Class 4: Blog items

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Date: 25th Feb 2026 @ 4:03pm

🌟 Year 1 Weekly Blog 🌟

Year 1 have had a fantastic first week back at school and have absolutely loved starting our new topic – Castles! 🏰

We are very lucky to have our own castle in the classroom, and the children have been busy using it to roleplay castle life. We’ve had kings, queens, knights and guards bringing our topic to life through imaginative play and storytelling.

📚 English

In English, we have been reading The Kiss That Missed. The children have really enjoyed the story! We have acted out different scenes and used freeze-framing to explore key moments. The children have drawn wonderful story maps and practised retelling the story to their friends.

🔢 Maths

In Maths, we have been recognising 2-digit numbers up to 100. We have practised ordering numbers and identifying which numbers are greater than and less than others. We have also been learning to use the greater than (>) and less than (<) signs correctly.

We watched a Numberblocks episode featuring Blockzilla to help us understand these concepts. The children might enjoy watching this again at home to show you what they have been learning!

🔤 Phonics

In Phonics, we have continued learning Phase 5 sounds, including se and ce. We have been practising using these sounds at the end of words such as horse, fence and please.

🏰 Topic

In our Topic lessons, we have been learning all about the different parts of a castle. The children can now name features such as turrets, towers and moats – very impressive!

🔬 Science

In Science, we have been learning about carnivores and what they eat. The children enjoyed discussing different animals and sorting them by their diets.

🕉 RE

In RE, the children loved acting out a Hindu story. They showed great enthusiasm and respect while exploring the story through drama.

🌈 Assembly

In assembly, we have been learning about being a communicator, one of the character competencies we promise to teach through our Harmony Pledge. The children have been practising listening carefully and expressing their ideas clearly.

The children have worked extremely hard during provision time and have proudly counted up to 100 every single day!

✨ Well done Class 3 and Class 4 – we are so proud of you! ✨

📌 Reminders

Homework is due in every Wednesday and will be set on Friday via Purple Mash.
Class 3 PE: Monday and Friday
Class 4 PE: Tuesday and Thursday
Clubs will continue on Wednesdays this half term with the same children as last half term.

Thank you so much for your continued support. We hope you all had a lovely half term and are as excited about our castles topic as we are! 🏰✨

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Date: 12th Feb 2026 @ 10:15am

🌟 Year 1 Weekly Blog 🌟

What a fantastic and busy week we have had in Year 1!

This week we have been celebrating Children’s Mental Health Week, and the children have taken part in lots of wonderful activities to help us think about keeping our minds and bodies healthy. We enjoyed dance sessions, yoga, mindful breathing and mindful colouring. These activities helped us to relax, focus and feel calm.

One of our favourite activities was our Freddie Fit session! We had so much fun while learning about the importance of eating a variety of fruit and vegetables, getting enough sleep and exercising to keep our bodies strong and healthy.

It has also been Safer Internet Day. We have been learning about voice assistants and how they can be helpful in our homes. We also talked carefully about how to stay safe when using technology and who to ask for help if we are unsure about something online.

In English, we have been reading The King’s Pants — which made us giggle! We were very excited to write our own letters to King Charles. The children worked so hard on their writing and should feel very proud.

In Maths, we have been consolidating our learning on addition and subtraction. The children are becoming much more confident when solving number problems.

We were so proud during Parents’ Evening. The children loved sharing their hard work, and they were very happy with the lovely comments they received. Thank you to all our families for your continued support.

A special thank you as well for your support with our Fantastic Finishes — the marmalade sandwiches were absolutely delicious!

📌 Reminders

Homework has been set for over half term and can be found on Purple Mash.
Please remember PE kits:
- Class 3 – Monday
- Class 4 – Tuesday and Thursday

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Date: 5th Feb 2026 @ 10:21am

Year 1 Weekly Blog:

Year 1 have had a wonderful week!

In English, we have been learning all about The King’s Pants by Nicholas Allan. The children have loved retelling the story using a range of drama activities, which really helped to bring the story to life.

We have continued with our Art project, learning about the sculptor Henry Moore and creating our own sculptures. We are very excited to share these with parents at our Fantastic Finish next Thursday.

In Maths, we have been learning about fractions, focusing on finding half of shapes and quantities.

Class 4 have really enjoyed RE, where they have been learning about Sikhism and how Sikh people care for each other.

In Science, we are continuing our topic on animals and have been concentrating on reptiles this week. The children have been sorting animals using a range of different criteria.

During PSHE, we have been learning about stranger danger and road safety, and the children made some lovely posters.

In our Topic, we are continuing to learn about landmarks in the UK, exploring famous places and finding out why they are special.

Class 3 and Class 4 continue to enjoy their continuous provision, learning well in the areas and completing their learning jobs. Year 1 have also been busy drawing ladybirds this week — can your child draw a ladybird for you at home?

In PE, we have been enjoying gymnastics. This week we completed a full routine and performed it for our friends — we were very proud of everyone!

Reminders

Homework continues to be set on Purple Mash and is due in on Wednesdays.
If your child has completed any extra work, please send it in to share at our Fantastic Finish next Thursday.
PE days:
- Class 3 – Monday and Friday
- Class 4 – Tuesday and Thursday
Please ensure children wear appropriate footwear for PE.
Please remember that children should only bring fruit as a snack. Children also have access to free fruit every day in school. Thank you for your support.
Please remember to read at home and to sign your child's reading record.

As always, thank you for your continued support 😊

This Week In Year 1 (WB 26.01.26)

Date: 28th Jan 2026 @ 5:07pm

🌟 Year 1 Weekly Blog 🌟

We have had another busy and exciting week in Year 1, full of learning, creativity and fun!

