The Year 1 team

       Mrs Dennehy                                             Mrs Magwidi

        Class teacher Mon - Wed                         Class Teacher Wed  -Fri

    Miss Boutwood                             Mrs Bishop

    Teaching assistant                         Teaching assistant                                                                               

Mrs DeLuca Smith ( PPA cover on Wednesday morning)

Welcome to Year 1! We are looking forward to an exciting year that will build upon your child’s wonderful experiences and achievements in Early Years. The children will continue to access a rich environment that stimulates their curiosity and learning whilst keeping them safe and happy. We aim to offer them inspiring, relevant topics that engage, motivate and challenge them. As in Early Years, communication between home and school is key so  please use tapestry, e-mail us or contact the office if you have any queries. We look forward to working closely with you to ensure your children have a successful year.

Teaching structure / PPA Cover

In Year 1 we are very lucky to have Mrs De Luca Smith covering our PPA time on Wednesday mornings. She is a well loved and familiar face  who will also liaise closely with our team about the children’s needs and learning to ensure continuity. 

Reading

Reading continues to be a crucial part of your child’s learning and it is important that they read daily, or as regularly as possible, to help build their confidence and fluency. It is also important to share stories with your child and ask them questions about what they have listened to. Your child will read regularly with an adult in school and their books will be changed during these times. Please ensure your child’s book bag and reading record is in school every day. You will also receive a Song of Sounds mat that contains all of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 sounds. Please use this to support your child with their reading at home. 

Phonics

In June, children in Year 1 are required to take the Phonics Screening check. This consists of 40 words that are either real or fake ‘alien’ words. The children cover all the required sounds in their phonics time using the 'Song of Sounds' programme and practice reading unusual words in a variety of contexts. You can support your child by playing some online games. Phonics play has some free games such as Buried Treasure and Picnic on Pluto. (Phase 3 and phase 5) https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/index.htm

Please come and see us if you would like any more guidance or have any questions.

Physical Development

In Year 1 the development of both your child’s fine and gross motor skills are crucial to all areas of their learning. We participate in games, gymnastics, athletics and dance and we provide a range of fine motor activities within the classroom and during our weekly handwriting sessions. It is essential that your child wears their PE kit for the lessons so that they can be fully involved. Our PE days are Monday and Thursday. Please provide trainers with velcro unless they can do their laces themselves.

Homework

Your child will receive a homework grid every half term with a range of curriculum activities to explore. This is available on Tapestry as well as our home learning page. Please send your child's completed learning to the year 1 email address or add to Tapestry. 

And please read, read, read... for pleasure, fun and learning. 

A final reminder - please name all belongings! As a team we try our best to support your child in looking after their belongings, however if they are not named it can make the task very challenging. Please also remember in Year 1 we have the outdoor area open in most weathers so please make sure your child has the appropriate footwear and clothing.

We are delighted to be part of your child’s continuing school journey and look forward to an exciting, successful year.

The Year One Team. 

Meet the Teacher - Thursday 14th September