Welcome To

The Year 1 team can’t wait to see you all back at school and welcome everyone to their Year 1 classes. We are excited to begin all the fun new learning and experiences we have planned for your school year ahead.

 Here you will find information about what your child has been learning in Year 1 and how you can help them at home. This page will be updated with information about current and future topics.

 What does your child need for Year 1?

• A school uniform and shoes
• A school water bottle
• A coat suitable for the day’s likely weather
• A pair of wellies
• A PE kit and set of spare clothes in a soft bag to hang on their peg.
• A school satchel and / or school book bag for their Homework book, Reading Books, Reading Log and Reading for Enjoyment Book
• A smile!

Please label all of your child’s belongings with their name.

What are we learning this term?

Autumn Curriculum

 English

We will begin our term by reading ‘Whatever Next’ by Jill Murphy which is a lovely story about a bear’s imaginative journey to the moon. The children will be encouraged to use their own imagination in role playing their own journey to the moon! The children will learn about writing for different purposes; composing and writing lists and questions and simple phrases and sentences to show the beginning, middle and ending of a story.

Later in the term the children will be reading ‘Beegu’ by Alexis Deacon which is a fictional story about an alien lost on Earth. They will use ‘Talk for Writing’ strategies to retell the story and then work together to create our own lost alien story using a story map.

Click on the book cover to listen to the story.

In all their writing children will be actively encouraged to use their phonics using segmenting to spell out words and begin to say words and sentences out loud in preparation for writing sentences.

We will also be learning to read and spell Common Exception Words. These are words we will read and write LOTS but that don’t follow the phonic sounds we have learned so far.

Follow the links below for resources to inform parents and support this learning at home.

28 ways to practice Spelling at home 

Year 1 Common Exception Words

Year 1 Spelling Rules

There will also be a focus on developing pencil control and a good writing position to support handwriting as the children practise the essential pencil strokes they will need for correct letter formation of lower case letters.

Find more information about Guided and Home Reading towards the bottom of the page.

Maths

This term we will be following the school’s maths scheme, Power Maths to focus on the following objectives: –

Unit 1: Numbers to 10

• We will be working on children’s ability to recognise, represent and manipulate numbers to ten. Children will sort and group objects using different criteria. They will learn to recognise and count different representations of numbers to 10 and use a tens frame to structure and reason counting.
• We will be using vocabulary such as ‘digit’ and writing number names as words. As we count forwards and backwards, we will be using ‘one more’ as a way to describe a number increasing and ‘one less’ for a number decreasing.
• Children will use these skills to compare and order numbers to 10 using concrete and pictorial representations to support their reasoning. They will be introduced to ordinal numbers (First, second….) and use a number track to count ‘one more’ and ‘one less’.

Unit 2: Part-Whole within 10

• This is one of the most important units of work to teach in maths. Children who have a solid grasp of numbers to 10 are able to apply this knowledge to so many other areas, including numbers to 20, numbers to 50 and beyond, and addition and subtraction.
• Children will be taught how to partition numbers to 10 using part-whole model
• Children will use this knowledge of part-whole model to begin writing number sentences. Like in the above example 5+4=9 They will explore number sentences in detail to explore number facts 5+4=9 is equal to 4+5=9 is equal to 9=5+4 is equal to 9=4+5

• This work helps to secure number bonds to 10. During this unit, children begin to build this to number bonds to 20.
• They will learn symbols > more than, < less than  and  = equal

Unit 3 & 4: Addition and subtraction within 10

• This unit focuses on number bonds within 10 and number bonds to 10. Children will be introduced to formal addition through the idea of ‘count all’ and ‘count on’ strategies. A ‘count all’ strategy is when all parts are added together to make a whole. A ‘count on’ strategy asks children to start with a number and count on.
• Children will be introduced to the key language of subtraction and a range of scenarios in which subtraction takes place.
• Children will model each of these situations using concrete and pictorial representations: taking away cubes, crossing out pictures and counting back on a number-line.

