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

In maths next week we will be doing some work on shape, space and measure including telling the time, giving directions and looking at shape patterns. Our work on time includes days of the week, months of the year and seasons. Some of the children found ordering the days and months quite difficult. It would be helpful for your child if you could work on these at home eg. talking to your child on a regular basis about what day it is today – What activities do they do on this day? What day was it yesterday? What day will it be tomorrow? etc. Which month is their birthday? Which month is Christmas in? How many months is it until Christmas/their birthday? etc.

In our literacy and topic work we will be finishing off the adventures of Captain Cook as we learn about his final 2 voyages to Antarctica and Hawaii.

On Friday morning the children will be taking part in a seaweed workshop which will be led by Mrs Herschel who is a marine biologist.

The PTA infant disco is on Friday 14th July from 4.45-6pm. Tickets cost £3 are on sale from the office before and after school from Monday 10th July.

Thank you for your support

The Year 1 team

We hope the children enjoyed their visit to their Year 2 class this morning. We have another busy week ahead next week which will include some more visits to Year 2 which will help the children get to know their new teacher, class and classroom better.

In our Literacy and topic lessons this week we will be continuing our work on Captain Cook and learning about his voyages around Australia and into Antarctica.

In maths next week we will be doing some shape, space and measure work.

Sports Day will be held on Thursday 6th June. Children can come to school on this day wearing their PE kit with trainers and a t-shirt in the colour of their class team.

Miss Horsepool’s Class – Red

Mrs Bramley’s Class – Green

Mrs Boscher’s Class – Yellow

The activities will begin in the afternoon at 1.15 with the final races at around 2.15. You are welcome to come and support your child.

Please could you ensure that your child  has a sunhat and water bottle for sports day and ensure that sun cream is applied before school. Should you wish to reapply sun cream to your child for the afternoon, please feel free to do so once we have come out onto the field and the children are lined up ready for their activities.

Fingers crossed for suitable weather conditions!

Thank you for your support

The Year 1 Team

We have nearly reached the end of another busy term! The children are really enjoying our Secret Garden topic and this will continue after the holidays. They have enjoyed challenges to create a clay flower and to work in a potting shed where they have to work out how much it will cost to plant their seed and write instructions for looking after it. They may be bringing these home.

Next week we will be walking to the church on Wednesday afternoon to watch the Easter Service which is led by Year 4. We are still short of parents to walk down with us so if you are able to come, please can you let your child’s teacher know.

On Thursday afternoon it is the Spring Fayre. Infants may be collected from their classrooms from 2pm to attend the Fayre (please note that juniors are collected from 2.30pm onwards). Children will not allowed to go unaccompanied but may attend the Fayre after school if they are picked up at the usual time.

School finishes for the Easter holidays on Friday 7th at 1pm. Children may bring a more substantial snack that morning as they won’t be having lunch at school. School begins again after the holidays on Wednesday 26th April.

Information for after the holidays 

Swimming

Swimming will begin again after the holidays

Mrs Bramley’s Class – Monday 9 -10.30

Miss Horsepool’s Class – Tuesday 9 – 10.30

Mrs Boscher’s Class – Thursday 9 – 10.30

Children will need their swimming kits on these days, including a swimming hat. Please make sure that children don’t wear earrings on these days or have them taped up.

If you are able to help the children change for swimming or are happy to go in the water with them, please let your child’s teacher know.

Trip to the Victorian Walled Gardens

We will be visiting the Victorian Walled Gardens at Sausmarez Park to learn about growing and planting. The classes will be going on the following days:

Tuesday 2nd May – Mrs Boscher’s Class

Thursday 4th May – Miss Horsepool’s Class

Thursday 11th May – Mrs Bramley’s Class

We will be leaving school at 9am and returning by 11.30. If you are able to help with this trip, please let your child’s teacher know.

Thank you for your support and we hope you have an enjoyable holiday.

