Year 1 learning
We have been very impressed with how Year 1 have started the school year even with all the new routines and procedures in place. Thank you for supporting your child at home especially with the fantastic homework we have received.
Here’s a summary of our learning so far.
In maths, we have been learning about numbers to 10 including counting, ordering, counting forwards/backwards and one more/less. Topmarks has some good maths based games to try at home.
We have also had a big emphasis on supporting the children with their number formation and presentation in their new maths books. We start our numbers at the top.
To help at home, count forwards and backwards with your child. Give your child a number (initially up to 20) and see if they can tell you the number one more/one less.
In reading, we have a weekly fluency text. Here is this week’s text.
In class, we read the text every day to develop the children’s fluency. This involves lots of teacher modelling of reading taking account of the punctuation and using expression. On Friday, we answer questions about the text.
Remember, reading books can be changed on a Tuesday and Thursday. Thank you for your patience as the children learn this new routine. We visit the library on Mondays. The children have all had the chance to use Lexia at school. They are becoming quicker at logging on so any practice they can get at home will help with this.
To help at home, read with your child everyday. This can be their book from school or any other book or text you have at home. Asking questions about the text will help with their understanding.
In writing, our learning has been based around what makes a sentence.
- Capital letter at the start
- Full stop (or other punctuation) at the end
- Finger spaces between words
- Does it make sense?
Capital letters have been our initial focus – how we form them and when do we use them. See if your child can remember when we need to use a capital letter. These alphabet videos are a good reminder too.
Another aspect of english we are developing is the children’s oracy. A particular focus we are working on is answering in full sentences.
After carrying out some egg related experiments, we are now learning about living things in science.
Topic learning began with lots of learning about the text After the Fall and for the next three weeks, this will be based on Here we are by Oliver Jeffers.
Well done to all of Year 1 who are working so hard! Keep it up!
PE in the sunshine
In PE today, Year One were learning how to move at different speeds.
We enjoyed moving like different animals, moving at different speeds and moving on the spot. The children could explain how to sprint and jog and they described how their bodies felt whilst doing these activities.
I feel out of breath when I run fast.
My legs get tired.
My heart is beating fast.
I feel very hot.
Running fast is hard work.
Living and Learning: 8Rs for learning
For the last two weeks, in our Living and Learning lessons, Year 1 have been getting to know the 8Rs for learning (responsible, risk taking, resilience, resourceful, ready, responsive, remember and reflect). These are eight characteristics to promote good learning behaviour and of course, these are referred to throughout the year across all subjects. The parent’s guide to the 8Rs can help to reinforce this at home.
The children were given different scenarios and they had to match them up to the correct 8R or complete the missing R in a sentence. Ask your child if they can remember the answers.
Saavi has her white board and pen on her table for phonics.
Evie changes her number 2 after Mrs Taylor asks her to check her numbers.
Nate puts his hand up to answer a question even though he is not sure if it is right.
Talha uses the hundred square to check his number formation.
Grace _______________ her spellings because she had been practising them at home.
Austen took __________________ for his belongings because he put them all back in his pencil case.
Erica was _______________ as she kept trying until she could write the letter y in handwriting.
Rico ________________ on his maths learning and tries to put one number in one box in his book.
Resilience has been one of the themes of the After the Fall book we have been learning about in our topic lessons. We thought about what messages we might send to Humpty Dumpty as he tried to climb back up the wall again.
Don’t look down.
Keep going up.
Always keep going.
You can do it.
Don’t give up.
We’ve got you.
Take a risk.
Be resilient.
We’ve been talking about the 8Rs across other lessons and here are some more examples of Year 1 using the 8Rs.
Being resourceful in maths
Being responsive by checking number formation
With such a great start to the year, we are sure Year 1 will continue to use the 8Rs across all areas of their learning.
Foraging for Homework
On Friday, the children were asked to get creative for their homework. Having read an autumnal poem in class, they then had to spot some signs of Autumn whilst out and about.
Mrs Freeman and Mrs Taylor have both enjoyed some leaf crunching walks this weekend.
We have already received some great examples of super learning in the outdoors. So far, we have seen crafts, pictures, models, colour mixing and some impressive writing!
We look forward to seeing more throughout the week.
Don’t forget that homework can be emailed to us and is celebrated in class every Thursday.
jackiefreeman@spherefederation.org
carolinetaylor@spherefederation.org
Well done, Year 1!
Living and Learning: 8Rs for learning
For the start of this half-term, our Living and Learning focus is the ‘8 Rs for learning’. This is about promoting good learning behaviour for your child.
In class, the children will focus on different ‘Rs’. We use an animal to symbolise each ‘R’, which might help your child remember all eight – can your child remember which animal matches the correct ‘R’?
You can support your child at home – we’ve listed a few ideas to help you below. Ask us if you’ve any questions or comments.
Download top tips for promoting the 8Rs for good learning behaviour.
Risk taking
Talk about the difference between a safe and unsafe risk. At school, we want your child to take a safe risk by having a go at answering, even if unsure; trying something new and attempting harder learning.
Responsibility
Provide time and space at home so your child is able to organise themselves: their PE kit, reading book, homework, spellings and tables… Don’t organise everything for them!