✏️ English

In English, we have continued exploring Paddington and the many adventures he has been on. This week, the children pretended to be Paddington himself and imagined exciting adventures to Blackpool and Mount Snowdon. They wrote about their experiences, thinking carefully about what they might see and do.
To finish the week, the children wrote a postcard to Mrs Glynn, practising sentence writing and thinking about who they were writing to and why.

🔢 Maths

In Maths, we have been learning all about time, focusing on o’clock and half past. The children have enjoyed lots of hands-on and practical activities, using clocks to show different times and developing their confidence in reading and making times.

🔬 Science

This week in Science, we learned all about amphibians. The children explored what makes an animal an amphibian and then categorised animals into amphibians and non-amphibians, using their new knowledge to explain their choices.

🌍 Geography

In Geography, we have been learning about famous human features and landmarks within the UK. The children explored and discussed landmarks such as the Tower of London, the Angel of the North, and South Stack Lighthouse. They learned where these landmarks are located in the UK and talked about why they are important and what they are used for.

💛 PHSE

In PHSE, we focused on stranger safety. The children learned how to stay safe, who trusted adults are, and what to do if they ever feel unsure or worried.

🕌 RE

In RE, we learned about how Muslims care for others. The children discussed kindness, helping others and how people show care in their everyday lives.

🏃‍♀️ PE

Class 3 PE days: Monday and Friday
Class 4 PE days: Tuesday and Thursday

📚 Homework

Homework will be set on Purple Mash, and children are also expected to continue with their regular reading at home. Thank you for your continued support.

We are so proud of the enthusiasm and effort the children have shown this week. We’re looking forward to another fantastic week of learning ahead! 🌈✨

This Week In Year 1 (WB 19.01.26)

Date: 22nd Jan 2026 @ 11:17am

🌟 Year 1 Weekly Learning Blog 🌟

This week in Year 1, we have been very busy with lots of exciting learning across the curriculum. The children have shown fantastic enthusiasm and curiosity in all areas of their learning.

✏️ English – Paddington at the Palace

In English, we have been enjoying the story Paddington at the Palace. This week, Paddington went missing! To help find him, the children created missing posters to share with their school friends.

The children practised using adjectives to describe Paddington, such as his big red hat and sapphire blue coat. This supported the Year 1 National Curriculum outcome of using descriptive language to add detail to writing.#

➕ Maths – Subtraction on a Number Line

In Maths, we have been learning how to subtract using a number line. The children practised:

Finding the first number
Hopping backwards underneath the number line
Finding the new number, which is the answer

This practical approach helped the children develop confidence with subtraction within 20.

🔬 Science – Animals

In Science, we explored the differences between fish and birds. The children learnt about key features such as feathers, wings, fins and gills and sorted animals into the correct groups.

🌍 Geography – Great Britain

In Geography, we have been learning about the countries that make up Great Britain and their capital cities. We also discussed the weather in Great Britain, noticing that at the moment it is cold and wet.

🚦 PSHE – Road Safety

In PSHE, we learnt how to cross the road safely. The children practised using our own zebra crossing in the courtyard, learning to stop, look, listen and think before crossing.

🕌 RE – Caring for Others

In RE, we learnt about how Muslims care for others, discussing kindness, helping people in need and showing respect. The children shared thoughtful ideas about how they can care for others in their own lives.

🏃‍♀️ PE

In PE, the children have been developing their physical skills and teamwork.

Class 3 PE days: Monday and Friday
Class 4 PE days: Tuesday and Thursday

👟 Please ensure children come to school wearing the correct PE kit on their allocated days.

📚 Homework

This week’s homework is:

Reading at home – please read regularly with your child
Write in the reading record to show when your child has read
Purple Mash activities linked to our learning in class

Thank you for your continued support with homework—it really helps to boost the children’s confidence and progress.

🌈 Well done, Year 1!

The children have worked incredibly hard this week and should be very proud of their learning. We are so impressed with their enthusiasm, creativity and growing independence. We look forward to another exciting week of learning ahead! 😊

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Date: 15th Jan 2026 @ 9:30am

🌟 Year 1 Class Blog – What a Fantastic Week! 🌟

We have had a really busy and exciting week in Year 1!

English
In English, we have been writing an alternative version of The Queen’s Hat. We used time adverbials (such as first, next and later) and conjunctions to join our ideas. We also enjoyed writing about different landmarks in London, linking beautifully with our learning about the UK.

Maths
In Maths, we have been adding using a number line. We had great fun asking our class elephant to jump forwards along the number line to help us add two numbers together. The children were very engaged and worked hard!

PSHE
This week in PSHE, we learned all about sun safety and how we can keep ourselves safe in the sun all year round, not just in summer.

RE
In RE, we learned about the Parable of the Good Samaritan. We also interviewed a Christian to find out how Christians care for each other, which helped us understand kindness and helping others.

Wider Curriculum
We have enjoyed tasting scones and jam, thinking about British traditions. In Geography, we found Oldham on a map of the UK, developing our map-reading skills.

We really have had a great week – the children have been enthusiastic and eager to learn.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

📌 Reminders

Homework is due on Wednesday
PE Days
- Class 4: Tuesday and Thursday
- Class 3: Monday and Friday

Thank you! 😊

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Date: 8th Jan 2026 @ 10:06am

Year 1 Blog – A Super Start to 2026! ❄️✨

Happy New Year to all of our Greenhill families!

We have had a wonderful first week back at school, braving the snow and ice to make a super start to 2026. The children have settled back into routines brilliantly and have been very busy with their learning.

