Year 1 2020 - 2021

Mrs Meehan – Class Teacher

Mrs Rollason - Class Teacher

Mrs Harrison- Learning Assistant

Mrs Forshaw - Learning Assistant

Mrs Meehan is the Year 1 class teacher on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with Mrs Rollason teaching in Year 1 on a Tuesday. Mrs Harrison is the Learning Assistant in Year 1 alongside Mrs Forshaw who works in Y1 part time.

In Year 1 we believe that children learn best when they are having lots of fun! All of the lessons are interactive, exciting and engaging and involve the children in as many ways as possible. The children also still have plenty of opportunities to learn through play while accessing our wonderful areas of continuous provision. We have areas such as a reading corner, maths, writing, construction and role play in both our indoor and outdoor classroom. We believe that a great resource can be each other so discussions and questioning are encouraged in all aspects to allow the children to learn from others to build up their own understanding.

All individuals

Each child enters Year 1 at a different stage; some are ready for the National Curriculum, whereas others will require a little support to achieve the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile objectives from Reception. To continue the learning journey, we take assessments made in Reception and identify the next steps for each child. We see every child as an individual, not just a year group. We understand that every child learns in a different way and has different interests and it is our aim to adapt our teaching to suit the children. We encourage their independence throughout, allowing them to take ownership of their learning and achievements and to understand how to solve problems on their own.

What do we learn?

We have daily English, Mathematics and phonics lessons where we can work on our core skills. Our English is focused around a book that we are reading, as a class, and we produce some fantastic writing of our own linked to this work. Some of the recent books that we have looked at have been Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, The Naughty Bus by Jan Oke and Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert. We pride ourselves on our broad and balanced curriculum including subjects such as science, history, geography, art, DT and music. 

Learning beyond our classroom

In Year 1 we love taking the children's learning beyond the classroom and go on many trips and visits throughout the year, as well as welcoming outside visitors into the classroom to extend our experiences. These range from learning about the local area by walking around the local area to having a visitors into school to help us learn about local history.  We also visit Chester Zoo to learn about the differences between animals and humans. Year 1 also have the opportunity to take part in Forest School sessions for a term led by Mrs Meehan who is a trained Forest School Leader. 

Important things to remember: -

• We do PE on Friday afternoons  – please arrive in school wearing your outdoor PE kits as PE will take place outside.
• Homework is set on a Friday and completed by the following Wednesday – the homework will be set on TEAMS. An A4 homework book will be sent home for your child to complete homework in. Do not send this book into school. Photographs of the homework can be uploaded to TEAMs or tweeted to show homework has been completed. We will monitor homework completion electronically. 
• Homework will consist of: reading at least 4 times per week, completing 2 sessions of RM Maths and Teach Your Monster to Read per week and they will be given spellings to learn for their weekly spelling test.
• Starting on Monday 7th home reading books will be collected in on Mondays and given out on Thursdays. This follows government guidelines and allows the books to be quarantined for 48 hours before going back into circulation.  If your child forgets their book on a Monday, they will have to keep the same book until the following Monday. Books can only be returned on Mondays and only given out on Thursdays. Children will have access to reading books in school when they read with an adult. 
• Water bottles - please send in a clean, full water bottle each day. Due to Covid restrictions we cannot fill up your child's bottle. Please send enough water to drink throughout the day.
• A healthy afternoon snack will be provided - please send a healthy morning snack for your child to enjoy during morning snack time (no crisps or chocolate etc).