Year 1 2024 - 2025

Welcome to year 1's class page and welcome to Year 1!

Here you will find details of our daily routines and our curriculum.

I am Mrs McGowan, the Year 1 teacher.

Reading in Year 1:

Your child will be given two books and a reading diary to bring home and read- an “I can read” book and a “Read with me” book. The “I can read” book links with their phonics learning and the children should work throughout the week to read this book independently. This book will be changed each Friday. The “Read with me” books should be read with support and we will change these books whenever they have finished them. They will need to bring their reading diary and books to school every day. Please use the reading diary to share both what they have read and also celebrate how wonderfully they are doing. The children will also have lots of opportunities to read and enjoy books throughout the week at school and at home. The children will have daily guided reading sessions where they read and investigate books matched to their phonic level.

Homework

There will be no homework menu this half term. Instead, I would like you to focus on supporting your child with their reading and phonics. I have sent home a set of QR codes that will link to a number of phonics checks the children can read. I will also be sending home a short list each Monday and Friday week for the children to read. 

Additionally, each half term children will be given maths Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs) to practise and learn at home as well as at in school.

These will be sent home via email and include practical ideas for parents / helpers to assist the children in grasping the key facts.

It is important that they know these thoroughly and can recall specific facts instantly.

Learning this term:

In Geography, we will be studying farms.

We will find out about arable, livestock and dairy farms and the difference between them, before taking a closer look at a fictional farm that does a little of everything! We will learn about the features of a farm and use a map to navigate around a farm, as well as thinking about the differences between life in the country and life in a busy town.

In History, we will be studying homes in the past.

We will investigate the different types of homes there are, and explore the changes that have occurred to homes within living memory. We will use sources to compare and contrast homes, be encouraged to ask and answer questions about the past, and find out about the impact that technology has had on the way we live in our homes. We will also look carefully at Thomas Ashton jr who was the Hyde's first mayor and built a number of the local mills and the associated houses.

In Science, we will be studying seasonal pets, gardens and plants.

Through a variety of fun activities, we will begin by identifying and finding out about a range of pets, then we will explore animals and plants we might find outside. We will have the opportunity to get our hands dirty and record our findings as we hunt for animals and make homes for minibeasts. We will then become familiar with different types of plants, including wild plants, garden plants and trees. We will use the terms 'deciduous', 'evergreen', 'leaves', 'stem', 'flower', blossom' and many more to describe a wide variety of plants.

To find out more about our learning, please go to http://www.st-pauls-hyde.tameside.sch.uk/page/year-1/20238

In RE, our new topics are "To the ends of the Earth" and "Dialogue and Encounter".

In "To the ends of the Earth" we learn about the events after and including Easter Sunday:

- Easter Sunday

- The road to Emmaus

- The Ascension

- Pentacost

- The mission of the church

In "Dialogue and Encounter" we learn more about our faith and relate this to the Jewish faith:

- The Catholic church.

- Our Parish Church.

- The Church in the world.

- Jewish life in Britain.

- Jews celebrate God's love and care.

General Reminders…

• The children will be doing PE on Thursday. Please ensure your child has their PE kit in school and that all items are clearly labelled. We encourage children to practise getting dressed at home to help them get changed quickly in school!
• Any letters or reply slips, which need to be returned, can be put in your child’s book bag. The children are encouraged to check them each morning and give things in at registration time.
• The children should bring their own water bottle every day which they can access throughout the day and they can refill their water when necessary. Please make sure your child’s name is written clearly on their water bottle.
• The children will be provided with a healthy snack at play time.

Keeping in Touch

If you have any questions/concerns/worries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for all of your support.

Mrs McGowan