Welcome to Robins!

Teacher: Mrs Thistlewaite

Teaching Assistant: Mrs Dickens 

Welcome to Robin Class and the start of an exciting Autumn Term!

In English this half term (and all year) there will be a huge push on Phonics. We will begin by revisiting some of the learning covered in reception (phase 2, 3 and 4) and then move on to Phase 5. We will be basing all of our English learning around two gorgeous texts "Lost and Found" and "Dogger". We will be writing captions, simple information texts, making posters and rewriting stories. We will also have guided reading sessions every day. 

In maths we will begin by comparing measures and quantities and then move onto wholes and parts, investigating numbers to 10 and the different ways we can split them. 

Our topic this half term is Our Local Area. We will be learning all about maps and their uses and how we use them to get around. We will look closely at the features of Hilsea and use key features to create our own maps. 

In Science we are learning about "Our Bodies" and in DT we are looking at levers and sliders. 

Supporting us from home

The teaching of Phonics is fast paced and constant. Your child will be learning new sounds almost every day. As well as this they will be learning common exception words and tricky words. You can support your child at home by logging onto Seesaw and completing the spelling/phonic activities at home. I will upload weekly spelling words and the phonemes we are teaching as each week passes as well as a maths activity. I will post on a Monday for the work to be completed by the following Monday.  I will send home your logins for Seesaw in the 3rd week of term.  

It is so important to be reading regularly at home. The children will bring home a phonetically plausible reading book each week which we expect that they will read 5 times a week. We will change their home reader every Friday. We only change these books once a week so that the children can develop their fluency. Lastly, keep logging into Numbots!

KEY INFORMATION FOR REGULAR ROUTINES

• PE - Tuesday and Friday (This will change half termly) Please come to school in PE kit - black/grey joggers/leggings or cycling shorts/shorts if the weather is warm, trainers.  TOP HALF AS NORMAL FOR SCHOOL UNIFORM - polo shirt and school sweatshirt/cardigan.
• Home learning - reading every evening and please complete reading log.  Please make sure this comes home and returns to school every day. Thank you.
• Home learning - Spelling and Maths activities on See-Saw - children all have log-ins for this home learning platform.  Please upload by Thursday each week. The children also have access to Numbots. Please login regularly! 
• What to bring to school each day - Lunch box (unless your child is having a school packed lunch) and water bottle. The children will bring their water bottles home every day to be washed and refilled. They also need to bring their home reader and reading log every day. If it is colder or raining, please make sure your child has a coat.
• Library day... Information to follow. 

Thank you for reading. If you have any queries, please contact the school office or send me an email at:

year1@gatcombepark.portsmouth.sch.uk