photos of wheat and wheat grains. We will also enjoy looking for signs of Autumn.

   Expressive Arts & Design:

This week we will use different materials such as feathers to make a collage. We will talk about Autumn and sort different seeds and leaves.

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.