In Literacy, we have been reading The Queen’s Hat. The children have enjoyed orally retelling the story and writing it using time adverbials such as first, next and then. We have been so impressed with their writing this week, and they have also created some beautiful drawings of Queen Elizabeth II.

In Art, we have started our new topic on the sculptor Henry Moore. The children loved learning interesting facts about his life and artwork.
Our new Geography topic is Great Britain Now!. We have been learning about the United Kingdom and even talked about British afternoon tea parties. The children are very hopeful we might enjoy cucumber sandwiches and scones one day!

In Science, we have begun our topic on Animals, learning about wild and domestic animals and sorting them into categories.
In PSHE, we have been learning about medicine safety, and in RE we have discussed who we care for and who cares for us.

We have been practising our handwriting, focusing on using ascenders and descenders correctly. In Computing, we have started learning about pictograms.

The children have also enjoyed lots of physical activity this week. Class 3 enjoyed a dance lesson, while Class 4 took part in sports development. Both classes practised their gymnastics, working on travelling movements and mastering the bunny hop!

We also loved our music session this week.

Reminders

Homework is due Wednesday next week
PE days:
- Class 3: Monday and Friday
- Class 4: Tuesday and Thursday

Thank you for your continued support.

From,
The Year 1 Team 😊

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Date: 18th Dec 2025 @ 9:23am

Year 1 Weekly Blog 🌟

Year 1 have had a very busy and exciting week!

We were incredibly proud of the children during our ‘Christmas Cracker’ performance. They sang beautifully and showed so much confidence on stage. Thank you so much to all the parents and carers who supported their children at home by practising the songs and who came along to watch and cheer them on — your support means so much.

In Design and Technology, the children completed their topic on designing and making a fruit kebab. They carefully designed their kebabs to make sure they were healthy, delicious and colourful, and they loved creating and tasting their final designs.

In Maths, we have been learning all about 2D and 3D shapes. Perhaps you could have a go at spotting different shapes around your home over the holidays!

Our English work has been based on the story Little Robin Red Vest. The children enjoyed drawing and creating their own robins and writing sentences to describe them. Did you know that Year 1 children can now add adjectives to their sentences and even extend their sentences using conjunctions? We are so proud of their progress.

On Thursday, we had our Fantastic Finish for our dinosaur topic. The children had a brilliant time, and we would like to say a big thank you to the parents who were able to come and support this event.

Home learning has been set for over the holidays.

We hope you all have a wonderful two-week holiday. Merry Christmas to all of our families who are celebrating. We can’t wait to see you all again in the new year!

🏃‍♀️ PE Reminders

Class 3: Monday and Friday
Class 4: Tuesday and Friday

Thank you for your continued support! 🎄✨

This Week In Year 1 (WB 08.12.25)

Date: 11th Dec 2025 @ 2:35pm

Year 1 Weekly Blog – A Dino-Tastic, Festive Week!

What a wonderfully busy week we’ve had in Year 1! Our classroom has been bursting with learning, laughter and lots of festive fun.

In English, we continued our exciting topic on dinosaurs. The children have been using their brilliant phonics skills to write fantastic dinosaur facts during continuous provision. We were so impressed with the way they sounded out word to help them write like real palaeontologists!

In Maths, we have been practising counting in 2s and exploring our 2 times table. The children enjoyed using practical resources to count in two's and work out simple multiplications.

We’ve also been very busy getting ready for our Christmas Cracker performance. The children have been practising their song beautifully, and we can’t wait for you to see them shine on Monday.

One of the highlights of the week was making our super fun reindeer hats ready to meet Santa. The children looked fantastic, and Santa was so impressed that he gave everyone a little gift—such a magical moment!

To top off our week, we went to the Pantomime, where the children had an amazing time joining in with the laughs, songs and excitement. It was a wonderful experience full of joy and awe.

It has been a busy week, but one filled with fun, learning and lots of core memory moments. Well done, Year 1—we are so proud of you! 🎄✨

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Date: 4th Dec 2025 @ 11:35am

🌟 Year 1 Class Blog 🌟

What a wonderfully busy week it has been in Year 1! This week was assessment week, and the children have worked incredibly hard. They should all feel very proud of what they have achieved — we certainly are!

In our learning, we have been diving into the exciting world of dinosaurs. We explored four fascinating favourites: Triceratops, Stegosaurus, T-Rex, and Spinosaurus. The children have been learning the new vocabulary ‘herbivore’ and ‘carnivore’, and have enjoyed using these words in their dinosaur writing throughout the week.

The children also completed their phonics assessments, and the Year 1 staff are delighted with the fantastic progress they have made.

One of the highlights of our week was the school fair. We had a wonderful time, especially enjoying the delicious hot chocolates! Thank you to everyone who supported the event by sending in donations, attending, or purchasing items — it really means a lot.

A gentle reminder to please complete your homework on Purple Mash. Homework is set every Friday and should be completed by the following Wednesday. Please also remember to read with your child each night (or as often as you can) and sign their reading record.

Thank you to all the parents who have already paid for the pantomime. If you haven’t yet sent the payment in, please do so as soon as possible.

A huge well done to Year 1 for their hard work, enthusiasm, and brilliant attitude this week. We are very proud of you all!

