Year 1

Welcome To Year 1!

Home Reading

This year we are starting to allocate home reading books online. These books are exciting and fun and help children practise their phonics sounds that they are learning in school. The books are both fiction and non-fiction books. Every child has their own login so can they can access the reading at home!

Year 1 R.E

This half term we are thinking about Jesus Was Special in R.E. This week we have been learning about the miracle of The Calming of The Storm. We listened to the story and thought about a time when we have been scared just like the disciples were. Here are some pictures of our work.

Year 1 English

In our English lessons we are planning our own version of Handa’s Surprise. Today we drew our new story map including all of our changes to the story.

Year 1 Geography

In Geography this term we are learning about Seasonal and Local weather. We have learned the four countries of the United Kingdom and talked about the weather in different parts of the U.K. We have predicted the weather and dressed Barnaby Bear for the weather we could see outside our classroom window.

Worship

Following the celebrations of Christmas we are marking the period of Epiphany. This is the part of the church calendar that remembers the gifts from the three wise men to Jesus. KS1 focused on the gift of gold which symbolises Jesus’ role as king. The children thought about what gift they would give to Jesus.

Join us in class every Monday at 3pm for story time. Please come in through the playground, we will open the gate at 3pm. (Unfortunately, due to current circumstances we have had to put this session on hold for now).

PE

P.E is every Tuesday. Please make sure your child has a full P.E kit in school, we will send it home at the end of every half term to wash.

Active Maths

Active Maths is every Tuesday afternoon with Mrs Mountain.

We have two Letters and Sounds lessons every day that are 20 minutes long. We are concentrating on learning a new set of sounds each week. Ask your child which sounds they are learning this week.

Labelling Belongings

Class Dojo

We use Class Dojo as our main form of communication across nursery and school. All you need to do is download the app on your smartphone or tablet, and type in the code we have given you. Please check Class Dojo on a regular basis so that you don’t miss any news or information. We also have a class page that we update regularly, showing you all of the fun things we get up to in class!

Attendance and Punctuality

At Darwen St James our aim is to promote good attendance and punctuality in partnership with parents and carers in Early Years, ensuring that good habits are formed early. At the moment Year 1 begins at 9.05am, with breakfast club starting at 8.50am in the hall. It is vital that your child arrives on time and ready to learn. If your child is unwell, please contact the office on 01254 703260 to let us know. Please try and arrange appointments around the school day when possible. If your child does have an appointment during school time, please bring their letter or appointment card into the school office.

Worship Through Celebration

Every Friday at 9.20 am we have our online worship through celebration to celebrate the pupils’ achievements throughout the week. All parents/carers will be invited to join us once the restrictions are lifted. Certificates and a green jumper are awarded to pupils from each class to recognise an outstanding achievement that week. We also clap and cheer for anyone who has had a birthday, which is great fun. We hear about the children who have been representing school in sport or music or any special events and we also hear about children who do activities outside of school like dancing or lifesaving. We also see which class has gathered the most Class Dojo points and who has had the highest attendance. There is lots of cheering and clapping at Our worship through celebration. We have a lot to celebrate here at Darwen St James!