Class Teacher: Mrs Byrne (Mon-Thurs) Miss Corry (Fri)

Teaching Assistants: Mrs Boswell, Mr Smith and Mrs Batchelor

Welcome to Squirrels class page!

Autumn Term Overview

We are very excited to start the new school year with you all. We want you to see all of the amazing learning that takes place at school so please do check seesaw for updates, memos and photos!  

Maths

We will start out autumn term by working on our understanding of place value within 100. We will be working on key skills including identifying and representing numbers using objects and pictorial representations including the number line, and use the language of: equal to, more than, less than, most and least. We will be exploring addition and subtraction by looking at  parts and wholes of numbers, number bonds, doubles and near doubles, finding the difference, adding three -digit numbers and missing number problems. In geometry we will be identifying 2-D and 3-D shapes and their properties as well as symmetry. We will be exploring maths through practical and hands on activities using a range of resources such as numicon and rekenreks.

Phonics/English

Phonics sessions take place daily.  They are quick paced sessions that get the children actively sounding out, segmenting and blending in order to read and write new words. Most Year 1 children will begin on phase 5 and Year 2 will start on phase 6. If you would like to know the upcoming sounds we will be focusing on, please let me know via seesaw and I can send you a sound grid for each phase.

In English, we will be using a range of texts to inspire writing for a range of purposes including narrative stories and alternative story endings, non-fiction information booklets and postcards. During the autumn term we will be focusing on the books ‘Lost and Found’ by Oliver Jeffers, ‘Mesha makes friends’ by Tom Percival, ‘Nibbles: the book monster’ by Emma Yarlett and ‘Katie in London’ by James Mayhew.

Humanities

Our first half term unit is The Great Fire of London. The children will become Historians and will be exploring what London was like in the 1600s when the Great Fire of London began. Children will then use a timeline to sequence the main events. They will also learn why the fire spread so quickly and look at historical sources to find out how Londoners fought the fire. In addition, children will learn about Samuel Pepys and listen to extracts from his diary. Finally, they will learn how the Great Fire changed London forever. In the second half on the Autumn term we focus on the Geography project Bright Lights, Big City where the children will learn about the countries that make up the United Kingdom, including their location, capital cities and some of their physical and human features. They will have the opportunity to do map work, using compasses and positional and directional language to plan routes around London. They will research the cause and impact of the Great Fire of London and look at some famous London landmarks. They will learn about other capital cities around the world, including Kuala Lumpur, and compare how they are similar and different to London.

Science

In our Science learning this term we will begin by looking at ‘Everyday Materials’. In this unit the children will observe and identify objects made from different materials in places familiar to them, such as their home and school. They will name and use their senses to explore a range of natural materials using hand lenses and digital microscopes. They will learn about human-made and natural materials and begin to compare objects made of different materials. They will complete their learning by investigating materials to determine which have suitable properties to make bunting, which will be used to decorate the school grounds.

Our second unit is ‘Human Senses’. The children will learn about mammals as well as identify, label and count a range of body parts. They will learn that humans are the same in that they have the same body parts but also that they are different due to factors such as age, skin colour, body shape, eye colour and hair texture.. They will conduct simple tests to investigate how their five senses help them make sense of and understand their surroundings.

Art and DT

Our first Art project will be ‘Mixing Colours’. The children will be learning about basic colour theory by studying the colour wheel and colour mixing.

In Design and Technology we will be completing a project called ‘Share and Shelter’. We will be exploring the purpose of shelters and their materials. They will be naming and designing shelters  as well as designing and building a play den as a group!

Music

We use CHARANGA to teach music. This term we will be focusing on pulse, rhythm and pitch as well as exploring the different roles when playing in an orchestra.

Computing

In computing this term we will be looking online safety including managing online information, online bullying and privacy and security. We will have an introduction to our computing programme Purple Mash work on our logging in and out skills. We will be practising saving work, making digital art, mouse skills and compiling online art portfolios.

PSHE

The children will continue to use the Jigsaw scheme for their personal, health, social and emotional learning. This term we will be focusing on Being me in my World and Celebrating Differences.

RE

In our RE learning the children will be looking exploring ideas linked to Personal Responsibility and Wisdom and Guidance. We will be exploring questions such as;

Where do people turn for guidance in life? And How might your religion or world view be seen in the choices you make?

PE

Mr Stopps will teach the children PE and forest school on a Friday afternoon. For PE day on a Friday, please make sure the children are wearing appropriate clothing. PE kit should be shorts/joggers/legging in black, dark blue or grey, with a white t-shirt and a jumper/hoody in black, dark blue or grey. For forest school, water proof coats and trousers will be required. Children should be wearing trainers for outside sports and have welly boots for forest school.

Home-learning

Please ensure that your child reads to you for 10 minutes each day. Your child will also be set spelling activities on an online spelling platform called SpellingFrame. Spellings linked to the sounds they have been learning in their daily phonics sessions will be uploaded to the platform each week. Your child can play games and complete short tasks as well as online spelling tests to help support their learning. This is to replace weekly spelling tests done at school. Your child will have a spelling journal which they can use to practise new words and spellings at home or at school, please make sure this is bought to school daily as it can be used a teaching aid using independent writing.

If you have any questions about any of your child's learning, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

The Squirrels Team