Year 1
Welcome to our Class Page
Year 1 - 2024-2025
Welcome to Year 1! My name is Miss Lamptey and I the new Year 1 teacher. It is an exciting time where we transfer our skills that we have learnt in Reception into a more formal learning style. We have lots of trips planned where children can build upon their learning in school and I look forward to seeing the children play, learn and grow together.
Year 1 Team:
Class Teacher - Miss Lamptey
Teaching Assistant - Mrs Mullholland
English
English skills are used in all of our subjects and so we practice many of these skills every day through handwriting, reading, writing and spelling. During English the children will be given a chance to use all of the skills they have developed in EYFS and be taught more skills; including writing sentences using capital letters, full stops, some question marks and exclamation marks. Writing extended sentences using the conjunction ‘and’. Some accurate use of the prefix un-. Some accurate use of suffixes (where no change is needed to the root of the word) e.g. ed, - ing, -er, -est.
In Year 1, we have a big focus on phonics and reading, we follow the Phonics Program Read Write Inc. Phonics lessons are taught daily and in addition we have speed sound sessions at the end of the day.
We love our stories and always find time in our busy day to come together and enjoy and share the love of reading. We would ask that you support your child at home by reading with them each night for just 10 minutes and signing their reading log so they can earn dojo points and rewards.
Autumn Term
The vehicle text for out English lessons in the first half of autumn term will be The Old Bear by the author Jane Hissey. Using the vehicle text, the children will plan and write a finding narrative, retelling the story of the Old Bear who went missing from his home. They will also write a letter, informing and explaining the events that happened. In the second half of the autumn term, the vehicle text will be Rapunzel by Bethan Woolvin. Using the vehicle text the children will narrate their own traditional tale. They will then focus on writing their own instructions of how to catch a witch.
Spring Term
The vehicle text for our English lessons in the first half of spring term will be Hermelin the Detective Mouse by the author Mini Grey. Using the vehicle text the children will plan and write a detective narrative using their own character. They will also write a letter, explaining that their character has found all the missing objects. In the second half of the spring term, the vehicle text will be Where the Wild Things Are by the author Maurice Sendak. Using the text, the children will write their own adventure story and write an information fact file about different animals.
Summer Term
The vehicle text for our English lessons in the first half of summer term will be The Secret of Black Rock by the author Joe Todd-Stanton. Using the vehicle text, the children will plan and write a Return Narrative using their own character. They will also write a Diary entry. In the second half of the summer term, the vehicle text will be The Last Wolf by the author Mini Grey. Using the text, the children will write their own hunting story and write some recipes.
Maths
In Maths lessons, children use lots of manipulatives to learn and explore. Children will use Numicon, base 10, 10 frames, number lines, counters and cubes to name but a few.
Autumn Term
To start the Autumn term, the children will build upon their learning in Reception when exploring number and place value within 10. They will count forwards and backwards starting from any number, and learn to read and write the numbers 1-10 in numerals and words. The children will use different manipulatives such as ten frames and numicon, as well as using number lines to identify 1 more and 1 less of a given number. The children will then move on to the unit addition and subtraction to 10, consolidating their knowledge of number bonds. The children will learn to solve missing number calculations, and that addition can be solved in any order but subtraction cannot. In this unit, the children will build on their knowledge of partitioning, using the part-whole model to partition 10.
This new learning will continue after the half term, and then progress in to number and place value to 20. The children will continue to use practical equipment, such as base ten dienes, to represent 20. They will learn to explain the value of each digit, and know that ten ones is equal to 10. The children will use symbols such as < and > to compare numbers, and continue to learn to read write the numbers 11-20 in numerals and words. Before the half term, the children will begin the unit addition and subtraction to 20. They will learn to recall and use addition and subtraction facts for all numbers facts to 20 fluently, and understand the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction. The children will learn to solve one-step problems that involve addition and subtraction.
Spring Term
To start the Spring term, the children will explore Geometry. They will learn to recognise 2-D shapes, and describe them using their properties. They will then learn to recognise 3-D shapes, using their mathematical terms to distinguish them. The children will then explore fractions. They will learn how to recognise and find a half and a quarter of a different shapes and find a half and a quarter of different quantities. We will move onto the unit of Geometry Direction and Position, in this unit they will learn how to describe different turns. They will explore different positions using the vocabulary left and right, forwards and backwards and above and below. To finish the unit the children will learn about ordinal numbers. Before the half term break the children will be taught about the aspect of time. They will learn about the days of week and the months of the year. They will explore the difference between hours, minutes and seconds and learn to tell the time to the hour and half past the hour.
After the half term, the children will extend their place value knowledge to 50. During this unit, the children will be taught to count forwards and backwards between 20 and 50, count in groups of 10, use comparison symbols to compare numbers, partition numbers using bar and whole part models, use a number line to place numbers and estimate and find one less and one more than
Summer
To start the Summer term, children will explore multiplication and division, they will learn how to count in 2s, 5s and 10s, they will learn how to recognise equal groups, add equal groups, make arrays and doubles. They will also learn how to share in equal groups. At the end of this half term, children will learn about Money. They will learn how to recognise different coins and notes and add money together by counting different amounts.
