A super start to a new half term.

Firstly, thank you for making the morning and home time routine flow so efficiently. I really appreciate how thoughtful you have been, following the new lining up by the side gate system. At last it is good to see children being able to come into school at the same time.

The children have been full of energy and enthusiasm this week. We’ve being further exploring the properties of 2 D shape with a focus on curved and straight edges.

Our new genre for English is ‘Narrative’. The book we are looking at is a story called the ‘Magic Porridge Pot’. We have been learning the story by reading it, saying it out loud and adding actions to help us to remember it.

Topic lessons this week have been focused on Healthy Eating, the children selected items to make up a healthy meal and we’re very sensible with their choices.

Spelling tests went well today. Some children do need extra support to learn their words, please provide them with the time, as it means a lot to them when they get full marks. In phonics we’ve been learning about the trigraph (three letters making one sound) ‘igh’.  The spelling words to learn this week are (light, night, right, bright and might).

If you have any issues accessing Hwb or bug club please let me know and I will endeavour to resolve the issue. The books are on auto renew however, if all of the books in a particular band are read we’ll need to manually adjust the band level. Please keep me posted if you need new books in that instance, I can’t emphasise enough how important reading is to the children.

There is a letter being sent out today about the Christmas concert. Once again, this year the concert will be filmed and available on DVD. The concert is ‘Children of the World.’ Year 1 are representing China and the children will need to wear traditional Chinese style costumes. In class we’ll be making Chinese lanterns and a hat for each child to wear, I hope this helps. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.

Some of you may already know that Mrs Deering is leaving us this week to pursue a new adventure. She has been absolutely fantastic with the children and a valued colleague to all at Alltwen Primary School. Good luck, Mrs Deering.

We have a new member of the team, Mrs Doolwela, who has already made a positive impact to our class. I know that Mrs Doolwela will add a lot of value to the children’s learning experience.

Stay safe tonight if you’re having a Bonfire night celebration and have a great weekend.

Kind regards

Miss Hughes, Miss Merson, Mrs Deering and Mrs Doolwela

The end of an extremely busy half term.

In maths this week we’ve been looking at Symmetry which the children were fully engaged with.

In English lessons we have been focusing on sentence structure, using a capital letter at the start of a sentence, finger spaces in between words and a full stop at the end. We have also made sure that we sit the words on the line. It would be great if you could support the children with this at home. We are starting to use coordinating conjunctions ‘and’, ‘but’ e.g. The cat sat on the mat and was purring. The party was fun but I was tired.

This week in phonics we have focused on the digraph ‘ee’. I have given 5 new spellings this week (sleep, sweet, sheep, tree, speed), which can be found on J2e. It would be good if you can make sentences at home using the spellings each week.

A big thank you for sending the children in with such fantastic and imaginative costumes for our Halloween party yesterday. The children had lots of fun throughout the day.

I hope you all have an enjoyable half term.

Kind regards

Miss Hughes, Miss Merson and Mrs Deering

Hi All

In maths this week we’ve been looking at 2 dimensional shape (2D shape). We have been using language such as corner and sides to describe circles, squares, rectangles and triangles. We also made beautiful pictures of robots and houses using 2D shapes. The children are becoming shape detectives; maybe you can look for shapes at home and when you’re out and about. There are many different shapes all around us.

During English lessons we’ve been looking at words that rhyme and writing our shape poems about autumn leaves. The children created some beautiful poems which we shared with the whole class.

This week in phonics we have focused on the digraph (where two letters make one sound) ‘ai’. I have given 5 new spellings this week (sail, tail, train, chain, snail), which can be found on J2e. Once again, it would be a great idea if you can make sentences at home using the spellings each week.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Best wishes

Miss Hughes, Miss Merson and Mrs Deering

 

The end of another busy week.

In maths this week we’ve been looking at more than (+) and less than (-). It would be great if you can reinforce the learning at home. Use your fingers to ask what is one more than 5? , one less than 6? etc and write the corresponding number sentence to represent the sum e.g. 5+1=6, 6-1=5. I have also put a maths activities on J2e this week.

During English lessons we’ve been looking at similes, using ‘as’ and ‘like’ to describe autumn leaves, e.g. The leaf was as yellow as a lemon. The leaf was crunchy like a cornflake. This is something you can do verbally together and if you’ve got time, ask the children to write down the sentences.

We have completed our science investigation about variation in hand spans and concluded that hands spans are different. In Year 1 the hand spans range from 10-15 centimetres. We have created a whole class pictogram which we have in our books and a bar chart as a classroom  display.

This week in phonics we have focused on the digraphs (where two letters make one sound) th and ng. I have given 5 new spellings this week (moth, bath, path, ring, sing), which can be found on J2e. Once again, it would be a great idea if you can make sentences at home using the spellings each week.

Have a great weekend.

Best wishes

Miss Hughes, Miss Merson and Mrs Deering

This week has been full of lovely learning.

