Welcome to Year 1
We cannot believe that it is Term Four already which means we are already half way through Year One! We are so excited to begin to see signs of Spring and we are really looking forward to our learning this term.
Below is some key information that you will find useful. You will find some website links and some general information about the term so you can see what we are up to!
Year 1 Team
Class 1A:
- Mrs Thompson (Monday and Tuesday)
- Mrs Main (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)
Class 1B:
- Miss Hann (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday)
- Mrs Szirtes (Thursday and Friday)
Teaching Assistants – Mrs Gaskin (1a) and Miss Atkinson (1b)
1:1 Teaching Assistants – Miss Giglio (1a) and Mrs Creighton (1b)
Midday Supervisor – Mrs Ward-Jones
If you have any issues please contact us via ‘Class Dojo’ we are more than happy to help.
Useful Information
- PE day – Friday morning. 2 sessions will be taught on this day. Please ensure that your child’s PE kit is in school ready for PE on a Friday. Please ensure that every piece of your child’s PE kit is named.
- Reading diaries should be in school every day. Please ensure that you sign the reading record every time your child reads. Books are changed weekly on a Friday. If your child’s book is not in school, it will not be changed. An information sheet about the Read, Write Inc books your child brings home can be found in their reading diary. You should hear your child read at least 3 times each week.
Homework
On a weekly basis we expect the children to complete the following:
Reading – to read at least 3 times a week.
Maths – play some games on Numbots.
Curriculum
Term Four
During our English learning, we will start the term by learning about Chinese New Year as part of our non-fiction writing focus. Our other texts this term are ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ and ‘The Pandas who Promised’.
Below are some of our other learning themes and key questions:
- Maths: Numbers to 40, Addition and Subtraction word problems, Height and Length
- History: Mary Seacole and Edith Cavell
- Geography: The United Kingdom
- Art: Painting
- D&T: Sewing
- Science: Why is it a bird/mammal/fish? What is Spring? Which material will keep my drink the warmest?
- RSE: The environment
- RE: Islam – How do Muslims express their beliefs?
- Music: Charanga – Round and Round (Bossa Nova Latin Style)
- PE: Target Games and Gymnastics
- Computing: Beebots – Moving a Robot
If you would like additional information about Curriculum coverage, please refer to the Curriculum Roadmaps that can be found under the ‘Curriculum’ pages on the website or on Class Dojo.
Dates for your Diary
23rd February – Beginning of Term Four
5th March – World Book Day (see Class Dojo for more details!)
11th March – Class photographs
13th March – Red Nose Day
17th March – Parent’s Evening (1a – Mrs Thompson, 1b – Miss Hann)
18th March – Parent’s Evening (1a – Mrs Main)
26th March – Parent’s Evening (1b – Mrs Szirtes)
2nd April – School Science Day, End of Term Four
20th April – Beginning of Term Five
Website Links
Numbots – A fantastic resource to develop addition and subtraction facts. Your child’s username and password is in their reading diary.
Phonics Play – A super website to practice reading words
Hit the Button – A great resource to speed number bonds to 10
Subject Information
Common exception words are important because they are just that – common. They are words that appear frequently in texts that help readers understand what they are reading.
Below is a list of words that children should be able to read and spell by the end of Year 1.
We love reading in Year 1
We cover a range of genres including: stories, non fiction books and poetry. In the classroom we will provide opportunities for children to read for pleasure.
In Year 1 we use the RWI Phonics Programme, they will be provided with a Storybook and a ‘Book Bag Book’ each week. The Storybook will have been read at least four times already whilst in school so, the children will be desperate to show off their fluency and expression! The ‘Book Bag Book’ will be based on the Storybook that has been read in school. It will contain many of the words and sounds that the children have been learning in school but, this book will not have been read by the children yet.
Did you know that reading for just ten minutes a day can have a huge impact on reading progress and will expose the children to new words, build their vocabulary and help to develop reading fluency, especially in terms of pace? If you need any support with reading at home or need some top tips when hearing your children read, there is some great information in the middle of the reading diaries. Alternatively, we are so happy to help so please ask a member of the team.
Does your child read lots of books from home as well as their school books? We’d love to know about them so please, feel free to record this in their diaries too!
In the Summer term all children will undertake the phonics screening check. This is a government requirement to ensure children are making expected progress in phonics. This is NOTHING to worry about.
The Phonics Screening Check contains 40 words that are a mixture of real and pseudo – words. Children will know these as alien words and they assess whether your child can decode. Children will be exposed to this every day in their phonics sessions and the classroom.
The check will be carried out by your child’s class teacher.
Do I need to do anything to help prepare my child for the check?
The best thing you can do is read regularly with your child.
Later on in the school year we will send home examples of real and alien words for you to practice with your children.