St John's Church of England Primary School

Early Years Foundation Stage

Autumn Term 1

 Welcome to St John's CofE Early Years Foundation Stage!

Dear Parents and Carers,

A warm welcome to all our children and families in EYFS! We are thrilled to have you with us as we embark on an exciting first half term. Our focus this half term will be on developing those essential early skills that support life-long learning for every child. We’ll introduce our lovely indoor and outdoor learning environments, while also helping the children to learn the new routines of classroom life, all aimed at creating an inclusive atmosphere where everyone feels valued. We will begin with our first topic of the year, All About Me, where we will be exploring all about our lives and our families, sharing our experiences and learning what makes each of us special.

The children will engage in a variety of experiences across our role play areas, working collaboratively on the carpet for group explorations, alongside personalised one-to-one learning opportunities with our dedicated team. We believe that every child should have the chance to shine!

We will also be beginning our phonics journey using the Little Wandle scheme. The children will be looking at Phase 2 sounds and tricky words, as well as enjoying rhymes to support correct letter formation. Through stories, songs, games and practical activities, we will build confidence in hearing, saying and writing sounds.

Please continue to support your child at home with their phonics and reading partnership work. Sharing books, practising sounds and talking about new words together can make a real difference. We really value your support and look forward to working together throughout the half term.

You’ll find more detailed information about your child's learning in our long-term planning document, covering key areas such as Communication & Language, Physical Development, Phonics, Understanding the World, and so much more. This is located in the curriculum area of our website.

We can’t wait to see what our children will achieve this term together! Thank you for your continued support in creating an enriching and enjoyable learning journey.

Mrs Hickson, Mrs McCallum and the EYFS team are looking forward to an exciting year. If you ever have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to come and speak to anyone on the team.