1.  

   General Information

   The school gates will open between 8:35-8:40am. Please say goodbye to your children on the playground and allow them to walk around to enter the classroom via the cloakroom. Parents are not allowed to accompany children from the playground as we are trying to encourage independence as the children grow! 

   Miss Winfieldale will be out of the classroom on Wednesday afternoons and Thursday mornings for PPA and ECT time. Mrs Porter will be teaching the class during this period.   

   Our PE days are Monday and Wednesday. Please make sure your child is wearing their PE kit on these days. *Earrings and any other jewellery must also be removed.*

   We do not provide water bottles in Year One, so please ensure you send your child to school with a suitable water bottle each day.  

   Fidget policy: Please note that our guidance on fidget tools has changed. Children may only bring or use a fidget tool if they have an approved document from Mrs Sidaway (Deputy Headteacher), confirming that this is permitted. 

     

   Topic Overview

   

   Our topic for Autumn 1 term is ‘Let’s Play!’ 

   We will be looking at different types of toys, how toys work and what they’re made from.  

   By the end of the unit the ‘sticky knowledge’ we want our children to know is:

1. Teddy bears were named after Teddy Roosevelt and Meccano was invented by Frank Hornby. 

2. Toys used to be made from natural materials but today they are made from unnatural materials.  

3. Three toys from the Victorian times are: Spinning top, dolls house and pecking chickens.

 

The key questions we will focus on each week are:

Week 1: What toys do we like to play with today? Wow moment with our toys. 

The children will bring in their favourite toy and share it with the class. We will also be sorting toys into different groups based on appearance, mechanics and size.  

Week 2: What was my favourite toy when I was a baby? 

We will discuss our favourite toys as a baby and identify whether it is different now and why. We will also think about the different materials our toys are made from, discussing changes over time. The children will also be given a 'history detectives' sheet to be completed at home. This will help inform our learning for next week where we look at their parents or guardians' favourite toys.  

Week 3:  What were our parents or guardians' toys like and how do we know? 

We will have a class discussion around parents and guardians' favourite toys, informed by the children's research at home. We will also focus on looking at toys from the 1990s, identifying differences between toys now and then. Children are expected to be 'history detectives' again, finding out what their grandparents' favourite toys were in preparation for next week's learning.  

Week 4: What did our Grandparents play with? 

Children will share what their grandparents' favourite toys were growing up. We will also be ordering images of toys chronologically from the 1960s through to the current day, identifying changes throughout history.  

Week 5: What did children play with over 100 years ago? 

This week we will have 5 toys from the Victorian era displayed around the classroom, giving the children a practical opportunity to observe, investigate and interpret history for themselves. We will find out plenty of information about Victorian era toys.  

Week 6: How did the teddy bear get its name and how have they changed over the years? 

We are going to have a range of teddy bears in the classroom this week, ordering them chronologically as a class. We will also find out about the origins of the teddy bear, understanding that they are named after US President Theodore Roosevelt.  

Week 7: Who was Frank Hornby and what did he invent? 

This week's focus is on Frank Hornby who invented 'Meccano'. We will also explore other toys invented by Hornby such as model railways and dinky toys. The children will become a 'toy maker' themselves, inventing a toy inspired by Frank Hornby's creations.  

 

Art and DT 

This half-term we will be doing sewing, ready to create our own puppets. We will firstly learn about different types of puppets before looking at finger puppets and how they are made. The children will get to design, create and sew their own puppets towards the end of term.  

Science

In science we will be looking at the changing seasons. The children will understand the chronology of the seasons and identify the differences between them. We will also head out to Shipley Park for an Autumn walk during week 3.  

PSHE

In PSHE we will be looking at being responsible. This involves responsibilities at home and school and understanding the importance of following different rules.  

ICT

Our school uses the 'Purple Mash' scheme to support learning. This term's aim is to develop an understanding of computing and begin to explore how technology can be used creatively. Using Purple Mash, the children will use simple digital tools such as paint programs to create and edit images. We will also begin to develop our understanding of how to use technology safely and responsibly.  

RE

Our religious focus for this term is 'Christianity'. We will find out what Christians believe, what the Bible teaches us about God and different values that are important to Christians.  

PE

This term we will be doing Karate on a Monday and Mini Golf on a Wednesday.  

Please ensure your child is wearing PE clothes on these days 

Literacy

This term we will be reading 'Room on the Broom' by Julia Donaldson. We are aiming to develop our reading fluency through daily whole-class reading. The children will also expand their vocabulary through engaging but accessible activities throughout the term.  

Phonics

We will recap and consolidate phonics learned in Reception, developing the children's confidence in blending and segmenting words. We will also practice reading and spelling words containing these sounds. The scheme we use is 'Twinkl' phonics.  

Maths

In Maths we will begin to develop our understanding of numbers, recognising, representing and grouping numbers in different ways. We will also look at counting backwards and forwards through to 100. The children will explore Mathematics through practical, hands-on activities using a variety of resources to support their learning.  

Homework

Autumn homework will be issued at the start of term. It will be a 'pick and mix' style homework where children can decide which homework they would like to complete and when. Please see attachment for further information: 

/docs/Autumn_1__homework.pdf

 

How to help at home

There are lots of simple ways you can support your child's learning and help them feel confident as they settle into Year One.  

1. Encourage your child to talk about their day and share what they have been learning at school.  

2. Reading together regularly, practicing phonics sounds and talking about numbers in everyday situations are all great ways to support their learning at home.  

3. Please encourage independence by helping your child to practice everyday skills such as getting dressed, organising their belongings and looking after their things. This will help them immensely in school.  

4. Most importantly, continue to encourage curiosity, conversation and a love of learning that we can build on at Coppice!  

 

Diary dates

Friday 4th September – INSET day, school closed.

Monday 7th September – INSET day, school closed. 

Tuesday 8th September – Start of the Autumn Term. School is open. 

Coppice CARE values

Each week we have a new value – there are 12 in total. The children will have an assembly on Monday morning about how to show and give respect to others both at school and at home. We will expect each child to demonstrate this towards all members of our Coppice community. It is important that even when we move onto a new value, the old one isn't forgotten.