ASH CLASS 2024 - 2025

We are made up of children from Reception and Year 1. Our class teacher is Miss Gibson and our teaching assistant is Mrs Taylor. We are also lucky enough to have Mrs Tickle who will take the children for Forest School fortnightly.

WC 06.01.25

Makaton sign of the week: milk

This week in Maths, we have been recapping some skills from last term, including tens and ones, number bonds and finding the difference. In English, we have recapped what a single clause sentence must contain and how to use the conjunctions 'and', 'but' and 'or'. In Art we explored the concept of negative space through exploration of Kathy Prendergast's work, in Music we began learning how to play the drums and in PSHE we discussed ways to lead a healthy lifestyle.

In Reception this half term we are learning about traditional tales. This has included writing speech for goldilocks, building a 2d shape house, role-playing in the Three Little Bears cottage and making a character's face at the creative table. In Phonics, we have been recapping our sounds from autumn term and practicing our letter formation. Your support with correct letter formation at home would be greatly appreciated.

WC 16.12.24

We have had a very busy last week! We have explored what happened after the Great Fire of London and used a diary entry of Samuel Pepys to answer questions about the past. In DT, we made our bread using our designs and evaluated how well these turned out. In Science, we planned and conducted our own experiment to find out which material would be the strongest and most waterproof for the Three Little Pigs house. Amongst all this, we have also had our Rocksteady concert, some Christmas crafts and Reward Day! We have had a great last week of Autumn term and are very excited for the holidays. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas break, and I look forward to welcoming my lovelies back in the new year!

Ash PE kits are coming home today (16.12.24). Next half term every child is required to wear shorts for Gymnastics. Please make sure your child has these in their PE kit. Thank you!

WC 09.12.24

This week in Maths, we have all been using our knowledge of 2d and 3d shapes to make repeating patterns. In English, we have explored traditional nursery rhymes and developed our understanding of rhymes. In Art we have planned and created our final piece based on The Great Fire of London. In RE we explored why some religions wear religious clothing and in Topic we suggested improvements for modern-day streets to prevent the events of the 1666 fire from recurring.

In Reception, we have continued learning about Christmas. In group time, we read the story 'The Jolly Postman' and discussed who we write letters to at this time of year. We then wrote a letter to Santa altogether. Reception will then be writing their own letters next week. In Phonics, we have learnt the sounds oa and oo (I like books) and oo (zoom to the moon).

The highlight of our week had to be our nativity performances and I’m so proud of my little team! Each and every one of them smashed it! Have a great weekend.

WC 02.12.24

This week in Maths, we have all been learning about 2d and 3d shapes. We have been using the words 'vertices', 'edges' and 'faces' to describe their features. In English, we have completed our diary plan in the role of Thomas Farriner using adverbs and adjectives. In DT we designed our bread for Pudding Lane bakery with our favourite design inspired by artwork of the fire. In RE we learnt about different items of religious clothing and thought about what clothes we would choose to represent ourselves.

In Reception, we have started learning about Christmas. In group time, we learnt listened to the Christmas story and common traditions. During Busy Learning we wrapped presents in Santa's workshop, decorated christmas trees and counted the buttons on the snowmen. In Phonics, we have learnt the sounds ai, igh and the tricky words we and me.

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This week in Maths, Year 1 have recapped some previously taught concepts including finding a missing part, adding and subtracting accurately and comparing numbers using symbols. In English, we have continued preparing to write a diary by learning what an expanded noun phrase is and making our diary plan in the role of Thomas Farriner. In Science we sorted materials according to their properties and in PSHE we recognised our achievements as we have grown from a baby. 

In Reception, this has been our last week learning about Space. In group time, we learnt a mnemonic to help us remember the order of the planets from the sun. The children had some great questions which we researched to find the answer, including 'Why isn't Mercury the hottest planet even though it is the closest to the sun?'. During Busy Learning we focused on improving our cutting skills this week and have had lots of space activities based around this. In Phonics, we have learnt the digraphs ng, ee and qu. In Maths, we have been looking at one more and one less of a group of objects.

25th November 2024

Nativity is upon us! As we are preparing for our performances, we need to start sorting costumes. All costumes will be supplied by the school but we ask for your child to bring particular items of clothing to wear underneath. Please find your child's role on the list below and bring the listed items into school in a named carrier bag by Wednesday 4th December. If there are any issues then please let me know.

Mice costumes- grey top and black bottoms (preferably leggings)

Cow costumes- white top and black bottoms (preferably leggings)

Sheep costumes- white top and white bottoms (preferably leggings)

Angel costume- vest top and shorts (preferably white)

Donkey costumes- grey top and black bottoms (preferably leggings)

Mary and Joseph costumes- shorts and vest

3 Wisemen costumes- shorts and vest

Shepherd costumes- shorts and vest

WC 18.11.24

This week has been assessment week and I am so incredibly proud of my little team! This week we have also been practising our nativity, exploring Great Fire of London artwork to inspire our bread designs in DT, learning how to mix colours to change tone in Art, and debating the causes of the Great Fire of London in Topic.