In maths we’ve been looking at doubles up to 10 and 20, e.g. 1+1=2, 5+5=10, 7+7=14 etc. Once again, this is something you can do at home together with blocks and cubes, taking time to write down the corresponding number sentence. I have put two maths activities on J2e this week, I hope the children enjoy them.

During English lessons we’ve had a go at writing sentences about the leaves we have collected using adjectives (describing words) and the conjunction ‘and’. If you could write sentences at home together describing things around the home or garden that would be very helpful, e.g. The bear is brown and soft.  The leaf is red and crunchy.

We have continued our science investigation, measured our hands in cm and are creating a table of results to help us show our findings in a pictogram.

The spelling tests went well today, it is lovely to see the children getting good results as a result of their hard work at home. Some children may need a little extra time at home, please provide them with it, to ensure they do well. It means a lot to them when they get things right. I have given 5 new spellings this week (ship, fish, shop, shut, cash), which can be found on J2e. Once again, it would be a great idea if you can make sentences at home using the spellings each week e.g. The shop was shut. As you write sentences together remember to focus on a capital letter at the start on a sentence, finger spaces in between words and a full stop at the end of the sentence. If your child is reversing their letters remind them to have another look and model how to write the letter correctly.

If you’re unable to access Hwb using the logins please don’t hesitate to ask for help. It is important that the children can access the books on bug club and the maths games on J2e.

I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend.

Very best wishes

Miss Hughes, Miss Merson and Mrs Deering

This week we’ve been continuing our Autumn investigations and creating a word bank to support our shape poem writing in literacy.

In maths we’ve been focusing on addition and creating number sentences to make amounts e.g.  6+4=10. This is something that can also be reinforced at home. If you have blocks, buttons, beads or even breakfast cereal, give your child 10 items, count them together and discuss how many different ways you can make 10. Separate the 10 items into two groups and record the number sentence. Explore how many different number sentences you can make together, e.g. 4+6=10, 5+5=10 etc… You can build this up in time, using 20 items or more.

The children have completed their self-portraits and produced some very pleasing work which will be displayed in the classroom. It was wonderful to see the children really trying their best as they considered their facial features using mirrors to assist them with their work.

During Science we have been further investigating the differences between humans and discussing ways we can measure the differences in human beings. The children are going to investigate hand span sizes and explore the variation using measure in cm.

The spelling tests went well today, the children really enjoy being challenged and showing how clever they are. I have given 5 spellings to the children this week (quack, quick, duck, clock, chick), which can be found on J2e. There will be a spelling test each Friday. Once again, it would be a great idea if you can make sentences at home using the spellings each week e.g. The duck was quick. As you write sentences together remember to focus on a capital letter at the start on a sentence, finger spaces in between words and a full stop at the end of the sentence. If your child is reversing their letters remind them to have another look and model how to write the letter correctly. The spellings this week will reinforce our work on the digraphs (where two letters make one sound), qu and ck.

It’s really important to get the children used to sitting down at a desk and having a go at writing sentences. Ten minutes a day would be a great start, although I’m sure many of you already do more. The transition from Reception to Year 1 would be easier for the children if they can get used to sitting down and completing a task.

I really appreciate the support you give your children with their learning, as I’ve said before I believe that the children’s learning is a partnership between teacher and parent. If you have any questions or queries about the children’s learning please don’t hesitate to ask.

The children’s Hwb logins were issued this week, please use bug club as a resource, it really is a fun way for the children to learn.

Have a lovely weekend.

Kind regards

Miss Hughes, Miss Merson and Mrs Deering

It’s the end of a very busy second week. The first week was all about settling into new routines and a time for assessment to ensure I know where each child in the class is with their learning journey.

I would like to say that I’m delighted to be teaching Year 1 and that I believe the children’s learning is a partnership between the teacher and parent. If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to ask.

At this stage it is really important to keep a focus on the alphabet and recognising the letter name and the letter sound. Letter sounds help the children with their reading and writing skills. Bug club is a lovely resource to use at home too.

Please also reinforce the children’s ability to recognise numbers from 0-20 and understand their position in a number line, also helping your child to write the numbers without reversal, is useful.

The children are eager to learn at this age and will be happy to show you how clever they can be.

I have sent out the termly overview, this will explain what Year 1 will be learning.

This week we’ve been sharing information that we already know about Autumn and creating a spider gram. We’ve also been Autumn explorers in the field looking for the signs of change linked with this season. We have collected an array of leaves which will help us to create a word bank of adjectives to support us as we write shape poems about leaves.

In maths we’ve been focusing on number and place value. We have also been using ordinal numbers in our number story ‘The Quangle Wangle’s hat.’

We have been portrait artists too. As part of our theme ‘Me’ we have been studying the features of our face and created a portrait of our friend in class in preparation for the children to create a self-portrait using a medium of their choice. I’m really looking forward to displaying their self-portraits in the classroom.