After the half term, the children will explore measurement. The children will compare different lengths and heights. They will measure length and height using non-standard units of measurement and centimetres. Children will explore weight by comparing heavy and light objects. They will use scales to measure the weight of different objects. We will finish the term by exploring volume. Children will identify empty and full containers, compare volume and measure capacity.
The following websites will support your child’s learning in maths:
The Home of rich mathematics
Useful resources from the BBC
Maths games for children aged 5-7
100 square splat to help the children spot number patterns, support timetables and for basic counting
Science
Autumn Term
This term in Science, the children will begin the unit ‘Animals including Humans’. They will learn to identify, name the basic body parts of the human body. The children will learn about the five senses, and use them in different experiments throughout the term. The children will also identify, name and draw some animal body parts and compare the differences and similarities to human body parts. To finish the unit, the children will learn about carnivores, omnivores and herbivores.
Spring Term
In Science, the topic in Spring 1 is Everyday Materials. During this topic, the children will be taught how to name and identify different types of materials, they will be taught to describe the different properties of materials and through experiments, justify why different objects need to be made from different materials. They will be taught to sort and group different materials according to their properties. To finish the topic, children will go on a trip to Liverpool’s Recycling Centre, where they will be taught the importance of recycling and watch some of the recycling processes.
After the half term, the children will move onto observing the changes across the seasons. During this topic, the children will learn the four seasons of the year. We will discuss the different weather associated with each season and observe how the daylight hours change. We will also walk to our local park to observe the trees and plants that are starting to grow.
Summer Term
In Science, the topic in Summer 1 is Animals including humans. During this topic, they will learn how to identify Common animals and describe some of their features. They will be taught how to classify animals into groups according to their feature. The children will learn about the diets of both humans and animals, using the vocabulary of omnivore, herbivore and carnivore. During this topic, we will also go to Liverpool World Museum to visit the aquarium and the bug floor.
After the half term, the children will move onto observing plants. They will be taught how to identify different types of plants, label and describe their structure and discuss how to look after them. Using our previous knowledge of Seasons, children will describe the life cycle of a tree and identify if trees are deciduous or evergreen.
The following websites will support your child’s learning in Science:
RE
Summer Term
Religious Education runs through all that we do in Class 1, and we make links to our school work and home lives regularly through RE lessons and Collective Worship and PSHE lessons.
In the Summer term, we move onto the learning branch of To the Ends of the Earth. In this branch, pupils will hear the story of the Road to Emmaus, the Ascension and the story of Pentecost. They will complete a narrative cycle of the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and encounter the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the Apostles and then the early Church.
We are also lucky to have Fr Fitzgerald coming into class each half term to share the Good News with us.
Spring Term
We began this Spring term with the topic Special People -through scripture, the children will learn about the Presentation of Jesus and the importance of Anna and Simeon, they will listen to the story of Zaacheus learn about Jesus’ mission with his twelve disciples. In the topic of Meals and Lent the children will learn about Holy Week and Easter. Through Scripture the children will be taught how Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem. Afterwards, the children will learn about the last supper and the Crucifixion and death of Jesus.
History and Geography
Autumn Term
In Geography, the children will be answering the question – What is it like here? They will learn to locate where they live on an ariel photograph, and recognise local features. They will create maps using classroom objects, and draw simple maps of the school grounds. The children will learn to use maps to follow simple routes around the school grounds, and carry our an enquiry about how to improve their playground using a survey.
In History, the children will answer the question – How am I making history? What was here before me? The children will look at personal chronology, and find out the past within living memory. They will do this by examining photographs and look at timelines that extend back to before they were born.
Spring Term
In the first Spring half term, the children will exploring and delving back into the past for our history topic How have toys changed since the Victorians? During this unit of work, children will learn about toys from the past and sequence them into a physical timeline, they will investigate the past by looking at artefacts and photographs of Victorian toys and begin to pose questions. They learn how teddy bears have changed and ‘interview’ an old teddy bear before considering what toys may be like in the future. After the Spring half term, the children will use their Geographers minds and learn about the weather with the topic entitled What is the weather like in the UK? Within this unit of work, the children will be learning about the countries and cities that make up the UK, children will discuss the four seasons and their associated weather. As a class, we will consider how we change our behaviour in response to different weather and keep a weather diary or record. Finally, children investigate the UK’s hot and cold places use weather maps and keys.
