2023-2024
January
Sea Life
As part of our Hook for literacy, Year 1 had an exciting trip to Sea Life in central London! We saw sharks, clownfish, jelly-fish, penguins and even had the chance to touch some shark eggs. We had such a great time!
Aspiration Week
As part of Aspiration week, Year 1 was fortunate enough to be visited by a local pharmacist and nurse! We had a chance to explore different medical equipment and find out what it’s like to work with patients in such a demanding job.
December
As part of our Geography unit Year 1 went on a local walk. Then we got our creative hats on and made a mini model of the local area which included our school, local shops and even the train station.
With Christmas approaching, year 1 have visited Ascension church to take part in the Christmas journey. We’ve learnt all about the origins of Christmas, exploring why we give gifts at Christmas, who the wise men were, and why the Nativity story is important to Christians.
What would it be like to live without your sight, or your hearing? As part of our science unit, we’ve been studying the senses, and for today’s science experiment we explored how difficult even basic tasks become when you aren’t able to see, hear or use your hands!
November
Making Porridge
To finish our Goldilocks unit, we decided to make big bowls of delicious porridge. We followed instructions and then after we made our porridge we wrote our own instructions.
Science Flip Learning
Look at all the amazing flip learning we did over the half term break. We are looking forward to learning about the human body.
Treasure Hunt
As part of our Geography unit, Year 1 have been learning how to follow maps. We followed the map around the school to find teddy and the treasure he had hidden!
October
Autumn Walk
We went for a walk around the school and observed nature in the autumn. We saw fallen leaves, many of them now turning brown due to the autumn season.
Fruit Kebab
It’s time to make our fruit kebabs! After washing our hands and cleaning our surfaces, we prepared the different fruits by chopping them on a chopping board. After that, we chose our favorite fruits and made our kebabs. Delicious!
September
Fruit Tasting
We began our Design and Technology unit by tasting a variety of different fruits. We explored the taste and texture of the fruits, thinking hard about which ones were sweet and which ones were sour.
Goldilocks Hook
Oh no! Someone has broken into year 1, eaten our porridge, and left footprints! We’ve studied the crime scene and discovered the perpetrator – Goldilocks! We’ll be spending the rest of our Literacy Unit writing about Goldilocks and how she broke into the three bears house to steal their porridge.
2022-2023
May
Year 1 have been investigating plants as part of our science unit. We spent time in the field collecting and examining a range of different leaves, and after brining them back to the classroom, we used our expanding knowledge and vocabulary to describe the different leaves we had found.
We’ve been practicing our sewing skills as part of our DT unit. We’ll soon be making our very own puppets, but before that we’ve been practicing threading the needle and sewing simple, basic patterns.
We’ve been learning about the different nations of the United Kingdom. After reading the post cards Barnaby Bear sent to use from around the UK, we tried a selection of different foods from each of the four nations – Welsh cakes from Wales, shortbread from Scotland, Victoria sandwiches from England, and taytos from Northern Ireland!
In our Design and Technology (DT) classes, we’ve embarked on a fascinating exploration of the diverse world of puppetry! Our students have been investigating different types of puppets, exploring the different ways they can be moved and manipulated.
April
Over the Easter holiday, children in Year 1 worked hard on their their plant and flower projects.
March
Science materials
Get ready to be amazed by these little scientists in action! Year 1 children have been busy conducting a science experiment for Science Week, testing which materials are absorbent and which ones are waterproof. With great curiosity and enthusiasm, they observed and recorded the results of their experiments, using a variety of materials such as foil , paper towels, plastic and more. Not only did they learn about the properties of different materials, but they also honed their scientific skills, including careful observation and data collection. It’s clear that these young minds are already thinking critically and creatively, and who knows – they may just be the next generation of inventors and innovators
History of the page
Take a trip down memory lane with these photos of Year 1 engaging in ‘History of the Page’. Providers came in to teach the children about old toys throughout history by letting them play with the toys themselves. From simple wooden blocks to classic tin soldiers, the children were fascinated by the vintage treasures. They even got to make some of their own simple toys, using their imaginations and creativity to bring them to life.
RE: Shabbat
Step into the world of Year 1’s Religious Education lesson, where they explored the beautiful traditions of Shabbat. The children learned that Shabbat occurs on Friday evening, when the sun has set and the day has come to a close. They then had the opportunity to share in a symbolic meal of grape juice and challah, which represents the sweetness and wholeness of life. The children thought deeply about what they are grateful for in the world and shared their heartfelt thoughts with one another. This lesson not only deepened their understanding of Jewish traditions but also fostered a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the world around them.
For world book day year 1 were lucky enough to be visited by children’s illustrator Korky Paul. He came in and spoke to the children about some of the books he worked on and did a live drawing for us of one of his characters from his Winnie and Wilbur series.
January
This term we are exploring the work of Kandinsky. We decided to take our learning outdoors and recreate his work using chalk.
As part of Place of Worship, we visited St John’s Church. We looked at objects special to Christians and visited the different areas around the Church. Our favorite area was the choir, which is used for special worship time together with singing and instruments. We loved singing with Priest Young.