During Science we have been investigating variation and discussed the differences between humans and animals. We’ve learned that humans are mammals and we are exploring the many differences between human beings.

I have given 5 spellings to the children this week (Jim, jam, win, wet, van), which can be found on J2e. There will be a spelling test each Friday. It would be a great idea if you can make sentences at home using the spellings each week e.g. Jim got wet so he sat in the van. Focusing on a capital letter at the start on a sentence, finger spaces in between words and a full stop at the end of the sentence.

Have a great weekend!

Kind regards

Miss Hughes, Miss Merson and Mrs Deering

Fractions fun for everyone, sharing things into equal parts has been our maths focus this week. This is a concept that can often be confusing for children but if you can reinforce their learning at home over the Christmas period by sharing festive food into equal parts e.g., Yule log, Christmas cake, Pizza or Sprouts, that would be great. The children did show a good understanding in class and I’m sure they would be pleased to show off their knowledge at home. Applying knowledge in a practical everyday setting is an excellent way to consolidate previous learning.
Yesterday, we finished our work on narrative, the children showcased their new story writing skills, including the use of direct speech to create the most wonderful stories. As a Teacher it is very pleasing to see the progression they have shown since September.
Our Science investigation on Forces was fascinating. Subject specific vocabulary included gravity, air resistance, propulsion and friction. The children investigated which material would be the best to use when making a parachute, they tested 3 different types of material, cotton, cardboard and plastic. Please ask them to explain the results and their conclusion, they are all very good young scientists.
It has been announced today that the school term finishes on Monday. It would be lovely if the children could wear their Christmas jumpers once more for our last day of term. I’m looking forward to our last day together and hope to have the chance to enjoy some seasonal fun to celebrate what has been an incredibly busy term with lots of lovely learning.
It has been my very great pleasure to teach Year 4 and thanks to all of you for your help and support at home. The children’s learning is certainly a partnership between the teacher and parent. I know Mrs Lloyd is excited to get back in January and I look forward to teaching the class on Friday’s.
On Tuesday I will share some home learning activities on Hwb to ensure the children have work to complete until the end of the week.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Safe New Year!

Miss H Hughes

This week Silent Night was performed to perfection, DVD’s are available for purchase and we hope you enjoy the Christmas celebrations we have recorded. We had a lot of fun doing our part and rumour has it that there is also a section of the DVD devoted to the staff dancing in front of a pink Christmas tree. A must-see experience which will raise a smile I’m sure. Thank you for helping us to look great on the day, the Christmas jumpers were fantastic.
Mrs Lloyd came to visit us on Wednesday and helped the children create Christmas cards on j2e which was a lovely way to send a special message to friends.
This week our maths focus has been on halving and doubling 2 and 3-digit numbers. The children worked well and have shown a good understanding. Ask them to show you how to do it at home, they’re very good.
Our work on narrative continues, the children have also completed a reading comprehension linked to our text, ‘To the Edge of the World’. We were looking for verbs and adverbs in the text, maybe this is something you can do at home when reading together. Other ideas when reading together at home to improve reading comprehension could include asking questions when the children read. Ask them to describe the character and setting using adjectives. Discuss what the characters may be thinking at a particular point in the story. Talk about alternative endings. Then ask them to write about their favourite character in the story or write a short book review. These are lovely activities to complete on a regular basis and this will certainly improve your child’s reading, comprehension and writing skills.
It has been another busy week but thoroughly enjoyable. It is an absolute pleasure to teach Year 4, they are really fantastic, enthusiastic and hardworking young people.
Stay warm and have fun this weekend.
Kind regards
Miss H Hughes and Mrs Evans

Friday 27th November 2020

We had a wonderful ‘Blitz Day’ yesterday. It was amazing to see the children dressed up, it really was like taking a step back in time. Spam sandwiches and jam tarts were the stars of the show. The children really have gained a good understanding of what life was like during WW2 over the course of our studies and it was lovely to be able to celebrate their work. Thank you for all of your support at home enabling them to enter into the party spirit by dressing them in costume from the era.

Also, many thanks for your support today. It’s very generous of you all to support the cancer charity fundraiser; I’m sure the money raised will make a difference.

Column subtraction has been our focus in maths. This week the children have put their knowledge of place value and subtraction to good use and have done well to solve mathematical problems.

In English the children have been creating story maps about our class story ‘To the Edge of the World’. They have also been using Pie Corbett actions to retell it and it was an absolute joy to see them fully engaged as a whole class. They really are fantastic young people.

Next week we’ll be recording our song as part of the whole school Christmas concert. Their Christmas jumpers look amazing and rehearsals have been going well. I hope that you will enjoy their performance which will be available to watch on the DVD.

We were once again blessed to have Mrs Lloyd join us on Monday and Thursday. She dressed up with us on Thursday and really does cut a delicious spam sandwich!

Have a great weekend.

Kind regards

Miss H Hughes and Mrs Evans