School days – new classmates and PE lesson

The first week of the new term has whizzed by and despite the break and having caught up on any sleep he might have needed (naps on a couple of days!), N was quite tired towards the end of the week.  There’s certainly been lots on this week for him to get his teeth into.

New classmates

N’s year was already over subscribed but a new boy (our neighbour) moving into the area has finally managed to get a place.  We’re now 19, with a 15 capacity.  And yes, another boy.  Those 3 girls are going to have a good choice of boyfriends in future!  We’d not managed to arrange a playdate over Christmas with him, so we reminded N on Monday that he should be welcoming and talk to the new boy and invite him to play.

According to N, he has played with G a bit, so hopefully he’s settled in ok.  Living between villages it means having child neighbours along our road may be easier to catch up with friends outside school, if they get on well.

Back to phonics

By the end of last term, N was harder to persuade to do his homework of a phonics sheet.   But so far this week, he’s done it straight away on getting to after school club, or has happily done it as soon as we’re back home.  Long may it continue, although he did say that v, y w were all easy to do, so maybe that’s why.

He’s also completed reading his first reading book.  Before Christmas, he just refused to read the books with me, or I’d get him to read the title and maybe the sounds at the front of the book but that was it.  But this week he’s read the book that he was sent home with twice.  Yes it’s painfully slow to read 8 pages of really dull story, but he was sounding out the letters, and blending to get the words.  I think he guesses some, and for some reason he says that o is i.  But it’s great that he’s happy to try it and managing to do a whole book.  I do long for the day when we’re past the really dull book phase though!

Parents evening

Our first proper parents evening (well, afternoon) is next week and thankfully they put all the sign up lists in the hall instead of on the classroom doors.  I only see the classroom door once a week and needing a later appointment to be able to get there after work made it difficult.  In the hall where N goes for morning club, means I was there raring to be the first to sign up….or the second after a staff member.

So 10 minute slot signed up for.  Now I just need to make a note of the questions I want to ask because I can never remember them.  And although it seems that 10 minutes is the normal length of time, it doesn’t feel very long to me.  Compared with nursery where we had 15 minutes – but we were able to have handovers every day so knew most of what was going on anyway.

My next dilemma is working out whether N should come along or not.

A first (recognisable) PE lesson

I know the kids have done drama and movement in the hall because I’ve seen photos, but apart from having to change out of puddle and rain wet shoes, he’s not yet worn his PE kit.  But yesterday was the first time, and they had the football coach in to do a session with them.

N’s never really been excited about football, whether watching it or playing.  Yes, he’ll kick a ball around, and at age 2 I was surprised when he basically dribbled a football halfway across the garden.  But his cousin is always wanting to play football when he’s round to play, and N never wants to.

He told me they played outside (in shorts, brrr – although that’s one way of getting them to run round lots) and played a game in teams.  I found out who was on his team, who was a good player (because he’s in Year 1 and goes to football club), and how 1 person didn’t do it because they didn’t want to.  I’m not sure whether he just answers my questions with whatever he fancies sometimes, or if he is telling the correct story.

Next thing is to find out whether I need I need to invest in school joggers and a sweatshirt, or whether as the uniform list says, it’s not needed for the infant part of school.  Seems we should need them if they’re going to be doing more PE outside in the winter.

What’ve your school children been up to recently?