Year One 2023 - 2024
WELCOME TO YEAR ONE!!!
Ms. Sargent and I are absolutely delighted to be teaching your beautiful children this year!! They have settled in excellently and are eager and willing to learn!! Praise God!!
We have sent your child home with a reading pack containing a phonics reading book and 2 other books to enjoy alongside it. This will be their homework. Reading is a NON-NEGOTIABLE. Please take the time to read with your child every day as this will be the key to their success in reading and writing. When you read with them ask them questions about the story because their understanding of what is happening is crucial to their development and progression. It's not about just being able to read the words. It's about reading with understanding. Make their reading experience enriching by making it as fun as possible. Be creative! You may want to make something together based upon the story and take photos of it! (You could even stick them in their homework book if you like!). Every time you read with your child please sign and write a comment in their reading record. This will be the evidence of how often your child is reading at home.
In their reading pack is also a blue homework book. Homework in this book is NOT compulsory but it would be so beneficial if your child could practise writing some of the words from their phonics books so that they become familiar with the words to read and write them correctly. They could even write a SHORT sentence or two to support their sentence structure. If they do this make sure that they are doing 3 things — putting a capital letter at the beginning, a full stop at the end and a finger space after each word. I will be looking in their homework books just to see if they have done anything so I can praise their efforts but like I said it is not compulsory so please do not force your children to do it. I want their learning to be fun, not a laborious chore!!!
In the coming weeks you will be receiving more information about the curriculum but just a few things to start with:-
- PE is on Wednesdays and Fridays. Please could you ensure that your child is wearing his/her P.E. kit on those days.
- Please look after the books we send home and don't lose them. They are very expensive!
- Ensure that your child is in school for 8.55am when the bell goes as we need to quickly do the register in time to begin phonics at 9.10am
- If your child is having school meals and you pre-order this could you discuss with your child which meal option he/she would like when you are making your choices. Very often parents choose for their children and they don't like what has been chosen for them. Your children
work very hard all morning and look forward to eating something they like at lunchtime!
I hope I have not bombarded you too much with information!! If you would like to ask us anything please do!! Our door is always open!!!
We are looking so forward to the year ahead! Please step on board and journey with us as we help your children to achieve their personal best!!
Kindest regards,
Maria Hackman — Year 1 teacher
Claire Sargent — Year 1 teaching assistant
Janet Lee - Year 1 teaching assistant
Useful Websites
These websites will help us with our work throughout the year.