Welcome to Year 1

In 1AB: Miss Bagga – Teacher | Mrs Takolia – Teaching Assistant 
In 1MK: Miss Kockiri – Teacher | Mrs Croos – Teaching Assistant

Additional support: Mrs Malone - Working across both classes, providing additional support for children with Special Educational Needs.

"Children are magic. They live in a world that overspills with exploration, connections, dreams and imagination" Greg Bottrill

Year 1 is an exciting journey where the staff work closely with the children to nurture their natural curiosity and help them discover the world around them. We believe that learning should be a fun and creative process, so we encourage children to become inventors, storytellers, authors, mathematicians, and so much more!

Learning is encouraged through hands on and practical experiences, building on the excellent foundation laid in Reception. The classrooms are equipped with fantastic resources which the children can explore freely. We also use play-based learning to inspire children to consolidate their skills and knowledge, helping them become independent and resilient learners ready for the next challenge!

A key focus in Year 1 is Phonics, where we follow the engaging Floppy's Phonics scheme. This carefully structured program helps children develop essential reading skills through blending and segmenting, enabling them to become confident and capable readers.

In Year 1, we’re all about making learning an adventure, and we’re here to help each child discover the excitement of learning every day!

Summer 1: Our Topic – Artists 

This term, Year 1 will be learning about artists! We will explore the work of Vincent van Gogh and enjoy the story Katie and the Sunflowers. The children will develop their writing skills by creating a non-chronological report about Van Gogh’s life and artwork, as well as writing instructions on how to plant a sunflower. They will also practise writing questions using sentence starters such as “what” and “will,” remembering to use question marks correctly.

In Art, children will experiment with a range of techniques inspired by artists such as Wassily Kandinsky. They will explore colour and pattern before creating their own version of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers using oil pastels, combining observation with creativity.

In Science, the children will learn about plants, including their different parts and what they need to grow. Inspired by Van Gogh’s famous painting, they will plant sunflower seeds and observe how they grow and change over time.

Throughout the term, we will celebrate the children’s creativity, curiosity, communication and their ability to make connections across their learning.

We are excited for a term full of exploration, imagination and creativity!

Diary Dates:

• Ash End Farm Trip - Date to be confirmed

Things to Remember:

• P.E in Year 1 takes place every other Thursday (Please ensure your child comes to school wearing their full PE kit)

• Children are asked to bring their reading books and diaries into school every day. Please ensure you spend 10 minutes reading with your child daily and sign their diary so we know they have read.