The Year 1 team

 

 

In maths next week we will finishing our work on addition and subtraction problems. We will also be doing some work on shape and measure. We are continuing to work on the Rainbow Target of doubling an halving after half term. Please click here for the links to the activities which you can use to help your child practise these targets.

In literacy we will be finishing our animal information fact files using the app ‘Pic Collage’ on the ipads.

We are really pleased that most children are now coming into school by themselves. Please could we ask that you don’t come into school in the mornings to change books or read with your child – it can be very overwhelming for children when there are lots of adults around. We request that you only come in before school if you need to speak to your child’s teacher urgently.  You are welcome to e-mail or speak to the teachers after school for less urgent matters.

Please could we remind you that children who come to breakfast club should leave their bags in the cloakroom before school rather than putting them away in the classrooms. When they come in at 8.55 with the rest of the children they are then able to put their bags away independently.

PE will remain on a Wednesday after half term. Please could we remind you that all children should have their PE kits in school on this day.

Half Term is from Monday 20th February until Friday 24th February so we will see the children again on Monday 27th February. We look forward to seeing you next week for the parents appointments.

Thank you for your support,

The Year 1 team

Dear parents/carers

Literacy

We shall be continuing our work on information texts as well as doing lots of reading related activities for Book Week!

 

Maths

In maths next week we shall be doing some problem solving involving both addition and subtraction. The children will be able to apply the calculation strategies already taught and develop their understanding of mathematical vocabulary.

If you would like to support this work at home, then posing simple number problems using adding or taking away would be helpful. This can just be done verbally. For example:

There are 12 birds in a tree. 5 fly away. How many are left?

Tom has 7 blue cars and 8 green cars. How many cars does he have altogether?

I have 13 stickers in my sticker book. On Monday I get 4 more. How many are there now?

There are 10 biscuits on a plate. Dad eats 3. How many are there now?

Some children will need to work with numbers within 10, some are able to use numbers to 20 and some are confident with numbers beyond this.

 

Book Week

Next week is Book Week! On Wednesday we shall be having a visit from author Kristina Stephenson.

On Friday children are invited to come to school dressed up as their favourite book character. If possible, please bring in a copy of the book so that your child can talk about their character.

Also on Friday we are holding a book sale. Please bring in any books that you are happy to donate on Friday morning. Children will have the opportunity to buy a book for 50p.

If you are able to help us out running the sale for an hour or two on Friday morning then please speak to Miss Horsepool.

 

Internet Safety Day

Tuesday is Internet Safety Day. The children will be bringing home a competition consisting of a poster to decorate. We will have discussed aspects of Internet Safety in school with them. Please see the blog post on the main St Martins School page for more information.

 

School Closure Day

Just a reminder that we are closed on Monday 6th Feb for a staff training day.

 

Many thanks

Year 1 team

The children have been busy story telling this week and we have heard some fabulous new stories based on Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

In literacy next week we will begin to look at information texts. The children will be finding out facts about animals and creating their own information poster.

In numeracy we will be bringing together all the work which we have been doing on addition and subtraction by doing some problem solving work.

Parents Appointments

Thank you to those people who have already signed up for parents appointments. If you haven’t already done so, please could you click here to go to the website to sign up. If you are unable to do it online, please pop into the office and the office ladies will be able to book your appointment.

Book Week

Some advance notice that book week will be the week beginning Monday 6th February. During this week we will be meeting the author Kristina Stephenson who writes the Charlie Stinky Socks series. We have been reading these books in school and the children are really enjoying them. This is a link to the website if you would like to look at it with the children. http://www.sircharliestinkysocks.co.uk/author/. On the Friday on that week (10th February) children may come to school dressed up as their favourite story characters. They are welcome to bring in the book to share with the class if they would like.

We will also be having a book sale on Friday 10th February. If you have any books which you would like to donate for the sale, please bring them into school. We would also appreciate some help to set up and run the sale. If you are able to help, either for the whole morning or for an hour or two, please could you let your child’s teacher know.

Staff training day

Just a reminder that there is no school on Monday 6th February due to a staff training day.

Thank you for your support

The Year 1 team