Year 1 - Saint Joseph
Welcome to Year One!
Our Class Saint is Saint Joseph
Feast Day - March 19th
Saint Joseph was Jesus' 'foster' father on Earth, chosen by God to help Mary to raise Jesus. The Bible tells us that Joseph was a 'just man', meaning that he was good and fair. He was a carpenter and worked hard at his job. Saint Joseph is the patron saint of many things, including the patron saint of all working people. He is seen as a role model for fathers, and so Saint Joseph is known as a protector of families.
Welcome to the Autumn Term!
We are looking forward to welcoming your children back, ready for their first academic term in Year One!
In the first few weeks, we will focus on ensuring the children’s successful transition from Reception. This is essential for their wellbeing and for their learning to thrive and, of course, your support is invaluable!
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 KS1 Teaching Assistant, who assists in class every day. Additionally, we are blessed to have a team of 1:1 staff who are very much looking forward to meeting individual pupils and their families.
If you are interested in volunteering in Year One, hearing children read 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 One, we will be revising and consolidating Phase 3 and Phase 4, before starting Phase 5a in Term Two.
- 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 five and then 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 work with your child to research an aspect of toys/games in the past - 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 are encouraged to reread each of their reading books at least three times across the week to help build understanding, fluency and prosody. Talking about their reading will also help to develop their comprehension skills. Children may then go on to read their own books to help foster an enjoyment of reading. Please record all reading using the BoomReader App. This is checked weekly and books will only be changed if reading is recorded at least five times each week.
Please remember, your child should ONLY bring their (named) red book bag to school as we do not have room in class to store anything larger. Alternatively, their zip wallet (provided to protect reading books) is sufficient to carry books and letters and can be placed in their drawer each day. Your child will need their reading books in school every day as we listen to readers daily during 'Drop Everything and Read' sessions.
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
On Tuesdays and Fridays, your child will need to wear their P.E. kits to school (black shorts, red polo top and black plimsolls). For your child's safety it is 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.
It is really important that all pieces of uniform (school jumpers, cardigans, coats, hats, shoes, wellies, etc.) are labelled clearly with your child's name.
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 (Autumn 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!