Year 1 — Coral Reef

Class teachers

Miss Brooks and Mrs Aimee Herman

Learning Support Assistants and 1:1s

Phase Leader

Miss Steph Forward

Deanshanger Primary School

Year 1 Welcome Letter 2024

Dear Parents,

Firstly, we would like to say a big welcome to you and your children to Year 1. We hope you’ve all had a fantastic and restful summer and are ready for the exciting new academic year. We are all really looking forward to getting to know you and your children, and working together to allow all children to achieve their best in a fun and engaging way.

This year in Year 1 your children will be taught by Miss Brooks on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and Mrs Herman on a Thursday and Friday.

The main gate will open for the children to at 8.40 every day. We would like the Year 1 children to line up at the main gate, where we will come and greet the children and bring them into class together. This is a change from the original plans, but we feel it is less unsettling for them at this early stage! We kindly ask that parents do not accompany their children into the classroom area in the mornings as this area also becomes very crowded. The children will be released into the playground courtyard at 3.25pm each day. Please bare with us while we get to know you all and ensure the children are given safely to the correct person.

A few things to remember:

Please can the children bring in a water bottle every day with water only! We encourage the children to keep hydrated throughout the day.

PLEASE label all clothes. Lots of brand new items are already floating around so we would love to be able save you those expenses of buying more uniform!

If your child is prone to have ‘accidents’ or likes to get mucky, a spare set of clothes is always handy.

During the first week back, children will have the opportunity to tell us all about the exciting things that they did during their summer holiday. Children will also be taking part in several exciting activities to help them transition into Year 1. The first week is also a vital time for teachers to get to know the children, academically and personally.

During Term 1, children will be learning through the themes ‘Brainwaves and Treasure Island’.

In Literacy, children will be taught how to write in different forms. As you know, reading is such an important skill for the children to learn - so we would encourage you to try and hear your child read as often as possible at home. Please remember to record this in your child’s reading diary. The children’s reading will be assessed regularly though our Little Wandle programme and given reading book levels accordingly. Please continue to log on to Reading Eggs for exciting reading challenges and use E-Collins to access to further texts!

We will also continue to teach phonics using Little Wandle. This will be taught daily for 30 minutes, as well as being integrated within all English lessons. The phonic sounds that children need to know can be found in our reading diaries. Children may also bring home words to learn to read.

In Numeracy, we will be following the ‘white rose hub’ scheme of work and children will experience a variety of topics. These include; reading, writing and ordering numbers to 20 and reading number names, counting on and back in 1s to 20 and beyond accurately, counting small amounts of objects accurately, learning number bonds of 5 and 6, doubles to double 5, 1 more and 1 less than a number up to 20, naming and describing 2D shapes, If you would like to help your child with any of these topics and would like more information on how we teach them in school, please don’t hesitate to come and speak to us. The reading diary also provides information about mental maths areas to learn at home. To encourage your child to see maths as a useful tool in everyday life, please use every opportunity to involve your child using money, telling the time, counting, playing board games etc. This will help your child become more confident with handling numbers. We will have a numeracy lesson five times a week.

PE this term will be following the scheme of ‘Real PE and Real Gym’. Please remember that, for safety reasons, we would prefer that earrings were not worn during P.E. and Games lessons. If you child cannot remove their earrings, you should provide plasters or ‘micropore’ tape with which to cover them. Please practise with your child at home as they need to be able to put on the plasters themselves. If you have any questions about any of these matters, please ask. PE days for both classes are on Wednesday (Indoor) and Friday (outdoor). Please can the children come to school on these days dressed in the correct PE kits.

Forest School will be on alternating Tuesdays for Year 1. Please ensure all children have a set of waterproof clothes (trousers and jacket) kept in school and a pair of wellington boots. Unfortunately without these, they will be unable to participate.

Library day is Wednesday. The children will have the opportunity to take home a book from our fabulous school library to enjoy at home. Please ensure this book is in their school bag each Wednesday so it can be returned and exchanged for a new one.

Snacks

Free fruit will continue to be provided for all Key Stage 1 children at morning playtime. Please encourage your child to eat healthily by having a piece of fruit, or by bringing a healthy alternative from home. Please avoid salty or sugary snacks e.g. crisps or biscuits.

Children in Key Stage 1 are not provided with free milk, but if you would like your child to have milk please order it through the office. We also encourage children to drink plenty of water and they will continue to have their school water bottle in the classroom.

If you need to speak to your child’s teacher, we are free to chat at the end of the day on the playground. (Please try to avoid mornings as this can be a very stressful time for some children) Alternatively, please email the school office who will pass on any queries.

In a case of urgency, please call the school office. Please make sure that you always keep your contact information up to date so that we can easily contact you at any time, particularly in the event of an emergency.

We look forward to a fantastic academic year. Thank you in advance for your help and support.

Yours sincerely,

The Year 1 Team

Miss Brooks

Mrs Herman