Mawgan-in-Pydar Primary School

Class 1

Mrs Lisa Howes

Mrs Lisa Howes

Class Teacher

Miss April Blewett

Miss April Blewett

Class Teacher

Miss Natalie Walters

Miss Natalie Walters

Teaching Assistant

Miss Laura Cooper

Miss Laura Cooper

Teaching Assistant

WELCOME TO CLASS 1

Welcome to Class 1, we are a mixed Reception and Year 1 class. We encourage and foster a love of learning by creating stimulating environments and planning exciting activities. We aim to inspire and encourage children to become responsible and independent learners. 

In Class 1, our Reception children follow the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Our planning and provision are guided by Development Matters, which outlines the seven key areas of learning and development. Through a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities, we support children’s progress across all areas, ensuring a strong foundation for future learning.

Our Spring Focus:  

This term, our topics are ‘All around the World’ and ‘Once Upon a Time’. Our learning journey will focus on two inspiring questions: "How does our world change?" and "What makes a story magical?" We will be supporting the children's understanding of the diverse world around them while also nurturing their imagination, language and early literacy skills through the wonder of stories. 

In Class 1, our Reception children follow the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Our planning and provision are guided by Development Matters, which outlines the seven key areas of learning and development. Through a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities, we support children’s progress across all areas, ensuring a strong foundation for future learning. 

Reminders: 

  • PE afternoon is Thursday – please ensure your child wears their PE kit to school on this day and it is clearly labelled. 

  • Please ensure water bottles are clearly labelled and brought to school every day. 

  • Please label all clothing clearly.  

Phonics: This term we are continuing with the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds programme. Our main focus is consolidating all the Phase 2 sounds, so your child can confidently blend them to read CVC words (cat) and simple sentences. We will then begin introducing the Phase 3 sounds, which includes more complex digraphs (two letters making one sound, e.g. 'sh', 'ch'). Your children will continue to bring home decodable books that match the sounds they have been taught in school. 

Literacy: We will continue to support the children’s writing development through daily gross and fine motor activities. The children will continue with Pen Disco and Finger Fit to build coordination for effective pencil use and letter formation. In addition, our Drawing Club sessions will inspire children to explore storytelling, vocabulary and early mark-making in a creative and meaningful way.  
 
Communication and Language: This term we will introduce new vocabulary linked to different places, people, and habitats (continent, landmark, habitat). We will encourage the children to communicate by asking questions and sharing facts about the world. We will retell traditional stories, share books from different cultures and explore favourite fairy tales.  

Mathematics:  This term, our Maths learning builds strong number sense and measurement skills. We begin by deep-diving into numbers 1-5 (Alive in 5), before expanding to 6, 7, and 8 (Growing 6, 7, 8), and finally 9 and 10 (Building 9 and 10). Alongside this number work, we will engage in practical measurement activities covering Mass and Capacity, and Length, Height, and Time. We will also introduce the properties and names of 3D shapes through hands-on exploration. 

Expressive Arts and Design: Being imaginative and Expressive:  Our music unit focuses on birdsong and  we are extremely lucky to have a music specialist who will come into school to support our sessions this term. We will be exploring our voices by imitating bird calls, which builds vocal confidence. The children will learn simple games to introduce pitch (like the cuckoo call) and a catchy action song to feel the pulse (beat) and tempo (speed). By playing with different sounds and percussion, we will investigate timbre (sound quality). Finally, they will become composers, creating their own sound story using classroom instruments, demonstrating their knowledge of rhythm and musical sequence. 

Expressive Arts and Design- Creating with Materials:   This term, we will be channeling our inner artist by exploring the bold colours and styles of a famous artist, leading to exciting collage pictures. We will also explore art from different cultures and create observational drawings, focusing on fine detail. The children will design and make delicious pancakes, Chinese lanterns and become engineers by creating different types of transport that travel through the air. 

Understanding the World: During this term, we will explore hot and cold climates, investigating how different animals have adapted to their unique habitats. We will awaken our senses by tasting a variety of delicious fruits from around the world, discussing where they grow. Finally, we will deepen our cultural understanding by comparing and contrasting two important seasonal celebrations: Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) and the vibrant traditions of Chinese New Year. This work helps children appreciate the diversity of the planet, understand cause and effect, and recognise the similarities and differences in people and traditions across the globe. 

People, Culture and Communities:   This term, our key question is ‘Why is the word ‘God’ important to Christians?’. In this unit, pupils find out about the Christian belief that God created the heavens and the earth. They will learn the key events from the creation story. They will find out many Christians believe the earth and everything in it belongs to God and that God gave people the job of taking care of the world. During Spring 2, the children will explore the key events in the Easter story. They will encounter signs and symbols linked to the celebration of Easter and be able to talk about why these are important for believers.

Physical Development:  This term, our PE sessions will cover two units: Move: Best of Balls and Move: Dance 'Till You Drop. The Best of Balls unit focuses on developing fundamental object control skills including throwing, catching, rolling, and kicking to improve coordination and spatial awareness. In the Dance 'Till You Drop unit, children will explore movement, rhythm, and expression, learning to create simple movement sequences to build body awareness and confidence. 

Personal, Social and Emotional Development: This term, our PSED sessions follow the SCARF programme, covering 'Keeping Myself Safe' and 'Rights and Responsibilities'. We will learn essential safety lessons, including oral hygiene and identifying helpful people, alongside exploring the importance of respecting ourselves, our friends and our environment. 

