Year 1
Welcome to Year 1!
The team is Miss Armitage, Miss Yates, Miss Bibi and Mr Sutton.
Summer 1
Hello and welcome to Summer 1 in Year 1. We’ve a very busy half-term with the weather improving (we hope) and the children getting closer to taking their phonics screening test – which will take place at the beginning of next half-term. We are visiting Chatsworth House’s gardens and farm (Thursday 12th May) to find out about animals and study the trees and plants. Hooray for school visits!
Reading
Reading will continue to be at the beating heart of our learning and its crucial that you read a little with your child each day. We have our phonics reading books and also the class library, which is chosen by your child and is all about reading for pleasure.
Children need to bring their phonics reading books and their library books back on Fridays so we can change them. Targeted phonics homework may be sent home with your child. Year 1 teachers will discuss this with you.
Riff Raff, ‘the reading dog’ and C3’s teddy will also be taking it in turns to visit your home! He comes with a book to read and his own special scrap book and pencil case. Let us know about your adventures with Riff Raff at home by writing in the book. On Class Dojo, you can send us a picture of your child reading with Riff Raff and teachers will stick them in.
Global Theme
This half-term our global theme is: Identity and Diversity. We will be finding out about how and why we need a world of diverse people. We will be exploring explorers. What makes some people ‘go for it?’ How did they make a difference?
English
In English we will be writing an imaginative story about an adventurous Meerkat and some meerkat fact-files. While in book study we will learn about diversity through the adventures of Dandelion.
Science
In Science, we will observe and identify different trees and plants and begin to classify the different animal types at Chatsworth farm and gardens and afterwards in class.
PE
PE days have changed for this half-term. Tuesday and Wednesdays are now our PE days. Children should come dressed in their PE kits. Normal school uniform on Fridays for this half-term at least please. Below is the PE kit we expect to see. No logos please.
Spring 2
Spring 1
Welcome to Spring 1 in Year 1 and a Happy New Year
This half-term our global learning theme is ‘human rights’ and beginning with Citizenship Week, we will be learning about how children are born with human rights, which include freedom of speech and the right to an Education; and healthy food and clean water.
Through Philosophy for Children (P4C), discussion and role play, in English, Book Study and History, the children will learn at about human rights at a level they can understand and connect with.
In Book Study we will write the further adventures of Space Dog and Astrocat – two ‘sworn enemy’ space travellers who realise that despite their apparent differences they have much to learn from one another.
In Book Study, our key texts are:
Biblioburro by Jeanette Winter
Great Women who changed the World by Kate Pankhurst
Born to Ride by Larissa Theule.
PE days
PE is on Wednesday and Friday. Please ensure that your child is wearing their PE kit and does not come to school with earrings on these days.
Reading
Regular reading is crucial for your child at this stage in their education. Please read with your child as much as possible at home to support them. Children who read both at home and school make the most progress in their learning. You will be given a school reading book for your child to read to you. We use phonics as the route to early reading and you may notice your child ‘sounding out’ words as they begin to read. Don’t forget to foster a love of books through bedtime stories and adult-led reading at home too!
Book bags must come in on Fridays so we can change your child’s reading book.
We will soon be introducing a lending scheme for books in Y1, so your child can borrow a book of their choice in addition to their phonics-level reading book.
Autumn 2
In Year 1, we work very hard on reading skills and phonics. A passion for reading is key to our children’s development as fluent readers and as learners in Geography, History and Science and the arts. Reading opens doors for our children! Year 1 children will read and listen to a wide range of stories each day in class.
This half-term our global learning theme is: Social Justice and Equity.
And our big question is: ‘Is life fair for everyone?’
The children will learn about life in a medieval castle and about the diversity between the way rich and poor people lived then and now. They will work on mapping skills and find out at first-hand, how people used to live.
In English, we will be writing a report all about castles.
In book study our key texts include:
What were castles for? by Phil Roxbee Cox.
Step inside Homes through History by Sarah Gibb.
Autumn 1
Autumn 1’s half-term is a very busy one, where the children will settle in and begin to transition from a play-based Early Years Curriculum while keeping all the elements that make learning fun and engaging. This half-term we are learning about Kings and Queens and our Global Theme is ‘Power and Governance.’
Our first week is ‘Humanities Week’ where we will learn about how Darnall has changed in the last 50 years, through R.E, Geography and History lessons.
In English we will be learning about traditional tales including Cinderella, where we will write a new ending for the story. In Maths, we will be focussing on place value and addition and subtraction. In Book Study we will take on Cinderella, Sophia Valdez Future Prez, The Water Princess and Horrid Henry Meets the Queen amongst other reads. Science sees us learning about the body and its parts and the five senses.
Our PE days are Wednesdays and Fridays. Please make sure that all children are in the correct P.E uniform, hair is tied up and they are not wearing jewellery. The children should come to school wearing their PE uniform on PE days.
Homework will normally be given out on Fridays. Book bags must be returned on Fridays. We expect the children to read their book each day for a short time. The books you are given will be read throughout the week and will be changed on Fridays.