Year 1 Summer 2 Curriculum Information

Hello! How are we in the last 6 weeks of this school year? We have got an exciting term coming up!

This term we are following on from our trip around the world looking at the seven continents to going on a safari and going down under to Australia!

In English we start off by looking at a non-fiction text about going ‘On Safari’. The children will explore the text and learn how to create their own factual piece of writing using the correct writing features. They will use the computers to research their place of interest and recall some facts in their own words.

We then move down under to Australia and read a text based on ‘Wombat goes walkabout’. Within the story the children will understand the importance of helping others when they are in need. This links nicely with our PSHE and R.E, as the children look at how sometimes things can change and how we can adapt, as well as understanding the importance of caring for others.   

Maths:

In maths we are looking at numbers to 100, adding/ subtracting two digit numbers, the value of coins and look at learning to tell the time. Our maths activites are often practical. Therefore the children will be able to understand the value of money by playing shops, tell the time through games and using a variety of resources and methods to help them add and subtract two digit numbers.

History: In Britain today, why does parliament make the rules and not solely the monarch?

The children will learn about some prominent people in UK’s history of parliament, dating back to 1685 with King James II to our current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. They will understand the importane of parliament and what a ‘Bill of Rights’ is and how this changed over time. The children will also understand how an election enforces the public to have their say. This links in with our school values as we encourage for all children to be heard and everyone has a voice.

Science: Which materials would you choose to make a house?

We will be exploring different materials, looking closely at what objects are made from – are they recyclable or not? Which links nicely with one of our previous Science topics this year. We will then look at the properties of materials – hard, soft and we will investigate them even further as we test to see if they are waterproof or not and work out which materials would be best if we were to build our own house/ city.

Home learning – Please make sure that you carry on supporting your child with their home learning and make sure that homework is completed and handed in on time.

Please can you write inside their reading records, so that we can keep a track of when your child has read at home.

When reading at home, please help your children with their reading comprehension by asking them appropriate questions about the text.

Few key dates:

• Phonics Screening - W.B.12^th June
• KS1 Sports Day – Tuesday 27^th June
• Last day of school – Wednesday 12^th July

Thank you for your continued support.

Miss Evans

Year 1 Summer 1 Curriculum Information

Hello, I hope you all had an Eggcellent Easter break and enjoyed some time with family and friends.

This term we are going to be delving into the ocean and and looking across the world at the Seven continents.

We start off by looking at a classic story by Julia Donaldson, ‘The Snail and the Whale’. This links brilliantly with our Geogrpay topic this term, as we will be following the Snail and the Whale on their jounrey around the world. We will be looking at writing postcards, their purpose and using plot points from a map to create our own exciting adventure to re tell on a postcard to a friend or family member.   

Our novel this term is the classical ‘Wizard of Oz’, however this magical book takes on a twist as it is told from the point of view of Dorothy’s beloved dog Toto and is retold by Michael Morpurgo. The children will become familiar with the classical characters and have an insight into the wonders of the story. We will talk about different perspectives of views in stories and how characters may feel different during certain points of a story.

Geography: Hot and cold places – Where would you rather live?

This is a question that we will be asking the children this term. Our English texts link superbly to our Georgraphy. We will be looking at the world map comparing the seven continents of the world: Europe, Afirca, Asia, Antartica, Australia and North and South America. The children will go on a journey and discover the conditions of each of these places and decide where they would rather live if given the choice.

Science: Are all leaves the same?

Well, are they? The children will be discovering as we turn our scientific minds to Plants. The children will discuss what plants need to help them grow, the different parts of plants, how plants start off as a seed and grow – they will have a go at planting some plants/flowers of their own. The children will also discover which plants they can eat. Yum yum or yuck?!

Maths:

In maths this term we are going to be looking at multiplication and division We will look at how we can count in 2’s, 10’s and 5’s to help us count quickly when dealing with larger numbers. We will also look at how we can share and group numbers – the first steps to dividing.

Phonic Screening:

We will continue to have a strong focus on our phonics over the half term to help support your child pass their phonic screening test in June.

We have been looking at Phase 5 this last half term and we will be moving on to consolidate our learning and start to focus on the Phonic families that we have started to make links to.

As you are aware, for part of the Phonic screening, we also look at ‘Alien Words’ -words that don’t make sense. I like to tell the children that these are the names of different Aliens.

