Year 1

Welcome to 1H!

Welcome to our class page for 1H! In 1H with Miss. Howard and Mrs. Downes, we are excited to share a fantastic year of learning and discovery with your children. Together, we learn, we grow and shine a little brighter each day.

Our class follows the MAPLE values and rules:

Be Ready, Be Safe, and Be Respectful.

These simple rules guide everything we do and help us create a positive and supportive learning environment for everyone.

We know that the transition from Reception to Year 1 is a big step, so we have carefully blended the EYFS and Year 1 curriculums together to help the children settle in and make progress in a familiar learning style. Reading, writing and mathematics are the main focus in the mornings and the afternoons will be spent on wider curriculum subjects. All lessons will have elements of child and adult led learning through continuous provision and guided activities.

We will share our days on class dojo- so please make sure you have joined our class page and where possible have given permission for your child’s photos to be shared on here too. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please send us a message or speak to one of us at the end of the school day.

What We’re Learning in Year 1H:

Maths

In Year 1, we place a strong emphasis on number bonds. For example, the number bonds to 10 include 1+9, 2+8, 3+7, and so on. Children explore these using practical resources such as counters, blocks, and number lines to make learning hands-on and enjoyable.

Our Maths Topics Across the Year

• Autumn: Place value within 10, addition and subtraction within 10, and exploring 2D and 3D shapes.
• Spring: Place value within 20, addition and subtraction within 20, place value within 50, and measuring length, height, mass, and volume.
• Summer: Multiplication and division, fractions, position and direction, place value within 100, money, and time.

English

Throughout the year, we explore a range of engaging texts to inspire children’s love for reading and writing.

• Autumn: We will start our adventure with That’s Not My Dinosaur, The Gingerbread Man, and Stick Man. We will also enjoy writing letters to Santa.
• Spring: Our texts will be The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Lost and Found.
• Summer: We will end the school year exploring Goldilocks and the Three Bears and a teddy bear poem.

Our Curriculum in 1H

Alongside Maths and English, children experience a rich and varied wider curriculum.

History

We journey into The Land of the Dinosaurs, explore Past and Present, and learn about significant Kings and Queens from history.

Science

Our science learning includes Everyday Materials, Animals including Humans, Plants, and observing Seasonal Changes throughout the year.

Art

Children develop their artistic skills by:

• Drawing inspired by Keith Haring
• Creating spring paintings in the style of Matisse
• Designing sculptures inspired by Jeff Koons

We also enjoy lessons in Geography, Design and Technology (D&T), Computing, Religious education (RE), Personal, social, health and Economic Education (PSHE), Music, and Physical Education (PE).

Phonics in Year 1

Phonics is a vital part of Year 1 learning. We follow a systematic approach to teach children how letters and letter groups make sounds. This helps them decode words when reading and encode words when spelling.

At the end of Year 1, children complete the Phonics Screening Check. This is a short, statutory assessment to confirm that the children have learned the phonics decoding skills they need to become fluent readers.

It is a quick and simple check that consists of 40 words and ‘non‑words’ ( made-up words that follow phonics rules). We practise regularly throughout the year so children feel confident and well prepared for taking the check during the summer term.

Important Information

• Uniform: Our school uniform is a yellow polo shirt with black trousers or skirt, a maple court cardigan or jumper and black shoes.
• PE Kit: The PE kit is a red top, black bottoms, trainers and a school jumper or cardigan.
• PE days: Children can come to school wearing their PE kit on these days.
• Jewellery: All jewellery must be removed for PE.
• Snack and Drink: Please ensure your children bring a named water bottle to school every day. They can also bring a healthy snack or order toast, which must be paid for through the Arbor app.
• Reading: Reading books and diaries should be brought to school every day. We kindly ask that you listen to your child read at least 3-5 times a week and sign their diary.

Ways to Help at Home

Your support makes a huge difference. Here are simple ways to help:

• Daily reading — Listen to your child read and read to them. Talk about the story and new vocabulary.
• Phonics practice — Review the sounds and words they are learning in class.
• Maths skills —
  • Count objects together
  • Add numbers during everyday activities
  • Spot and discuss shapes in the environment
• Digital Learning: Encourage your child to use Numbots, a brilliant online game for practising number bonds and addition skills.

