Autumn Term

Welcome to Year 1. This term is a very exciting term as the children will be making the smooth transition from Reception to Ye ar 1. We are building on the Early Years Curriculum with an increasing focus on Reading, Writing & Maths.

English

In English, we are continuing to focus on phonics and high frequency words. We will learn some wonderful texts and the children will begin to learn how to create their own stories using ‘Talk for Writing’. We will be writing simple sentences and using capital letters and full stops consistently. We will enjoy looking at fiction and non-fiction texts which will have links to our topics. Handwriting will be a daily focus and children will be learning to present their wo rk neatly with correct letter formation.
Help your child at home by reading with your child at home – we really appreciate your support. In addition to key word reading keep working on phonics with your child. Encourage your child to write at home; writing their names, their own stories or shopping lists are a great way to start.

Maths

In maths we focus on an in-depth understanding of numbers to 10. We will introduce your child to part whole models. We will then look at addition and subtraction of numbers within 10. We will learn about shapes and their properties and then about place value of numbers to 20. Our maths teaching will be following the Singaporean maths scheme ‘Inspire maths’ which is focussed on depth of learning within small numbers. We build numbers, we talk about numbers and we write about numbers in each lesson. The skills your child will learn this year are then built on throughout the whole of primary school.

Help your child at home by getting them to explain what they have been doing in class, practising number bonds for different numbers (not just 10), addition & subtraction. You can also have fun using money to help your child understand the value of coins.

Science

In science we will be identifying and describing common plants and trees. We will be classifying animals and understanding their habitats. We wil l be studying our bodies and how we use the five senses. We will carry out fun, practical investigations and record our work in a variety of ways. Help your child at home by discussing the plants and animals in our environment. During family time discuss what senses you are using in different situations. Make your own experiments at home.

Topic /History/Geography/DT/Computing/P4C

The first half terms topic is called ‘The Enchanted Woodland’. We’ll visit the churchyard, go on magical adventures, observe the wildlife, collect natural objects and take beautiful pictures of the things we see. We’ll learn all about trees and investigate woodland creatures. Throughout the project, we will find out how to recognise different plants and animals and create detailed, observational drawings of them. We’ll build miniature dens, create woodland works of art and construct mini-woodlands from twigs, sticks, pine cones and leaves. We will discuss the environment and learn how to send an email to the Woodland Trust.

The second half term topic is ‘Superheroes’. We’ll learn about real-life heroes from organisations such as the RNLI or Mountain Rescue and from the past, including Rosa Parks. As part of this project, we’ll explore our senses of smell, touch, taste, hearing and sight and investigate different foods. There’ll be opportunities for us to create superhero works of art. The children will learn how to create their own superhero PowerPoint and program beebots. We’ll discuss team work, the qualities of real life hero and the emergency services. Help your child at home by discussing the topic we are focusing on and visiting the local library to look at relevant books. Talk to your child about what the emergency services do and discuss historical heroes. When out and about talk about how maps are useful and discuss what a compass is used for. Show your child a map of the world and discuss where different family members and friends are from. Discuss internet safety with your child.

RE

In RE we will learn about the Creation story and what responsibility God gave Christians about taking care of creation. We will celebrate a whole school H arvest Assembly and collect foods for the local foodbank. We wi ll discuss the Nativity Christmas story and we will learn about all the nativity characters. We will celebrate whole school Advent and visit the Church together.

Specialist Teachers

We are extremel y privileged to have specialist teaching in Music, French, PE and Art. Your child will experience a rich creative curriculum in these subjects weekly.

General Reminders

• PLEASE NAME all sweaters, coats, gloves, hats, plimsolls etc.
• Please ensure your child has the correct PE kit in school at all times otherwise they will not be able to participate due to health and safety reasons. The children will be doing PE on Monday and Thursday
• Any letters or reply slips which need to be returned, can be given to the adults in the class. Parents and children are encouraged to check each day.
• Your child will read with an adult in a small group every day. We expect them to read at home with an adult every evening. The most important thing is that this is an enjoyable and special experience so that children really develop a passion for reading.
• Your child will get a library book once a week. We would appreciate your support in returning them each Friday.
• It would be really helpful if you could send in tissues for the class.
• Please bring recycling for our junk modelling activities.