What a fantastic first term Year 1 has had! The children have settled into new routines brilliantly and shown great maturity and independence as they have adapted to life in Key Stage 1. They have embraced challenges with enthusiasm, worked well together and have demonstrated a real love of learning. 

This term in English, we have continued with Drawing Club, exploring a variety of exciting texts including WANTED!, Tiddler, Oi Cat, The Lion Inside and Dick Whittington. The children have been practising writing with finger spaces, forming letters on the lines and identifying capital letters. We have also been learning letter names alongside their sounds. A highlight of the term was reading our first class chapter book, Harry the Poisonous Centipede, which we thoroughly enjoyed. 

In Maths, we have focused on place value within 10 and have now started addition and subtraction within 10. Children have been using part-whol models, bar models, number lines and number tracks to support their learning. They have also been writing number sentences to develop confidence in calculating and reasoning. 

In History, we have had great fun learning about Mary Anning and fossils. We began by digging for fossils in the sand and explored her discoveries, including the ichthyosaur and plesiosaur. The children were fascinated by her contributions to science and history!

In Science, we have been learning about the human body and how each part has an important role. Building on knowledge we learnt in Reception, we explored the heart, lungs, ribs, skull and brain. We also investigated our five senses through hands-on activities, which the children really enjoyed. 

In Art, we have studied Paul Klee and how he uses lines and shapes in his work. The children created their own portraits, experimenting with shapes, lines and colour. 

In RE, we have explored Christian beliefs about God, learning about creation and the concept of agape. In PSHE, we created a class charter, discussed good learning behaviours and choices and reflected on achievements, helping us to understand the importance of a positive learning environment. 

It has been a busy start to the year already but I am thoroughly looking forward to all the excitement next term brings - especially the festive activities!