Welcome to Ruby Class

Welcome to Ruby Class!

Mrs Prosser is your class teacher and Miss Rogers is your teaching assistant.

We can't wait to develop curious minds and encourage determined attitudes.

SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD WITH READING – YEAR 1

Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their journey to becoming a fluent reader by continuing their practice at home.  

There are two types of reading book that your child will bring home:

• A reading practice book. This will be at the correct phonic stage for your child. They should be able to read this fluently and independently. 
• A sharing book. This book is for you both to read and enjoy together.

At school, over 3 sessions, children will read a reading practice book matched to their current reading level.  This will be in a small group.  Once they have completed the 3 sessions, the book will be sent home with your child so that they can show you how well they are progressing with their reading and feel a sense of achievement.  At home, we would like your child to read the book that they have been given at least three times, over the week, more often if possible.  Each read should have a different focus, as follows:

1.  'Read 1’ decoding
2. ‘Read 2’ prosody
3. ‘Read 3’ comprehension. 

At the back of each reading practice book, there is a set of prompts to support you with each of the three reading stages.

Children will keep each reading practice book for a week to enable them to practice their reading and build fluency.  If your child is reading their book with little help, please don’t worry that it’s too easy – your child needs to develop fluency and confidence in reading.

The ‘sharing book’

In order to further encourage your child to become a lifelong reader, it is important that they learn to read for pleasure.  There will also be a sharing book coming home that your child has chosen for you to enjoy together. Please remember that you shouldn’t expect your child to read this alone. Read to or with them. Discuss the pictures, enjoy the story, predict what might happen next, use different voices for the characters, explore the facts in a non-fiction book. The main thing is that you have fun!

You can find out more about how to support your child to learn to read at

https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/

Please always indicate each read in your child’s reading record (this could be a comment or just a tick).  In order to encourage this and the children's independence, those children who successfully record five reads in a week will be rewarded with a raffle ticket. At the end of each term, two raffle tickets will be drawn and each child with a winning ticket will receive a book-related prize!  

Thank you for your support.

SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD WITH READING – YEAR 2

Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their journey to becoming a fluent reader by continuing their practice at home.  

There are two types of reading book that your child will bring home:

• A reading fluency book. This will be at the correct phonic stage for your child. They should be able to read this fluently and independently. 
• A reading for pleasure book.  This book will match the current band your child is working within and so they should be able to read this to you independently.  This book is for you both to enjoy and discuss together.

The ‘reading fluency book’

In class, children will read a six-chapter book in half-hour lessons over 2 weeks. Books will be matched to children’s fluency level and will be read in small groups.  Once children have completed the book in school, it will be sent home with your child to read again, this helps children to extend vocabulary and gain speed and confidence.  This book will be your child’s ‘Reading Fluency Book’. 

If your child is reading it with little help, please don’t worry that it’s too easy – your child needs to develop fluency and confidence in reading.  This is also a time that they can show you how well they are progressing with their reading and feel a sense of achievement. When listening to your child read the book, remember to give them lots of praise – celebrate their success!  These Fluency books help to ease the transition from learning phonics to becoming independent readers.

At home, please use the ‘book chat’ questions, these can be found in the back of their ‘Reading Fluency Book’.  This will support your child with their prosody (expression and intonation) and comprehension (understanding).  This is why it is important for parents/carers to hear their child reading aloud and discuss what they have read.  

The ‘reading for pleasure book’

In order to further encourage your child to become a lifelong reader, it is important that they learn to read for pleasure. We will therefore also continue to send home a ‘reading for pleasure book’ that they have chosen independently to be enjoyed at home.  This reading for pleasure book will match the current band your child is working within.  Please remember that you shouldn’t always expect your child to read this alone, although they should be able to read this to you independently.  This book is for you to enjoy and discuss together.  Talk and ask questions about the story, predict what might happen next, use different voices for the characters, and explore the facts in a non-fiction book. The main thing is that you have fun! 

Please always indicate each read in your child’s reading record (this could be a comment or just a tick).  In order to encourage this and the children's independence, those children who successfully record five reads in a week will be rewarded with a raffle ticket. At the end of each term, two raffle tickets will be drawn and each child with a winning ticket will receive a book-related prize!  

Thank you for your support.

HOME LEARNING

In Ruby class, all home learning can be accessed using Google Classroom. Home learning will be set on Monday to be completed by the following Monday. This will consist of a maths activity to support the learning of ‘Key Instant Recall Facts’ and a spelling list.  Year 1 will be set spellings in line with their learning through the 'Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised' Phonics program and practice/quizzes will occur on Monday mornings. Year 2 will be set words to practice at home in line with their learning at school and participate in a variety of supportive activities to explore spelling patterns.  Please refer to the spelling strategies which are posted with each week’s spelling list to support spelling practice at home. House points will be given to those who have tried their best to practise their spellings and maths at home. Please don’t hesitate to email if you have any questions about spellings or homework. 

SHOW AND TELL

‘Show and Tell’ will happen on Thursday mornings. A timetable of the 'Show and Tell' for each house team is displayed below.  It is important that your child only bring their Show and Tell on their allocated day to ensure each child has time to present.  The presentation must not last longer than 2 minutes.  In Ruby class, all of our show and tell items must link to our learning. We are looking forward to seeing all of the creative and imaginative homemade items, books, crafts and pictures.  

Term 5 - Show & Tell (if you are unsure which house your child is in, please contact the school office).

If you have any questions or information to share with us relating to your child's class work or friendships, then please email us at: ruby@alfriston.e-sussex.sch.uk.  Emails are checked after school every day.  If there is an urgent matter, please phone the school office.