English         

Our focus texts will be Octopus Shoktapus, The Emporer’s Egg and What The Ladybird Heard. Through these texts we will compose and rehearse sentences orally and sequence the sentences to form short narratives which we will then write. In our writing we will create settings, characters and plot. We will write for different purposes including fictional personal experiences and fictional narratives. We will also re-read writing to check it makes sense.

When reading, we will begin to increase familiarity with a range of books, explain and discuss understanding and discuss the sequence of events in them. We will answer and ask questions about what has been read.

In phonics sessions we will revise graphemes, tricky and high frequency words from Phase 3 and 4. We will also introduce new Phase 5 graphemes and tricky words for reading and spelling.

Maths           

We will be using the Maths No Problem scheme to support our mathematical learning. We will start by counting, writing, ordering and comparing numbers to 10. We will also be introducing number bonds and number stories.

We will look at different ways of adding to 10. We will discover the part/part/whole diagram and begin to lay the foundations of the inverse of addition. We will also begin to make our own addition equations in order to support the deeper understanding of the processes of addition.

We will then discover subtraction equations and how they can be completed in three ways: by crossing out, by using number bonds and by counting back.

Science        

We will be studying two science topics this term. In Animals Including Humans we will identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the human body and take a look at the human skeleton. We will also identify, name and classify animals according to their characteristics. Alongside this we will continue to observe and monitor seasonal changes.

Art                 

In our painting and drawing lessons we will learn and develop our skills in: design, drawing, craft, painting and art appreciation; undertaking two different printing techniques, using 2D shapes to explore a variety of media, mixing different shades of one colour and discussing the work of artist Louis Wain

Music            

In Music this term, we will start by looking at the texture and timbre of instruments through Carnival of the Animals and preparing for our school's Harvest Festival. After half-term, we will focus on The Nutcracker, explore dynamics and learn songs for our Christmas performance.

Computing  

We will be exploring Technology Around Us. We will develop our understanding of technology and how it can help us in our everyday lives. We will start to become familiar with the different components of a computer by developing our keyboard and mouse skills. We will also consider how to use technology responsibly.

In Digital Painting, we will develop our understanding of a range of tools used for digital painting. We will then use these tools to create our own digital paintings, while gaining inspiration from a range of artists’ work.

Design Technology (DT)                   

We will describe fruits and vegetables and explain why they are a fruit or a vegetable. We will name a range of places that fruits and vegetables grow. We will describe basic characteristics of fruit and vegetables and prepare fruits and vegetables to make a smoothie.

Physical Education (PE)                   

We will develop our control and balance skills in gymnastics sessions.

History         

Our topic is History Makers. We will identify key life events that happened in the past and sequence our own key life events using a timeline. We will then recognise the significance of key events, identify nationally significant events and understand what makes a person significant.

Religious Education (RE)                 

We will explore the understanding that Hindus have about God and what the stories told during Diwali explain about God. When learning about Christianity we will learn about what Christians remember at Christmas and what they believe about Jesus. We will learn why the Bible is important to Christians.

Personal Social & Health Education (PSHE) / Relationships & Sex Education (RSE)  

We will learn about the Roles of Different People and Families think about people who care for us, the role these different people play in our lives and how they care for us. We will discuss what it means to be a family and how families are different.

In Safe Relationships, we will learn about situations when someone’s body or feelings might be hurt and whom to go to for help. We will learn about what it means to keep something private, including parts of the body that are private and learn how to respond if being touched makes us feel uncomfortable or unsafe. We will also learn how to ask for and give/not give permission.

• Your child should read for 10 minutes every day. It is also important that an adult reads to your child every day. Please talk to your child about the book and check their understanding by asking questions about events and the characters’ actions. Please also explain new or unfamiliar vocabulary. Their book bag should come into school every day. 
• Your child will have PE on Tuesday. Their PE kit should stay in school in a named draw-string bag. Please make sure your child has an outdoor PE kit consisting of jogging bottoms and a sweatshirt.
• Your child needs to bring in a water bottle every day.
• Please ensure all items of clothing are clearly named.
• The weather is often cold at this time of year and the children will go out to play if there is light rain. It is important that your child has a waterproof coat, gloves, hat and a scarf.
• We are a Healthy School. Please do not put sweets or chocolate bars in your child’s packed lunch. Please do not send in sweets or other treats when it is your child’s birthday. If you want to celebrate your child’s birthday with their classmates, you could buy the class a book, send in a healthy snack such as boxes of raisins or buy stationery such as a pencil, but due to the impact on the environment, we ask you not to send in plastic toys.
• If your child will be absent from school, please contact the school office. You can call 020 8850 5486 and leave a message detailing why your child is absent, send a message via ParentMail or email office@gordon.greenwich.sch.uk . If your child has vomited or had diarrhoea they can return once they are feeling better. They do not need to be clear of symptoms for 48 hours. Please try to book medical appointments outside the school day and note that absence due to family holidays will not be authorised.
• Weekly information is posted on Google Classrooms on a Friday, but please check regularly for updates.
• Donations of boxes of tissues would be very welcomed – thank you!
• If you have any questions or wish to raise a concern, please contact the class teacher in the first instance. Please use the email addresses above.

Please note the following events and add them to your diary:

• Wednesday 13th September - Safer Neighbourhood Meeting -6:30pm / Lower Hall 
• 25^th to 29th September - Cycle to School Week
• Tuesday 26th September - Nasal flu vaccinations
• Thursday 28th September - FoG Annual General Meeting – 7pm / Lower Hall
• Friday 29th September - Book Fair (until 4^th October) 
• Monday 9th October - Open Evening – 3:30pm to 7pm
• Tuesday 10th October - Harvest Festival (Years 1, 2 & 3) - 2pm / Sports Hall
• Wednesday 11th October - Harvest Festival (Year 1, 2 & 3) - 9:30am / Sports Hall
• Wednesday 11th October - Open Evening - 3:30pm to 6pm
• Friday 13th October - Inset Day – school closed to pupils
• Thursday 19th October - Cultural Evening – 5pm to 6:30pm / Sports Hall
• 23^rd to 27th October - Half Term Break
• Friday 3rd November - FoG Quiz Night - 7pm / Sports Hall
• Friday 8th December - Children's Christmas disco
• Thursday 14th December - Nativity (Years 1 & 2) - 2pm / Sports Hall
• Friday 15th December - Nativity (Years 1 & 2) - 9:30am / Sports Hall
• Thursday 21st December - last day of the Autumn Term