1. This Week's Learning 

This week, we have been innovating the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Using the familiar tale as inspiration, the children have been creating their own wonderful stories. Our Year 1 children showed fantastic perseverance when writing their extended pieces, while our Reception children truly amazed us with their creativity as they developed ideas for their own "backwards S" story designs. 

In Maths, we have continued consolidating our understanding of one more and one less, alongside lots of number recognition and place value activities across the Plaza. We are so proud of the progress the children are making. 

A huge thank you to all the parents who attended our Read Write Inc. Workshop this week. It was lovely to see so many of you there, and we hope the session gave you a helpful insight into how we teach phonics in school and how you can support your child's learning at home. 

Our Halloween Disco was a huge success! The children thoroughly enjoyed coming to school dressed in their fabulous costumes and had a wonderful time dancing the afternoon away. 

The Welsh word "Cynefin" means a sense of belonging, and we will soon be exploring what belonging in Wales means to us. If you have any photographs of your child enjoying places in Wales, we would love for you to send them into school. We will share them with the children and use them as part of our classroom displays. 

2. Important Information for After Half Term 

• PE takes place every Monday, so please ensure your child comes to school wearing their PE kit. 

• When we return after half term, we will be enjoying an Art Week, with each class exploring the work of a different artist. 

• The following week (beginning 9th November), we will start our exciting classroom rotations. 

3. How You Can Help at Home 

Please continue to support your child in recognising and writing their name independently. 

It would also be very beneficial to practise pencil grip and fine motor skills through simple activities such as: 

• Using kitchen tongs to move objects from one bowl to another 

• Threading beads or pasta 

• Playing with playdough 

• Colouring and drawing activities 

Please also continue to practise number and letter formation at home. The formation sheets do not need to be returned to school, as they are intended to be a helpful reference for the rhymes we use in class to support correct letter and number formation. 

Finally, please ensure that all belongings are clearly labelled, especially: 

• Snack pots 

• Water bottles 

• PE clothing 

This helps us return any misplaced items quickly and easily. 

Thank you for your continued support. 

The Plaza Team