Author Archives: Miss Horsepool

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Weekly Note w.b. 29.1.18

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Dear parents/carers

Maths

Next week in maths we shall begin working on subtraction. Firstly we shall work using practical resources to take away then will move on to subtracting 10 using our knowledge of place value.

Please continue practising your child’s Rainbow Maths Targets at home. It is lovely to see some of the children are already far more confident about doubling.

 

Dark Day

On Monday we are going to launch some work on light and dark by holding a ‘Dark Day‘

Children are invited to come to school dressed in pyjamas. Please ensure that they are still dressed warmly with suitable shoes as weather permitting there will still be an outdoor playtime and lunchtime.

We hope that the children come home and tell you about their day learning ‘in the dark!’

 

Discovery Zone Open Afternoons

Just a reminder about the open afternoons we are holding next week. You are invited to join us between 2.00-2.45pm

Miss Horsepool’s class – Tuesday 30th January

Mrs Bramley’s class – Wednesday 31st January

Mrs Boscher’s class – Friday 2nd February

 

Book Week

Following the whole school blog post sent out last week, just a reminder that the week beginning 5th February will be Book Week.

On Friday 9th February we will end the week with a dressing up day. Children are invited to come to school dressed up as a character from a book.

We will also be holding a second hand book sale. Please bring in any book donations through the week (they can be left by the swimming pool or handed to class teachers) On the Friday children will be able to buy 1 or 2 books for 50p each.

If there are any more Book Week competition entries to design a robot these must be returned to school on Monday morning as these will then be sent on to the staff at the library for judging.

 

Teach Your Child to Read – Parent and Carer Information Evening

Wednesday 31st January 7-8pm

Helping your child learn to read at home is a key way to support their learning. Literacy expert and lead literacy intervention teacher Kelly Child will be leading a parent and carer information evening in our school hall on 31st January 7-8pm. Kelly will outline useful strategies and activities you can do at home with your child. If you would like to come along please email our school office. This should be a fantastic evening so please make the time to come along!

 

Many thanks

Year 1 team

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Dark Day – next Monday

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On Monday we are going to launch some work on light and dark by holding a ‘Dark Day‘

Children are invited to come to school dressed in pyjamas. Please ensure that they are still dressed warmly with suitable shoes as weather permitting there will still be an outdoor playtime and lunchtime.

We hope that the children come home and tell you about their day learning ‘in the dark!’

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Weekly Note w.b. 22.1.18

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Dear parents and carers

 

The Daily Mile

You will probably be aware of recent concerns around physical inactivity and childhood obesity. As they go through primary school, many children put on weight and, across the UK, around 35% of pupils in their final year of primary are categorised as overweight or obese. Experts have described this as an epidemic and a crisis that must be tackled before it is too late.

However, there is an initiative called The Daily Mile which started in February 2012 by Elaine Wyllie, who was then a headteacher in Scotland. She was concerned by children’s lack of fitness and went on to prove The Daily Mile to be both sustainable and effective in improving activity levels and obesity in school.

The Daily Mile is very simple to start in schools. Without wasting time to change into kit, children go out into the fresh air to run, jog or walk for 15 minutes. It is not competitive: most children will average a mile in that time, with some doing more and some doing less. It is not PE, sport or cross-country but a physical activity which is aimed at improving children’s physical, social, emotional and mental health and well being. It can also help children to focus and concentrate in the classroom and raise their attainment.

Since 2015, The Daily Mile has been adopted by over 1,600 schools in the UK and interest from Belgium and the Netherlands has been expressed.Therefore, we would like to introduce The Daily Mile, and it’s health and well being benefits, for the children at St Martin’s.

In Year 1 we have begun our Daily Mile four mornings a week at 9.15am. The children do not need to change into trainers as the activity is no different to the running around that they do during playtime. Already the children are really enjoying taking part with lots of chatting and excitement.

As a school we are really excited about this new initiative and we are looking forward to the benefits it will bring to your child/children. To find out more we strongly recommend you visit the website: www.thedailymile.co.uk.

 

Telling the Time

Your child may have already come home and told you about how we are going to work on telling the time in Year 1. Each class has some watches and every week a group of children will be allocated to be ‘time monitors.’ They will get to wear a watch and help their teacher keep track of time throughout the day. The rest of the children are encouraged to use the classroom clocks.

We are also using timers in the Discovery Zone for certain activities linked to the money that we are using eg. 5 minute turns in the playdough for 10p and 10 minutes in the construction area which will help the children develop a sense of the duration of time.

