Thank you to everyone who has sent in photographs of places around Guernsey. The children have enjoyed looking at maps and Google Earth to find the different places. Please continue to send in photos as you go out and about to different places at the weekends as we will display these on our walls.

Thank you as well to everyone who has bought in Autumn objects – the children are enjoying drawing and finding out about them.

Yesterday Mrs Bramley’s class had some visitors from Le Platon Residential Home. The visitors enjoyed meeting the children and working alongside them in the Discovery Zone. Some of the children also read their reading books to the visitors. The residents will be visiting Mrs Bramley’s class every Thursday.

We have a busy week coming up next week.

On Monday there will be a whole school assembly to launch Guernsey Recycling Week. As was mentioned in the letter that you have already received, please could children bring in a empty, clean tin or can to recycle on this day.

In our literacy lessons we will be doing some follow up work about recycling and encouraging the children to recycle their rubbish in class.

In maths next we will begin to start work on number bonds which will be the theme for our Rainbow Maths Targets.

Please click here for some activities focused on number bonds which you might like to do at home with your child.

On Friday we will be launching our ‘All about me’ topic with a visit from The Explorer Dome. The focus of this will be ‘our body’.

Thank you for your support,

The Year 1 Team

 

 

 

Dear Parents/Carers

 

Literacy

The children have spent this week in their new phonics groups so we hope they are enjoying moving to different teachers. It has been lovely getting to know children from different classes.

We have been practising letter formation and the children are working really hard. We will be continuing to go over the formation over the next few weeks.

 

Maths

Next week in numeracy we will be learning to find 1 more and 1 less.

We hope that the children enjoyed Rainbow Maths Day today. They looked great dressed up in all their bright colours! This term we will be working on number bonds. In a couple of weeks, after completing some work on number bonds in class we will be sending out their own individual Rainbow Maths Targets.

We have a school subscription to a website called Skoolbo which is a fantastic resource for consolidating literacy and number skills. The children will shortly come home with a letter which will contain information on how to access the site along with passwords. We will explain how the site works with the children beforehand.

 

Local Explorers

As part of our topic this term ‘All about me’ we would love the children to share a place in Guernsey that they like to visit or spend time at. These photos will be put up in each of the classrooms on our Guernsey map displays.

As there will be quite a few photos coming in please could the photos be either a standard 6 x 4 size or feel free to email them to your child’s class teacher. If you don’t have our email address please use the ‘contact us’ form on the blog.

 

Autumn

Over the next few weeks we shall be doing some observational drawings and activities on the theme of autumn. If you are out and about and find any conkers, acorns, sycamore seeds (‘helicopters’) pine cones or beautiful crispy autumn leaves etc then we would love to have a few brought into school to use in our classrooms.

 

Thank you for your continued support

The Year 1 Team

We have come to the end of our first week in Year 1 and we are really pleased with how the children are settling in.

As a school, we have revised our handwriting policy and will no longer be teaching children the cursive script. Your child will be bringing home a copy of the letter formations which we will be using (these are the same as they were taught in reception, just without the hellos and goodbyes. eg. around the apple and down the leaf). Next week we will start to introduce these to the children. If your child already writes using a correct cursive formation we will still encourage them to use this. We will also be encouraging the children to write their name using the correct formation and use of upper and lower case and will send home a name card for them to practice at home.

In maths next week we will be learning how to count numbers of objects accurately. Children could practice counting things at home eg. How many pencils are in a pot? How many lego bricks do they need to make their model?

Here are a few reminders about routines in Year 1.

 

Fruit

Please remember that children now need to bring fruit in for their morning snack as it is no longer provided by the school. This should be fresh fruit or vegetables. Please could it be in a named pot or bag.

 

Morning Routine 

The infants start school in the morning at 8.55am. Teachers are on duty outside in the area by the climbing frame from 8.45am and they will go and open the doors when it is time for the children to line up to come in.

We are continuing to encourage children to unpack their bags and put away their belongings independently. To help with this, we request that you say goodbye to your child when they go to line up at the door rather than coming inside with them.

If your child goes to breakfast club, please could they hang all their belongings on their peg before breakfast club and then they can independently unpack their bags with the rest of the children when they come into class after breakfast club.

 

PE and swimming days in Year 1

PE/Games –Wednesdays for all classes

Swimming

Tuesday – Mrs Bramley’s class

Thursday – Miss Horsepool class

Friday – Mrs Boscher’s class

 

Reading and Homework

Children have brought home reading books today, a reading record and information about how you can support their reading.  There is also information on our blog page (in ‘useful information’ section) about reading with your child at home.  Reading letter

Children have currently been given books on the same level that they finished Reception on. Over the next week as we spend time reading with each child individually we will revise this as necessary. Please bear with us during this time but we welcome any comments you wish to make in the reading record.

No formal written homework tasks will be sent home in Year 1. However, in the weekly note we shall include details of practical activities or websites/apps which you can use at home to support your child’s learning; particularly for maths.

Like the rest of the school, in the next few weeks children will also be given Rainbow Maths Targets.  Separate information will follow on these.

 

Library

Children will be using the library from next week on the following days:

Tuesday – Mrs Bramley’s Class

Wednesday –Mrs Boscher’s Class

Thursday – Miss Horsepool’s Class

 

Wellies

Children may bring wellies into school to use when they are learning outside. Please could they be named clearly.  Could we also ask that a suitable coat is brought to school every day as we do use our outdoor environments in all weathers.

 

Pupil Acceptable User Policy for ICT

Children will be bringing home two copies of the Year 1 pupil acceptable use policy for ICT. This has been shared in class with the children and we would appreciate your support to reinforce this guidance at home to keep them safe online. Please could one copy of the policy be returned to school signed by both you and your child. If you would like further information about keeping children safe online then please see the e-safety section on the main St Martin School blog page www.stmartinsprimaryschool.edublogs.org

 

Star of the Week

This year, we will be choosing a Star of the Week each week. Please click here for more information.

 

Help in School

Thank you to all of you who have so far offered to help with swimming lessons.  We are still short of a few people if you are available during your child’s class slot.  If there is anyone who could spare some time to come in to listen to children read then this support is also invaluable.  Particularly useful times are first thing in the morning or during assembly from 2.30pm onwards as this does not disrupt lesson time.  Please let your class teacher know if you can help.

 

Thank you

The Year 1 Team

We’ve had a lovely day today in Year 1 and we hope that your child enjoyed their first day.

Please click below for the Welcome to Year 1 leaflet which contains all the information you need about the routines in Year 1. (A paper copy of this was sent home with your child’s report at the end of last term.)

Welcome to Year 1

We are always grateful for any parents/grandparents who are able to come and help out in class. We need help on a regular basis with swimming and to hear readers (a good time for this is at 2.30 so if you find yourself sitting in your car waiting for your child, why not come in and listen to some readers?) or to help out occasionally with trips etc.

We are also looking for some volunteers who can help with the upkeep of the Year 1 garden (outdoor learning environment). We need help to keep on top of the weeding and pruning of vegetation so that the children are able to enjoy learning in the area. We also have some beds which we use for planting with the children. We like to involve the children as much as possible to help as it is a good real life experience for them. If you (or a family member or friend) can spare an afternoon a week or would like to come in every now and then, to help with this we would be really grateful.

If you are able to help in any way, please speak to your child’s teacher.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday evening (7th September) at 7pm for the parents information evening.

We are looking forward to a busy and exciting year.

The Year 1 Team