This Week In Year 1 (WB 24.11.25)

Date: 27th Nov 2025 @ 11:20am

What an amazing week we’ve had in Year 1! We are starting this week’s blog with a HUGE celebration of our class assembly 🎤✨. Every single child performed brilliantly – they spoke clearly, sang beautifully and showed such confidence. We are incredibly proud of them and hope you enjoyed watching their fantastic performance. Well done, Year 1! 🌟👏

Phonics 🔤

In phonics, we learned four new spelling patterns: e-e (ee), ew (oo/yoo), ie (ee) and aw (or). The children explored these sounds through reading and writng sentence using thier new sounds. They are becoming brilliant phonics detectives! 🔎📚

English ✍️

This week in English, we continued our work with the story The Somethingosaur. The children practised retelling the story using time adverbials such as first, next, after that and finally. We were so impressed with how confidently they sequenced the events and used expressive language to bring the story to life. 🦕📖

Maths 💰

In maths, our focus has been money. The children have been learning to recognise coins and order them from the lowest to the greatest value. Sorting trays and real coins helped them develop their confidence in a practical and fun way. 🛒💷

Science 🌦️

In science, we explored the four seasons and the changes we can see and feel throughout the year. The children talked about weather, clothing and how nature changes. They enjoyed sorting seasonal pictures and using objects in our continuous provision to match each season. 🍁🌼❄️🌞

History 🦴

In history, the children learned about Mary Anning, a famous fossil hunter. They were fascinated by her discoveries and her important role in helping scientists learn about the past. Our fossil-digging activities were a big hit! 🪨🔍

PE 🕺

This term in PE, we have been practising our season dance, and the children loved performing it for you. They moved confidently and expressed each season beautifully through dance. We are so proud of their hard work and enthusiasm! 💃🍂

Reminders 📝

Homework: Please continue reading at home and completing activities on Purple Mash. 📚💻
PE Days:
- Class 3: Monday and Friday
- Class 4: Tuesday
Next Week: Children may wear sportswear on Monday with a donation of a bottle for the Winter Fair. 🧃🎁
Winter Fair: Wednesday 3rd December after school 🎄✨

Thank you for your continued support. We are excited for another brilliant week ahead! 😊

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Date: 20th Nov 2025 @ 9:31am

🌟 Year 1 Class Blog – Weekly Update! 🌟

What a wonderful week we’ve had in Year 1!

📚 Literacy
This week we enjoyed reading The Somethingosaur! The children worked hard to write their own character descriptions, using fantastic adjectives to describe the Somethingosaur’s appearance and personality. We were so impressed with their imaginative ideas!

➖ Maths
In Maths, we have been learning all about subtraction. The children practised crossing out to help them solve subtraction problems and showed great perseverance.

🌦 Science
Our Science learning took us through the seasons as we explored different types of weather. The class had brilliant discussions about how weather changes throughout the year.

🦕 Topic
In Topic, we looked at a timeline and learned where dinosaurs fit into history. The children loved placing different dinosaurs in the correct time periods!

🔤 Phonics
This week’s phonics focus was on split digraphs. They can be tricky, but Year 1 have been working incredibly hard—well done, everyone!

🎭 Assembly Practice
The children have also been practising enthusiastically for their class assembly. We can’t wait to share their hard work with you!

📌 Reminders

Homework is due on Wednesday.
Please read with your child every week.
Our class assembly will take place on Tuesday 25th November at 9am in the main hall. We hope to see you there!

Wishing you all a lovely weekend,
The Year 1 Team 🌈✨

This Week In Year 1 (WB 10.11.25)

Date: 13th Nov 2025 @ 9:33am

What a busy and exciting week we’ve had in Year 1! The children have been working hard across all areas of learning and exploring lots of hands-on activities through our continuous provision.

✏️ Phonics

This week in phonics, we have been learning new digraphs and trigraphs: ‘o’ (oa), ‘i’ (igh), ‘a’ (ai) and ‘e’ (ee). The children have enjoyed spotting these sounds in words around the classroom and using them in their own writing. We’ve also been practising reading and spelling words with these sounds.

📚 English

In English, we have continued exploring the beautiful story “Tree: Seasons Come and Seasons Go”. The children have been retelling the story using time adverbials to help sequence events — for example, “First the owl saw the falling snow,” and “Then the owl heard the birds singing.” We’ve been working on using these words to make our writing flow and to show how time passes in the story.

➕ Maths

In maths, we have been practising addition. The children have remembered that when we add, our numbers get bigger! We have been using concrete resources such as cubes, counters, and numicon to build number sentences before recording our answers. We’ve also been exploring how we can flip addition sentences — for example, 3 + 2 gives the same answer as 2 + 3!

🌦 Science

Our science learning has been all about the seasons and the different types of weather we might see in each one. We’ve also learned to recognise weather symbols like you might see on the TV or a weather app. The children had great fun matching symbols to the correct type of weather and discussing what clothes we might wear in each season.

🦕 History

In history, we have been learning about dinosaurs and their place on the timeline. We discovered that dinosaurs evolved around 240 million years ago and became extinct about 65 million years ago! We then compared that to our own timelines, learning that we were born in 2019 or 2020 — all of that is in the past, and today is the present.

💃 Dance

In dance, we have been learning our special season song and dance. The children are really enjoying practising the moves and we can’t wait to share it with you in our upcoming Year 1 Assembly.

🏃‍♀️ PE Reminder

Class 3: Monday and Friday
Class 4: Tuesday

Please ensure children come to school in their full PE kit on these days.

🏠 Homework

Homework is set each week on Purple Mash, along with regular reading at home. A homework overview can also be found on the school website for your reference. Thank you for supporting your child’s learning at home.

🎤 Year 1 Assembly

We are excited to invite you to our Year 1 Class Assembly on Tuesday 25th November at 9:00am. The children are looking forward to sharing their seasons song and dance with you — we can’t wait to see you there! There will be more information to follwo soon about the assembly.

