Year 1: Numbots

This week your child will be introduced to ‘Numbots’. Once we have introduced this in school your child will bring home their log-in details. Numbots is an app that will help your child to develop their mathematical skills. NumBots is all about every child achieving the “triple win” of understanding, recall and fluency in mental addition and subtraction, so that they move from counting to calculating. 

Last year we saw some amazing progress from the children who regularly played on the Numbots app. Children play games to move through levels and collect parts for their robots.

We thoroughly recommend this app to all children regardless of their current skill level. Although the first few levels appear to be easy for some children the levels will get increasingly harder. We would recommend using this app little and often. We would suggest around 3-4 minutes per day for as many days as is manageable for you as a family.

Teachers will be able to track your child’s progress as they access the app. Although your child may need you close by to explain the activity, please do not be temped to tell your child the answer. The levels are designed to build your child’s knowledge and quick recall skills and if they do not do this themselves they will find their learning difficult later. Please do not allow siblings to log in and play as your child. If your child shares a device then please ensure they are logged out when they have finished playing.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact your child’s class teacher. 

Thank you,

Miss Schon and Miss Rodgers

Useful information for parents:

Design a library!

This year, we are working hard to raise money to develop our reading for pleasure library so firstly, we would like to say a huge thank you for all your sponsors from the colour run which will go along way to helping us!

Secondly, we still need your help! We would love for you to help us design the library based on the space we have to use which is the foyer area near the hall.

Please design your ideal library and share your plans with Miss Knowles in person or at [email protected] This is for everyone across school to get involved in! Please send your plans by 7th October.

We can’t wait to see your fantastic ideas which will help us design the perfect library!

Year 1: Reading Challenge

In Year 1 the children take part in our KS1 reading challenge. You will notice that your child has a 100 square in the front of their reading diary. Every time your child reads at home please place a comment in their reading diary. The staff in school will then mark off the number of reads your child has completed on the 100 square. Your child will receive rewards in assembly when they complete 30, 70 and 100 reads!

We understand that reading at home can be a challenge and some children may find it hard to engage. We will help to encourage children in school to feel confident in their own abilities and to be motivated towards reaching their next reward. Every classroom will have a reading challenge display that the children will move along to show their progress.

We encourage children to find the joy in reading. If your child finds it difficult to engage at home then please keep reading sessions little and often until they build up their stamina and enjoyment. Your child does not have to read the whole book in one go to be rewarded – even just a few pages will do!

Your child will also receive a phonics homework sheet each week. Reading the words on their phonics homework sheet will also count as one read so please write this in your child’s reading diary each time they practise reading the words. Your child can practise the same sheet several times over the week to build up their number of reads.

Please ensure your child brings their reading books back to school on a weekly basis so that we can help to keep children motivated and engaged. Reading books will be changed on Tuesdays and Fridays only. If your child’s books are handed in on any other day they will be changed on the next changing day. Your child will need to place their books in the changing box in order for the books to be changed. The class teacher will always remind children to place their books in the box on book changing days.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s reading please contact your child’s teacher asap. This way we can work together to help your child to reach their goals.

Thank you,

Miss Schon and Miss Rodgers

Activ8 PE in Class 6

A huge thanks to Coach Morgan today for our extra-special PE session. We learned about the importance of following instructions carefully to travel safely around the hall and finished with a super fun game of Don’t Wake Grandma and Grandad.

Thanks Coach Morgan

See you soon!

Key stage 1 crew assembly

This was our first key stage 1 crew assembly and it was amazing. The children had fantastic manners and listened beautifully throughout, as well as doing some great singing.

We handed out certificates for fabulous stewards and HOWL point winners. Well done to all of you guys, what a super start to the year!
We also celebrated some fantastic home learning that the children had been doing, including a taekwondo certificate!
Also, a massive well done to Crew Shaw for 100% attendance last week. I am so proud!
Have a lovely weekend x x

Year 1 Phonics Drop In

We would like to invite parents/carers to take part in our phonics drop-in session on Tuesday 24th September. The drop-in will take place at 3pm in the school hall. Parents are invited to bring their children along with them to take part in some of our phonics games. Staff will be on hand to answer any questions you have about phonics, reading and writing in school and how you can support your child at home.

We hope you can join us!

Miss Schon and Mrs Rodgers

Crocodile Smiles in Class 6

Here we are doing our best impressions of a crocodile to say a huge thank you to our School Nursing team for the gifts of new toothbrushes and toothpaste today. We discussed the importance of keeping our teeth clean and why drinking water rather than juice is the healthiest option. The children also reminded me to TURN OFF THE TAP while we are brushing our teeth to conserve our precious water supply in keeping with our recent pledges to make small changes to make a big difference.

You make me so proud Class 6!

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Activism in class 6

I was so proud to receive these photographs of Noah showing that he has certainly taken on board all the learning from our First Week Back expedition – ‘How does what I do impact others?’ – by litter picking on the field behind his house. Activism is a huge part of our schools ethos as well as being one of our curriculum seams, and Noah is certainly showing that he is keen to make a stand for the protection of our world. Noah’s daddy said, ” He was adamant he wanted to do it so no animals got hurt, even after his swimming lesson and friends birthday party. He really does care and is genuinely concerned about the impact pollution is having on the planet and wildlife.” What a superstar!

Keep on spreading the word Noah!

Y1 Additional Important Information

Good afternoon,

We have just finished grouping the children according to their reading and phonics abilities so we will begin sending out reading packs this week. These will include 2 books, the red (non-decodable) word list, reading record book and weekly phonics homework. Book changing days will be Tuesday and Friday. ANY reading your child does – a page from their school reading book, phonics homework, a selection of red words etc. – should be noted and dated in the orange reading record book and each will count as one read for our reading challenge board. Please don’t think you have to make a lengthy comment if you don’t want to. A page number and date will be fine. At certain points on the reading challenge board the children will be rewarded with reading certificates. Please note, books will not be changed if there is no evidence of them being read in the reading record book. Reading is a massively important skill for year 1 children and we really do appreciate your support in reading with the children at home. We would also love to have some photographs of the children reading in unusual places for our reading corner displays. Be as imaginative as you like and send any pictures to your child’s class teacher. 20 HoWL points will be awarded for each one.

PE will be on Thursday afternoon. For information on appropriate kit, please see the Welcome to Y1 information sheet on the Headteacher’s Weekly Newsletter.

Finally, as from tomorrow we would request that you say goodbye to the children at the door rather than coming into school with them. This helps the children settle more easily into their learning and keeps the corridors clear and safe for everyone.

Any questions please ask. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Miss Rodgers and Miss Schon.

Hook Week in Class 6

What an amazing start to one of my favourite expeditions – ‘From Rags to Riches. What lies within the castle walls?’. The children have blown me away with their amazing attention to detail while sketching and colouring dragon eyes and then actually sculpting them in clay. Our classroom also looks amazing with a real castle play area and battlements, and the children have added to this by making sconces and coats of arms. Mr Kershaw was true to his word and we spent a lovely afternoon in our quad with him learning about fire safety and toasting yummy marshmallows! We finished our exciting week with a medieval dress up day, photographs under the amazing castle gate balloon arch, made for us by Elsie’s mummy, and a banquet with Mrs Clay and Xavier even treating us to some live entertainment!!

All of this has left us very excited to begin our proper learning next week.

Well done everyone!