Birch Class

Year 1

Miss Brown

2025-2026

Spring

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

Within English this term we will be focussing on playing with language as well as looking at stories in a familiar setting. Our text stimulus include:

Oi! Get off my Train! and The Magic Bed all by John Burningham, Dogs don’t do Ballet by Anna Kemp, Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett and Toby and the Great Fire of London by Margaret Nash.

Maths Y1

Place Value (within 20), Addition and Subtraction (within 20), Place Value (within 50), Length and Height, Mass and Volume

Spring 1- Judaism Big question: Who is Jewish and how do they live? Spring 2- Christianity (Salvation) Big question- Why does Easter matter to Christians?

Science

Spring 1- We will be learning about seasonal changes, observing weather and how the environment changes throughout the year.

Spring 2- We will be identifying and naming a variety of animals, including humans, and learn about their basic features.

History

We are focussing on the lives of significant individuals from the past, including Florence Nightingale, who have contributed to national and international achievements.

Art

Spring 1- Within Art we will be exploring Earth Art, creating artwork inspired by the world around us.

Spring 2- We will be learning how to prepare fruit and vegetables, using simple tools safely to make healthy food.

Spring 1:

-Gymnastics

-Games

Spring 2:

-Dance

-Games

PSHE/RSE

Spring 1- Dreams and goals

Spring 2- Healthy me

Computing

Spring 1- Grouping and sorting and pictograms

Spring 2- Lego builders and maze explorers

Music

Charanga

Signing to music with Mrs White

Key information

Arrival and collection

Our arrival time each morning is between 8.45am and 9:00am 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 Wednesday

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