Welcome to 1B

Mrs Ball and Miss Williams teach 1B, and are thrilled to be working with your children this year. In 1B, we love to learn in a fun, engaging, and exciting way. Every day is a new adventure and we are looking forward to sharing our adventures with you!

Our class follows the MAPLE values and rules:

Be Ready, Be Safe, and Be Respectful.

These simple rules guide everything we do and help us create a positive and supportive learning environment for everyone.

We know that the transition from Reception to Year 1 is a big step, so we have carefully blended the EYFS and Year 1 curriculums together to help the children settle in and make progress in a familiar learning style. Reading, writing and mathematics are the main focus in the mornings and the afternoons will be spent on wider curriculum subjects. All lessons will have elements of child and adult led learning through continuous provision and guided activities.

We will share our days on class dojo- so please make sure you have joined our class page and where possible have given permission for your child’s photos to be shared on here too. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please send us a message or speak to one of us at the end of the school day.

What We’re Learning

Maths

Throughout the year, we’ll have a big focus on number bonds. These are pairs of numbers that add up to a specific total. For example, the number bonds to 10 are 1+9, 2+8, 3+7, and so on. We use lots of practical resources like counters, blocks, and number lines to make our maths lessons hands-on and fun.

Here’s a look at our maths topics for the year:

• Autumn: Place value within 10, addition and subtraction within 10, and 2D and 3D shapes.
• Spring: Place value within 20, addition and subtraction within 20, place value within 50, and measuring length, height, mass, and volume.
• Summer: Multiplication and division, fractions, position and direction, place value within 100, money, and time.

English

We will explore some wonderful books and themes to inspire our reading and writing:

• Autumn: We will be reading That’s Not My Dinosaur, The Gingerbread Man, and Stick Man. We’ll also enjoy writing letters to Santa!
• Spring: Our texts will be The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Lost and Found.
• Summer: We will read Goldilocks and the Three Bears and also explore teddy bear poems.

Our Curriculum in 1B

In addition to our core subjects of Maths and English, we cover a wide and exciting range of topics across the wider curriculum.

• History: We’ll travel back in time to explore The Land of the Dinosaurs , look at Past and Present and how things have changed, and learn all about famous Kings and Queens from history.
• Science: Our science topics include investigating Everyday Materials, learning about Animals including Humans, exploring Plants, and observing Seasonal Changes throughout the year.
• Art: We’ll be practicing our drawing skills inspired by the artist Keith Haring, creating beautiful spring paintings in the style of Matisse, and designing sculptures like Jeff Koons in the summer.

We also enjoy lessons in other subjects such as Geography, Design and Technology (D&T), Computing, Religious Education (RE), Music, and Physical Education (PE).

Phonics in Year 1

Phonics is incredibly important in Year 1 as it provides the essential building blocks for reading and spelling. We use a systematic approach to teach children the sounds that letters and letter combinations make. This helps them ‘decode’ words to read them and ‘encode’ them to spell them.

At the end of Year 1, all children take part in a Phonics Screening Check. This is a short, statutory assessment to confirm that children have learned the phonic decoding skills they need to become fluent readers. It is a quick and simple check that consists of 40 words and ‘non-words’ (made-up words that follow phonics rules). We practice this throughout the year so the children are confident and well prepared.

Important Information

• Uniform: Our school uniform is a yellow polo shirt with black trousers or a skirt, and a Maple Court cardigan or jumper.
• PE Kit: The PE kit is a red top, black bottoms, trainers, and a school jumper or cardigan.
• PE Days: Monday and Friday Children can come to school wearing their PE kit on these days.
• Jewellery: For safety reasons, all jewellery must be removed for PE.
• Snack & Drink: Please ensure your child brings a named water bottle to school every day. They can also bring one healthy snack or order toast, which must be paid for through the Arbor app.
• Reading: Reading books and diaries should be brought to school every day. We kindly ask that you listen to your child read at least 5 times a week and sign their diary to show us how they are doing.

Ways to Help at Home

Your support is invaluable in helping your child succeed. Here are some simple ways you can help:

• Read daily: Listen to your child read and read to them. Discuss the story and new words.
• Practice phonics: Regularly review the sounds and words they are learning in class.
• Maths skills:
  • Count objects and numbers together.
  • Add things up in daily life.
  • Look for and discuss different shapes in the environment.

Digital Learning: Encourage your child to use Numbots, a fantastic online game for practising number bonds and addition skills.