Make a link between rights and responsibilities: your child has the right to a great education, but needs to be responsible for their own learning.
Responding
This could be responding to their teacher in class or responding to feedback in their learning.
Ready
Make sure your child is at school on time for a prompt start.
Make sure your child has had plenty of sleep so they are alert and ready to learn at all times.
Encourage your child to ask lots of questions – that shows they want to learn!
Resourceful
Encourage your child to be organised so they can play with a range of different toys.
Encourage your child to try new ways to solve a tricky problem.
Resilience
Encourage your child to keep going! Set a tricky challenge or puzzle for your child to do.
Encourage your child to think of different ways of doing things.
Don’t let your child win when they play a game – they need to experience losing, too!
Celebrate mistakes as opportunities to learn – be happy that your child found some learning hard and encourage them to ‘bounce back’ and learn from the experience.
Relate this ‘R’ to Humpty Dumpty and our current whole school topic, After the Fall.
Remember
Make sure they have time to learn spellings, number bonds and times tables – a little practice daily is best.
Play memory games:
Kim’s game: show them objects for 30 seconds… can they remember all the objects?
Can they build up the sequence, ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple’… ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple and a bike.’… ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple, a bike and a cucumber.’ etc … Take turns!
Reflect
Talk with your child about what they’ve learnt, asking questions about how they learnt, why they learnt it, when they’ll use their learning, how they would teach this to someone else, what learning might link with what they’ve learnt today…
This week, children will have the opportunity to not only reflect on their learning in general but also reflect on how the 8Rs supports their learning.
Of course, these characteristics are referred to throughout the year across all subjects to promote good learning behaviour.
Reading in Year 1
Over the last couple of weeks, we have been listening to the children read in class and today your child will have brought a reading book home with them.
Reading books will be changed on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
To minimise contact with items coming from home, we would like the children to put reading books, they have read, in the box at the cloakroom door at the start of the day. The children will then put their reading record book in their appropriate group basket in the classroom.
We are sure the children will cope well with this responsibility.
Please could we ask for parents/carers to write the title of the book and a brief comment about their child’s reading inside the reading record book.
We would encourage the children to read to an adult every day to develop their fluency skills. The Active Reading Guide (in your child’s homework book) will provide support for reading with your child at home.
Thank you to those families who have begun to use Lexia. The children are starting to use this in school now and we would recommend 10 minutes every day if possible.
Please contact us (carolinetaylor@spherefederation.org and jackiefreeman@spherefederation.org) if you have any questions about your child’s reading.
Enjoying our shared area
We have been so impressed with all the children this week. On Monday, the class entered school with huge smiles on their faces and this has continued throughout the week. Coping with new routines can be difficult for us all. However, the children have modelled how to do this well and without fuss.
As well as the classroom, Year One also have a shared area that is used as a learning space. This allows us to present the children with further learning opportunities and we will be using this area as an extension to our classroom.
The children have been taught how to use the area correctly and the importance of keeping it tidy. Below, are a few snap shots of how we learn in our shared areas.
We’re ready…
Welcome back to school everyone! 
As we welcome the children into Year 1, we would like to reassure you that the classroom and shared areas are fully prepared, and meet current guidelines to ensure a happy and healthy return to school.
We’re looking forward to seeing the children and getting back into a routine.
Below is a list of key points to remember:
- Mrs Freeman will be teaching every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Mrs Taylor will teach each Thursday and Friday.
- Mrs Bharath and Mrs Roth will also be working in Year 1.
- Parents are not to enter the cloakroom or classroom. If you need to speak with us, then please make an appointment at the office.
- Children DO NOT need to bring bookbags to school.
- Please ensure your child has a coat every day.
- Water bottles can be brought into school and can be refilled throughout the dy.
- Homework books will be brought home on Friday (11th) and will remain at home.
- Please email your child’s homework each week (by Thursday) and this will be shared in class. The children will be given a sheet of homework and new spellings every Friday. They will be tested on their spellings the following Friday. Please email jackiefreeman@spherefederation.org and carolinetaylor@spherefederation.org.
- PE is on a Tuesday and a Thursday. The children are being asked to come to school in their PE kits on those days. They will remain in their kit for the whole day.
- The school uniform policy is on our website. Please check if you are unsure about any items of clothing or footwear. https://www.moortown.leeds.sch.uk/find-out/policies/
- The staff and children will remain in their own ‘bubble’ throughout the day and regular hand sanitising will be carried out.
- We aim to let you know about reading books this week.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Mrs Freeman/Mrs Taylor
Last day!
Well done, Year 1! You made it.
Click on this link to hear my final message of the year!
I hope you have a great summer. You deserve it 🙂
A message from Mr Parker
Hi Year 1!
I hope you’re all ok and are looking forward to the holidays! I certainly am but I’m also very much looking forward to being your teacher again in September.
At this point in the year, you usually meet your new teacher. As this can’t happen this year, all the other teachers have sent a little message introducing themselves to their new class. Although you already know me, I didn’t want you to feel left out so I’ve also recorded a little video.
Click on this link to check it out.
See you soon!
