Hello, my name is Miss Seaman and I am delighted to be in my tenth year of teaching here at St John’s. Most of my experience has been as a Reception Teacher, and this year I will be teaching Sparrows for three and a half days each week.

Previously, I was the subject leader for Art and Design and Design Technology, which reflects my love of all things creative. I enjoy weaving creativity into everyday learning—whether that’s painting tigers coming to tea or helping pirates hunt for treasure! In Early Years, children are encouraged to try new things, discover hidden talents, and use art as a wonderful way to explore their ideas.

I also have a real passion for literature and believe that a good story not only fires up the imagination but also plays a key role in learning. 

Outside the classroom, I love sport and adventure—whether that’s cycling, sailing, or watching (and now only sometimes playing!) rugby.

 

Hi, I’m Mrs Nottage and I teach in Sparrow class on a Thursday afternoon and all day on a Friday. 

I love teaching at St John’s and helping children settle into school life. I enjoy helping children with arts and crafts; having lots of fun together, painting, stickiness and glitter! 

I’m married and have 3 wonderful children. I love baking, tennis, Pilates and walking in the countryside or by the sea. 

 

Additional adults working in Sparrow class: Ms Royden

Additional adults working across both classrooms: Miss Richmond

Save the date:

Save the date:

5th and 12th November Open days for prospective parents for children starting school in September 2027.

11th November 2026 - Remembrance Day

13th November - Children in Need

15th December - Reception Nativity 2pm

16th December - Christmas jumper day and Christmas lunch

18th December - Christmas Party Day 

Term 2 timetable 

Term 2:

Our learning this term: 

Our topic this term will be 'Wonderful World'. We will be learning about seasonal changes and celebrations around the world. We will use the books (see below) to support our learning this term.

Literacy

 In Year R we will be reading these books: 

In Literacy, we will learn to:

• write our name
• recognise some familiar words (e.g. Daddy, names of friends)
• read individual letters we have been taught, saying the sounds for them
• hear and say the initial sound in a word
• describe the main events, settings and characters in a story
• recognise alliteration for a group of words (e.g. sock, sausage, snake)

Phonics

We are learning to read and write sounds in this order: 

We use Read Write Inc to teach phonics at St John's.

This term your child will learn the final Set 1 sounds.

These set 1 sounds are written with one letter: m a s d t i n p g o c k u b f e l h r j v y w z x and these, with two letters, your child will call them ‘special friends’: sh th ch qu ng nk ck

You can help support your child with their phonics by practising the sounds in the front of your child's reading record. This video will help with how to say each sound. Please focus on Set 1 sounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUbrJPAt65g&t=105s

They will learn to say the pure sounds for each letter, for example, 'mmmm' rather than 'muh' for m. We will assess their phonic knowledge and then put the children into groups that will support their progression in phonics.

We will continue to focus on oral blending, using Fred Frog, who can only speak in sounds – 'Fred talk'. Adults will say the sounds in simple words using 'Fred talk' and the children will learn to put the sounds together and say the word e.g. c-a-t = cat, p-e-n = pen. We will use lots of fun games to support the learning in this area. Once your child can do this confidently and independently, they will move on to sound - blending to read simple words using the set 1 speed sounds e.g. m–a–t mat, c–a–t cat, g–o–t got, f–i–sh fish, s–p–o–t spot, b–e–s–t best, s–p–l–a–sh splash.

We have a story time every day at school, so children develop a love of stories. We hope that you will do the same by reading a bedtime story to your child every night.

Remember we change books on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please send the yellow reading record into school in your child's book bag every day.

 

Maths

This term we will learn about numbers up to 5, 2D shapes, positional language and much more.

We will learn to:

• show fast recognition of up to 5 objects without having to count them (subitising)
• count objects, actions and sounds up to 5
• match numerals up to 5 with their cardinal number value
• solve real world mathematical problems with numbers up to 5
• to talk about the composition of numbers within 5
• to understand one more/ one less
• to compare items by weight, length or capacity, using mathematical language such as longer, shorter, heavier, lighter, empty, full
• to identify and name and combine/ decompose 2D shapes – square, circle, triangle, rectangle
• to understand and use simple positional language e.g. next to, in front of, behind, under

Learning at home for Sparrow Class:

Reading

Did you know reading to your child significantly supports your child's vocabulary development?

By the age of five, a child who has never been read to knows 4,622 words. Those who are read to 3-5 times a week know 169,520 words and those who read one book daily know 269,600 words.

Reading at home is vital. Please support your child to read their reading book or ditty, if they have one, and read their library book to them. Read at least one story every day. Please record all the books you read in your child's reading diary.

Books

This term your child will continue to bring home a library book and wordless reading books. This is a book for your child to use to tell a story using pictures rather than words. These books will help your child build essential language and early literacy skills. Some children will begin to bring home ditties to read as well.

We change books on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Please send your child's book bag into school every day with their reading diary.

Be ready for learning

In Sparrow Class, your child will need to have these items in school: 

​P.E.

This term we start PE in the school hall. We will be developing our ball skills.

Sparrow class have their PE on Wednesday morning.

Please send your child into school wearing an appropriate PE kit with the weather in mind. (They stay in their PE kits all day.)

Our school PE kit includes black shorts or jogging bottoms or leggings, a school PE t-shirt, a school jumper / cardigan and trainers or plimsolls. Please make sure all items are clearly named.

Long hair should be tied back and earrings removed on PE days.

Everything you send to school MUST be labelled clearly with your child’s name. Lost property will be available for parents to access daily on the school premises should anything go missing. Please check labels regularly as they often wash out or fall off.

• Book bag (provided by school)
• Water bottle (no squash or juice)
• Lunch box (if not having a school meal)
• Wellington boots (to leave in school)
• Coat (weather appropriate)
• A small bag of spare clothes to leave on your child's peg. (A drawstring bag is ideal.)

Please do not bring other items or toys into school, as we do not have space to store these, and it can cause upset if things are lost or damaged.

Outdoor learning

Outdoor learning plays a pivotal part in our children's development. Therefore, much of our learning in Reception takes place outside, and we aim to enjoy our outdoor learning area in any weather! So please provide a pair of named Wellington boots that you are happy to leave in school for outdoor play.

Forest School

This term we start our Forest School on Friday afternoons. We will go to the school field and take part in a variety of outdoor learning activities as well as having some opportunities for free play in a natural environment.

On Fridays your child needs come to school wearing their forest school clothing. This should be a warm coat, hat, gloves and old clothes that you do not mind getting messy, such as a pair of old trousers, preferably black, a warm jumper and a warm pair of socks. Your child will need to come into school in a pair of shoes, and have a named pair of Wellington boots, that can be left in school every day.

We will provide waterproofs.

Spare uniform should be sent in a bag in case your child gets wet.

All clothing must be named.

 

We had lots of fun in term 1 and learnt lots of new things too. Here are some of the areas your child is learning to explore, share and enjoy in our outside and inside provision: