Class 1 2024 - 2025

Hello and a very big welcome to Class 1!

In class one we strive to create a happy, safe, caring and stimulating environment where we can all learn and grow together.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and enjoy exploring activities across the different areas of continuous provision. (Please visit the following website for more information on the EYFS curriculum - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2 )

During the Autumn Term our focus was building relationships with those around us and developing our understanding of routines, expectations and boundaries. We are now settled into Class 1 and school life at Hillside Having established positive relationships within the classroom environment, we will now focus on developing our listening, attention and communication skills. We will be learning how to follow simple verbal instructions with visual support within daily activities. Some examples of visuals used daily in class include Now and Next boards, visual timetables, choice and theme boards. We will continue working on our self-care and independence skills, and learning how to stay healthy and keep safe. Most importantly, we will be learning through play and will have fun exploring activities within our brilliant classroom and outdoor area!

Our theme this half term is ‘Superheroes’ and our children will be enjoying exploring a range of activities planned around this topic! Firstly, we will be reading the story ’10 little Superheroes’ by Mike Brownlow and Simon Rickerty, then we will enjoy ‘Supertato’ by Sue Hendra. In Maths we will continue exploring counting rhymes, beginning with a firm favourite, ‘5 little Superheroes’. We will also be learning some new superhero themed songs in our music and movement sessions. We will spend time exploring different musical instruments and how different sounds are made. We will also be experimenting with different materials and being creative and expressive whilst completing a wide variety of arts and crafts, malleable, and messy play activities! For example, we will be making superhero hand prints; we will explore popcorn super smash and spiderman spaghetti webs, in addition to having fun printing with different ‘super fruits and vegetables’! This half term, we will begin PE sessions in the hall and we will be learning to dress with greater independence. We will also continue with our daily phonics work following the Twinkl DFE accredited scheme. All pupils will engage with level 1 activities, which focus on developing speaking and listening skills, and which lay the foundations for phonics work at level 2. We will also continue with level 2 work, whereby letters and their sounds are introduced one at a time and children are taught the skills of blending and segmenting.

In the afternoons we will be enjoying a range of songs on the theme of ‘Ourselves’ in our daily Music and Movement sessions. We will spend time exploring different musical instruments and how different sounds are made. We will also be experimenting with different materials and being creative and expressive whilst completing a wide variety of arts and crafts, malleable, and messy play activities! 

We also enjoy tac pac, which is a sensory communication approach combining touch and music (https://tacpac.co.uk/ ), and our daily dough disco sessions which support development of fine motor skills. Communication is key to everything we do in class – visuals and Makaton are used to support and reinforce children’s understanding throughout the day and children are provided with opportunities to request and make choices for themselves wherever possible. We work hard to promote children’s confidence and self-esteem, supported through the development of caring relationships and secure attachments to key adults in class. In class 1 our aim is prepare our children for year 1 through teaching them the valuable skills and knowledge they will need to progress through school, and into adult life.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in contact – we are always happy to help. We believe strong parent-school partnerships are crucial to our children’s success and really appreciate your feedback and continuing support.

Thank you so much,

Chantelle, Marie, Amanda and Ivana