Going great guns!

Boo can add! We did the first few steps of addition today - no problems. She completely understands what that's about. GREAT!

Boo can read! She read a book to me today, from start to finish which contained the words 'argued', 'shivered', 'glinted' & 'gleamed' - it was the story of the wind and the sun. ACE!

Boo can write! I bought "100 literacy hours" for Year 1 from WHSmiths today and thought I'd have a stab at the first lesson - writing poetry about herself (or rather what she is NOT!). It was a breeze :) I thought I'd go for year one as we are so nearly at the end of reception year and I thought she could manage it. It looks like it will be a good fun resource to use for English next year. It has good 'copymasters' (which makes it non consumable) and lots of 'ideas' for lessons. I figured, as Phoebe will be joining in next year too, it would be nice to have 'class' lessons a bit more. Joel joined in with Boo today and although it was rather easy for him he enjoyed it and it's the kind of stuff I've never really known how to cover with him properly. I plan to get the Year3 book too and then he can have appropriate level work to do whilst still being part of the 'class' and the girls will get a sneak preview of what lies ahead - you never know what they might pick up ahead of time. I often feel the NC targets (as these books are aimed to meet) are not challenging enough, so I envisage us breezing through some of this because it will be easy and there are just a few children, but then I also feel that sometimes it is good NOT to have to work like a trooper but simply to enjoy the ride! So I think these are going to be a good buy :)

Joel can do maths without a fuss and get it all right AND get 30/30 in a non-verbal reasoning paper! WOW!

Please someone - tell what happened in the holidays?

School has felt so different this week. Relaxed, fun, keen, motivated ... and yet as far as I can see I've done nothing different. I've come up with a couple of new ideas, but they are nothing flash or anything.

I pray it continues long, but somehow I suspect it's the calm before the storm! Anway, I shall enjoy it while it lasts - just like our great British summer eh?!!