Class Teacher - Miss Vaughan and Mrs Guy.  Learning Support Officer - Mrs Steptoe

Class Teacher - Miss Walters. Learning Support Officer - Mrs Stratchan

Welcome to the Summer Term in Year 1!

• May - Co-operation and being a good citizen within society

• June - Showing Gratitude, Care and Generosity

• July - Taking and managing risks

This term, as part of our Literacy Tree work, our young readers will explore two delightful books: Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey and Stanley Stick by John Hegley.

Pig the Pug introduces us to a rather cheeky pug whose greedy and selfish ways often lead to amusing consequences. Through this humorous tale, children will explore themes of sharing, kindness, and the importance of friendship, while developing key reading skills such as prediction, inference, and expressive reading. As part of this unit, learners will take part in character comparisons, create fact sheets, contribute to a shared poem, and write their own version of narratives. The main writing outcome will be producing a ‘How to’ guide, drawing on the text’s key themes and ideas.

In our second text, Stanley Stick, children will follow Stanley’s adventures as he transforms an ordinary stick into something extraordinary through the power of imagination. This charming story encourages creativity, language development, and descriptive writing. Throughout the 11 sessions, learners will engage in activities such as writing in role, giving notes of advice, creating missing posters, writing diary entries, and composing letters of thanks. The unit will culminate in the children writing their own versions of narratives, inspired by Stanley’s imaginative world.

We will continue with daily phonics and reading sessions. 

Alongside these exciting literacy projects, we will continue to develop our Welsh language skills through our daily Helpwr Heddiw sessions. These activities will support the use of everyday Welsh phrases and vocabulary across speaking, reading, and writing, with opportunities to practise through role-play and class discussions.

These stories and activities will offer rich opportunities for our young learners to build empathy, enhance comprehension, and express their creativity with confidence.

In mathematics and numeracy this term, pupils will focus on a variety of key concepts designed to build their confidence and foundational skills. They will look at the number system. They will explore fractions, multiplication and division. They will consolidate halves, quarters and doubles. They will count in 2's, 10's and 5's to 100. They will recite numbers to 100, forwards, backwards and from different starting points. They should be able to re-call doubles, halves and near doubles. They will use prior knowledge of number bonds in order to do this. 

Lessons will also cover place value from 50 - 100, allowing pupils to deepen their understanding of how numbers are structured. They will make comparisons and use relevant vocabulary and number sentences. They will compare bigger/smaller, before, after, next, biggest and smallest. They will use this when comparing numbers. Children will explore geometry by looking at position, direction and movement to include half turns and quarter turns. 

Additionally, pupils will develop their measurement skills by investigating time and money through hands-on activities, fostering their ability to apply mathematical concepts to the world around them. They should be able to recognise the concept of time through daily activities and looking at seasons of the year. They will explore o clock on digital and analogue clocks. They will explore money and be able to recognise a variety of coins. They should be able to pay for items up to 50p and give change,  Throughout the summer term we will consolidate all areas of learning in preparation for Year 2. 

This term, we will continue to prioritise outdoor learning and health and well-being lessons to support the holistic development of our pupils. By engaging in activities outside the classroom, children will have the opportunity to build important social skills such as teamwork, communication, and empathy, while also strengthening their connection to nature. These lessons encourage active lifestyles, boost mental well-being, and provide a space for pupils to reflect, collaborate, and develop resilience. 

This term, our Year 1 topic is Incredible Inventors and Inventions. Throughout this unit, learners will explore how inventions from the past have shaped the world we live in today. We will be looking at a range of significant inventions, learning about the inventors behind them, and discussing how these ideas have developed and changed over time.

Children will have the opportunity to compare old and new technologies, investigating how everyday items have evolved to meet the needs of modern life. Through practical activities, research, and discussions, learners will develop their understanding of how creativity, problem-solving, and perseverance play a key role in invention and innovation.

This exciting topic will not only build knowledge of history and science but will also encourage children to think like inventors themselves, designing and sharing their own imaginative creations.

• Children should bring a water bottle (not squash) and fruit to school each day. 

•  P.E. will be on a Monday.

• Children should attend school in the agreed P.E. kit every Monday.

• We have a number of children in school with a nut allergy.  We strive to be a nut-free school so please do not send in nut products in packed lunches. 

Don't forget to download our School App via the Play or App stores - The School App will provide you with up to date information about activities and events at Oldcastle Primary School.  

Please look out for our weekly newsletter issued via The School App and available on our website on a Friday afternoon.  The newsletter contains all forthcoming diary dates for the school.