Welcome to the Willow Class. This information pack will hopefully answer lots of questions you may have about the class routines this year.
Drop off and pick up: Current pick up and drop off routines will remain the same as last year. The Foundation Phase gate will be opened at 8:55am and at 3:15pm.
Seesaw – We will be using this app as a means of communication to send messages and reminders to parents so please connect to your child’s account as soon as possible and check it regularly. Joining Seesaw allows you to see what your child gets up to during the school day and lets you see the progress they are making when they share work that they are proud of with you. When you download the app you will get a notification when your child posts a photo of their work for you to see. You can like or comment on these if you wish. You can access Seesaw on a tablet, phone, laptop or PC. If you have any questions or queries you can message us using the app and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Twitter – Follow us on twitter to see some of the lovely things we do in school and for up to date news and events @CymerPrimary.
Name tags: Please make sure all of your children’s items are labelled. (Jumpers, cardigans, t-shirts, water bottles, lunch bags, wellies etc.) It is so much easier for your child (and us) to find lost items if they have their names on each item.
Reading Books: All children develop at different rates. When your child is ready, they will bring home sound cards/flash cards/reading books and will then be given a specific reading day to bring in their book/words and reading bag. More information on this to follow.
Any practise your child can do at home will have a huge impact on how quickly they will learn to read. There is a great free website: www.oxfordowls.co.uk where you can access books online for all abilities. Please sit with your child for a few minutes every day to help them on their ‘reading journey’ by sharing books, talking about the book, looking closely at the illustrations, predicting what might happen next etc. and practising their sounds/digraphs with them. Every little bit of additional help will make a massive difference to your child’s reading.
Read Write Inc.: This is the resource we use to help children learn to read. There is some very useful information and activities on the Ruth Miskin website to give you some ideas on how you can help your child. https://www.ruthmiskin.com/parents/
CAPER Books: CAPER stands for ‘Children and Parents Enjoy Reading.’
Each week your child can pick a school library book to bring home and enjoy with their families. These will be changed every Friday so please make sure they are returned each week in order to pick a new one.
P.E/Games: Tuesday
Children will need to wear their P.E kit to school on a Tuesday. They can wear joggers/leggings and trainers with their school uniform on top. Please no skirts or tights on P.E days and make sure your child has their water bottle in school every day but especially on a Tuesday.
Forest Schools: ‘Wet Welly Wednesday’
‘Forest Schools’ activities will take place on a Wednesday afternoon and will run until October half term. Please could your child wear a warm coat, tracksuit bottoms, leggings or trousers to school on a Wednesday as we will be using the all in one water proof suits which are very difficult to put on over a school skirt/pinafore dress? Your child will also need access to wellies. We have so many wellies in school that we are hoping to provide all the children with wellies this year. However, if we are short of a certain size then we will let you know.
Dinner: School dinners are currently £2.35 per day or £11.75 a week (reception children are now free school meals). Please pay via Parent Pay. You can find out what’s for lunch each week by accessing Neath Port Talbot’s Broccoli Bob Website: https://www.broccolibob.co.uk/parents/schoolmeals.asp
Milk: The children will receive a cup of milk each morning as part of a Welsh Government Funded Scheme.
Water bottles: It is important that children drink plenty of water to help them concentrate and learn in school. Please make sure your child has a water bottle with them every day with their name clearly labelled.
Parent Meetings: We are proud to operate an open door policy at Cymer Afan. The best way to contact us if you have any concerns/worries or questions is to pop us a message on Seesaw, or ring the school and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Homework: Homework tasks are usually short fun practical activities to do with (not for) your child and depend on your child’s needs. The idea of these homework tasks is for your child to practise some of the skills they have been learning in school. Please share any photos of your child doing their homework through Seesaw as the children love to be able to share things that they have been doing at home with the other children in the class. There won’t be homework every week, so on the weeks that we don’t send homework, please can you continue to practise sounds/tricky words and numbers etc. to ensure your child doesn’t forget what they have already learnt.
Text Service– Please make sure we have your current mobile phone number as the school uses this service to keep you updated on an school events or important and urgent notices. (E.g. school closure due to snow etc.)
Many thanks! We look forward to working with your children this year
Mrs Down, Mrs Quinn & Miss Prosse