Lower School Information

To ensure the best possible learning in Year 1 your child needs to arrive on time (8.50am) and attend school every day.

Please inform school immediately of the reason for any pupil absence.

Homework will be sent home on a Friday and should be returned the following Wednesday. It will consist of English, usually spellings of key words or spellings linked to the sounds they have been learning in phonics, and a piece of Maths work.  Again this will be linked to the Maths that has been taught that week. Please encourage your child to complete their homework carefully and as independently as possible, offering help and support when needed.

We believe that children should be encouraged to develop a love for reading throughout their time at our school.

Pupils who practise their reading regularly at home tend to make the most significant progress. Therefore every child will continue to take home a ‘Home Reader.’ Please try and read with your child every day and record this in his/her reading record. It is important to also question your child’s understanding of what they have read.  Books will be changed every Monday. Staff will aim to listen to your child read their home reading book once a week, during the first half term. In addition to this, your child will also read a book each day during their phonics group throughout the year. After the initial 1:1 reading at the beginning of the year, we will then move on to guided reading in class. During guided reading your child will read a book each day in a group and complete activities linked to this book over the week. Guided reading books stay in school, however we will continue to send home reading books which will be the same colour book band as the book they are reading in class.

In year 1 we will continue to follow the RWI phonics scheme, where we will continue to teach your child all the letter sounds, in order to support your child’s ability to read an increasing amount of words. We may send some words home over the year for your child to practice with you.  At the end of Year 1 all children take a National Phonics Screening test. During the test the children will be required to read 40 words, some are “real words” and some are “Alien words”. “Alien words” are not real words, but are made up of the letter sounds the children have learnt in RWI.

Your child will need a P.E kit: black shorts, white t-shirt and trainers/pumps. They will also need an outdoor P.E Kit. P.E lessons take place twice a week and we will let you know the days in September.

Children are provided with a fruit snack each morning in Year 1.

Please ensure your child is in full uniform at all times. The correct uniform is: burgundy  jumper/ cardigan, white shirt,  tie, black or grey skirt/trousers, black or grey  dress/ yellow summer dress and black shoes. Please ensure all items of clothing, especially jumpers, are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

We have a whole school behaviour system at Brentnall and the children collect dojos each day. These are linked to our school values and the children can receive dojos for success, respect and their learning each day.  If they build up enough dojos over the week they can attend the dojo treat on a Friday afternoon. If they do not achieve enough then they will stay in class during dojo time,that week.

This year there will be lots of exciting topics covering History, Geography,  computing Art and Design Technology.

History

• Toys
• Kings and Queens
• Travel & Transport

Geography

• Our school
• Wonderful Weather
• Our Country

Science

• Everyday Materials
• Seasonal changes
• Animals including humans
• Plants
• Scientists and Inventors

We also go out of school on a variety of visits over the year that are linked to our topics. We believe that they are an important part of learning and allow children to gain first hand experiences. Any payments for trips need to be paid on Parent pay please.