Again - Please help your children with their phonic homework each week to practice some of the sounds and words they have learnt.

Home learning – Please make sure that you carry on supporting your child with their home learning and make sure that homework is completed and handed in on time.

Please can you write inside their reading records, so that we can keep a track of when your child has read at home.

When reading at home, please help your children with their reading comprehension by asking them appropriate questions about the text.

Thank you for your continued support.

Miss Evans

Year 1 Spring Term 2 Curriculum Information

Hello, We have another fun filled half term for you!

We are going to be learning all about Kings and Queens.

We start off by looking at a lovely book called ‘The Queen’s Hat’ by Steve Antony. The children will explore London through this book as the Queen’s hat has been whipped away by the wind. They will also explore London through some virtual clips. We are having a big focus on developing our writing and becoming more independent.  

Our class novel compliments this very well as we read the classic story of the bear we all love: ‘Paddington’ by Michael Bond.

This book tells the story of a bear that comes from Darkest Peru who is adopted by a family in London. He explores the city and this is great retrieval for our class, as last term in Geography we looked at Landmarks in London.

During our class novel read as a class we have a main focus on new vocabulary and we ask questions to support the children’s reading comprehension. We do this in all our reading sessions. This helps to develop our BRAVE ethos of Reading and Vocabulary.

History: Why should we consider all opinions when making a decision?

History links to our story ‘The Queen’s Hat’ very well as we look into some of the Kings and Queens from the past. Children will learn that Kings and Queens have ruled for many years, how Parliament was used to make decisions and some Kings didn’t want to listen to Parliament’s decisions. The children will also learn how making decisions is important and that we shouldn’t just go solely on one opinon, but think carefully about them all. This links to PSHE and our school values that everyone is entitled to their opinion and that we are respectful of others.  

Science: How and why is my local environment changing?

I’m really looking forward to our Science topic this term. The children will be thinking carefully about how we can take care of our planet ‘Earth’. They will learn the importance of recycling – hopefully we can start to build our plastic bottle greenhouse – thank you for all the donations made so far!

They will also learn about how pollution is caused by people, that it is harmful to the environment and what they can do to help reduce this.

Phonic Screening:

We are going to be having a strong focus on our phonics over the next few terms to help support your child pass their phonic screening test in June.

We have been working hard at our Phase 3 and 4 phonics and have started looking at Phase 5.

For part of the Phonic screening, we also look at ‘Alien Words’ -words that don’t make sense. I like to tell the children that these are the names of different Aliens.

Please help your children with their phonic homework each week to practice some of the sounds and words they have learnt.

Home learning – Please make sure that you carry on supporting your child with their home learning and their reading. Please can you write inside their reading records, so that we can keep a track of when your child has read at home.

When reading at home, please help your children with their reading comprehension by asking them appropriate questions about the text.

Thank you for your continued support.

Miss Evans

Year 1 Spring Term 1 Curriculum Information

Happy New Year! I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas and Santa was good to you all. I’m so pleased to have you all back and to continue our learning, feeling well rested and refreshed.

This term we are looking at Seasons. We will be exploring how the weather changes throughout the seasons in Science. This also links to our English, where we will be looking at a non-fiction text. The children will learn about the seasons and types of trees, creating sentences about them using previous skills adding in adjectives and similies.

We will also look at a text called a ‘Our trip to the woods’. This complements our previous text as we will have done some previous learning on trees and the children will be able to use their prior knoweldge to support them.

Our Novel this term is an absolute classic ‘The Wind and the Willows’ by Kenneth Grahame.

This book is about friendship. It highlights the importance that we are all different and we need to except each other’s differences no matter how big or small. Being kind is at the heart of friendship. This reflects our school values and our BRAVE ethos of Amazing Attitudes.

Geography: Where can we go in the UK?

The children will be travelling around the map of United Kingdom. They will discover the 4 countries in the United Kingdom – England, Scotland, Wales and Nothern Ireland. They will look at the capital cities, flags and landmarks that distinguish them. They will also understand what the Union Jack flag represents and learn about the seas surrounding the United Kingdom.

R.E: Who is Jewish and how do they live?

The children will learn about some of the Jewish stories and the celebrations they have to remind them what God is like and how they remember God in different ways.