Summer Term
In the first Summer half term, the children will learn about Geography and explore and find out information to answer the key question How is life different in India? Using maps, children will locate different continents. They will look at famous landmarks of New Delhi and talk about Human and Physical features of the city. The children will learn how to describe New Delhi and compare and contrast New Delhi and Liverpool. After the Summer half term, the children will learn about History. They will delve into the past and become Historians and find out How have explorers changed the world? Within this unit of work, the children will be finding out about events and people beyond living memory. Children will be encouraged to think about different explorers and what makes them significant. They will create a timeline and investigate which parts of the world they explored.
Curriculum
Autumn Term
In Computing, the children will begin the unit online safety. They will use this unit to explore purple mash, and discover how to keep safe online in school. They will learn about the importance of passwords and how to keep them safe. The children will also create their own avatars, and discuss how avatars can help us in computing. Before half term, the children will then move on to the unit ‘grouping and sorting’. In this unit they will learn to group and sort on a computer, in different ways.
In Art, the children will begin the unit ‘Drawing lines and shapes’. They will explore different artists such as Piet Mondrain, and create their own pieces of Art inspired by artists. They will learn to use key vocabulary such as abstract to discuss artists work and use their techniques.
The children will also continue to learn PSHE/RSE, E-safety and British values. During this Autumn term the children will learn about being safe online, at home and at school. They will learn all about being S.M.A.R.T, and which information should be shared and be private.
Spring Term
Children will also continue to study other subject areas. In Music lessons this term, the children will be involved in the Archdiocese’s Singing Project. During the project they will to develop a range of skills to develop singing technique, Sing songs regularly with a pitch range of do-so with increasing vocal control and accuracy, to explore the inter-related dimensions of music and develop their musicianship and they will also learn to sing songs in a range of genres, styles and traditions.
In Art this term, we will be focusing on painting techniques using colour printing. The children will learn and will be able to explain what primary colours are and how to create secondary colours. The children will also explore how different colours can create different effects and moods, for this we will focus on hot and cold colours. In Design & Technology, the children will look and how wheels and axles are designed. They will plan and design their own toy car that uses wheels and axles to move.
In Computing lessons, the children will use the Purple Mash and will be learning about how to navigate a maze to solve a given task. After the Spring half term, the children will be taught about algorithms and learn how code by following simple instructions.
The children will also continue to learn PSHE/RSE, E-safety and British values. During this Spring term, the children will learn about their health and wellbeing: they will explore how to deal with big feelings and how to be safe around medicine. They will learn about relationships and explore how we say sorry and take responsibility for our actions. The children will be taught how to keep safe online and not to share information, and they will learn how to use a search engine.
To keep physically active, in PE lesson children will be taught how to improve their dancing skills, and play team building and invasion games.
Summer Term
Children will also continue to study other subject areas. In Music lessons this term, the children will learn how music can represent different environmental sounds, they will learn how to choose different instruments to represent environmental sounds and create their own graphic score using dynamics and different tempi. In Summer 2, children will learn about timbre and use their voices to sing as part of a chant before composing their own rhythm.
In Art this term, children will look at the work of artists that make sculptures, in particular the works of Gill Parker and Nick Park. They will then learn how to design and make sculptures from malleable materials. In Design & Technology, the children will learn how to prepare fruit and vegetables particularly focusing on Indian cuisine.
In Computing lessons, the children will use Purple Mash. In the first half of the Summer Term, children will create their own animated story. They will be taught how to use drawing tools to create their own images, add sounds and movement to the images and add text. In Summer 2, children will learn about spreadsheets. They will be taught to understand how to use spreadsheets, add images and texts to spreadsheets and use different tools to count.
The children will also continue to learn PSHE/RSE, E-safety and British values. During this Summer term, the children will learn about their health and wellbeing. Using the text My World, Your World, the children will learn how we share the world with lots of different people and cultures and how we respect everyone. Through the text That’s not what I saw, children will learn to accept our bodies and understand that our bodies work in different ways. The children will learn to celebrate ways the God loves and cares for us. They will be taught to understand Equality and Diversity through living in our community and the wider world, recognising who our neighbours are.
To keep physically active, in PE lesson children will be taught how to improve their physical skills. In the first half term, children will take part in Athletics and finish the term with dancing skills. We will also take part in a daily mile which helps us our physical and mental health.
P.E Kit
Please send your child into school in their PE kit every Tuesday for their PE lesson. The kit is as follows:
White T-shirt, black/grey or red shorts/leggings
Plain black pumps or trainers only for PE
Reading and Homework
The children will receive 2 books each week, one of which will be in line with their current reading progress. They should read this book for 5-10 minutes each day and the reading record should be filled out accordingly. The children will bring home a reading for pleasure book from our school library, which they will choose. This can be explored independently or with an adult, exposing the children to a variety of texts to enjoy in their own time.
Two pieces of home work will also be sent home each week on a Friday, relating to mathematics and handwriting that the children are focusing on throughout the year. This is to be returned on or before Wednesday each week.
Topic homework is given as a project to be completed over a half term. Children are encouraged to log on to Times Tables Rockstars daily to practise their recall and fluency.
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