Mrs Lisa Howes
Class Teacher
Miss April Blewett
Class Teacher
Miss Natalie Walters
Teaching Assistant
Miss Laura Cooper
Teaching Assistant
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.
Reminders:
- PE afternoon is Friday – please ensure your child's PE kit is in school on this day and clearly labelled.
- Please ensure water bottles are clearly labelled and brought to school every day.
- Please label all clothing clearly.
- As your child starts the beginning of their school journey, we encourage independence. As soon as you feel your child is ready, we kindly ask that you leave them at the door or the bottom of the Class 1 steps. A member of the Class 1 team will always be at the door to greet your child and help them.
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.
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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.
