The School Day

The school day begins with ‘Wake and Shake’ in the playground, so once children have dropped off their school bags they join the rest of the school waking up their brains ready for learning!

During morning break the children are provided with fruit and water. If you would like to order milk please see Mrs Hartnell in the school office, or place your order online.

At lunchtime all key stage one children eat together in the hall. Those eating school lunches are supported by the mealtime assistants to make balanced, healthy choices from the excellent range of fresh food available.

                                At the end of the school day I escort children to their bus line, whilst children being collected or going to the after school club go to Acorn class where Mrs Gordon sees them safely to their parent or carer.

The Curriculum

This term our theme is ‘Journeys’. We will use this umbrella topic to develop all areas of learning. We will initially consolidate the skills developed in Acorn class (that may have been buried over the holidays!), and then all children will be challenged at their own level. This will be achieved through a combination of whole class, group and independent work.

Literacy texts will provide a stimulus for learning. Through the stories chosen children will enjoy journeys real and imaginary at sea, by air, on foot and into space! They will develop their geographical vocabulary, mapping skills and understanding of the world around them. We will have a class bear that will accompany all the children, in turn, on journeys out of school. These may be normal daily journeys to and from school, or exciting family trips or holidays. If you are planning to go anywhere special please let us know so that we can book it in Bear’s diary!

  Scientific skills and understanding will be nurtured through investigating sources of light, practical uses of light (lighthouses) and darkness as an absence of light. They will also explore the forces of push and pull through pulleys, motion of vehicles and air in balloons.

The children will learn about significant people and events in History, including Grace Darling, the Montgolfier brothers and landings on the moon.

Throughout the school day ICT is used for teaching and learning. Lessons are delivered using the class interactive whiteboard continually modelling the use of ICT to the children. Skills are taught and consolidated during regular cross-curricular ICT suite sessions, for example the children will develop their keyboard skills creating labels for our travel agents roleplay area.

  In maths we will be working with numbers up to twenty, counting, adding, subtracting including money and also working with measurement - length, time and 2D and 3D shapes.

Reading is practised in small groups and independently usually two or three times a week, developing reading and exploring comprehension skills. They will also be able to choose a reading book to bring home and read with you. These books are often repetitive as this helps children to learn new words. On Thursdays they will also bring home a book they have chosen from the library to share with you, this may be a more difficult text that they are not able to read independently. Please remember if your child is too tired or doesn’t want to read they can get as much benefit by listening to a story or sharing a book and a cuddle with you. We would like you to let us know how reading is going at home by making comments in your child’s yellow reading record. School books need to be kept in their book bags in order for us to change them, please make sure these come to school daily. If you have any questions these can also be written in the reading record as these will be checked daily, including if you would like to arrange a time to meet and discuss any matters.

Homework will be sent home on a Wednesday and should be returned by the following Wednesday if completed (as it is an optional activity). We will be learning to read and spell some of the tricky words, these may come home in the book bag with suggestions for games to play together.

  P.E. at present is on Tuesdays and Thursdays; the children can wear their house colour or a plain red t-shirt. Please make sure clothes and daps are named as the children do get upset when they cannot find their jumper or socks! Drinking water is provided in the classroom.

If you would like to know more, come and help in the class or want to have a chat I am usually available after my bus duty in the afternoon.

We are looking forward to a happy successful year with your child. 

Miss Fox and Mrs Plenty