It’s been another fantastic week of learning in Year 1 — well done, everyone! 🌟

This Week In Year 1 (WB 03.11.25)

Date: 6th Nov 2025 @ 11:16am

🌳 Year 1 Weekly Blog – A Busy First Week Back!

What a wonderful start to the new half term we’ve had in Year 1! It’s been a very busy and exciting week, full of new learning and adventures across all our subjects. The children have settled back into their routines beautifully and have shown such enthusiasm in everything we’ve been doing.

🗣️ Phonics

In Phonics this week, we have been learning some new Phase 5 sounds — ‘ir’, ‘ie’, ‘ue’ and ‘u’. The children have been practising spotting these sounds in words, reading them in sentences, and using them in their own writing. It’s been fantastic to see the children’s confidence growing as they blend and segment words using their new sounds!

📚 English

Our English lessons this week have been inspired by the beautiful book “Tree: Seasons Come, Seasons Go”. We have been exploring the different seasons of the year and talking about how trees and nature change over time. The children have created some stunning drawings of trees in different seasons, using their adjectives to describe what they look like — we’ve had talk of “frosty branches”, “bright green leaves” and “colourful autumn leaves swirling in the wind”.

This learning has linked perfectly with our Science topic on Seasonal Changes. The children have been thinking about the types of clothes we might wear and activities we might do in each season, and we’ve even started keeping an eye on the daily weather.

🔢 Maths

In Maths, we’ve been working hard on our place value skills. The children have been learning to recognise, represent and make numbers up to 20 using Dienes blocks and counting objects. We’ve been practising how to record numbers using circles. It’s been wonderful to see them so engaged in their practical maths activities — lots of teamwork, counting and problem-solving happening all around the room!

🦕 History

We had a very exciting WOW start to our new History topic this week — Dinosaurs! We had a special visitor come in to teach us all about different dinosaurs, fossils and bones. The children even got to go on a dinosaur bone hunt and meet a baby triceratops! There was so much excitement in the classroom, and the children asked some fantastic questions. It’s safe to say we’ve got a class full of budding palaeontologists!

It’s been such a busy but brilliant first week back! We’re so proud of how hard the children have worked and how curious they’ve been in their learning. We can’t wait to see what next week brings!

🌈 Well done, Year 1!

🏠 Reminders for Parents

Homework is uploading to Purple Mash weekly – please log in and complete this week’s activities.
Please continue to read regularly at home and record reading in your child’s reading diary. Regular reading makes a huge difference to progress and confidence!
PE Days:
- Class 3: Monday and Friday
- Class 4: Tuesday
  Please ensure children have their PE kits in school on these days.

This Week In Year 1 (WB 20.10.25)

Date: 23rd Oct 2025 @ 11:18am

🌈 Curriculum Week – Exploring the Zones of Regulation! 🌈

What an exciting week we have had in Year 1! This week has been our Curriculum Week, all about the Zones of Regulation — learning to understand and manage our feelings 💭💚💛💙❤️.

In English 📖, we read The Colour Monster and used it to help us think about how we feel when we are in the different zones. The children worked so hard to write sentences explaining when they might be in the blue, yellow, green, or red zone and how those feelings might look. We have learnt that it’s perfectly normal not to always be in the green zone 🌿 — what matters is recognising our feelings and knowing how to get back to feeling calm and ready to learn 😊.

In Maths ⏰, we have been learning all about time! The children have been busy ordering the days of the week and months of the year, using lots of catchy songs 🎵 to help us remember them. We’ve also been sequencing events from our day and talking about what we do at different times.

During the afternoons, our learning continued through creative continuous provision 🎨. We explored the different Zones of Regulation further and created our own Colour Monsters using a range of artistic techniques — from painting, drip painting, and print painting. The classroom has been full of colour, creativity, and smiles 🌈👩‍🎨👨‍🎨.

To finish off our week, we celebrated Black History Day 🖤✨ on Friday. We learnt all about Mae Jemison, the first Black female astronaut to travel into space 🚀🌍! The children were fascinated by her story and worked hard to draw beautiful pictures of Mae and write interesting facts about her and space 🌟.

It has been a wonderful week of learning, exploring emotions, and celebrating inspiring people. Well done, Year 1 — we are so proud of all your fantastic work! 👏💖

🏡 Home Learning

Home learning for the half term will be set on Purple Mash 💻. Please also continue reading at home every day 📚 — this is an important part of your child’s learning. Don’t forget to write a short message in your child’s reading record each time you read together ✏️💬.

Please also continue to practise your tricky words 🔠 — these can be found on the Little Wandle for Parents page For parents | Letters and Sounds. Regular practise really helps children to grow in confidence with their reading and writing 🌟.

🏃‍♀️ PE Days Next Half Term

Class 3: Monday and Friday mornings
Class 4: Tuesday morning

Please make sure your child comes to school in their PE kit on these days 👟😊.

🎉 Happy Half Term!

We hope you all have a fabulous half term break filled with fun, rest, and family time 🌞💖.
We can’t wait to see you all back in school on Tuesday 4th October! 🍂📅

This Week In Year 1 (WB 13.10.25)

Date: 16th Oct 2025 @ 9:33am

🌟 Year 1 Weekly Blog – Exploring, Learning & Growing! 🌟

What a fantastic and busy week we've had in Year 1! The children have shown so much enthusiasm and independence across all areas of learning, and it’s been lovely to see them engaging so confidently with their activities in continuous provision. Here's a little peek at what we've been up to this week…

🔤 Phonics – Exploring Phase 5 Sounds
This week in Phonics, we’ve been recapping our Phase 5 sounds. The children have worked hard on recognising new graphemes and applying them in their reading and writing. We’ve been practising our sounds during small group work and independent tasks. It’s been brilliant to see the children using their growing phonics knowledge in their writing across the curriculum!

