MRS J. WALKER
HEADTEACHER
CHERITON CLOSE
TEL: 0161 368 3455HATTERSLEY
FAX: 0161 368 3177HYDE
CHESHIRE
14 3DQ
Dear children, parents and carers, 6.09.16
Firstly, welcome back and welcome to Year 1! I hope you had a lovely summer break and are looking forward to an exciting and hardworking year in Class 1! I’m sure you are all excited about starting a new class, especially as there will be a lot of new and exciting lessons and routines to get used to. The Year 1 curriculum builds upon and extends the experiences that children have had in Reception. Continuous Provision will continue to be part of the school day, but the children will gradually be eased into more formal learning as the term goes on. In class the children will be supported by me (Miss Chapman) along withMrs. Hogan and Miss Seton-Jones.
Rewards
Hard work and good behaviour are of course rewarded and celebrated! This is done each day by the chance to move your name onto the rainbow and earn merits, and just as in Reception milestones are recognised with badges in Good News assemblies (which you are welcome to attend each Thursday). At the end of each week children will be rewarded with Golden Time. Any child who has been on the rainbow any day that week will also be in the lucky dip to win a prize.
Children who struggle to choose appropriate behaviour for learning in class will have their behaviour discussed and a warning given. If the behaviour continues they will move their name onto the cloud to act as a reminder that their behaviour needs to change. If the behaviour continues they will move their name to the grey cloud and they will discuss their choices with me at the next appropriate moment. If their name remains there at the end of the day theynot have earnt their Golden Time for that day and they will spend 5 minutes thinking about the choices they made during Friday Golden Time. Children are always given the chance to redeem themselves and move back to the sunshine and onto the rainbow during the day if they change their behaviour.
This year we are trying something new in Class 1, called Rocket Challenges! This encourages the children to complete challenges in the classroom while they are choosing independently and not working with an adult. As the children complete each challenge they will add a coloured square to their rocket. At the end of the week these will come home so you can see which challenges your child has completed. Challenge Champions who have completed all of the challenges will receive a certificate! Please talk to the children about which challenges they did and didn’t complete.
P.E.
The children will have PE on a Tuesday. All children must have a full PE kit in school each week and we suggest they only take them home at the end of each half term. Full PE kit includes a white t-shirt,blue or black shorts and black pumps. Children need their hair tied up and we would prefer the children not to wear earrings. If this is not possible you must sign a consent form accepting full responsibility for any injury that occurs (available at the office) and please ensure your child wears small studs. Please practice getting dressed and tying shoe laces at home!
Reading
Home learning is important too. Children will bring home their reading book and Reading Record every day. They will read with a member of staff in school up to 3 times a week. At least once a week they will read their reading book at school, the other two times they will read in Guided Reading using other books. Reading at home is a great chance for you to see your child’s progress and support them in their learning. Please read as often as you can, this could take just 10 minutes, or as long as you like, and simply record the date and a short comment in the Reading Record book. This will show us your child has read, and allow us to change their book where appropriate, as well as reward them for home reading. Each child will get a reward bookmark and earn stickers each time they read at home. When their bookmark is complete they will win a prize!
Homework
Children will also be getting homework each week starting later this half term. This will be given out on Tuesday and should be returned by Thursday. Again, this is a great chance for you to share in your child’s learning, and doing it together is to be encouraged! Some parents like to discuss the work as their child completes it, others like them to try alone first and then discuss the answers together afterwards. However suits you is fine, just remember I’m looking to see their work not yours! You can add any comments you wish in their book, including how much support your child has received. As the year progresses children will also have spellings to learn each week and I will send a letter home nearer to the time to tell you about this.
Bobby Bear
Bobby Bear is our class bear. He likes to watch us learn during the day but gets lonely at night, so each day a different child takes Bobby home to play and have tea. Anyone who is on the Rainbow will get the chance to take Bobby home, and everyone will have a turn over the year. When your child brings Bobby home please help them to write about what they have done with him. Bobby loves to see the children’s own writing, but you could write underneath to help him if you think it is necessary. They shouldalso draw a picture and the next day they will share their experiences with the class. Please return Bobby and his diary the next day.
Fruit
As in Reception children will receive a piece of fruit each day. This is eaten outside at morning break, and not in class as in Reception.
Clothing
Every year children arrive in beautiful new uniform, and every year some of them have lost it within the first week! Please remember to write your child’s name in all items of clothing, as during P.E. they can get mixed up. If an item does not have a name in it we may write it in. As we can never predict the Great British weather, please ensure all children have a sunhat in school, as well as a waterproof coat, as they will all be outside for all breaks and lunch.
Website
Please check the Class 1 pages of the website regularly as we often update them with photos of what the children have been up to in school. The first updates will be in the Autumn pages.
School have also made it possible for the children to access Lexia, a phonics program, Education City and Sumdog at home. These fun websites help support their learning and they will shortly be coming home with passwords to access them. It is really important that it is just the children that complete the activities, and not parents or older brothers and sisters, as they only enjoy and benefit from them if they are working at the correct level and doing the activities that are being reinforced in school.
Finally, I am looking forward to getting to know you all, and to a fantastic year of hard work and learning. If you have any questions or queries at all, please feel free to see me in class after school.
Regards,
Miss Chapman