Welcome to Year 1!

English & Maths

During English and Maths we plan work to meet the needs of all children based on the English and Maths Curriculum.

In English we use a Talk for Writing approach. At the heart of this is vocabulary. Children internalise story and text language and structures through imitating the model text. Children learn to apply new learning, grammar and vocabulary when innovating or inventing their own stories, poems or nonfiction writing. They write for a variety of purposes. Children learn to use what they have learned in English and apply this across different curriculum subjects. For more information visit https://www.williamaustininfants.co.uk/english/

In Maths we use a Mastery approach. During Maths children learn a range of skills including counting and number skills, calculations, shape and measure. Children use a range of equipment such as dienes, ten frames, place value charts, cubes, counters, number lines and hundred squares. They are also taught different recording methods for addition and subtraction which can be found in the school’s ‘Calculation Policy’. In Year 1 the children are taught to multiply and divide through grouping and sharing. Children do additional Maths Mastery each week. For more information visit https://www.williamaustininfants.co.uk/maths/

Reading

Children are heard to read in school twice a week. Your child will then bring this book home on a Friday to share with you over the weekend. Please sign their Reading Record and write a comment so staff know they have shared the book with you. Children are expected to bring their book back to school on the Monday ready for their next book. For more information about reading please visit https://www.williamaustininfants.co.uk/reading/

Library

All children use the school library each week to select a new library book which is chosen by the children to reflect their interests and enjoyment. These books are designed to be 'sharing' books that you can read to or with your children. These books are to be looked after : please do not allow younger brothers and sisters to play with them. Any loss or damage will need to be paid for before your child can borrow another book.

Please see below for your child's class Library day:

                                        Monday         Pine

                                        Tuesday         Beech

                                        Wednesday   Willow

                                        Thursday        Oak

PE Information

Your child will have PE twice a week but they only need to come into school wearing their PE kit on the day listed below. Children will need to wear a white T shirt and dark leggings or tracksuit bottoms, but please ensure that they have elasticated ankles for safety reasons. Children will also need to wear plimsolls. Please try and avoid shoes with laces if your child is unable to tie them. 

Homework

Homework is set weekly to be completed on Google Classroom.  Currently the children have Topic based homework, Maths and Phonics. Homework is set on a Friday and is due in on the following Wednesday. 

Creative Curriculum

Within Year 1 the children have the opportunity to learn through a creative approach. The children learn about a new topic each half term. At the beginning of each topic the children have the opportunity to share what they already know about a topic and express what they would like to learn. The children experience a range of activities which enable all children to achieve.

Autumn 1st: My World and School

Autumn 2nd: Changes and Patterns

Spring 1st: Travel and Transport 

Spring 2nd: United Kingdom

Summer 1st: Animals

Summer 2nd: Growth 

Birthday Books

We often get requests from parents asking if they can bring sweets into school to celebrate their child’s birthday. As a healthy eating school our policy is that we do not support the sharing of sweets.

However, we do recognise that birthdays are an important event in the lives of the children at our school, and they enjoy sharing their celebrations with their school friends.  We always make a fuss about each child’s birthday in school, and this will continue, but for those who would like to share something with their friends in school each class has a ‘Birthday Book’ corner.

If you wanted to celebrate your child’s birthday with their school friends, you could purchase a book for their classroom’s Birthday Book corner. The book you purchase can be enjoyed by your child and their classmates all year round. We will even put a special Birthday Book label in the book to mark your child’s birthday, and the gift you have bought for the class!  

For more details, and information on your child's class Birthday Book wish list on Amazon, please click below...

Class contact information:

To contact your child's Class teacher directly please use the relevant email address below:

For Beech Class email:  beech@williamaustininfants.co.uk

For Oak Class email:  oak@williamaustininfants.co.uk

For Pine Class email:  pine@williamaustininfants.co.uk

For Willow Class email:  willow@williamaustininfants.co.uk

Click on the link below to take you to the Home Learning page.