📚 English – The Lonely Beast Adventure
We continued reading our class text, The Lonely Beast by Chris Judge. The children have been amazing at using time adverbials to write independent sentences about the Beast’s journey. Sentences like, “First the Beast was lonely,” and “Then he went to the city,” show just how well the children are beginning to sequence and structure their ideas. They’ve also enjoyed using small world play and role-play to retell the story during continuous provision time.

➕➖ Maths – Addition & Subtraction Detectives
In Maths, we’ve been learning to recognise when a number problem is asking us to add or subtract. Through fun, practical games in our provision areas, the children have developed their confidence in identifying the operation needed. We've been encouraging them to talk about their thinking and explain how they know which strategy to use – an important step in developing mathematical reasoning.

🌍 Geography – Looking at Our World from Above
We’ve had lots of fun being geographers this week! The children explored aerial images of our school and used maps to locate different features like the playground, car park, and forest area. Using map symbols and working collaboratively with friends.

🧬 Science – Celebrating Our Differences
In Science, we talked about how all our bodies are different and special. The children learned that we don’t all look the same – and that’s what makes us unique! We used mirrors, drawings, and measuring tools in provision to compare heights, eye colour, and other features in a respectful and celebratory way. We’re starting to build a lovely sense of self-awareness and appreciation for diversity.

💻 Purple Mash Homework Reminder
A reminder that Purple Mash homework is set every Friday and is due back by Wednesday. Please ensure your child logs in using the details in their reading record. Thank you for supporting your child’s learning at home!

📖 Reading at Home:
Please continue to read with your child at home as often as possible – even just 5–10 minutes a day makes a huge difference. Don’t forget to record any reading in your child’s reading record so we can celebrate their progress together in school!

Thank you for another brilliant week, Year 1! We’re so proud of how well the children are settling into the routines and showing a real love for learning. Have a restful weekend, and we can’t wait to see you all on Monday!

This Week In Year 1 (WB. 06.09.25)

Date: 9th Oct 2025 @ 11:18am

A Busy Week in Year 1: Exploring, Learning, and Growing! 🌟

This week in Year 1, we’ve been busy exploring new stories, improving our skills, and investigating the world around us! Here’s a quick look at what we’ve been up to:

English 📖
In English, we’ve been focusing on the story The Lonely Beast. The children have been working hard to orally retell the story, practicing using time adverbials like first, next, and finally to help sequence the events. It's been wonderful to see their creativity as they make the story their own, adding details and retelling it in their own words!

Maths ➖
In Maths, we’ve been subtracting numbers within 10. The children have been using practical activities to help them understand subtraction, and it’s been great to see their confidence grow as they solve problems and work through number challenges.

Science 🎃
Our Science topic this week has been all about pumpkins! The children have used their senses to explore and observe pumpkins closely. They made observational drawings based on what they saw, and then used their sense of touch to feel the different textures of the pumpkin’s skin and flesh. It’s been a hands-on week full of discovery!

Geography 🌍
In Geography, we’ve been looking at our school grounds and thinking about how we can make them even better. The children have come up with ideas for ways to improve our outdoor space, from planting flowers to keeping it tidy. It’s great to see them developing a sense of responsibility for their environment.

Phonics 🔤
In Phonics, we’ve been learning new sounds! This week we’ve focused on ay, ou, oy, and ea. The children have been practising these sounds in words and sentences, and they’ve been doing a brilliant job at sounding out new words.

Computing 💻
In Computing, we’ve learned how to log into Purple Mash using our own logins! The children are excited to start using this digital tool to help with their learning in the coming weeks.

PE 🤸‍♀️
In PE, we’ve been practicing our balance and jumping skills. The children worked on balancing on benches and jumping off safely, building their coordination and confidence as they moved around the space.

It’s been another fantastic week of learning in Year 1, with lots of hands-on experiences and exciting new skills! We can’t wait to see what next week has in store. 🌟

Year 1 weekly blog 3 10 25

Date: 2nd Oct 2025 @ 11:20am

Year 1 Class Blog – Weekly Update

Hello from Year 1!

We’ve had a fantastic week full of exciting learning across all subjects – the children have worked so hard and shown so much enthusiasm. Here’s a little glimpse into what we’ve been up to...

English – Martha Maps it Out

This week, Year 1 have really enjoyed exploring the story Martha Maps it Out. We’ve been thinking about Martha’s adventures and using conjunctions – especially “and” – to help us extend our sentences in our writing. The children are becoming confident speakers and writers.

Maths – Number Fun!

In Maths, we’ve been working on addition and subtraction using part-part-whole models and tens frames. We’ve also been learning our number bonds to 10. The children are becoming brilliant at writing their own number sentences and recording their work clearly – super effort all round!

Geography – Exploring Glodwick

In Geography, we’ve been learning about human and physical features. After our local walk around Glodwick, we looked at photographs and identified different features. We also compared the town of Oldham with the countryside around Oldham, spotting similarities and differences. Many children shared their experiences of visiting Oldham town centre – thank you for supporting these discussions at home!

Science – Our 5 Senses

This week in Science, we’ve been exploring the five senses. The children have had lots of fun using their senses in different ways. Next week, we’re looking forward to exploring autumn vegetables using our senses – we can’t wait!

Phonics – Phase 5 Begins!

We’ve started learning the Phase 5 sounds, focusing on alternative graphemes for sounds we already know (for example, ‘ea’ in each). The children are doing really well with their new sounds – keep practising at home!

