TEACHERS in Year 1 are: Nansy Fraser on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday Rachel Chartres on a Wednesday The children will also be taught by Mrs Brett on a Thursday pm (PPA time) Mrs Davies on a Friday pm (1/2 class for PE while other children at Forest School w/Mrs F)

The children have had a great start. You all got them to school in time on Wednesday morning. Many have taken up free school dinners. They have been brilliant, working and playing together happily. They all have indoor shoes. They nearly all have a PE kit. Many have named clothes – make sure they are all named as the uniforms all look the same!! Please try to name shoes too as they easily get mixed up.

Class Routines  Morning – encourage children to put away own bags, hang up coats, change shoes.  We will do self registration very soon – then morning jobs – by 8:50am need to be settled.  Help your child change reading book from the colour coded boxes before this time.  Afternoon – please tell us if you child is going home with someone else.  We let your child leave when we have seen you – not before.

Class Information  Parents’ information board.  Please check our website often. Letters are sent out via parent mail.  Parents helpers sign up sheet (yes please!)  Structure of the day – timetable on notice board, visual timetable  Rewards – house points, stickers & class points in Pinocchio.

TRANSITION from Foundation Class to Year 1: For the first months of Year 1 we will provide a smooth transition by continuing to allow children free play during some sessions in the day. (Refer to timetable on notice board) Although we make our assessments at the start of the year we consider closely the information shared about the children by Miss Newman, to help us build on what they know and can do already.

The New North Hinksey Curriculum National changes:  New Primary Curriculum published and in use from September 2014  Higher expectations of every year group, mainly in English, Maths and Science Things that remain the same in our school:  Read Write Inc  Focus on fluency and speed of number facts (started with CLIC last year)  Themes of learning led by pupil (and teacher) interest, no published schemes or rolling programme  The usual number (lots!) of special days, weeks and events  Pretty much every element of school we love!! Exciting changes in our school:  PE/PSHE called ‘Wellbeing’ and will be daily (physical, personal or social focus)  More opportunities for children to immerse themselves in their learning  More opportunities for you to visit and see what your child has produced in class

We Learn... offsite in grounds from experts in our community as experts (historians, artists etc) using Christian values practically by whole day immersion flexibly, following our interests from and about local national & global issues from famous people Look out for: Our Curriculum that will be published on the School Website in the next week Search the internet for the Primary School Curriculum from September 2014

OUR THEME ‘Our Fishy, Furry and Flying Friends’ (or Animals) Starting point in science curriculum (identify, name, describe, compare – link to human body parts and senses) but we will link learning in other areas to the theme too.

Maths in Year 1 Main changes in the new curriculum: Higher requirements in counting, reading and writing numbers. From 20>100. Read and write numbers to 20 in words. Number bonds, adding and subtracting from 10>20. WE WILL WORK very much as before; using practical equipment such as bead-strings, numicon, number lines, multi link cubes, etc.. Recording is only a small part of the process of learning mentally, doing practically, solving problems. HOMEWORK: ‘Maths at home’ challenges linked to work in school. Not worksheet but activities to do together.

Learn Its  A ‘Learn It’ is a number fact that is learnt so well that it can be recalled instantly. It includes the entire 1 digit add 1 digit answers as well as the 1 digit multiplied by 1 digit answers.  The pupils should know all ‘Learn Its’ as well as they know their own name! When they recall these facts there is no thinking time.  They should also know the opposite and inverse, e.g. is they know 2+3=5, they also rapidly know 3+2=5, 5-2=3 and 5- 3=2.  When this is achieved it opens the door to a whole new world of numeracy e.g. 80 x 70 is easy to do if you know 8 x 7.

If If you’d like copies, just ask Miss Jeavons

English in Year 1 Main changes in the new curriculum: More focus on phonics (reading phonically-suitable text) Higher requirements for spelling Become familiar with key stories, re-telling Learning and reciting poetry WE WILL CONTINUE RWI – phonics based, including spelling CONTINUE BIG WRITE (Once a fortnight long writing all together) CONTINUE separate handwriting sessions CONTINUE to offer other READING BOOKS to SHARE (Don’t expect children to read these fluently)

How you can help your child You can share books, take turns reading – help them sound out and blend. You can talk about the Big Write homework – it makes a huge difference. You can talk about the maths they do in school and try the ‘maths at home’ activities. Count, add, take away in everyday activities. You can support your child’s interest in drawing, cutting, building, painting, writing, singing, telling stories. This develop their skills and imagination to be writers (and scientists etc...).

Book bag with reading book and reading record book Warm, sensible clothes and shoes for playtimes Water bottle PE bag at all times, including shorts, t-shirt, trainers, socks – in case we go out. For Forest School Fridays: warm and dry clothing, and rubber boots For their Show & Tell times, something special to share Otherwise: please no toys in school! What they need in school

Read Write Inc. A bit more about Read Write Inc Every day your child spends one hour in their Read Write Inc group. This is based on teaching the group the 44 basic sounds (which can be made up over 150 different ways) and 26 different letters in the alphabet. Your child will work in an appropriate group which is based on their phonic knowledge. The lesson usually begins with a ‘speed sounds’ session. We then use the reading and writing books. Your child will read a book with their partner, one pointing to words and being teacher, the other reading. Then they will swap over. We talk through the meaning of the story and complete comprehension questions, discuss vocabulary, learn spellings and work on writing good sentences. Grouping Your child will work in an appropriate group which is based on their phonic knowledge. They are asked to read real and nonsense words including these sounds until they are unable to carry on and then given a level. Our assessments are similar to the Phonic Screening Check which all Year One children will do later in the summer term and those Year Two children who don’t reach the threshold mark from the previous year.

Reading at home Establish a daily routine Choose an appropriate time and place to read where there are less distractions Keep the atmosphere fun and relaxed so that your child looks forward to spending time reading Book talk- illustrations, characters, predictions, front cover, genre, structure of story, layout Take time over the book- repetition will help to reinforce new vocabulary and give the reader a greater sense of achievement Discuss any new vocabulary- we cannot always assume that children will understand every word they read, just because we do If possible try to relate characters, events and situations to your child’s own experience Try to expose your child to a range of reading material outside of school, making use of library facilities, bookshops, Internet, comics and magazines, signs in the environment, and maybe even the newspaper!! Try and sound out to help with Read Write Inc e.g. Would you like to r-ea-d?