Year 1

It's been a busy, exciting and incredibly fun term in Year 1! We've officially wrapped up our fairy tale reading unit, ending in some rather dramatic readings of Jack and the Beanstalk and Hansel and Gretel. A few students were definitely on the edge of their seats (and perhaps had a nightmare or two!), as we explored how the Brothers Grimm used fairy tales to strongly encourage children to learn valuable life lessons. It was wonderful to see how engaged everyone was with all the fairy tales we read this term and the voting for their favourites was a hotly contested affair – a testament to the power of a good story! Our students have also been absolute vocabulary superstars, demonstrating a real flair for picking up new words from our readings and classroom discussions and confidently using them in other contexts.

In Writing, we are now putting our knowledge to the test by crafting our own fairy tales. The classroom is a hive of activity as they revise and edit their work, ready for our upcoming Fairy Tale Day extravaganza next Thursday. They have been using editing symbols to improve their work by adding words, upgrading vocabulary and ensuring those capital letters are all in the right places.

We've also moved onwards and upwards in Phonics, transitioning from Level 4 to the slightly more challenging Level 5. The students are now grappling with those tricky vowel digraphs such as ee, ea, ay, and ai. I'm sure they'll master them in no time!

In Maths, we've been taking a hands-on approach to measurement, using informal methods such as string and paper strips to compare sizes, including our hand and arm spans. We've also been developing our data skills, with the students creating their own questions, deciding on suitable categories, collecting data using tally marks and then interpreting their findings. 

Finally, a special mention must go to one of our resident Kimochis, Huggtopus. Huggtopus has been a fantastic teacher, guiding the students in developing their social and emotional skills. They've learned valuable strategies such as how to be good partners, when it's appropriate to be silly and when it's important to be serious, and the all-important 'not now' signal for when someone gives them the communication tap at an inopportune moment.

Thank you for your continued support and a brilliant start to the year! Wishing you a safe holiday filled with fun and family time!