 Follow the links below for games and activities to support this learning at home.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/counting

https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/kids-activities/fun-maths-games-and-activities/

 Science

The Science topic this term will be’ Identifying Materials.’

In this unit children will identify and name common types of materials including:- wood, metal, plastic, rubber, fur, towelling, nylon, wool, sponge, cotton wool, paper, card, brick, ceramics, rock and some liquids and powdered solids.

They will label, collect and group together objects made from the same material. They will state that different objects can be manufactured from the same materials. They will investigate why some materials are unsuitable for some objects and provide reasons for this.

During the unit children will be working scientifically to investigate the properties of different liquids. They will also investigate which materials are good to wrap and protect a hollow chocolate object being sent through the post.

Each pupil will get their own discovery education username and password. This has a range of fun resources that covers the whole of the curriculum.

 Follow the links below for games and activities to support this learning at home.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/science/

https://www.discoveryeducation.com/

 Topic (History, Geography and Design Technology)

5..4..3..2..1..BLAST OFF! The theme of our topic work for the Autumn term is  ‘Space’. We will be learning about our own places in Space and peoples’ exploration of places beyond our own planet into outer space! We will investigate what Earth looks like from Space using Google Earth and explore how people watch the stars. We will be documenting significant events and developments in Space exploration using a timeline. We will find out how astronauts like Mae Jemison and Neil Armstrong, Tim Peake and Helen Sharman were significant in their contribution to Space Exploration. We will investigate the Apollo Moon landing using historical sources to find out.

We will be investigating, designing and making space buggies, rockets and rovers while exploring and building simple mechanisms such as wheels and axels. We will practise different joining techniques and use a variety of reusable and reclaimed materials to create the chassis and bodies of our space vehicles. Finally we will use different techniques to decorate our creations and evaluate what we have done.

Follow the links below for websites to support this learning at home.

http://www.esa.int/kids/en/home

www.sciencekids.co.nz/space.html

www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/topics/space

The Arts

The first focus for our Arts lessons in Autumn is Poetry.  Linking with our PHSE work ‘Being Me’ we will work towards writing and performing a poem in response to the question ‘Who are you?’ We will explore words and poetry then write our own poem to perform for our grown-ups at a Poetry Presentation.

In the seconds theme for our Arts lessons we will be looking at a selection of artworks by artists such as Henri Matisse and Piet Mondrain. We will use these artworks to help us explore different ways to use line, pattern and colour in both paper based and digital art.

RE

During this term we will be learning all about people who are Christians and finding out about what they believe through stories in the Bible. We will also be celebrating Harvest this year and attend a special whole school service at St. Mary’s Church.

 Computing

The children will be following the ‘Teach Computing’ scheme of work and learning about computing systems and networks. During this unit, the children will about technology in the classroom and how to use it, developing keyboard, trackpad and mouse skills and how to use a computer responsibly.

PE

The children will be following the Primary PE Passport Curriculum which our Kick-start team will help us deliver this term. This term we will be learning key fundamental movement skills and how to play invasion games .

Our days for PE this term are Wednesday & Friday.

 Please make sure that PE kits are always in school on these days. We monitor having the correct PE kit available when needed as part of our Assertive Mentoring Scheme and it will be reported on in your child’s termly report.

 PSHE

Our school follows a scheme called Jigsaw and this term our Year 1 children will complete a unit called ‘Being me in my world’ which celebrates all the qualities that makes people unique. Children will get lots of opportunities to discuss and share what is good about themselves and how they want to grow in the coming year ahead. Later in the term children will complete a unit called ‘Celebrating Difference’. Children will explore accepting others are may be different to them, learning to include everyone and problem solve conflict. They will also learn about bullying and how to help themselves and others if it happens.

