Welcome to Year One ParentTalk

1. Welcome to Year One ParentTalk

2. Year One Classes1TB – Miss Bowyer 1B - Miss Bhatt 1I - Miss Inniss

3. The Aims: • To have a better understanding of our curriculum. • To have a better understanding of how the teaching and learning takes place. • To understand how you can support your child at home.

4. Transition How we ensure a smooth transition from Reception to Year One. • In the summer term (July) the children visited Year One with their class teacher to help prepare them. • In year 1 we try a encompass some of the foundation stage teaching by having directed tasks which are run by an adult and free flow activities. In the afternoons activities are set out according to the other curriculum subjects.

5. Classroom Setting • The children are encouraged to contribute to their classroom setting so that they feel safe and secure in their surroundings. • In the first few weeks, class rules and a class charter were established and all children contributed to them. They are displayed in the classroom where the children can see them and remind themselves of them when the need arises.

6. Phonics • We have a daily phonics session every day. • We will have weekly sounds that we will focus on. The children will apply the knowledge learnt during phonics in their reading and writing. • We recap the previous sounds and words. • Learn new sounds and words. • We practise spelling and saying those sounds and words individually or with partners. • Lastly, we apply this knowledge through sentence work or games.

7. Speaking and Listening • Talk partners (during carpet sessions) • Partner work • Problem solving activities to promote talk • Creative thinking time opportunities • Circle games

8. Reading/Guided Reading • Strategies to use • Decoding texts • Reading for meaning • Substitution • Read regularly with your child. • Set aside quality time • Guided Reading and its benefits - allows for in-depth discussion of texts - opportunities to set targets - higher order thinking - share ideas/opinions with peers

9. Reading Bands • Pink • Red • Yellow • Blue • Green • Orange • Turquoise • Purple • Gold • White • Lime

10. Foundation Curriculum • As well as Maths and English we teach the Foundation Curriculum. • We encourage independent thinkers and learners in Year One. We provide opportunities to the children to express their passions and interests, which are then reflected in the teaching and learning. • The curriculum is tailored to suit the needs of the children.

11. Foundation Subjects • Science • Music • Geography • PSHEE • Art • Design & Technology • ICT • History • R.E

12. Handwriting • We follow a handwriting scheme and teach the children correct letter formation. • We use Nelson Handwriting – please see sheet for letter formations.

13. Homework • Homework will be given out weekly. • Homework will be sent out on a Friday and collected in every Wednesday. • Homework sent out will be linked to work set in class. • Allow your child to take responsibility of their own work. • Your child must bring his/her homework bag in Wednesday the following week.

14. Spellings • Spellings will be sent out each week. The test will be the following Friday. • Please help your child to practice these at home using the ‘read, cover, write, check’ strategy.

15. Helping at home… • Praising them for their effort- be quite specific when you can. • Reminding them to break the word down into their sounds. • Talking about the text and enjoying reading with them- perhaps a set time. The expectation is to read with your child every day- reading record. • Talking to them whilst they are doing their homework about what they are going to do before they write it- rehearse it and practise speaking in sentences. • Practising reading the HFW and tricky words- see phonics booklet given out.

16. Uniform • School colours- black, white and green • Clearly labelled • Plain black shoes (no lights) • No jewellery. • P.E kits ~ white t-shirts, black shorts, plimsolls- please encourage and support your child to change independently at home. • If your child wears a head scarf it should be plain.

17. Daily Exercise • 5 to10 minute exercise • Encourage children to think about their health. • Children should be doing 60 minutes of physical exercise a day. • The children have 2 PE sessions a week. Please ensure the children have the correct uniform.

18. Any suggestions on how we can provide you with more support?Any Questions?

19. Useful Websites • www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/phonics/ • mix of very good interactive games and worksheets covering most phonic phases. Recommend Sandcastle quiz for phase 3 and 5. • www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/literacy/ • a very good selection of interactive games focussing on phonics and sentence construction. Each is split into medium/hard/really hard and are short and fun. • www.ictgames.com/literacy.html • a great selection of games that link well with games in Letters and Sounds. • www.phonicsplay.co.uk • a selection of interactive games for all phonic phases. Mostly simple games. • www.northwood.org.uk/phonics • interactive games for a range of sounds. Each has a couple interactive games and a clever LCWC game. • On YouTube - Mr Thorne does Phonics – great videos for each of the sounds. • Geraldine the Giraffe – Fun videos for all the sounds.