• Daily Reading- 5-10mins every night listening and supporting your child with their reading and completing their reading log.
• Weekly Spellings/Phonics- Helping your child to learn, remember and apply their spellings/phonics for their weekly spelling test.
• Weekly Times Tables/Mental Number Skills- Helping your child to learn, remember and apply these skills during the week.
• In Key Stage 2 there will be one piece of extended writing/research per half term linked to their topic.

Each and every family has different pressures, habits and ways of living. Subsequently we have to be mindful of the complexities behind family life when producing a homework regime. The school and your child would appreciate your help, support and encouragement in this area. If there are ever any concerns regarding homework, please come in and speak to me about it.
 
Morning Routines
Please could I remind you that there is no adult supervision on the playground until 8:45am. Therefore, unless children are attending DASH or Reading club, they should not arrive at school until this time. At this time Reception and Key Stage 1 children should make their way onto the bottom playground while Key Stage 2 make their way onto the top playground. Please make your way to the playgrounds around the outside of the school and not through the reception and office area. Nobody should be on the front playground and nobody should be in the school building. If it is raining the children will be able to enter their classroom at 8:45am. Unless you need to see me, nobody should be in the classroom until the bell rings for the beginning of the day. The children should hang their bags and coats up when they come into the class at 8:55am. As you can appreciate mornings are a very busy time for us, preparing for the day ahead. So unless it is urgent please could all discussions happen after school. Thank you for your support in this matter.
 
School Uniform and Hair cuts
It is pleasing to see how smart the children are in their school uniform. At St. John’s we truly believe a school uniform plays a valuable part in contributing to the ethos of a school and setting the appropriate tone. Can I just remind you of a few things. Children should not wear jewellery in school, however, any child who has pierced ears may wear sleepers or studs but we strongly advise that these be removed for PE, games and swimming to avoid the possibility of the item becoming caught and causing an injury to the wearer or another child.  We ask that children wear the school uniform, as detailed in the school prospectus, and that their dress, including hair styles, is appropriate to the school environment.  Pattern or colour applied to hair is not appropriate. Can I also stress that sensible black shoes/footwear should be worn and definitely no trainers! Your continued support in this matter is very much appreciated. Please remember this also applies to the school P.E. kit.
 
 
 
P.E.
Popham Class P.E. days will be a Monday and a Friday. However, we strongly advise that P.E. kit should be brought in at the beginning of each half term and taken home at the end of each half term.
 
Swimming
Popham Class will be swimming the first half of the Spring Term. A more detailed letter has been sent out. The cost of swimming is £2:00 per child per week. Please remember, as with all external visits, this is already being heavily subsidised by the school.
 
As part of our current topic on France, we will be holding a French Market day later this half-term. The children will have the opportunity to experience a French-style market and sample some of the delicious foods on sale! Next half-term, we are learning about food and as part of our topic we are going to be food critics for the day. This should be a very exciting and tasty trip!
 
I look forward to working with you and your child this year and please remember, if you have any concerns, no matter how small, please do not hesitate to come in and speak to me about it.
 
Dates for Your Diary 

 Yours sincerely
 
Mrs Thorpe
Class Teacher
Popham Class