Welcome to Year 1

Class Teachers:

Beech: Miss Macdonald

Holly: Mrs Whittle

Support Staff: 

Mrs Duncan (LSA)

Miss Lapthorn (LSA)

Key Messages/Dates

• PE is on a Monday. Please ensure your children come to school in full PE kit.
• Year 1 visits the library every Tuesday afternoon. Please ensure your children bring their library books into school ready to exchange on this day.
• Parents' Evening:
  • Monday 10th November - 3.30pm - 6.30pm
  • Thursday 13th November - 3.30pm - 5pm
• Countries of the World Day - Thursday 20th November
• 11B411 campfire under the stars:
  • Holly Class - Tuesday 2nd December - 4.30pm - 5.15pm
  • Beech Class - Thursday 4th December - 4.30pm - 5.15pm

What are we learning in Year 1 this half term?

Autumn 2

Reading

These are the texts that we cover throughout the this half term:

At St Margaret's we are passionate about reading! We teach a daily reading session based on a  Curriculum for Unity School’s Partnership (CUSP) text.

This half term, our core texts are 'Where the Wild Things Are' by Maurice Sendak, 'The Storm Whale' by Benji Davies, 'The Owl and The Pussycat' by Edward Lear and 'The Boy who Cried Wolf' an Aesop's Fable. These core texts are supplemented by a variety of additional texts, to support children developing their reading fluency and confidence across a range of text types.

Writing

At St Margaret's Primary Academy we follow CUSP for our writing curriculum. The CUSP curriculum is a vocabulary rich, knowledge based approach to help develop pupils' retrieval, vocabulary and deepen their learning. During the Autumn 2 term, Year 1 will be writing their own setting descriptions, completing instructional writing and writing stories with familiar settings.

Maths 

At St Margaret's Primary Academy we adopt a mastery approach to teach maths lessons. The mastery approach supports children in becoming fluent and confident mathematicians. Maths lessons include ‘Flashback 4’ where children recap 4 previously learnt skills, fluency activities and opportunities for children to apply their knowledge to reasoning and problem solving. This half term we will be covering addition and subtraction within 10 and looking at 2D and 3D shapes.

Science

This half term, children will be learning about animals including humans. The children will identify and name a variety of common animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals and identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. The children will also compare different animals, looking at what is similar and what is different.

Geography

In geography this half term the children will learn about the 7 continents of the world and where they are. The children will also learn about the 5 oceans of the world and where they are. In addition to this, the children will be looking at the countries and the capital cities of the United Kingdom and the surrounding seas.

Computing

In computing this half term the children will be learning about technology around them. The children will discover what technology is and how it can be useful. In addition to this the children will be looking at digital technology and have opportunities to use different programs to apply their digital skills.

PSHE 

In PSHE this half term, the children will be learning about celebrating differences. The children will be looking at how they are the same and different from each other. The children will look at bullying and what this is as well knowing what they can do about bullying.

RE

In RE this half term, the children will be learning about Christianity. The children will focus on the Christmas story and what Christians believe happened at Christmas. The children will know key events in the Christian Christmas story and know the gifts that were given within the story.

PE

In PE this half term, the children will be learning about ball skills. The children will focus on controlling a ball using their feet. Through using dribbling skills it will allow the children to improve their accuracy, power and control of a ball. The children will also be learning gymnastics. The children will focus on balancing on small and big body parts. The children will be using a range of balances to create a short gymnastic sequence.

Home learning

We expect children to read a minimum of 3 times a week at home; this should be logged on Boom Reader. If it has been logged on Boom Reader that your children have read 3 or more times a week, then they will receive an extra play time at the end of each week.

If you need support with Boom Reader, please come and speak to a member of the Year 1 team who will be more than happy to help. 

https://www.boomreader.co.uk/

Children can log onto Numbots to practise their maths skills at home regularly using Numbots. 

If you need support with logging into Numbots or are unaware of your child's login, please reach out to a member of the Year 1 team

https://play.numbots.com/#/intro