Year 1 2023 - 2024

Welcome to Year 1! We hope you have all had a lovely summer. We are very excited for the children to start Year 1 and for them to have a happy and fun start to the year. Below is an overview of what the children will be learning this term.

Meet the Year 1 team:

1B - Mr Briscoe, Miss McCobb and Miss Whiteside

1W - Mrs Wolfenden and Mrs Snow

What are we learning about this term?

Come and See (RE)

In our Come and See lessons this half term we will first be focussing on the topic of families. The children will explore the concept of family and will learn to talk about their experience and feelings about the roles of people within families. They will be learning to recognise/retell stories and psalms which reveal God’s love and care. The children will also be learning about Judaismin when we explore other religions. We will also learn about the sacrement of Baptism in our topic on Belonging. We will talk about and recognise how we are welcomed into new situations and the various groups that we belong to. We will also enter the joyful tme of Advent/ Christmas this term where the theme of loving and waiting will be explored and the children will learn about the perfect gift and revelation of God’s love, Jesus, born of Mary, born as one of us.

English

The first book that we will be focusing on in English is the Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield. This beautiful story begins with a bear who finds something quite strange in the forest. What is it and where will it take him? The second book we will be reading is Stanley's Stick by John Hegley and finally Lucy and Tom at the Seaside by Shirley Hughes. 

We will focus on the correct use of punctuation using capital letters, finger spaces and full stops. We will look at how words join to make sentences and the use of ‘and’ to join clauses. The children will also be introduced to the use of prefixes and suffixes.

Phonics

Children will continue to follow the Read, Write, Inc scheme for phonics.

Maths

In maths we will be focussing on place value to 20. We will continue to learn to count, read and write numbers to 20 in numerals. They will learn to identify one more and one less than a given number within 20 and to identify and represent numbers using objects and pictorial representations including the number line, and use the language of equal to, more than, less than (fewer), most, and least.

We will look at representation and use number bonds and related subtraction facts within 10 Solve one-step problems that involve addition and subtraction, using concrete objects and pictorial representations, and missing number problems such as 7 = ? – 9.?

The children will be learning to recognise and know the value of different denominations of coins and notes and to recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D shapes.  They will be introduced to measure and begin to record lengths and heights.

Science

This term the children will be learning to identify and name a variety of common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees. Identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees.

During the year we will also focus on the seasons and observe changes in the natural world as we move through each season.

PE

In PE this half term we will focus on fundamental movement skills. Here the children will learn about moving skilfully, negotiating space , sharing equipment, showing control over objects and playing fairly. In the second half term the children will begin a topic on Gymnastics.

Geography

Our topic for the Autumn half term is fieldwork. The children will learn about our local area, and we will be out and about exploring local landmarks, using and making maps!

History

In history Our topic Now and Then will enable the children to explore leisure from the past to present. We will look at toys from the past and seaside holidays, making comparisons and looking at the changes in living memory. We will look at chronology and learn to use time related vocabulary. 

Art

In Art this term the children will get the opportunity to explore some of the work of artist Sarah Morris. They will learn how to look at artwork, saying what they see and what they like, and why We will then discuss with the children their initial thoughts through paired discussion and whole class activities.

The children will also experiment with shape, colour and media. They will use learned skills to create a piece of artwork and reflect their artwork and the artwork of others.

Computing

We will be learning about technology around us in our computing lessons this half term. The children will develop their understanding of technology and how it can help them in their everyday lives. They will start to become familiar with the different components of a computer by developing their keyboard and mouse skills. Learners will also consider how to use technology responsibly.

You, Me, Everyone

Our lessons will focus on family to complement our Come and See lessons where the children will learn to recognise the signs which show how we meet God’s love in our family and how we are loved in our families. We will also talk about firework safety as we run up to bonfire night.

Design and Technology

Our design and technology lessons will focus on sliders and levers as part of our theme on moving pictures. The children will learn to design, make and evaluate their own products and learn to use key vocabulary associated designing and creating their own moving picture!

Music

In Music we will be leanring about pulse and rythm. The children will learn about the heartbeat of music known as the beat and they will use body percussion to tap out a beat . We will listen to and perform songs about friendship through pop music.

Important!

Daily Reading – It’s really important that you read every night for at least 10 minutes.

Children will bring home their book bags with a reading for pleasure book on a Monday on this should be returned on a Thursday. This is a book that could be read to your child at bedtime or something they could share with you by telling you the story through the pictures.

Book bags will also go home on a Thursday with 2 phonics books. These should be returned no later than the following Monday. The books will be matched to your child’s reading level and will help them consolidate the sounds and tricky (red) words learnt that week. It will help your child to read these books more than once to help improve reading speed and expression.

*Please can you sign your child’s reading record to show they have read when book bags are returned on a Monday and Wednesday*

Some reminders:

• Children should come to school in their PE kits on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We aim to do outdoor lessons on Tuesdays and indoor on Wednesdays.
• We aim to go outside every day for breaktimes plus our PE lessons and other activities. Please make sure your child brings a waterproof coat every day.
• Please send a fresh bottle of water labelled with the child’s name (not juice, squash or energy drinks) in each day.
• The children are offered a fruit snack every morning break time.
• Please ensure that all jumpers, hats, coats etc are clearly labelled with your child’s name.
• Children are not to bring in items from home (such as pencil cases, footballs, small toys etc).
• If you need to speak with your child's teacher, please approach us on the playground and we can arrange a time. We would ask that you kindly wait until we have seen all of the children safely to their parent or carer before speaking to your teacher and we will be happy to chat. Alternatively, you may wish to ring the school office.
• Remember book bags and books. See above - Important!