Welcome to the Woodpeckers Class!
Staff
Teacher: Rayann Ball
TAs: Katie Robson, Courtney Collinson and Emma Dixon
Mid Day Leader: Sophie Clayton
Newsletter
Ticket to Ride
With happy memories, and a tear in our eye, we say goodbye at the end of the year with our final newsletter from the Woodpeckers. And what a year it has been! But firstly, let us tell you about what we’ve been doing this last half term.
We loved reading our story ‘The Journey Home from Grandpa’s’. He took so many different forms of transport and each one made it’s own unique sound. It was fun to learn through sensory and play materials and we enjoyed sharing the book together and watching the story on YouTube.
We liked exploring foods that moved or changed. Some foods rolled like peas on a plate and some food wobbled like jelly on our spoons! Some food we could change from one thing to another like changing solid ice cream to a liquid and adding water to couscous to make it softer.
We liked playing parachute games and it kept us cool during the warmer days. The adults have all developed strong muscles in their arms moving the parachute up and down for us! We enjoyed sharing space together under the parachute and anticipating what might happen next – was it going to go up and down or was it going to shake above us? It was very exciting!
We developed our mark making in different materials and some of us were able to make more consistent shapes in these sessions like large circles or side to side lines on the table tops.
In communication we were all showing off to the adults how well we can communicate through symbols and signs. We can request bubbles, play dough and pretty much anything we want to play with if we can use the boards with an adult. This was good fun!
We had a student teacher with us this half term and she was amazing and on behalf of the team I’d like to say thank you to her and wish her every success with her new role as a teacher at New Bridge. Adam moved on to pursue a career outside of education and we miss him but he does keep in touch. We welcomed Tessa to replace him and she has been fantastic in helping us feel safe and happy so we can all learn.
Finally, thank you to all our families who have been so supportive this year of everything we do. This doesn’t go unnoticed by us and we appreciate your feedback and comments on the things that happen in the Woodpeckers.
Good luck to all the children for the next school year and we are sure they will continue to shine like the stars they are.
Have a wonderful summer and see you soon.
Woodpeckers
Signalong
At Kingfisher we use Signalong as a part of a Total Communication Approach, we are constantly using core vocabulary with the children to support their language development and then through each of our topics we introduce new signs and language, which extends their vocabulary further. We also have two “Signs of the Week” which helps maintain and extend key knowledge and skills of everyday vocabulary.
Each half term we will be creating a short video showcasing and demonstrating signs relavent for the current term so that you can learn the signs and further this learning at home.
Click play to watch this half terms Signalong video!
Lunchtime
If your child has a school dinner, the school menus can be accessed by clicking here. For children who bring a packed lunch, please remember to provide healthy and balanced options. We are a Healthy School and will be focusing on healthy eating and how children can make healthy lifestyle choices.
How You Can Help at Home
Below are suggested appropriate homework activities for you and your child to engage in at home.
Communication
- Encourage your child to make choices from a given selection. This could be choosing a snack or a favourite toy. Will they reach or guide you to what they want?
- Engage in ‘Play’ with your child. This includes sitting alongside your child and mirroring their ‘play’.
- Engage in ‘Intensive interaction’ by copying their actions and vocalisations during ‘Play’.
- Provide opportunities for your child to request ‘Help’ or ‘Support’ i.e., Allow them to open a bottle or activate a toy; will they bring the item to you to request help?
Cognition & Learning
This half-term, we will be focusing on ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ for our story. You can support your child’s learning by:
- Reading a story together.
- Watching & listening to ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ via the following link:
Wellbeing
- Encourage your child to carry out personal care routines with your support i.e., tooth brushing, hand washing, face washing etc.
- Support your child in dressing/undressing themselves in the morning including putting their coat & shoes on.
- Encourage your child at meal times and use cutlery, if appropriate. Perhaps they will use a plastic spoon? Maybe you can guide them to use a fork to pick up their food?
Sensory & Physical
This half-term we will be focusing on balls skills during our Physical development sessions. You can help your child by:
- Playing ball games i.e., throwing & catching. Will you child hold a ball? Will they watch it as it rolls across the floor?
- Get some Wellies on and take a walk in the local park and go on a bear hunt! Have a look for trees, rivers and mud (Foxdenton Park is local to school)
- Explore bubbles in the garden and encourage your child to have a turn at blowing them.
