Year 1

In year 1 we continue to nurture and support the children in their learning experience and personal development. Learning in Year 1 is very hands on with lots of opportunity to ‘have a go’ and talk about what is happening. We have an experienced teaching assistant to support children’s learning.

Literacy

We have a daily phonics lesson to build children's bank of sounds and ability to blend sounds in order to read a wider range of words. Children are encouraged to apply phonics and spelling knowledge to their writing. Children experience a variety of poetry, fiction and non-fiction texts in literacy over the year and have the opportunity to write their own versions of these texts. We continue to develop knowledge of sentences and capital letters and full stops. We hear children read regularly at school and children are asked to read each evening at home.

Maths

Our maths lessons are usually practical experiences for the children. We use a variety of apparatus to build knowledge of place value, addition and subtraction. Children work with 2D and 3D shapes, coins, scales and capacity to develop mathematical skills in all areas. We also include a range of vocabulary in our teaching. Homework is usually mathematics based and is given once per week.

Science

Our Science topics this year are Humans, Animals, Plants and Materials. Our learning in Science will be fun and hands on, with the children learning through investigations. We try to get out of the classroom as much as possible in our Science lessons to give the children chance to become Scientist and explore.

Other curriculum subjects

The other curriculum subjects are linked together wherever possible and taught through themes. We try, wherever possible, to link our topics of study across all curriculum areas. Again, lessons are hands on and fully involve the children in finding out for themselves. This year our topics are ‘Who Am I?’, ‘Christmas’, 'Amazing Animals and Pretty Plants’ and ‘Superheroes’.

Homework

In Year 1, homework consists of spellings and number facts sent home every Monday, to be returned on a Friday and then a longer piece of homework sent home on a Friday, normally English or Maths linked to our learning that week. This is to be returned on the Monday.

As parents, we ask you to support your child by ensuring they complete their homework on time. We also ask that you listen to your child read every night, this doesn’t just have to be their school reading book but it could be a book from home, the library or a friend’s book. Talking with them about the characters, events and information they read will help to develop their understanding of the written word.

Trips

We have got 3 trips booked to go to Hardwick Park this year to investigate ‘Seasons’. We have one in the Autumn term, one in the Spring term and one in the Summer term. Children have lots of fun on these trips and gets to be in the outdoors all day, investigating, building animal dens, leaf collages and much more.

PE Days

PE days do move about from term to term as the school employs outside coaches to support our PE development. Please make sure your child has a PE kit in school on PE days and that earrings are removed before school.

If any parents have any queries, questions or worries then please feel free to come and see me.

Year 1 is a fun and exciting class to be part of so remember to come to school with a smile on your face every morning and be ready to learn some exciting new things.