Art – Pop Art Portraits

In Art, we are continuing our work on Andy Warhol and have started creating our very own pop art portraits. The children’s creativity has been fantastic to see!

RE – Our Class Prayer

This week in RE, we came together to write a class prayer, thinking about kindness, thankfulness, and looking after one another.

Get Squiggling!

We launched our “Get Squiggling” activity this week – every child drew a cat and labelled it. The drawings were beautiful and thoughtful, and every child received a Diddidot sticker for their chart. Well done, everyone!

Dexter Bear & Dough Disco!

We had a very special helper this week – Dexter Bear! He joined Class 3 and Mrs Kussar to help make playdough. We can’t wait to use it for Dough Disco next week!

Reminders:

📅 PE Days

Class 3: Monday & Thursday
Class 4: Tuesday & Thursday

📚 Homework on Purple Mash

Set every Friday
Children earn a Diddidot for completing it!

📖 Reading at Home
Please remember to read with your child and sign their reading record. We encourage children to read with siblings, grandparents, cousins – anyone who can help build a love of reading!

👏 A big well done to all of Year 1 for an amazing week of learning and creativity. We’re so proud of you!

Have a lovely weekend!
The Year 1 Team

This Week In Year 1 (WB 22.09.25)

Date: 25th Sep 2025 @ 11:22am

🌟 Year 1 – Exploring, Creating and Belonging! 🌟

What a busy and brilliant week we've had in Year 1!

📚 English
This week, we dived into the wonderful story Martha Maps It Out. The children were fascinated by the maps in the book and loved exploring Martha’s bedroom in detail. Using their bodies, they worked together to create objects they found in Martha’s room – we had lamps, beds, and even telescopes! Each child proudly rehearsed and shared a sentence with the class, telling us what they had made. Fantastic speaking and listening skills in action!

➕ Maths
In Maths, we've been working on simple addition through number bonds to 5. The children enjoyed using our 5 speckled frogs to explore part-whole models and were able to read and write number sentences with growing confidence. We've been making maths hands-on and meaningful through play and small group tasks.

🔬 Science
We’ve been using our senses this week – literally! Through fun matching games and sensory exploration, the children learned about their five senses and how we use them to understand the world around us.

🗺️ Geography
We went on a fantastic walk around our local area. The children were brilliant explorers, spotting urban features like a roundabout, a bridge, road signs, a Mosque, shops, our school, bus stops, and even a park! They couldn’t wait to recount all the things they had seen once we got back to class.

🎨 Art
Portraits are still in progress and looking more amazing every day. The children are experimenting with different materials to capture facial features and expressions. We are so proud of how much care and creativity they are showing in their work.

🙏 RE
In RE, we talked about what it means to belong and shared our thoughts on places that feel special to us. As a class, we worked together to write a beautiful prayer all about kindness, togetherness, thankfulness, and the people we love.

🌈 Continuous Provision
Throughout the week, our continuous provision has supported all areas of learning – from building in the construction area to retelling Martha’s story in small world play and exploring number bonds with natural materials. The children are showing increasing independence and confidence in choosing and leading their own learning.

Well done, Year 1 – you are all superstars! ⭐

Year 1 Weekly Blog WB 21/4/2025

Date: 25th Apr 2025 @ 8:23am

Year 1 have made a fantastic return to school for the Summer Term.

This week in English, we’ve been exploring the brilliant book Meerkat Mail! The children have loved getting to know Sunny the meerkat and his adventurous travels. We focused on writing character descriptions, using lots of exciting adjectives to describe Sunny’s appearance and personality. Ask your child what kind of animal Sunny is and what makes him such an interesting character! 🦊✍️

In Maths, we've been busy practising our counting in 2s, 5s, and 10s. We’ve enjoyed using songs, number lines, and even clapping games to help us remember these sequences. We also began identifying odd and even numbers, spotting patterns and using objects to help us group numbers.

We’ve kicked off our new topic all about Africa! The children shared what they already know and what they would like to find out. We looked at the map and located Africa, talked about the weather, animals, and different environments. We’re very excited to learn more about African culture, music, and wildlife over the coming weeks.

In RE, we’ve started thinking about belonging – what it means to be part of a family, a class, and a community. We had a lovely circle time discussing the different groups we are part of and how that makes us feel. We talked about being kind, helpful, and caring members of our class family.

Year 1 Weekly Blog WB 24/3/2025

Date: 28th Mar 2025 @ 2:44pm

In English this week, we began reading an exciting new book, The Great Dragon Bake Off. It’s a fun and magical story about Flamie, a young dragon with a passion for baking. Flamie is an ambitious and brave character, always seeking to prove that dragons can bake just as well as anyone else—if not better! With scales that shimmer like golden sugar, Flamie is fiercely determined but has a soft heart, always putting others’ needs before their own. Flamie’s journey is filled with challenges, as they compete against other creatures in a grand baking contest, all while learning the importance of friendship, teamwork, and believing in one’s abilities. It's a delightful tale full of humor, heart, and some truly magical pastries! We wrote some fantastic openers for our story retell next week!

Here is a video link to the story if you would like to watch it at home

The great dragon bake off/A special Dragon who is not scare/A story about being yourself/read a book

In Maths this week, we have been learning how to find quarters of shapes and amounts. We explored how to divide shapes into equal parts, and how to calculate a quarter of a number.

In Science, we’ve been classifying animals based on what they eat. The children were given different animals and asked to categorize them as herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. The task was both educational and interactive, with children researching different species and sharing interesting facts. We were surprised by some of the things we found out - did you know that penguins are carnivores?

In D&T, students have been busy designing their own castles. They worked in groups to design a castle and decide what would be good materials to use to make it.

