AUTUMN TERM 2024

Our overarching topic for this term is 'Who am I?'. This will allow the Year 1 team to really get to know the children's individual personalities and ensure they feel a sense of belonging here at Vaynor.

English  

In English, the children have been using actions to learn and retell the story 'The Gingerbread Man'. We have been using our phonic knowledge to spell keywords and write simple sentences with finger spaces and full stops. 

Our continuous provision activities have also linked to our Gingerbread Man topic.

Maths

Our Maths focus this term will be 'Number'. This will include: representing single-digit numbers, ordering and sequencing and counting in different steps. We have lots of fun this term and use practical resources to support our learning. In Autumn 2, we will be moving on to addition and subtraction and using our place value knowledge to support our calculations.

 Art  

In Art, the children have been exploring the artwork of Andy Warhol. The children evaluated various pieces of Warhol's artwork and discussed them with their peers using technical vocabulary, commenting on colour, line and texture and also how the pieces make them feel.

The children will then practise their art skills before creating their final masterpiece in the style of Andy Warhol's artwork.

Spring Term 2025 

Our Topic: This half term, our topic is ‘Toy town’. During our topic we will be discussing the question ‘How have toys changed over the years?’ Would we prefer modern toys or our Grandparents' toys?

Over the term we will be learning about toys from the past and how they compare with our families. In History, we will be investigating how toys have changed over time and when toys were invented. We will be comparing toys from the past in our own lives and sharing what toys we like to play with. We will also be finding out about what toys our family members played with when they were young, so get ready to share your favourite toys parents and grandparents!

 

In Geography, we will be continuing to find out about our local area. This time we will be exploring landmarks in Redditch such as Forge Mill, Arrow Valley Lake. Morton Stanley Park and Redditch Palace theatre. We have already been on a walk around our local school area and used ariel maps to map out different landmarks. This term, we will explore further and we will walk to Morton Stanley park and map out our journey! We will also be placing Redditch on a map of the United Kingdom and learn and locate the countries England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. 

English:

This term we will focus on retelling familiar stories and innovating these texts to write our own narratives about toys. We have been using the text- Dogger by Shirley Hughes. The children will be describing their own favourite toys and writing character descriptions for their teddies. We will then be retelling the story explaining how the characters in the text feel and why.  

We can’t wait to write our own texts about our missing toys!

 After half term we will be using the text Funnybones to explore recount writing about our local area and finding out more about landmarks in Redditch. We will write our own journey stories in the style of Janet & Allan Ahlberg. 

 

PSHE

This term, we will continue our learning with ‘Jigsaw’ in PSHE which is a mindful approach to PSHE which brings together Personal, Social, Health Education, emotional literacy, social skills and spiritual development.

 

This half term we will explore the topics:

Dreams and Goals: In this topic we will: learn how to set goals and how to set stepping stones to achieve these goals. We will also look at how we can work well with others and how to face new challenges and how to overcome these.

 

Healthy Me: In this topic we will: understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy choices. We will know how to keep ourselves clean and healthy and discuss how to stay safe when crossing the road.

 

 

We will still be doing ‘myHappymind’ sessions which help the children develop their mental awareness and build mental health and wellbeing.  

                             

Maths:

This term we will focus on numbers to 50. This will involve developing a deeper understanding of what makes up a 2digit number. We will be using dienes to build the tens and ones and comparing these 2-digit number. In lessons we will be focusing on counting, developing a strong understanding of each number and using objects and pictorial representations to represent numbers.

 

We will be moving on to learning to Multiply and Divide after half term. We will be learning to count in 2’s and 10s and grouping objects to solve simple multiplications and divisions.

This term we have started Leapfrog. Leapfrog will happen every Thursday and to begin with this is untimed and children will have access to resources to help them solve additions and subtractions. Make sure you bring your red leapfrog book back in on Thursday to record your score in the back of your book.      

Design Technology:

This term we will be designing and making a free-standing structure. We will be exploring what a free-standing structure is and what materials we will need to make it secure. We will be working in teams to design, make, adapt and evaluate a toy garage with a ramp for a toy garage. 

     

Summer term 2025

Our Topic: This half term, our topic is ‘Castles and Crowns’. During our topic we will be discussing the questions:  

‘If you were the King for the day, what rules would you put in place and why?’ 

and 

‘What role would you like in the castle and why?’ 

In History, we will be learning about King Charles III and the Royal Family. We will be investigating who the King is, where he lives and the different roles he has. We will also be learning about famous UK castles and where they are located. We will find out about the different features of a castle and how they kept people safe. We are very excited to visit Warwick Castle and find out what it was like to live there. 

In Geography, we have been learning all about our local area. This term we will begin to locate the capital cities of the UK – London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast on a map and find out about the 4 compass points. We will then explore London further by using maps to identify the physical and human features that can be found there. We will also learn to describe the similarities and differences between London and Redditch.

PSHE 

This term, we will continue our learning with ‘Jigsaw’ in PSHE which is a mindful approach to PSHE which brings together Personal, Social, Health Education, emotional literacy, social skills and spiritual development.  This term we will explore the topics:  

Relationships: In this topic we will learn what a good friend looks like, how to make friends and how to solve friendship problems. We will also learn how we can help others feel part of a group and how we should treat others.  

Changing me: In this topic we will understand that people change as they grow from a baby to an adult. We will know who to ask for help if we are worried and we will be thinking about changes that have happened in our life. We will also begin to think about the transition from Year 1 to Year 2. 

Maths: 

This term we will focus on fractions. This will involve recognising ½ of an object, shape or quantity and understanding that halving is sharing by 2. We will then move onto recognising ¼ of an object, shape or quantity. We will then apply this learning to understand ½ ¼ and ¾ turns. 

 

We will then be moving on to use measures. This will involve recognising and knowing the value of coins and notes. We will learn to recognise days and months of the year and begin to tell the time to o’clock and half past. We will develop an understanding of length, weight and capacity. 

 

Next half term, we will learn to recognise and use numbers within 100. This will involve developing a deeper understanding of what makes up a 2-digit number. We will be using dienes to build the tens and ones and comparing these 2-digit number. In lessons we will be focusing on counting, developing a strong understanding of each number and using objects and pictorial representations to represent numbers.  

English:  

This term we will be using the text- King’s Pants by Nicholas Allan and making links with our history topic about King Charles III. The children will be writing character descriptions about the King and missing posters for the King’s pants. We will then be retelling the story and innovating it to make it our own. 

 
After half-term we will be using the text- The Knight Who Said "No!" by Lucy Rowland. The children will be learning about the role of a knight, and we will write job adverts for a knight. We will be using adjectives to make our writing more interesting and using them to write missing posters. 

 

Art: This term we will be looking at how different symbols represent our Monarchy – making links with our history topic. We will be developing our sketching, weaving and printing skills to create a coat of arms that is personal to us.