We will also be going on a Global Leicester trip. This forms part of their history. The children will be learning about Asian Community and will go to a Shree Ram Mandir Temple Leicester. They will learn about Belgrave Community by taking park in an authentic Bollywood dance, taking a trip down the Golden Mile, visiting different businesses and visit a local temple.

Home learning – Please make sure that you carry on supporting your child with their home learning and their reading. Please can you write inside their reading records, so that we can keep a track of when your child has read at home.

Looking forward to another fantastic half term with you all.

Year 1 Autumn 2 Curriculum Information

I hope you’ve all enjoyed the half term break and are feeling refreshed ready to continue your Year 1 journey in the run up to Christmas. What an eventful term we have got planned!

We move our learning to look at toys from the past. This links into our English as the first book we will look at is ‘Pinocchio’. This story is about a little wooden puppet who longs to be a real boy. He goes on a journey that puts him through some life lessons, but in the end his wish comes true.

Our class novel this term is ‘The Little Prince’.

It is about a boy who comes from a tiny planet and on his journey he discovers loneliness, friendship, sadness and love.

He begins to understand the important things in life, in which so many of us lose sight of. He becomes to realise that it’s the small things in life that matter and make a difference to us.

We are then going to be looking at some other traditional tales to tie in with our theme such as ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and we will be having a Design and Technology day based on ‘Goldilocks and the three bears’.

History: How does your family tree compare to that of Queen Elizabeth 11?

Not only are we lucky enough to have the Creative library Services to come and talk to us and show us toys from the past, but we will also be discovering what history is. Mrs Cheeseman will be looking at family trees, understanding what an archaeologist is and even looking at some of our local history.

Science: Which animal would make the best pet?

We were fortunate to go on a trip last term to Sherwood Pines that linked to our big question this term.

Now I’m not sure if any of the minibeasts from ‘Superworm’ would be your child’s first choice …… but with Mr Wait, the children will be looking at the different groups of animals, looking at which ones would/wouldn’t make the best pets and thinking about how they might describe some animals. 

R.E: Why does Christmas matter to Christians?

The children will look at the story of ‘The Nativity and discuss why Christians use this to help them guide their beliefs and actions at Christmas time. Children will also have the opportunity to discuss those that aren’t Christians how Christmas might differ for them.

Home learning – Please make sure that you carry on supporting your child with their home learning and their reading. Please can you write inside their reading records, so that we can keep a track of when your child has read at home.

There will be lots going on this term, especially towards the end as we get ready for Christmas! Please you’re your eyes peeled on Dojo for any story updates and notifications that may go out.

Looking forward to another super half term with you all.

Year 1 Autumn Term 1 Curriculum Information

Hello! I’m really excited to start my journey at The Grove this year, not only as your class teacher, but also as the Assistant Head to help improve the school.

We have a super half term planned, so let’s find out what’s in store for you all.

Our class novel this year is ‘The Twits’. Mr and Mrs Twit live together in a brick house without windows. They continuously play nasty practical jokes on each other (such as worms as spaghetti, frogs in beds etc) out of hatred for one another. They also keep a family of pet monkeys, the Muggle-Wumps. Now I know what you’re thinking, those two revolting humans, that play tricks on each other – what sort of tricks will my child end up playing on me? Please do not worry, this won’t happen! They will learn how we can overcome our differences and achieve common goals by being kind to one another.

We will continue this theme in our literacy where we will be looking at the texts ‘Ruby’s Worry’, which helps us to understand that You are not alone; everyone has worries. Ignoring your feelings can increase your worries. Sharing your worries helps you manage your anxieties, instead of bottling them up.

We then move on to a Poem ‘When I am by myself’, which helps the children to understand their own uniqueness and diversity in others. As well as self-respect and seeing the positives in themselves.

During this half term we will be looking at several Big Questions in our curriculum.

Science: What super sense would you choose?

Mr Wait will be teaching Science. The children will be exploring the human body. Looking at body parts in details such as our eyes, ears, nose etc. and how our senses help us to interpret and interact the world around us.

They will also learn about Helen Keller, who was the first deaf and blind person to gain a degree. This imbeds into our curriculum and school ethos that no matter who you are, your disability, background etc., the world is your oyster, and you can achieve anything you want to if you put your mind to it.

