Birch Class

Year 1

Miss Brown

2025-2026

Summer

Welcome to Year 1 and our class page! Hopefully you will find our class page useful. On our class page we have details of our topics for this term as well as other useful information about Year 1 and websites that we use to help our learning. We love to share what we learn in school every day via Facebook, so please head over to our school Facebook to see what we have been up to. Here's to a great half term!

Miss Brown

What will we be learning about this term?

English

Summer 1- We will be looking at books by a similar author, letters  and poems on a theme. Some text stimulus include: Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (plus other texts by this author), Toby and the Great Fire of London by Margaret Nash and poetry linked to topic learning.

Summer 2- We will be looking at classic contemporary fiction, information texts and traditional poems: A.A. Milne. Some text stimulus include: The Hodgeheg by Dick King-Smith  and Information texts linked to topics.

Maths Y1

Multiplication and division, Fractions, Place and direction, Place Value (Within 100), money and time.

Summer 1- Thematic study Big question: How should we care for the world and for others, and why does it matter? Summer 2- Thematic study Big question- What makes some places sacred to believers?

Science

Summer 1- We will be learning how to identify plants, observing how plants change through time and using the correct scientific vocabulary when working with them.

Summer 2- We will be exploring a range of scientists and inventors, diving deeper into their work.

History

Summer 1- We are focussing on events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally- specifically The Great Fire of London and The Great Fire of Gateshead.

Geography

Summer 2- We will be looking into seas and coasts.

Art

Summer 1- Within Art we will be exploring super sculptures as well as local artists which have had an impact in this field.

Summer 2- We will be exploring Textiles and joining material together.

Summer 1:

-Dance

-Games

Summer 2:

-Athletics

-Games

PSHE/RSE

Summer 1- Relationships

Summer 2- Changing me

Computing

Summer 1- Maze explorers and animated stories

Summer 2- Coding and tech outside the school

Music

Charanga

Signing to music with Mrs White

Key information

Arrival and collection

Our arrival time each morning is 8.45am and we leave at 3.15pm.

What to bring to school

Children should bring a bag to school each day. The children should bring in a water bottle which they will take home each day as well as their packed lunch (if they do not receive a school lunch). They can also bring in their own hand gel if they wish. They do not need any other equipment such as pencil cases, stationary etc as they will have everything they need at their own desk.

PE days

Our PE days are Tuesday and Thursday

We will also have Forest School on a Friday

On these days, the children should come into school wearing their PE kit. They do not need to bring in their normal school uniform to get changed into, they will just stay in their PE kit all day. As the vast majority of our PE needs to take place outdoors, they should wear their normal PE t-shirt and a tracksuit/appropriate sports clothing that is suitable for all weather.

Homework

Reading

Supporting your child with reading:

Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their reading journey by continuing their practice at home.
There are two types of reading book that your child may bring home:
A reading practice book. This will be at the correct phonic stage for your child. They should be able to read this fluently and independently and will have already read this with an adult at school. This will be available via the online system and changed weekly.
A sharing book. Your child will not be able to read this on their own. This book is for you both to read and enjoy together.

Spelling/Phonics

Your child will learn and practise their spellings within their phonics sessions. Any additional work will be sent home to help your child to practice their phonetical skills.

Your child will take part in spelling practice 5x per week as part of their daily phonics sessions. Alongside phonics, they will also learn and practice the year 1 common exception words.

The websites below are a great way to practise common exception words at home in a fun way.

www.ictgames.com/mobilePage/spookySpellings/index.html

www.ictgames.com/littleBirdSpelling

PhonicsPlay

Maths

Number Bonds and Times tables (2x,5x,10x) practice 3x per week. Suggested websites and apps to help to practise times tables include:

www.timestables.co.uk

www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button