WELCOME TO YEAR ONE

Mrs. Crowther
Class Teacher

Miss Arshad

Class Teaching Assistant

INTRODUCTION TO YEAR 1

Children in year 1 follow the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum. Curriculum maps are provided half termly via the schools communication app Seesaw. A paper copy is provided at the beginning of the school year at a face to face curriculum meeting. The curriculum builds upon the children’s learning and experiences in Reception. The school doors open at 8.45am and registration takes place at 8.55am. School finishes promptly at 3.10pm.

All children in year one is entitled to a free school dinner provided by the local authority. If you prefer your child to have a packed lunch, this must be provided from home. Fruit and milk is provided in class daily. However, milk must be paid for termly unless your family is entitled to certain qualifying benefits. Please enquire at the school office to check if your child may qualify for free milk, they must be registered.

COMMUNICATION HOME

We aim to communicate effectively with our parents and carers. As a school, we have moved away from paper based letters and intend to provide information electronically via the Seesaw app. This is a free service for parents and carers. You will be provided with individual log in details for your child. We use Seesaw to post relevant and up to date information about class and whole school events, policies and good news. We also use Seesaw to share learning and celebrate both individual and collective success. If you haven’t signed up for Seesaw already or are having problems signing up, please do not hesitate to call into school to see me for assistance. Seesaw requires an internet connection to receive news. We appreciate that not all families have access to the internet; therefore if you do require paper copies of correspondence, you must request this at the school office. Any letters that require parent signatures will come home without request and must be returned to school promptly with your child in their book bag.

Curriculum expectations are shared with parents at the start of the new school year in a short class presentation and throughout the year at parents’ evenings. Therefore, it is very important that you try to attend these meetings. If you foresee any potential problems with attendance, please let us know promptly prior to the scheduled dates and we shall try to accommodate you at an alternative time if possible. We also communicate with you by completing half termly report cards; these provide a snap shot of individual progress and effort applied in class. If at any time you are concerned with your child’s learning, development or any personal circumstances which may affect your child’s well-being, please do not hesitate to contact the class teacher directly for immediate attention and guidance.

PE – PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Our PE day is Monday. Children need to come to school in PE kit on that day. Children with pierced ears must have their earrings removed on PE days prior to coming to school. Studs are permitted on the remaining days.

READING

In Year One we value the importance of reading, especially for young children. Children at this age are mastering their decoding skills and developing their understanding of texts through questioning and by making personal choices based on their individual preferences. We ask that children read at home a small amount every day and a comment is recorded in their yellow reading record. We understand that this is the ideal and not always possible. Therefore, we view a minimum of three times a week as an acceptable commitment to ensure your child continues to progress well. We ask that reading books and yellow record books are in school every day.

Children are not required to read a full book every time they read; just a few pages and a discussion about the text will prove extremely beneficial for your child. As your child is developing, we encourage independence in everything they do. Your child is responsible for changing and selecting their own reading books from a coloured basket within their reading ability. Sometimes children pick the same book, we are happy for them to do so as this demonstrates personal preferences. This also provides an opportunity for your child to become more fluent in reading through practise. Equally, this will impact positively by enhancing their understanding and enjoyment of reading.

Children will be rewarded for reading at home by receiving bookmark stickers. We check and sign the yellow reading records and record this in a class register. This helps us to monitor which children are progressing and identify children which may be at risk of falling behind. When children have filled their bookmark, they are identified and praised in whole school celebration assembly and receive two prizes from Mr Martin’s treasure chest!

SPELLINGS

Spellings are given each week in a small yellow book. This book is provided for your child to practise their spellings. We like to see lots of practise in their books! Spellings are matched to your child’s ability and are linked to learning in the classroom. A short spelling test happens each Wednesday and scores are recorded in our class register and the yellow books for you to monitor. We do not record individual errors for home, however your child is encouraged to independently check their own work and practise any incorrect ones. We ask that spelling books are in school each Wednesday, as weekly spellings are provided in these books. Unfortunately, we cannot provide a catch up service for forgotten books on the day. Should your child forget their book, we always post weekly spellings on Seesaw to encourage your continued support with learning.

Effort with spellings is always recognised and rewarded. Children will receive a bookmark sticker for full marks or just one mistake. When bookmarks are filled, children receive prizes from Mr Martin in assembly. We take a class picture each Friday to celebrate the success of our super spellers. This is posted on Seesaw, so you can praise your child and celebrate their achievement.

ASSESSMENT

In Year 1 all children will have a phonics screening check during June and the results will be reported to you within their report in the summer term. Teachers will also make assessment on progress throughout the year.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Children will have the opportunity to go on a whole school trip once a year. The school also has after school sports clubs offered on a pro-rota basis, giving children taster sessions of different sports. We also make trips within the local community, to places such as Fox Hill Bank, the local shops and open spaces in order to offer broad experience linking to the learning that is occurring.

CLASS REWARDS

We have lots of reward systems in Year 1 for hard work and excellent behaviour:

• Team points
• Stickers for book marks
• Star Writer of the week
• Super Stars
• Mathematician of the week
• Learner of the week certificates
• Lots of praise

In class we encourage all children to be the best that they can be. Excellent behaviour is reinforced at all times using positive approaches and support from parents. We wish your child every opportunity to succeed, feel safe and be happy. Should at any point you feel this not happening, please speak to Mrs. Crowther directly for support. Good luck, enjoy and have a great school year!