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.

Curriculum Outline - Summer term 2026

Welcome back! We hope that you have all had a lovely Easter break.  

Our Summer Focus:  

This term, our learning is inspired by two questions: "Why do we love animals?" and "What makes Cornwall special?" Through Amazing Animals, we will explore habitats from our own gardens to the misty Himalayas, nurturing empathy and curiosity for all living things. In Seaside Adventures, we will celebrate our local coast, using our Cornish beaches to build imagination, language, and early literacy. Together, we will discover the diverse wonders of the animal kingdom and the unique magic of our home by the sea. 

 

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. 

  • As the weather gets better, please bring a labelled hat and ensure suncream os applied each morning.  

  • Please label all clothing clearly.  

Phonics: This term, we are continuing with the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds programme as we transition into Phase 4. Our main focus is consolidating all Phase 2 and 3 sounds, ensuring the children can confidently blend them to read words with adjacent consonants (such as CVCC words like 'tent' and CCVC words like 'frog'). We will also focus on reading longer words and compound words, as well as increasing fluency in reading and writing simple sentences. 

 
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 as we explore the wonders of the natural world (deforestation, conservation, and coastal). We will encourage the children to communicate by asking inquisitive questions and sharing fascinating facts about Amazing Animals and the habitats they call home. Through our stories, we will learn about the importance of protecting our planet and how our own actions can make a difference. We will also celebrate our local heritage by exploring the Cornish coastline, discovering the unique wildlife and landscapes that make our home so special.  

 

Mathematics:  This term, our Maths learning moves to 20 and Beyond. We will investigate how to manipulate, compose, and decompose numbers, learning how they are made of smaller parts. 

The children will develop practical problem-solving skills through sharing and grouping activities. We will also strengthen spatial awareness as we visualise, map, and build with 3D shapes, encouraging the children to make connections between math and the world around them. 

 

Expressive Arts and Design: Being imaginative and Expressive:  Our music unit focuses on birdsong. 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, our young creators will explore the journey of food by designing and making animal biscuits and blending healthy smoothies while investigating where our ingredients grow. We will also celebrate our local heritage through Cornish traditions, practicing essential kitchen skills like chopping and crimping as we make our very own pasties.  
 

Understanding the World: This term, we will explore Animals and their Habitats, investigating how different creatures adapt to stay "just right" in both tropical rainforests and icy peaks. We will awaken our senses by tasting global fruits and discussing the climates where they grow. As part of our journey, we will also learn about deforestation and the challenges animals face when their homes change. By understanding how animals depend on their surroundings, the children will discover how we can help protect these vital habitats. 

 

People, Culture and Communities:  This term, we will reflect on which places are special and why, comparing our own favourite Cornish spots to sacred spaces around the world. Alongside our exploration of places, we will discover which stories are special and why. We will dive into sacred texts and traditional tales, looking at how stories can carry important messages, teach us how to care for our world and connect people across different cultures. 

 
Physical Development:  This term, our PE sessions will focus on Jumping Jacks, where children will develop body control by learning to jump and stop with balance and perform a range of rolls. We will practice joining jumps and rolls to create super sequences, building the confidence to move with coordination and control. As we move into Summer 2, we will celebrate the spirit of the Olympics. The children will take part in their own mini-games, exploring a variety of athletic challenges that build teamwork, perseverance, and fundamental movement skills. 

Personal, Social and Emotional Development: This term, our PSED sessions follow the SCARF programme, focusing on 'Keeping Myself Safe' and 'Being My Best.' We will learn essential lessons on how to look after our bodies—from oral hygiene to identifying helpful people in our community, 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.  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.