Welcome to Willow Class

  Classteachers: Miss J. Dandy/Mrs. L. Dhanak

2025-26

Welcome to Willow

Week Beginning 10.11.2025

This week, the children have been using a tale from long ago (from when even Mrs. Bensilum was little!) to base their questioning on.  We have used 'Portland Bill' to build our own ideas for characters and settings, as well as having important discussions about what might scare us and how we cope with that emotion.  The children have also been applying their Phonics in writing during this learning and have started to write tricky words such as 'the' and 'is'.  Fabulous work, Willow Class!  

In Maths, we have been both counting and subitising 4 and 5.  Please do watch the video linked below (if you haven't already) explaining the concept of subitising and how important it is in laying the foundations of number understanding.  We are also explaining our thinking in Maths lessons - can your child identify not just what IS 5, but also what is NOT 5?  How do they know?  What do they see?  I am so proud of the deeper thinking the children are engaging in as we progress through our learning.

I have uploaded some photos of our amazing Life Long Ago workshop below.  We were so privileged to work alongside a real expert in ancient life and to explore artefacts, as well as meeting some exciting special guests!  All of this has fed into our work beautifully and will support us as we move onto a new story next week.  

Subitising - Why It Is Important

A video which clearly explains the concept we are instilling in Maths at school.  The KIRFs (Key Instant Recall Facts) your child has brought home are also included in this page's attachments and run beautifully alongside the message you will hear in the video.  

Support for Phonics at home

Please CLICK HERE for videos showing the sounds we teach in Autumn and Spring terms.  There are also really handy guides to accompany what the children will be learning in school and might be useful for when the children bring home decodable reading books.