In Reception, we have continued learning about Space. In group time, we explored a non-fiction and fiction book about space and discussed their differences. We completed two pieces of writing with an adult- one on a fact we learnt from the non-fiction book, and one with a list of items we would take to the moon like baby bear did in the fiction book 'Whatever Next'. During Busy Learning we have made space models out of playdough, created rockets using 3D shapes and wrote a shopping list for space. In Phonics, we have learnt the digraphs ch, sh, th and the tricky words be, she and he.

WC 11.11.24

This week in Maths, Year 1 have been comparing numbers using symbols, solving missing number problems, recognising written numbers to 20 and identifying how many tens and ones in a number. In English, we have continued preparing to write a diary by identifying facts and opinions, exploring exclamation marks and using adverbs. In DT, we completed a survey on bread and in PSHE we discussed acts of kindness that we will do this week for Kindness Week. This half term we are lucky enough to have Hunts SSP teaching us dance in PE and this week we danced imitating a toy.

In Reception, we have started learning about Space. In group time, we shared facts we already knew and noted down questions we would like to find the answer to. During Busy Learning we have sorted space objects from smallest to largest, made rockets using 2D shapes and had a go at writing whilst lying down like Tim Peake. In Phonics, we have learnt the phonemes w, x, y and z. In Maths, we looked at numbers 6-10 by finding '5 and some more' and found one more than a number.

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This week in Maths, Year 1 have been subtracting on a number line, subtracting from numbers 11-20 using their knowledge of number bonds to 10 and recapping how to find one less. In English, we learnt the new spelling rules of adding 'ing' to words ending in 'e' and how to contract words. We then looked at the features of a diary and thought about their impact on the reader. In DT we explored bread designs to help us prepare to make our bread for Thomas Farriner's bakery and in Art we explored artwork by Frida Khalo and Van Gogh.

In Reception, we have been learning about Bonfire Night. During Busy Learning we have created our own Guy Fawkes and wrote the sentence 'My name is ...'. We also created firework pictures using pastels and chalks. In Phonics, we have learnt the phonemes ss, j and v. We have also loved exploring our revamped outdoor area by making music on the stage, role playing with dinosaurs and bug hunting using our investigation station. 

WC 21.10.24

This week in Maths, Year 1 have used their knowledge of number bonds to find a missing part in a part-whole model and used subtraction find a missing part in number sentences. In English, we have identified the key features of a traditional tale and planned and written our own. In Topic, we explored the difference between fire safety in 1666 and now and Reception worked as a team to create their own representation of houses from the time of The Great Fire of London. In Science, we conducted an experiment to test the properties of a variety of materials and in PE we tried to use our accuracy skills when using a ball.

In Reception we had a mixture of bear and Halloween activities. We started the week by listening to the nursery rhyme 'Teddy Bears Picnic' and spotted any rhyming words. We then used our knowledge of rhymes to find the person who had a rhyming card that matched our own. During Busy Learning we have designed, de-seeded and carved pumpkins, put the correct number of legs on a spider to match the numeral and written Halloween party invitations. In Phonics, we have learnt the final phase 2 phonemes f, ff, ll and the tricky words 'go' and 'into'. It was then only fair to end our first half term with a teddy bears picnic, where we made our own sandwiches and enjoyed them with our favourite bear from home.

WC 14.10.24

This week in Maths, Year 1 have continued writing addition fact families to represent a part-whole model and using this knowledge to solve mathematical problems. In English, we have continued looking at traditional tales and have used exciting adjectives to write character descriptions, recapped how to use the co-coordinating conjunctions 'and', 'but' and 'or' to extend our sentences and learnt how to edit our writing to make it better.

In Science, we learnt how to recognise man-made and natural materials and sorted objects by their material. In PSHE we thought about strategies to help us feel calm and designed our own safe space. In RE we looked at religious headwear and why it is worn and in Art we started to look at colour theory and made our own colour wheels.

In Reception, we are still learning about bears. We started the week by looking at the poem 'Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around' and spotted any rhyming words. During Busy Learning we then looked at pictures and tried to identify all the rhyming words with 'bear', such as 'chair, stair, hair, pear'. We have also been practicing our letter formation and sharing party food fairly at the teddy bear picnic. We have been teaching Mrs Taylor how to count objects with accuracy and in Phonics we have learnt the phonemes r, h, b and the tricky word 'I'.

