Dolphins & Puffins

Welcome to Year 1!

The teaching staff in Year One are Mrs Theobald (Puffins) and Mrs Bawden & Mrs Collins-Pratt(Dolphins). They are supported by Mrs Jeffery, Miss Major, Mrs James and Miss Johnson-Powell . If you ever have any questions or need to speak to one of us please don't hesitate.

Routines

As the children enter Year 1 they are expected to walk up the ramp and enter the classrooms on their own. A member of staff will be ready to greet them each morning and help them, but we will encourage the children to become as independent as possible. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate parents, buggies, and/or siblings in the cloakrooms so we greatly appreciate your support in sending them into class on their own.

The most notable difference between Year 1 and Year R is the amount of free-flow activity. Inside, they will have the opportunity to complete increasing numbers of ‘must-do’  activities in class as they progress through the first half term. These will link specifically to the learning objectives in the Year 1 curriculum.

At the beginning of the year we work hard to ensure the transition is a gradual one and that the children are fully prepared to spend more time inside learning.

Children in Year 1 will have designated playtimes in the morning with children in Year 2 and will have other opportunities to be outside during the day.

Reading

We aim for Year 1 pupils to have the opportunity to read daily, both in school through whole class and guided group teaching, and at home with individual reading books. They will bring a reading book home with them and we ask for you to write the title of the book on their bookmark and initial beside it to say your child has read . The book that will be sent home with your child will be at their secure reading level and we will challenge with a higher reading level in school. Your child’s book will not be changed unless it has been read at home with an adult. As the children’s reading improves the length of their books may increase. Please do not feel you must read the entire book! Read a few pages each night and continue  signing the card as normal. When the book is finished the child will be allowed to change it themselves.

Water Bottles

Please ensure that you send a water bottle in with your child each day. These must be clearly named and contain only water. Your child may bring the bottle home daily or can leave it in school and change their water using school facilities. It is really important that the children are well hydrated throughout the school day at all times of year, not just in the summer.

PE

Please ensure your child has a named PE kit with them in school. We have P.E on a Wednesday (inside) and a Thursday (outside) every week. We go outside in all weathers so during colder times of year please provide your child with appropriate clothing such as jumpers and jogging bottoms to keep them warm. If your child attends an after school club such as Zumba or football please send in a separate kit for those clubs. This will ensure your child always has a PE kit and also minimises the chances of the kits being lost throughout the school! If your child has pierced ears please remove earrings on these days or send in a safe box for them to be able to store them after removing themselves.  Please be advised that if your child cannot remove their own earrings, they may be unable to attend PE on this day.  Children with long hair will also need to have this tied up on P.E days.

Please ensure you label your child’s uniform and kit clearly!

Snack

School provides free fruit/vegetables for the children at playtimes; however if you wish to provide your child with an alternative snack it must be a fruit or vegetable. Any other form of snack (breakfast biscuits/chocolate/crisps) are not acceptable and the children will be asked not to eat them.