Welcome to Year 1

We have three classes and they are called Fox, Hedgehog and Squirrel. 

What do you know about these animals?

Fox Class Teacher: Ms Hill

Fox Class LSA: Mrs Kelly

Hedgehog Class Teacher: Mrs Roy

Hedgehog Class LSA: Mr Heater

Squirrel Class LSA: Mrs Moore

Year 1 classrooms are based in the Garden Rooms, a mobile unit of 5 classrooms with toilets.   This means we have a lot of space for breakout groups and intervention sessions. 

In Year 1 we continue to build upon the vital learning and development that the children have built up throughout their Reception year. We encourage children to be inquisitive, ask questions and become independent learners. We begin to have a more formal learning style, with a regular morning routine including daily phonics, reading, writing, and maths lessons. The afternoons are busy with exciting and imaginative learning opportunities, covering computing, PE, geography, science, design technology, art and design, music, RE and E4S. What a busy day! 

We have a playtime in the morning at 10:15, which lasts for 15 minutes. The children are provided with a healthy snack, which is very important during our busy morning of learning. We ask that all children are provided with a named water bottle, which they have access to throughout the day.

Our topics in Year 1 are:

Autumn term - 'We Are Superheroes'.

Building on work from the early years, this topic will focus upon the children and their special qualities that make them unique! We explore who the children know that are their “superheroes” (family and friends) before focussing on the qualities that the children already possess to make them superheroes. We also have a “superhero day”.  As the term progresses, we learn about the Gunpowder Plot and Remembrance Day in history. We begin to look at the changing seasons, and how the darker evenings and nights can be fun, reinforcing the quality of being brave! As we enter December, we will focus upon Christmas and all that the festive period involves!

Spring term - 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'.

This topic will focus upon the story by Michael Rosen and the children will be involved in creating their own version of the story as well as using computing skills to add animations to stories. They will explore the local area by taking part in walks around the locality of the school, exploring human and physical features, and creating simple maps. The children will also design and make a product to carry their lunch to take on a teddy bears’ picnic. As part of this process, they will be able to explore, name and identify a range of everyday materials. They will continue to explore the seasons and how the weather changes, especially focussing upon Easter.

Summer term - 'Let's Explore London.'

This topic focuses on the key landmarks in London and how London has changed over the centuries. The children will learn about the events of the Great Fire of London and will become familiar with these events by participating in a workshop provided by The Rainbow Theatre. They will also create a timeline from the 1500s to the present day, including monarchs and key events. Art work will encourage the children to look at the shapes of London landmarks, which they will sketch and paint. They will also experience printing using different media. Seasonal work will continue with a focus on plants, learning about the different parts of plants and trees. We will also recap on the months and seasons of the year, using the outside environment as much as possible.

These are just some of the activities that we will be engaging in throughout your child’s time in Year 1. We look forward to learning and discovering with you!

Year 1 team