Wow, what an extremely busy term it has been! It has been full of fun, festivities and plenty of celebrations!

In Maths, we have been learning about place value up to 10, addition and subtraction within 10 and we have also explored 2D and 3D shapes along with repeating patterns. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our class novel this term, The BFG, it has sparked lots of interesting discussions, play and imaginative ideas. 

In Science, we have been learning all about animals. We have explored the five vertebrate groups-fish, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and investigated which animals are herbivores, carnivores and omnivores. We have also been talking about autumn, going on a welly walk to observe the seasonal changes and creating our own autumnal trees using fallen leaves.

In Geography, we have been exploring the United Kingdom. We have learnt about the four countries that make up the UK, looked at physical and human features across the country and finished by comparing London to Somerset, 

In RE, we discussed the Christian Christmas story, thinking about the gifts that were given to Jesus and why these would have been meaningful in Bethlehem. In PSHE, we have been celebrating differences. We explored similarities and differences, discussed what bullying is and identified trusted adults in our lives. 

We have also enjoyed lots of exciting experiences and events this term. The children had their first visit to Midsomer Norton Library, where they listened to stories and each chose their own book. We attended the church for our carol service, we went on our first school trip of the year to watch Peter Pan at the pantomime, we had a Christmas party, enjoyed the craft morning with our grown-ups and loved taking part in our EYFS and KS1 Christmas show, Lights, Camel, Action! And, of course, we had a very special visit from Father Christmas himself!

We have had a wonderfully busy and joyful term, the children have achieved so much and have had great fun along the way. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas break and am looking forward to lots more learning and adventures in the new year!

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!