Donations Welcome for Our Reception Classroom 🌟

Dear Parents, Friends and Families,

As we head into the summer break, we know that many of you might be having a clear-out at home — especially in your little ones’ bedrooms! If you come across any toys or items that your children have outgrown or no longer use, we would be so grateful if you would consider donating them to our Reception classroom.

We are currently looking for a variety of resources to enrich the children's play and learning experiences, and any of the following would be hugely appreciated:

• Farmyard-themed toys: animals, tractors, or anything farming-related

• Toy animals: particularly insects and under-the-sea creatures

• Toy emergency vehicles: ambulances, police cars, fire engines

• Pots and pans: for our mud kitchen fun

• Baby clothes: for our toy babies

• Doll house people or characters: such as Sylvanians, Polly Pockets, or similar

• Dressing up costumes: doctors, vets, police officers, etc. (Please no Halloween, fairy, or princess costumes)

• Puzzles (up to 100 pieces) and board games suitable for 4–7 year-olds

• Children’s wellies, sun hats, and spare coats

• Craft supplies: for example, pom poms, pipe cleaners, sequins, etc.

• Milk bottle tops: for our Junk Modelling activities

• Water based toys- such as pipets, measuring jugs

• Blankets and Cushions for the reading corner

• Pots for dried herbs and spices

If you do find anything suitable, feel free to bring donations to the school office at any point during the Summer Holidays or the first few days back in September (if you do drop off during the holidays please just label the bag so we are aware that they are donations for the Reception classroom). Everything will go directly towards supporting imaginative play, creativity, and learning in our Reception class.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We are incredibly lucky to have such a generous and thoughtful community.

Warmest regards,

Miss Godden and The Reception Team

Posting Portland Postcards!

Our Portland Postcard Adventure 📮✨

Dear Families and Friends, 

What a wonderful adventure we've had this week in Reception!

A few weeks ago, we set off on a very special trip to beautiful Portland, and the children were absolutely brilliant. Full of excitement and curiosity, they soaked up the sights, sounds, and sea air as we explored. One of the highlights of our visit was choosing our very own postcards. The children took great care selecting just the right one—some picked scenes of the sea, others spotted lighthouses or boats, and a few even found cards with colourful artwork.

Back at school, the real magic began. We talked about what postcards are used for and who we might send them to. Then, with lots of enthusiasm (and some careful sounding out!), the children wrote their own messages to a chosen family members or friends.

On Tuesday, we made a very special journey to our local post box. The children walked beautifully and were full of chatter about where their postcards would go. Once there, we each took a turn posting our cards, one by one, into the red post box. It was a proud moment for everyone!

This experience has been such a rich learning opportunity—not only did it link beautifully to our literacy and understanding of the world, but it also gave the children a real sense of independence and purpose. They’ve taken part in a full circle of communication, from choosing a card to writing and finally posting it themselves.

Keep an eye on your letterboxes—there might be a little piece of Portland arriving soon!

Friendly Reminder for This Afternoon: POW School will be hosting an exhibition featuring all of the children’s Stampede Elephants. Parents are warmly invited to collect their child from the Reception classroom and enjoy a walk through the exhibition together. Once you’ve finished viewing the elephants, you are welcome to take your child home for the day.

We look forward to seeing you there!

End of Year Reminder – Please Bring a Bag

As we approach the end of the school year, the children will be bringing home a number of their belongings, including artwork, books, and other items.

To help make this easier, we kindly ask that you send your child in with a named sturdy carrier bag (or reusable bag) over the next few days so they can carry everything home safely.

ALSO

Please note that on the last day of term, school meals will not be available, and all children will need to bring a packed lunch from home.

Thank you for your support!

Miss Godden and The Reception Team

Additional Note: On Friday 11th, an unnamed gift bag was found in the Reception area and handed in to the school office. It has not yet been collected. If you believe this may belong to you, please let me know.