 

Library Trips

We still require additional help for our trips to the library. If you are able to join us please let your class teacher know as soon as possible.

Tuesday 23rd Janurary – Miss Horsepool and Mrs Bramley’s classes

Friday 26th January – Mrs Boscher’s class

We shall be leaving on the buses at 9.15am and will be back at school for 11am.

 

Discovery Zone Open Afternoons

We would like to invite you to come into school to join your child for a session in the Discovery Zone so that they can show you their learning and give you the opportunity to see them in action!

The dates are as follows:

Tuesday 30th January @ 2.00-2.45pm- Miss Horsepool’s class

Wednesday 31st January @ 2.00-2.45pm – Mrs Bramley’s class

Friday 2nd February @ 2.00-2.45pm – Mrs Boscher’s class

 

 

Rainbow Maths Targets

Your child has brought home a letter explaining their new Rainbow Maths Target. This term we are working on doubling numbers. We will then move on to halving even numbers. Click here for some online activities which you can do to help your child at home.

 

Keyrings

We are finding that lots of children have bookbags with a lot of keyrings on them. This means that their trays do not shut properly and it makes it difficult for other children to open and shut their trays. Please could we ask that children choose just one keyring to have on their bag.

 

Many thanks

Year 1 team

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Weekly note w.b. 18.12.17

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Dear parents and carers

Thankyou for all of your support with concert costumes, party food and help with our trip to the church.

 

End of Term

Just a reminder that we finish at 1pm on Tuesday 19th December. Children do not need their lunch on this day but can bring a second snack to eat late morning as well as their usual fruit for morning playtime.

It would be helpful if children could bring a named plastic bag to take home their Christmas art work.

 

World Explorers

Next term we will be looking at the world map and talking about places that are near to where we live and far away. Each class has a map on the classroom wall. If you go on holiday it would be lovely to receive a postcard or your child could bring in a photograph to talk about. We will then find and label the place on the map. If you have friends or relatives who live abroad your child could also bring in a postcard or photo from them.

Which class can collect as many different places for their map?

 

We hope that you have a lovely Christmas break and look forward to seeing you all again on Thursday 4th January.

 

Year 1 team

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Week Beginning 4.12.17

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Dear parents/carers

Thankyou to all the parent and grandparent helpers who came with us to Candie Museum. The children really enjoyed the visit and the experience of visiting a museum, meeting people who work in a museum and looking at the old toys is very valuable. We are following up on this work in school, mainly in the Discovery Zone where we have some examples of old toys for the children to handle.

Literacy

Next week we shall be continuing our work on old toys and the story ‘Dogger.’ We will then begin work on the Christmas Story.

 

Visit to the Church

We shall be visiting the church to watch Year 5’s Christmas Concert on Wednesday 13th December.

We will need some additional adult helpers to accompany us. If you are able to join us from 11am please let your class teacher know. We should be back at school by 12.15pm.

 

Christmas Concert

Please could all children bring in their costumes for the concert in by Monday 4th.

Well done to all the children with speaking parts who have already learned their lines. It would be really helpful if these could continue be rehearsed at home as this will make the children feel more confident when it comes to the performance.

The concert performance for parents will be at 2pm on Tuesday 12th December. As space is limited in the hall, two tickets per child will be sent home.

 

Christmas Party

The Infant Christmas party will be on Thursday 14th December. On this day children can come to school in their party clothes but please can we ask that sensible shoes are worn. (no heeled shoes please)

A separate paper letter has been sent about food. As a reminder please could you provide the following foods (enough for 5-6 children)

Mrs Bramley’s class – sandwiches/rolls e.g. egg, ham, cheese, marmite, tuna (no nuts please)

Miss Horsepool’s class – sausage rolls, pizza slices, cocktail sausages, mini cheeses

Mrs Boscher’s class – small cakes and chocolate biscuits

Please bring in food on the morning of the party. School will provide juice, crisps and fruit.

 

Parent help

If you would be able to come into school to help wrap ‘gifts’ for the children please speak to your class teacher. This could be at any time next week.

 

Thank you for your continued support

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Weekly note w.b. 13.11.17

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Dear parents/carers

 

Maths

Next week in maths we shall be working on addition by building addition stories with cubes and counting on using number lines.

Thank you for the work done at home on Rainbow Maths Targets. We shall continue to check these regularly in school and send home the assessment sheets each time so you can see how they are getting on.

 

Mathletics

The school has now renewed the Mathletics subscription. Your child should have brought home a letter giving you information of how to use the site or app together with their log on details.