Geography: What do I need to draw on a map?

In Geography the children will be taught by Mrs Cheeseman who will be introducing the children will be introduced to the concept of aerial perspectives.

They will look at maps, and how our view can change depending on the way we look at it. They will also understand that maps can show features such as the coast, towns, villages. Landmarks including churches etc. This will also link to our math’s curriculum as they look at positional language based on a compass and moving in different directions on a map and learning the compass points: North, East, South and West. This will be great, as the children will be able to explore our local town ‘Melton Mowbray’ and have a go at drawing their own maps based on their learning.

R.E: What do Christians believe God is like?

Through a story, the children will learn how God is forgiving and loving. It’s important for the children to understand different cultures/religions and what they stand for. We are all unique, but we should embrace each others differences and at The Grove we are proud of out pupils here that adopt our school ethos of being kind to one another and understanding that we are all special in our own way.

Did someone say fancy dress? Well we have Roald Dahl day coming up and Mrs Cheeseman has przies for the best fancy dress! We can’t wait to see which character you’ll come as!

Home learning will be sent out this term based on our Little Wandle Phonic scheme, which we are pleased to introduce to the children this year in school too.

Please keep your eyes peeled on Class Dojo for any messages we may share.

Looking forward to my first half term with you all. We are going to have a great time! We’ve got this Year 1!

Year 1 Autumn Term 1 Curriculum Information

Hello! I’m really excited to start my journey at The Grove this year, not only as your class teacher, but also as the Assistant Head to help improve the school.

We have a super half term planned, so let’s find out what’s in store for you all.

Our class novel this year is ‘The Twits’. Mr and Mrs Twit live together in a brick house without windows. They continuously play nasty practical jokes on each other (such as worms as spaghetti, frogs in beds etc) out of hatred for one another. They also keep a family of pet monkeys, the Muggle-Wumps. Now I know what you’re thinking, those two revolting humans, that play tricks on each other – what sort of tricks will my child end up playing on me? Please do not worry, this won’t happen! They will learn how we can overcome our differences and achieve common goals by being kind to one another.

We will continue this theme in our literacy where we will be looking at the texts ‘Ruby’s Worry’, which helps us to understand that You are not alone; everyone has worries. Ignoring your feelings can increase your worries. Sharing your worries helps you manage your anxieties, instead of bottling them up.

We then move on to a Poem ‘When I am by myself’, which helps the children to understand their own uniqueness and diversity in others. As well as self-respect and seeing the positives in themselves.

During this half term we will be looking at several Big Questions in our curriculum.

Science: What super sense would you choose?

Mr Wait will be teaching Science. The children will be exploring the human body. Looking at body parts in details such as our eyes, ears, nose etc. and how our senses help us to interpret and interact the world around us.

They will also learn about Helen Keller, who was the first deaf and blind person to gain a degree. This imbeds into our curriculum and school ethos that no matter who you are, your disability, background etc., the world is your oyster, and you can achieve anything you want to if you put your mind to it.

Geography: What do I need to draw on a map?

In Geography the children will be taught by Mrs Cheeseman who will be introducing the children will be introduced to the concept of aerial perspectives.

They will look at maps, and how our view can change depending on the way we look at it. They will also understand that maps can show features such as the coast, towns, villages. Landmarks including churches etc. This will also link to our math’s curriculum as they look at positional language based on a compass and moving in different directions on a map and learning the compass points: North, East, South and West. This will be great, as the children will be able to explore our local town ‘Melton Mowbray’ and have a go at drawing their own maps based on their learning.

R.E: What do Christians believe God is like?

Through a story, the children will learn how God is forgiving and loving. It’s important for the children to understand different cultures/religions and what they stand for. We are all unique, but we should embrace each others differences and at The Grove we are proud of out pupils here that adopt our school ethos of being kind to one another and understanding that we are all special in our own way.

Did someone say fancy dress? Well we have Roald Dahl day coming up and Mrs Cheeseman has przies for the best fancy dress! We can’t wait to see which character you’ll come as!

Home learning will be sent out this term based on our Little Wandle Phonic scheme, which we are pleased to introduce to the children this year in school too.

Please keep your eyes peeled on Class Dojo for any messages we may share.

Looking forward to my first half term with you all. We are going to have a great time! We’ve got this Year 1!