Music

We will be exploring a unit called ‘Hey You!’ using the school’s music scheme, Charanga. We will listen and appraise a range of Hip Hop songs such as:- Hey You! by Joanna Mangona, Me, Myself And I by De La Soul,  Fresh Prince Of Bel Air by Will Smith and  It’s Like That by Run DMC. They will also play a range of games to find the pulse, rhythm and pace using their voices and either use recorders or glockenspiels to accompany a piece of music.

Home / School Learning

Homework

In Year 1 homework will be given out every Friday and expected back every Wednesday. Children will receive either a maths or a reading task based on what we’ve been learning in class and they will choose a piece from the Space Homework Menu (one piece per week in any order they wish).

Follow the link below to see the Homework Menu

Topic\Year 1\Space Homework – Autumn 2023

Children are encouraged to be as creative as they wish and can choose how to present their homework so if they have published something using an iPad, tablet or computer please email it to us! F.A.O. Mrs. Ethell & Miss Richards  year1@corrie.tameside.sch.uk

Please make sure that completed Homework is brought into school on these days. We monitor Homework as part of our Assertive Mentoring Scheme and it will be reported on in your child’s termly report.

GREEN – On time by Wednesday

YELLOW – Late by Friday

RED – No homework completed that week

Guided Reading and Home Reading

Please encourage a love of reading at home and share stories together as often as you can. It is the most important and long lasting contribution parents can make to their child’s early learning and fundamental to successful lifelong learning and wellbeing.

Follow the link below to find lots of advice, support, free online stories and activities suitable for Year 1 children learning to read.

Oxford Owl reading for 4-5s

Oxford Owl reading for 5-6s

Each Year 1 child will be given two reading books every week to share and practise reading with their adult at home. In addition, they will choose a book to bring home for the week from our class library reading for enjoyment collection. They will also be given a log in to access their own online account for the online reading program Reading Eggs.

The first book will be a ‘phonic reading book’ also referred to as their ‘Read To You Book’ which children will have already been worked on with their teachers during Guided Reading in class. The text will be linked to the phonics phase and sounds that your child will be learning in school. It is important that you listen as your child reads this book to you as often as possible during the week so that they become secure and confident using the focus phonemes to decode words when reading.

The second reading book will be from the Oxford Reading Tree range (Biff, Kipper, Chip and Floppy). This is to be used as a ‘Read To Me Book’ which is a book that you read to your child as you look at the text together. The aim is to familiarise children with high frequency or common exception words that are not always decodable. These books will contain some decodable words so that your child can begin to read with you as they become more familiar with the text.

The third book is a ‘reading for enjoyment book’. These are ‘real’ books rather than School Reading Scheme books. They are books matched to children’s interest level rather that their reading level. They include picture books and often text which engage children well despite being beyond the level at which they can decode for themselves. They are therefore intended to be read aloud by or shared with an adult (as a bedtime story for example).

 We will also provide you with access to a fun online reading program called Reading Eggs. There are lots of stories, games and activities to have a go at. As they move through the levels, they are awarded with reading certificates which we check weekly, print off in school and celebrate in class. This has proven to be a great motivator for children as they become proud and confident readers.

Reading Eggs login details are stuck inside your child’s Reading Log.

 We ask that you read with your child as often as possible (a minimum of twice weekly in line with school policy). Do this in frequent short sessions (5 to 10 minutes depending on how long your child can maintain focus and motivation).

Please always sign and date in their Reading Log on each separate occasion you read with your child. We will check reading records and change reading books every Wednesday but will not know they have completed their reading if they are not signed and dated. New reading books will be sent out on Friday along with other Homework. We monitor Home Reading as part of our Assertive Mentoring Scheme and it will be reported on in your child’s termly report.

 GREEN – Both reading books (Read To You and Read To Me) completed at least twice

by Wednesday (evidenced by parent sign and date each time in Reading Log.

YELLOW – Reading complete but books returned late by Friday

RED – Book not returned / not signed and dated in Reading Log that week