Alongside carefully planned guided activities, the children have opportunities to learn through play and exploration both indoors and outdoors. Our provision is thoughtfully selected to respond to the children’s individual needs and interests in the moment, allowing us to build on their existing skills and prior knowledge effectively.

Curriculum Outline - Autumn term 2025

We hope that you have all had a wonderful summer break. 

This term our topics are ‘Marvellous Me’ and ‘Let’s Celebrate’. Our key focus is supporting the children as they transition into their new environment, helping them to feel safe, secure, and confident as they settle into the routines of their classroom. We will prioritise building positive relationships and a caring classroom community, where every child feels valued and included. Our aim is to create magical memories that set the foundation for a happy and successful start to school.

Phonics: In Reception this term, we will teach children the sounds of the first set of letters in the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme (Phase 2) so they can begin to use phonics to read. We will start exploring wordless books and, when your child can blend sounds into words, they will begin to read the Phase 2 sound blending books.

Literacy: As part of our focus on early literacy, we will support children’s writing development through gross and fine motor activities. The children will also take part in Pen Disco and Finger Fit activities which are designed to strengthen the muscles and coordination required for effective pencil control and letter formation. In addition, our Drawing Club sessions will inspire children to explore storytelling, vocabulary, and early mark-making in a creative and meaningful way.


Communication and Language: This term, children will learn how to listen carefully and understand why good listening is important. They will be introduced to new vocabulary and encouraged to use it throughout the day to support their learning. Through story times and discussions, they will begin to articulate their ideas in well-formed sentences and build familiarity with both fiction and nonfiction texts. Children will also develop their use of social phrases to support confident communication and interaction.


Mathematics: This term, children will explore early number concepts through a range of engaging and practical activities. They will focus on counting accurately, recognising numerals, and matching numbers to quantities using real-life objects and visual representations. Children will be encouraged to sort and match items by different attributes such as colour, shape, and size, helping to build early reasoning skills. They will begin to represent numbers in different ways, using fingers, marks, objects, and number tracks to show their understanding. A key focus will also be on subitising – the ability to instantly recognise small quantities without counting – to develop strong number sense and mental maths skills.

 

Expressive Arts and Design- Being imaginative and Expressive: We will learn songs across the school during our music assemblies to perform at our harvest festival service. In Autumn 2 we will learn how to perform songs with style and rhythm from memory by identifying simple song structures. We will work together to create a performance with an accompaniment and actions. As part of our festive celebrations, the children will also take part in our Christmas Nativity, learning and performing songs with the wider school community.

Expressive Arts and Design- Creating with Materials:  This term, children will explore a variety of materials to develop their creativity and fine motor skills. They will experiment with colour mixing, use different tools and techniques, and create crafts linked to seasonal themes and celebrations. These activities will encourage self-expression and imaginative thinking.

Understanding the World: This term, children will explore how they grow and change over time, learning about the human body, and discuss different life stages. They will share information about their families and begin to recognise and respect similarities and differences between themselves and others, developing an understanding of diversity and the world around them.

People, Culture and Communities: This term, our learning theme is ‘Being Special: where do we belong?’ The children will explore what makes each of us special and develop an understanding of their place within the wider community. We will also introduce children to a variety of beliefs and traditions, recognising and respecting that people celebrate special occasions in many different ways.

Physical Development: This term, children will practise changing independently for PE, building confidence and self-care skills. In gymnastics, they will develop coordination and control through activities such as jumping jacks, rolls, and balancing. They will learn to move safely, use space effectively, and begin to create simple movement sequences with growing confidence and body awareness.

 
Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Our SCARF focus this term is ‘Me and My Relationships’. Children will be learning about themselves, what makes them unique, and who is special to them. We will also explore friendships, kindness, and how to build positive relationships with others. They will also begin to develop the language to understand and express their feelings, laying the foundations for emotional well-being and positive behaviour.

Alongside carefully planned guided activities, the children have opportunities to learn through play and exploration both indoors and outdoors. Our provision is thoughtfully selected to respond to the children’s individual needs and interests in the moment, allowing us to build on their existing skills and prior knowledge effectively.

If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to speak to a member of the Class one team.

TAPESTRY
 
At Mawgan-in-Pydar School, we use a system called Tapesty, an online system to record and share your child’s learning and fun throughout the foundation year.  You can download the application on your smart phone and tablet or use the computer and we will email you when a new page is added to your child’s learning journey, which you can view and comment on.
 
We love hearing about the stories and wonderful things you do at home, so please make your own observations and add your photos and videos. This is helpful for us in Class 1 to see the learning continue at home, so many thanks in advance.

Click on the Tapestry logo below to access the website and log in. 

PHONICS
 
At Mawgan-in-Pydar School, we follow the systematic approach to phonics called Read, Write Inc. This is the way that your child will learn how to read and write.
 
It starts with learning bouncy and stretchy sounds that will build up the ability to break down words into sounds to read and blend them back together to spell. We have special actions that we add with the sounds to make learning enjoyable. 
 
It is always helpful to practice what we are learning at school, but if you feel you are a little unsure on how to pronounce the sounds here is a clip from the RWInc site which will help you.

Our class toy is Elmer the elephant. Each Friday, he will be taken home by a different child in the class. Please take Elmer on your adventures over the weekend and record what you do. It would be great if you could add pictures/videos and a write up onto Tapestry so your child can share their weekend news with the rest of the class. This activity helps develop children’s speaking and listening skills.

Please can you hear your child read every day and share books on a regular basis to enhance their learning. We ask that you write in your child's reading record every time they read. It is an effective form of communication. From your notes we will be able to help and advise, as well as celebrate your child's reading achievements.