 

Literacy

Next week we shall be finishing our work on ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.’ Children will be using the iPads to create their own stories and then innovating the story by making changes to the story map.

 

Children in Need

Next Friday 17th November is Children in Need Day. Children are invited to come to school dressed in spots for a small donation.

We have a stock of glow in the dark wrist bands and head bands in school which children can buy on Monday 13th or Tuesday 14th. These will be on sale in classrooms so please could we ask that children bring money in their book bags.

Wristbands – £1.00

Headbands – £2.50

Please note that children will only be able to buy one item, either a wristband or a headband.

If we then have any left over then these will be available to buy on Friday.

 

Thank you for your support

 

Year 1 team

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Jelly Bean Challenge

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This afternoon in assembly we launched an exciting new Key Stage 1 science and technology challenge!

Please see the details on the poster below. Children will be able to give their 50p to their class teacher from Monday to receive a pack.

We look forward to seeing lots of your entries! Good luck!

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Weekly Note w.b. 17.7.17

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Dear parents and carers

Next week is our final week of term!

You will receive your child’s school report in an envelope sent home on Monday afternoon. In the envelope will also be a Welcome to Year 2 booklet and card with a photo of your child with their new Year 2 class.

Carrier Bag

Please could all children bring a named carrier bag into school on Monday ready for when we start to send work home later in the week. Please note that some pieces of Captain Cook art work will be kept in school as we are putting up a display in the foyer for September. Work will be returned to the children later in the term.

Books

Please have a good hunt around home this weekend and return all banded reading books and any outstanding library books to school on Monday. No new books will be sent home next week.

End of Term

School finishes at 1pm on Friday 21st July. Children do not need to bring lunch on this day but may bring a second snack e.g. a bag of crisps, sausage roll or biscuits in addition to their normal fruit snack.

We wish you all a very happy summer holiday

 

Many thanks

Year 1 team

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Weekly Note w.b. 26.6.17

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Dear Parents/carers

 

Maths

In maths we are going to go back to revisit work on finding a half and a quarter of shapes and quantities of objects. We will then move on to simple sharing problems e.g. If I have 12 sweets and share them between 3 friends, how many will they get each? Children will be able to use practical objects to work out the answers.

Lots of children are making good progress with their Rainbow Maths Targets. Please continue all the great practise that you have been doing at home.

 

Sports Day

Infant sports day has been rescheduled to the afternoon of Thursday 6th July. All of the arrangements will remain the same as previously stated.

 

Sponsored Swim

Please could sponsored swimming forms be returned to school before your child’s swimming session. If you are able to help to count lengths then please let your class teacher know.

Mrs Bramley – Monday 26th June 9.00-10.30am

Mrs Boscher – Thursday 29th June 9.15-10.20am

Miss Horsepool – Tuesday 4th July 9.15am-10.30am (Please note that this is the week after most other classes)

 

Infant Disco

The PTA have organised an infant disco on Friday 14th July. If any parents are willing to help out at the disco, please could they email  merylsnedden@gmail.com or text  on 07781 414270.

Transition

Over the next 3 weeks children will be spending a number of session in their new class groups with their new class teachers. We hope that this will help their transition to Year 2.

 

Many thanks

Year 1 team

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Weekly Note w.b. 12.6.17

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Dear parents/carers

 

New Topic – The Sea

We have just begun a new topic all about The Sea. We shall be learning about Captain Cook and his voyages during our lessons and through activities in the Discovery Zone.

 

EPIC Week

Next week is EPIC week! Children in Years 1 and 2 will be working in mixed groups doing different activities with different teachers each day.  On Friday afternoon we shall be holding a whole school celebration on the field with dancing and ice creams.

Teachers have allocated children a different activity each day which will give them the opportunity to try lots of new things including cooking, art, science, coding, dance, tag rugby and playground games.

Children do not need to wear uniform but please could they all wear trainers every day in case they are doing games activities.

We hope that they come home and tell you how epic each day has been!

 

Sponsored Swim

Your child should now have brought home a sponsorship form for our sponsored swim during the last week of June. You are invited to come in and watch your child swim if you wish.

Mrs Bramley’s class – Monday 26th June  9.15-10.15am

Mrs Bosher’s class – Thursday 29th June 9.15-10.40am

Please note, that Miss Horsepool’s class will be holding their sponsored swim the week after on Tuesday 4th July from 9.15-10.30am.

 

Sports Day

Our infant sports day is going to be on the afternoon of Tuesday 20th June. More information will be to follow.

 

Many thanks

Year 1 team