WC 07.10.24

This week in Maths, Year 1 have been learning how to write fact families using their number bonds within 10. In English, we have moved on to looking at traditional tales and have been comparing similarities and differences in well known tales, writing questions to Goldilocks using question words writing single clause sentences. In Topic we compared life in London in 1666 to the present day, in Forest school we looked for signs of wild animals in our outdoor area too see if it's inviting and planted conkers to grow new trees.

In Reception, we have been learning about bears. We read the story 'A Brave Bear' and shared ways that we have been brave. In Busy Learning we have labelled pictures of familiar bears, used colourful bears to create repeating patterns and made bear caves out of junk modelling. We have been learning to add two numbers together in Maths using part-whole models and in Phonics we have learnt the phonemes ck, e, u and the tricky words 'to' and 'the'.

WC 30.9.24

This week in Maths, Year 1 have been counting on from any given number, writing numerals in words, and understanding odd and even numbers. In English, we have planned and written our own version of the story 'Traction Man' using adjectives and the conjunction 'and'. In Music, we explored body percussion, in Computing we learnt what 'technology' means, in PSHE we discussed what our personal strengths are and in RE we discussed what we are thankful for in our world and how we can take care of it. In PE, we looked at how to pass and stop a football with control.

In Reception, we have continued learning about our senses. We tested our taste buds to guess the flavour of jelly, used the binoculars to spot objects in the classroom and used only our hands to feel and identify objects. We have been learning to touch count with 1:1 correspondence and then representing these amounts with a numeral in Maths and in Phonics we have learnt the phonemes g, o, c and k.

WC 23.9.24

This week in Maths, Year 1 have been exploring tens and ones in double digit numbers, estimating numbers on a number line and comparing amounts using 'greater than', 'less than' and 'equal to'. In English, we learnt about adjectives and how to use speech bubbles. In Science we went on a scavenger hunt around school for objects made out of the materials we have been exploring, in Forest School we continued looking at camouflage and tried to use our surroundings to decorate a pair of antlers and in PSHE we looked at impulsive and thought through behaviours.

In Reception, we have been learning about our 5 senses. We listened to sounds on the talking tins and matched them to a picture of the object making that sound, smelt mystery items and tried to guess what was inside the container, and we used our eyes to try and spot the difference. We have continued learning about numbers 6-9 in Maths by learning how to write the numerals and represent them and in Phonics we have learnt the phonemes p, i, n and m.

WC 16.9.24

This week in Maths, Year 1 have been exploring different ways to partition numbers to 10, finding one more and one less. In English, we learnt about writing single clause sentences, using pronouns to replace proper nouns and how to use the conjunctions 'and', 'but' and 'or'. In Science we began our new topic by exploring different materials and describing them, in Art we all learnt about the primary and secondary colours and in Topic we learnt what the word 'chronological' means and ordered the events of 'The Great Fire of London'. In PE we learnt to show control when dribbling with a ball.

In Reception, we have been learning about our bodies. We have been thinking about the clothes we wear, the different body parts we have and how our families can all look different. Reception have been learning about numbers 0, 4, 5 and 6 in Maths by looking at how to write the numerals and how to represent each number. In Phonics, we have learnt the phonemes s, a and t. Phonics packs came home today with these flashcards and ideas of how to use them in fun games.

WC 9.9.24

This week in Maths, Year 1 have been learning about number composition 1-10. We have been focusing on counting with 1:1 correspondence, representing amounts with numerals and using correct number formation. In English, we learnt about 'being nouns' and 'actions nouns' and in Exciting Writing we wrote a self-description. We were introduced to our new topic of 'The Great Fire of London', explored how to camouflage a bird in our surroundings in Forest School and in PE we learnt how to safely move in a variety of ways, follow instructions and balance.

In Reception, we have continued thinking about our feelings and have completed many Colour Monster activities during Busy Learning. Reception have been learning about numbers 1-3 in Maths by looking at how to write the numerals and how to represent each number. They also looked at how to group objects by their characteristics, such as colour, size and type. In Phonics, we have been focusing on our listening skills by identifying sounds around us and hearing syllables in words.

WC 2/9/24

A short but fun-filled week to ease us back in. This week we have been thinking about what we want our classroom to look like this year. Alongside talking about class rules and managing our emotions, we also read the story 'Have you filled a bucket today?'. We thought about how our actions and words impact others and came up with different ways to fill people's buckets with happiness and kindness. We have also loved learning some Makaton signs, including our names, greetings and emotions. Year 1 were super excited to have their first English lessons where we learnt about common and proper nouns.

We've all had a super few days and I look forward to our first full week together! Quick reminders for next week- PE will start on Monday so PE kits must be in school. Year 1 Mathletics will be set on Monday and due on Sunday (log ins in diaries). Reading books have come home and will be changed on Monday.