We are looking forward to welcoming your children back, ready for their third academic term in Year One!

We continue to use Class Dojo as our main method of communication, but please catch us before school starts or at the end of the day if a face to face chat is easier. Alternatively, meetings can be arranged via direct message. Also, keep an eye out for news and other useful information on our School and Class Dojo Pages, and check out our webpage for photo galleries, letters and other educational links.

The following information is to support your child’s learning:

The Year One Team

Mrs Walker teaches the class on Mondays and Ms Green is the class teacher from Tuesday to Friday. The children also benefit from the support and teaching of Mrs Cappa, an experienced and invaluable KS1 Teaching Assistant who assists in class every day. Additionally, we are blessed to have a few additional staff supporting the children in a variety of capacities across the week. Please do let us know if you would like to meet any of the team that work with your child (there is also a staff photo board just inside the school lobby, if you just want to put a face to the name).

If you are interested in volunteering in Year One, hearing children read, joining us for class trips or helping to prepare resources, we would welcome you to join us, so please get in touch!

Class Information

Class information is shared and updated regularly via our Class Dojo page. Please feel free to send a message via Class Dojo or speak to a member of the team if you have anything you would like to ask or discuss.

Homework

Daily homework will consist of:

• Daily reading (see section below)
• A phonics activity (set via Class Dojo) to support your child’s secure progression in phonics* In Term Three, we will continue to follow Phase 5a (alternative graphemes).
• Word pots - developing your child’s blending skills*, or
• High frequency words practice - developing your child's sight vocabulary* (see file attachment below)
• Number bonds practice (recall of additions and subtractions within ten this term) and skip counting in 2s, 10s and 5s

*Children can upload their homework and Word Pot videos to their Class Dojo portfolios when completed.

Each term, we also send home details of a longer homework project linked to our learning in class. For homework this term, we would love it if you could complete a creative project linked to an aspect of either North or South America - see separate homework letter in the 'Letters' section of our class webpage.

Please let us know if you would like any support or advice regarding homework.

Reading

Children receive one reading book from school each week, matched to their reading ability. This should be read at least three times to build fluency. To support your child, please use the ‘Top Tips’ sheet sent home and ask them questions about the text—they will develop better comprehension by discussing what they have read. A dictionary can also be used to look up any unfamiliar words.

In addition to their school book, children are encouraged to read their own books or those chosen from their in-class libraries to foster a love of reading.

Reading should be recorded using 'Boom Reader,' which is checked weekly. If at least three reads are recorded in a single week, books are changed. If five or more reads are recorded, children are entered into a raffle for a chance to win a prize at the end of the term.

Please ensure your child brings their book bag to school every day, as we hold daily 'Drop Everything and Read' sessions where we listen to readers.

Please remember that we do not have the space to store large backpacks in the classroom and therefore children should only bring their red, school book bags.

Phonics

In Year One, the children prepare for the Phonics Screening Check, which takes place in June. During the check, children apply their phonics knowledge and skills to read a list of forty words (some real and some ‘alien’). Further information about the check will be shared via Class Dojo nearer the time. You may also find the following link of interest:

Maths

This year, we focus on learning number bonds to five, ten and twenty and counting in steps of twos, fives and tens. The children practise recall of these number facts daily in class. You can support your child at home to practise their step counting, number bond addition and subtraction facts (see file attachment below).

PE and Outdoor Learning

THIS TERM YOUR CHILD WILL NEED TO WEAR THEIR P.E. KITS TO SCHOOL ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS (black shorts, red polo top and black plimsolls). It is really important that all pieces of uniform are labelled clearly with your child's name. For your child's safety it is also highly important that long hair is tied back and that no earrings are worn on P.E. days.  If for any reason earrings cannot be removed, you will need to provide your child with tape or plasters that can cover them instead. A professional Sports Coach from Signature Sports teaches P.E. every Friday afternoon and there will be opportunities to attend their after-school sessions in some terms (details to follow). 

We will do Forest School and outdoor learning in some areas of the curriculum. A message will be sent via Class Dojo giving notice when additional outdoor clothing is required but suitable warm and/or waterproof coats should be worn every day as appropriate for the daily weather. Wellington boots can be stored on the pegs provided outside the classroom.

Children should bring a water bottle to school every day. Juice/squash is NOT allowed in class. Children should carry their water bottle (and lunchbox) separately, to be placed in the boxes provided as they enter the classroom.

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW (Spring Term) - Please see file attached below

An overview of the curriculum to be covered this term can be found in the attachments below. Should you have any questions about the curriculum, or any aspect of Year One, do let us know. We can be contacted directly via ‘messages’ on Class Dojo.

We look forward to welcoming you back to school!

Best wishes,

Ms Green, Mrs Walker

& The Year One Team!