Welcome to Year 1

Year 1 is the first year that children are introduced to the National Curriculum. It is very different to the Early Years but we still have lots of fun and really enjoy our learning.

We encourage the children throughout the year to become independent workers and thinkers, taking responsibility for their own belongings and their own learning.

The class teachers at Somers Park are Mrs Willis and Miss Brookes. At the Malvern Vale site, the class teacher is Mrs Rendall. Our TA’s are Mrs Preece and Mrs Button at Somers Park and at Malvern Vale our TA is Mrs Cuckney. 1LW will be taught by Mrs Button, 1EB will be taught by Mrs Beddard and Elm class will be taught by Miss Richardson for the teachers' PPA time.

Homework Expectations

Please read with your child every night and record it in their reading record. Ideally reading should last for about 20 minutes but please make the session suit you and your child’s needs. Feel free to read other books as well as the ones sent home from school and try to make it an enjoyable and relaxing time for you both.

Spellings will be sent home each Friday and will be tested on the following Friday. They will be specific to your child’s phonics group and will reflect the sounds that the children have been learning that week. Please spend a few minutes each day helping your child to learn their spellings. Two or three a day works well so that the children don’t get confused. It is especially important that they learn to distinguish between the different versions of each sound (such as ay and ai) and learning spellings at home can support this. Your child will need to bring in their yellow “Home Spelling” book on a Friday so that their new spellings can be glued in

Book Change and Reading

We will endeavour to read with the children one to one or in a small group when we have extra adults available. Please make sure that your child has their books with them each day so that we can read with them when possible and so that their books are available to be changed when needed.

Book bag books are changed on a Monday.

Phonics books are changed on a Wednesday. 

Choosing books are changed on a Friday. 

PE

PE takes place in Elm class on a Monday and Wednesday/Thursday and for 1EB and 1LW a Monday and a Wednesday Please keep your child's PE kit in school all week as lesson days can be subject to change depending on the availability of the hall and equipment. It is also useful to keep in school as a spare set of clothes in case of accidents. If you wish to take them home to be washed, please do so at the weekend or during the holidays and return them the next day that your child is in school.