As part of Aspirations Week Year 1 focused on jobs in the NHS. Year 1 had a visit from Nurse Asha Palmer who talked about her role.
We also had a go at bandaging, checking heart beat using a stethoscope and checked lungs.
In our R.E lesson we explored artefacts from different religions. We had to guess which religion each of the artefacts belonged to.
We also discussed what we wear to show we belong.
To hook into their next Talk for Writing unit, Year 1 visited Sea Life in central London! They learned about a variety of different underwater creatures such as sharks, jelly fish and penguins! They had a great time and developed a lot of contextual knowledge that will help to support their writing over the coming weeks.
December
Year 1 once again visited Ascension church, this time to learn about the history of the nativity scene. The children had a fun afternoon where they learnt about the origins of Christmas and why Christians, as well as people from other faiths and backgrounds, continue to exchange gifts on Christmas Day.
November
We’ve been exploring different senses in our science lesson. Our teacher passed around a bag and we had to guess which senses each item was related to. We also tasted different foods such as bitter dark chocolate, salty crisps, and sweet and sour skittles to learn about the different flavours we can experience. We listened to different sounds, felt different materials and smelled a variety of difference spices. A very fun, hands-on lesson!
This half-term year 1 will be looking at the classic Chinese tale The Magic Paintbrush. To introduce the book and get the children excited about the story, we’ve been thinking about what we would paint if we had our very own magic paintbrushes. Year 1 have been putting their art skills to the test, painting their hopes, wishes and dreams just like Ho, the protagonist of the story.
September
Year 1 visited the Ascension Church to learn about the different ways Christians show they belong to the Christian faith.
As a hook for our T4W Cinderella unit, the children threw a royal ball! They made invitations and then during the ball they laughed, drank, ate and danced!
2021-2022
Summer 2
Fruit picnic
As part of our Literacy learning we had a fruit picnic. We learnt that bees help us grow fruit.
Bee Projects
Year 1 are learning all about bees in Literacy. Here are some of the flip learning projects children completed over half term.
Tate Britain
As part of our Sculptures unit in Art we visited Tate Gallery. We saw lots of paintings and sculptures. We also sketched our favourite sculpture.
Summer 1
Puppets
In D&T we explored different types of puppets. Then we designed and made our own animal puppets.
History of The Page
As part of our History topic we had History off The Page. We explored toys our parents and grandparents played with.
We also made toys from the past including peg dolls and spinning tops.
Planting
As part of our Science unit on plants we planted sunflower seeds. We will be observing how they grow.
Science Plant projects
Look at all the wonderful Science projects completed over the Easter break.
Spring 2
Everyday Materials Home Projects
Here are some examples of the fantastic science projects over Spring half term.
Our Favourite Toys
As an introduction to our History topic ‘How are our lives different to our parents and grandparents’ we shared our favourite toys from home. We then played What am I? and sorted and grouped the toys.
Spring 1
Gurdwara Visit
Year 1 visited Ramgarhia Gurdwara. We learnt what Sikh’s do at the Gurdwara and how it is used to serve the community.
Introducing Data Handling
As part of their computing learning – Introducing Data Handling, Year 1 are learning about collecting and recorded data. Year 1 collected data on how everyone comes to school and created pictograms. They also collected data on different colour eyes in 1S and created a table and block graph.
Kandinsky
Year 1 have been exploring the work of Kandinsky. They experimented making secondary colours and exploring what colours go well together. They painted their final pieces using different colours they created.
Safer Internet Workshop
Year 1 had a workshop on how to keep safe when using the internet.
Sea Life
As part of our hook in Literacy, Year 1 visited Sea Life London Aquarium to explore penguins. We watched the penguins play and swim in the water. We learnt what they eat. We also saw jellyfish, sea turtles and tropical fish. We walked over a glass window with incredible views.
As part of Aspirations Week Year 1 explored the needs of animals and how pets need to be looked after. We interviewed some one at the Aquarium and some of the children shared how they help look after their pets at home. We also dressed up as vets and cared for the pets in the class. Finally we journaled about how to look after pets.
Autumn Term 2
Christmas Journey
Year 1 attended the Christmas Journey event. We followed the star and visited Shepherds Hill, Mary’s Kitchen and the Wise Men’s Palace. We also discussed how Christmas is celebrated today.
Senses
In this lesson we explored different senses. The teacher passed around a mystery bag around and the children had to guess what senses each item is related to and why. We also tasted different foods such as dark chocolate and salty crisps, listened to different sounds and even smelt coffee and different spices.
Local Walk
Year 1 explored the local area. We walked through the park and saw the farm. We also walked pass Prince Regent Station and saw Excel London and the river.
Autumn Walk
In this lesson we explored what an Autumn day looks like. We walked around our school to see the changes in Autumn and collected different coloured leaves.
Human Body
In this lesson we read different books about our bodies. We then drew around a child and had word cards and pictures which we matched to the correct part of their body.
Treasure in the class
In this lesson we explored a map of the classroom. We matched aerial and side view photos of different areas in the classroom on the map. We also found treasure marked on the map in a red cross.
Autumn Term 1