In PSHE, the topic of online safety was explored. Students participated in discussions and activities that highlighted the importance of keeping personal information private and being cautious when interacting with others online. They learned about the potential dangers of the internet, such as cyberbullying and online predators, and were given strategies to stay safe.

Year 1 Weekly Blog WB 17/3/2025

Date: 20th Mar 2025 @ 12:54pm

Hello, Year 1 families! What an exciting week we've had in class! Here's a look at what we've been up to:

In English our dragon-themed journey continues! The children have been using their imaginations to create instructions on how to take care of a dragon. Some of the ideas are absolutely magical, and we’ve loved hearing all the creative suggestions!

The children have been using their creative writing skills to write clear and fun instructions, learning about structure and how to use imperative verbs.

This week in Maths, we’ve been exploring weight and mass in a hands-on way! We started by comparing objects to see which ones are heavier and lighter.

We then worked on ordering objects by weight. Some of the classeswere very surprised that objects that were the same size could be such different weights.

Next, we used balance scales to measure and compare weights more accurately. The children were thrilled to see how the scales worked, balancing out objects until they were even. And to top it off, we even got to try out the electronic scales to measure some objects in our classroom. It’s been a great week for building our understanding of weight and mass!

In Science, we started learning about omnivores—animals that eat both plants and meat. We explored some examples of omnivores, like bears, foxes, and even humans! The class had some interesting discussions about the different foods omnivores enjoy and how they get the nutrients they need from both plants and animals.

In Design and Technology, we kicked off our learning about structures. We began by talking about the different parts of structures from around the world and the materials used to build them. The children were excited to start brainstorming ideas for their very own castles, which they will be designing and building using recycled materials. They’re already coming up with some incredible ideas!

Thank you to all the parents who attended our Year 1 assembly this week - werent all the children amazing?

Year 1 Weekly Blog WB 10/3/2025

Date: 13th Mar 2025 @ 4:51pm

Welcome to the Year 1 blog!

In English, we’ve been reading the delightful book Tell Me Your Dragon. The children loved imagining what their very own dragons might look like and using Drama to create them. We’ve worked on using descriptive words to bring our dragons to life, thinking about their colour, size, and special powers. The dragons we’ve created have been amazing! Some can fly through clouds, while others have shimmering scales or breath fire. It’s been fantastic to see how creative the children are with their ideas.

In Maths, we’ve been learning how to divide by 2, 5, and 10. The children have been practising using real-life examples, like sharing sweets between friends or dividing up counting objects into groups. We’ve used fun games and activities to help understand how dividing works. We have moved our learning on by representing the division in a pictorial way.

All the children in Year 1 have taken part in British Science Week our fun activities was making a wormery! We observed the worms at work and learned how they help keep the soil healthy. The children were amazed at how much the worms dig, and we can’t wait to see the changes in our wormery over time. The whole class loved being scientists for the week!

In History, we’ve been looking at how castles have changed over the years. The children have enjoyed exploring different types of castles, from the early wooden forts to the grand stone castles that we see today. We’ve learned about the features of a castle, such as the drawbridge, towers, and battlements, and how they were designed for defense.

Year 1 Weekly Blog WB 3/3/2025

Date: 6th Mar 2025 @ 1:58pm

This week in English, we worked on creating our own alternative endings for the beautiful story The Kiss That Missed by David Melling. In the book, a kiss is sent by a King to his prince but misses and travels far away, creating a fun adventure.We used our imagination to describe new places where the kiss could land. We voted for our favourite idea and as a class chose a beach or outer space. We also created new characters to add to the story.

Each of us came up with our own ideas for what happened after the kiss missed and we loved hearing everyone’s creative endings!

In Maths this week, we focused on multiplying by 10 5 and 2, a key skill for Year 1. We used lots of fun ways to understand how multiplying works.We used dienes to help us multiply by 10, hands to help us multiply by 5 and socks to help us multiply by 2.

In Science, we’ve been learning about herbivores—animals that only eat plants. This week, we looked at pictures of different herbivores and discussed what makes them special.

We also talked about how herbivores are important for the environment because they help keep the plants healthy by eating them and helping them grow back.

Our topic work this week was all about castles! We discovered what makes a castle different from a house or a palace. We learned that a castle has things like:

High walls to protect the people inside.
Towers that help you see far away to spot any dangers.
Moats to keep unwanted guests out.

After learning all about castles, we decided to make a video of our findings which you will be able to see in our year group assembly soon

Year 1 Weekly Blog Week Beginning 24/2/2025

Date: 27th Feb 2025 @ 1:50pm

The children have come back after half term full of energy and enthusiasm to learn.

This week in English, our Year 1 class dove into the delightful story of The Kiss That Missed by David Melling.Here is a link to a video of it if you want to enjoy it at home.

'The Kiss that Missed' read by Karan Brar

We started by only reading the beginning pages of the story and doing some predictions of what would happen in the book. We did some fantastic drama based on our ideas!

Our Big Write is to retell the story using as much exciting vocabualry as possible.

In Maths, we’ve been focusing on comparing numbers and counting in twos. The children have worked hard to understand how to recognize which number is bigger or smaller, using terms like “greater than” and “less than” and using symbols to represent them.

We also started counting in twos.They enjoyed clapping and jumping in twos to make the learning more active and fun! We’ve seen great progress and are excited to continue building on these skills next week when we focus on multiplication.

We kicked off a brand-new topic this week - Courageous Castles. This week the children learned the different parts of a castle and were able to label their own diagram of a castle.

In Science we have begun our learning about carnivores herbivores and omnivores. This week we strted with carnivores and were able to classify animals according to what they eat.

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