Class Teachers: Joanne McGahon, Sarah Snead, Sophia Papworth and Fadime Has Dexter Bush (Trainee Teacher)
Welcome
Welcome to Year 1 the starting point for ‘Key Stage One’.
In Year 1 we endeavor to create a curriculum steeped in creativity, curiosity and excitement. Our topic learning allows us to teach in a cross – curricular manner often finding links between the different areas. This page will keep you up to date with systems and school routines, outline your child’s learning and provide a platform to showcase their work.
Year 1 Teaching Team
| Year Group Leader | Joanne McGahon |
| Class Teachers | Joanne McGahon (Badger Class) |
| Sarah Snead Sophia Papworth (Squirrel Class ) |
|
| Fadime Has (Dormouse Class) | |
| Teaching Assistant Support | |
| Anna Milic | |
| Kym Jo Eleni |
Curriculum / Learning
Our School Values for this academic year (2020-2021) are: Friendship (Autumn 1), Helping Others (Autumn 2), Patience (Spring 1), Courage (Spring 2), Ambition (Summer 1) and Sharing (Summer 2).
Our Learning
In Year 1 the children begin to follow the National Curriculum, where they will participate as a whole class during lessons, moving away from solely small group work. Subjects are planned around a theme or topic in line with our creative curriculum. We aim to offer a curriculum that is broad and balanced which promotes the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at Rhodes Avenue School. We aspire for children to be constantly learning, developing into strong, resilient, capable, confident and self-assured pupils. The national curriculum provides an outline of core knowledge (see below) around which we will develop exciting stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupil knowledge, understanding and skills.
Termly Class Letter to Parents and Carers
The National Curriculum
English
Throughout the year in English we encourage the children to explore different genres of writing including narrative, character descriptions, information texts, recounts, instructional 
writing, lists, poems, non-fiction captions/labels and speech bubbles. We also use creative role play and encourage the children to actively participate in speaking and listening during carpet sessions and show and tell activities.
Phonic work continues daily and children read in their reading group once a week when books will be sent home to share. This will begin after half term – Autumn 2. The school follows Ruth Miskin’s scheme – ‘Discover, Read, Write Inc’., for more information use the link below. We also use Monster Phonics as an opportunity to try and bridge the gap between spelling phonetically and spelling correctly. Monster phonics enables the children to make connections between sounds using friendly, memorable characters.
Mathematics
In Mathematics we explore counting to and across 100 forwards and backwards beginning with 0 or 1. Reading and writing numbers to 100 in numerals. Identifying one more and one less of a given number. Understanding mathematical vocabulary including language related to dates, days of the week, weeks months and years. Measuring using standard and non-standard forms of measurement, including length, weight and capacity. Basic addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. We encourage the children to solve problems in a practical, fun and ‘hands-on’ way.
Calculation Strategies for Parents and Carers
Science
In Science we will be investigating ‘Seasonal Changes’, ‘Animals including Humans’, ‘Everyday Materials’ and ‘Plants’. Where possible we will be linking our learning to our topic work, and encouraging the children to think critically.
Parents’ and Carers’ pack 2020
As a useful tool to use at home we have prepared a Parents’ and Carers’ pack to support your child through their learning in Year 1. This pack includes fundamental skills we would encourage the children to know and use before moving on to Year 2.
Foundation Subjects
Each topic is introduced to the children through an exciting ‘Topic launch’. Our topics always link with our work across the Foundation Subjects curriculum to engage and enthuse the children. Our Topics this year are: Marvellous Me, Woodland Wonder, Starry Starry Night, The Old Toy Shop, Castles, Kings and Queens and What a wonderful World! For more information on our topics please see our Curriculum Map at the bottom of this page.
In Computing we will use a range of computer programs to consolidate our mouse control and continue to develop typing and navigational skills using the keyboard. Coding is a large part of the ICT curriculum and we will explore this in different ways including programmable toys called ‘Bee Bots.’ We will also be using ipads for a range of activities including stop motion short forms and photographs towards the end of the year.
History will be taught through our topics. We will be looking at significant people from history and changes within living memory. The children are encouraged to think of people from history who have been inspirational, and those that they are interested to find more information about.
In P.Ed. the children will be covering gymnastic skills, dance, games and ball skills. It is important that children have a warm P.E. kit for the outdoor sessions, including footwear, and that kits are in school everyday. Please also ensure that all items are labelled to avoid lost property.
Art and Design and Technology will be based around our topic work and will include opportunities to design and make items. We will also explore our creativity using a range of mediums to produce artwork. We will link our exploration into famous artists to our literacy work, and through to our topic work on significant people from history.
Music will continue to be linked to our class and topic work, with emphasis on learning relevant songs and exploring musical instruments. We will use our outdoor area to explore and create different music and soundscapes.
In SMSC (Spiritual Moral Social Cultural Education) we explore the children’s understanding, knowledge and skills in the four social and emotional aspects of learning; empathy, self awareness, social skills and motivation. Through ‘Philosophy for Children’ (P4C) we encourage children to develop an understanding of philosophical concepts.
Forest School is an inspirational process, that offers ALL learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees.
The Skills and Knowledge we will be teaching
To discover the Foundation Subject Skills and Knowledge we will be teaching within the topics download the skills and knowledge matrix below.
Year 1 – Skills and knowledge map
Curriculum for the year
Online Websites to support your child’s learning
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=16&AgeGroup=2
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=9&AgeGroup=2
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zgkw2hv
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks1literacy.html
https://www.ictgames.com/mobilePage/literacy.html
https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/InteractiveResources.htm
The School Day
The children will now enter school via the red route using the lower park entrance. Children will be dropped off at the Sports Hall door from 8:45am. Please ensure you wear a mask if you can and remember to remain at a safe distance from all other parents and children. Children will have lunch in their classrooms and have 3 staggered play times at appropriate times throughout the day. The children can be collected from the Sports Hall door between 3:15pm and 3:30pm. Please ensure you are on time for pick up in your allocated slot so as to avoid mixing of Year 1 and 2 Hubs.
We aim to take the children on at least one school trip per term. We will try our best not to exceed the £30 per year budget when planning trips. When booking trips we will aim to provide you with information at least 3 – 4 weeks prior to the trip to give you enough time to volunteer for the trip if you wish to accompany us. The trips will be linked to our topic learning and will vary from museum visits to a day at the seaside.
