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Year 1
Spring Term 2026
Welcome to the Spring term in Year 1. This term is our History topic where we will learn about The Victorian period. We will start off by looking our own family history. If you have any photographs of your child and their family as a baby/child, please feel free to send them into school. We are also planning a visit to The Victorian Classroom in Barnsley after half term.
We have launched the first few areas for our Opal Play project at lunchtime. We have a mud kitchen and a digging area on the field, as well as role play and small world areas. We also have a scooter section on the front playground. Children are welcome to bring their own scooters on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. They must have a helmet too. Children need to wear wellies if they are on the school field and it is a good idea to have waterproof trousers to protect them from the mud! Please look on the Opal Play page on our website for new information and photos.
Further information on our learning this term can be found on the Curriculum Matters. Click here.
We look forward to another exciting term of learning.
Key timetable times:
Wednesday and Thursday - PE. Children should come to school in school PE kit, velcro trainers and no jewellery.
Friday - In Autumn term 2, Spring term 2 and Summer term 2, Mrs Kirkwood will take the class for Forest School with a 6 week block..
Wednesday - Homework day. Please return phonics homework and ensure you have filled in their Reading Record books. Spelling tests will also take place on a Wednesday.
Friday - Please return their library book so a new one can be chosen.
Timetable
Click here to view our timetable this term. The Maths, English and topic sessions will also incorporate 'COOL' time (Choose Our Own Learning).
Our class
Class teachers - Mrs Christie (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)
Mrs Barker (Thursday, Friday)
This term, children will complete more tasks as a whole class. Some small group work will still take place at the tables whilst some children are accessing the class provision.
We have a home corner, reading area, construction, outdoor space, small world, writing, DT and Maths areas. The children can access these areas independently and are resourced to enhance and continue their learning. The children are set 5 challenges each week and can put a coloured spot on their ladybird for each challenge completed.
Reminders
Please remember that the morning snack should be fresh or dried fruit and vegetables and only and water to drink. If you are sending your child in with their own snack, please make sure it is not any other kind of snack or drink. There is fresh fruit available in school every day.
Please make sure that book bags, jumpers, cardigans, wellies etc are all labelled.
Book bags are preferable instead of rucksacks. This is due to the storage space available.
Please read with your child as many times as possible each week, the minimum should be 3 or 4 times per week. It is beneficial to read the same book 2 or 3 times in the the earlier book bands to improve decoding skills, fluency and comprehension. Fill in the reading record when they have read to you as this will go toward their Reading reward chart.
All children will have a set of word cards. You can cut this up and learn a few at a time. A few minutes every day will help increase their word recognition. The words they know link to the reading band they are on. You can also ask your child how to spell the words they are learning.
Please continue to practise handwriting. We are encouraging children to use printed letter formation.
Useful links
High Frequency words - spelling list
Letter formation practise set 1
Letter formation practise set 2