YEAR 1
Welcome to Year 1. In our class our teaching assistants are Mrs Morrissey and Miss
Owen. The move from Reception class to Year 1 is a big change with more formal
work and less play, and the children now seem to have settled down very well.
However, we know that occasionally children have worries that they do not tell us
about so if you have any concerns please feel free to talk to me before school, call in
after school, or leave a telephone message.
A recurring problem we seem to have is the loss of items of school uniform. Please
ensure that all items of clothing are named and check regularly that the name has
not washed out. Your child now has their own personal tray, to keep their
belongings safe.
Please check your child’s bag daily for letters, homework and other information. Please note that
homework will be sent home every Friday after October half term. Homework will alternate each week
between English and maths. Homework will be due back in school the following Thursday.
Children will bring home spellings on a Friday. Children are encouraged to use the ‘Look, Say, Cover, Write,
Check’ method to learn the words. The spelling words will include tricky words and words that we have been
learning in phonics that week. Children will be tested in a ’quiz’ on the following Friday.
This year your child will be working on the following areas:
English: Poetry, Fiction and Non Fiction, Reading and Writing.
This half term we have been learning how to write our own short story with events in order. We have read
stories by the author Oliver Jeffers about a penguin and a boy.
We have also learnt how to write a non-chronological report. We have been discussing the features of a
non-chronological report to allow us to write our own information poster about penguins. Your children
should be able to tell you some interesting facts about penguins!
Maths: Counting, Place Value, Addition, Subtraction, Data Handling, Shape, Money, Time, Fractions,
Measure, Multiplication and Division.
Science: Animals including Ourselves, Light and Dark, Materials, Forces (pushes and pulls) and the
environment.
Topic: Our Geography and History sessions are linked with topic work. This half term our topic is ‘Penguins,
Possums and Pigs’. We are learning to locate the seven continents and five oceans on a world map.
R.E: A general look at the beliefs, buildings and festivals of different religions.
P.E: We have P.E on a Tuesday Morning and Thursday afternoon. During P.E we also listen to children read.
It is important that children have their kit in school at all times. For indoor activities your child will need Tshirt, shorts and pumps. (Bare feet are allowed but toes can be trodden on!) For outdoor activities your
child is allowed to wear trainers (and jogging suit when cold.) PLEASE ensure that all kit is named. All items
of jewellery, watches and ear rings must be removed (or plasters provided) and long hair tied back.
ICT: Your child will work individually on a computer in the ICT suite. Work will include logging on and off,
mouse control, word processing, graphics and problem solving.
Year 1 Topics:
Autumn 1: This half term, our topic is Penguins, Possums and Pigs. We will be learning about the
continents and oceans of the world as well as the hot/cold areas of the world.
In science our topic is animals. We will classify animals and talk about the different animals that live on the
seven continents.
Autumn 2 – Fire! Fire! After October half term our topic will be Fire! Fire!
Spring 1 – Family Album
Spring 2 – Growth and Green Fingers
Summer 1 – The Great Outdoors
Summer 2 - Robots
Ways to help your child
Please find time to listen to your child read and fill in the date, pages read, comment and sign the reading
record. We hear children read and change books as often as possible.
Please help your child to tell the time on an analogue clock.
It would also be useful if your child had experience in handling money, counting and finding change.
General Information:
Water Bottles: It would be helpful if you could send a named water bottle into school for your child. The
water is then accessible to them at various parts of the day. These water bottles will be sent home each
Friday, it would be helpful if they could be returned to school on a Monday morning. Children can refill
their water bottles in school.
Class Monitors: In class we currently have a milk monitor and a fruit monitor each week. These roles are
given out to children who stand out to us for doing good work or displaying good behaviours. The children
enjoy being a monitor and so this is a nice treat for them as they enjoy being given the responsibility.
Reading: We aim to read with your child twice a week. This is not always possible however hard we try. If
you feel your child has read their school book confidently at home, displaying a good level of
understanding then please tell them to ask us to change their book.
A few ideas to extend your child’s reading book:
- discuss the main characters in the story.
- identify and discuss the main events in the story.
- relate the text to your own experiences.
- make predictions based on what has been read so far.
- Ask questions related to who, what, where, when and how.
Once again if you have any concerns or would like any advice then please feel free to contact me.
Thank You
Miss Lynsey Bryan
(Class teacher)
Mrs Lauren Morrissey & Miss Stevie Owen
(Teaching assistants)