Dear Parents,
Welcome back! We hope you have had a restful holiday and haven’t eaten too much chocolate! The main theme of our work this term is Predators and Prey.
Geography
In Geography we will be learning about the four nations that make up the United Kingdom and what is special about them. We will start by recapping previous learning about the compass and directional language before delving into some exciting map work to learn the capital cities of the four nations and the seas that surround us.
English
In English we shall be studying the book “There’s a Lion in my Cornflakes” by Michelle Robinson and Jim Field and then “Wild” by Emily Hughes. “Wild” is a new addition to our curriculum and we are hoping that it will help the children to consolidate the writing skills they have been learning this year. In Term 5, the writing focus will be on letter writing and some character description and in Term 6 will be another character description, a set of instructions and a recount in the form of a news report.
Reading
Our whole class reading text for Term 5 is Rabbit and Bear the Pest in the Nest, and for Term 6 is a Ladybird version of the Jungle Book.
Guided Reading continues as an integral part of our Phonics lessons and the children will continue to work through the Monster Phonics scheme.
PE
In P.E. we welcome Sports Cool who will be teaching the children some athletics skills in Term 5. In Term 6 Miss Zara returns to Blackboys to work on fitness and conditioning skills. Mrs Hall will continue to teach PE on a Thursday and she will be focusing on striking and fielding games in term 5 and athletics in term 6. Please ensure your child has the correct PE kit for these lessons. They will no longer require a tracksuit so will need a pair of shorts and are expected to wear a school jumper should they feel cold. If your child takes part in an after school club, please ensure that they return their PE Kit to school the following day.
Music
In Term 5 we will be listening to “Carnival of the Animals” by Camille Saint-Saens and we will be discussing pitch, tempo and dynamics within the music. Term 6 sees us creating our own pieces of music inspired by an animal and learning how to write the music down using a graphic score.
PSHE
PSHE this term will focus on relationships with our families, our friends and ourselves, followed by a unit on how we are changing as we grow up, becoming more independent and responsible.
Maths
We will begin the term by completing our work on fractions before moving onto a unit about length and height, moving from measuring using non-standard units to understanding when and how to use centimetres and metres to measure with.
Following this, we will be learning to tell the time. We focus mainly on o’clock and half past for Year 1 and quarter past and quarter to for Year 2. There will also be the challenge for some to understand the 5 minute time intervals, eg 5 to, 25 past etc. This is the perfect time to start working on telling the time at home as the only way the children can truly master this skill is by practising it repeatedly. Although we do look at digital times, we will be teaching time on an analogue clock. If you don’t have one at home, you should be able to access an analogue clockface on your phone/tablet that your child can practise with.
After half term, the children will be learning about statistics (tally charts, block diagrams and pictograms); mass, capacity and temperature and, finally, position and direction.
Science
In English we shall be studying the book “There’s a Lion in my Cornflakes” by Michelle Robinson and Jim Field and then “Wild” by Emily Hughes. “Wild” is a new addition to our curriculum and we are hoping that it will help the children to consolidate the writing skills they have been learning this year. In Term 5, the writing focus will be on letter writing and some character description and in Term 6 will be another character description, a set of instructions and a recount in the form of a news report.
DT
In DT we will be learning about fruit and vegetables, tasting some and designing and making a smoothie.
Art
In Art we will be learning about how paint can be used to create texture and pattern before creating a collage with a predator theme.
RE
In Term 5 we will be studying a thematic unit, where we compare Christianity, Judaism and Islam, as well as non-religious beliefs, to help us answer the question “What does it mean to belong to a faith community?” In Term 6 we will have a Christianity unit, looking at Framfield Church and helping us to answer the question “What makes our church a special place?” We will, hopefully, have an opportunity to visit the church to help us with this.
Reminders
Reading
Our Guided Reading sessions have had a real impact on the fluency of the children’s reading and we are really pleased with the progress that all children have made. Please continue to support this reading at home. It is important that your child reads their Monster Phonics book first and foremost, but please don’t feel that they can’t read anything else. The Reading for Pleasure books the children bring home on a Monday are to be shared as often the text is too difficult for your child to read independently. There are plenty of other books in the classroom that the children can continue to borrow and you can also visit the public library or read your own books. Any reading that is done can be recorded in the reading records and count towards a certificate.
Forest School
It is Class 2’s turn for Forest School this term. Please refer to the letter you received before Easter as to the dates for your child’s group. Please remember to send
appropriate clothing into school on these dates so that your child can fully participate in the sessions.
Thank you to all who have signed up to volunteer to support Mrs Godfrey with Forest School. I don’t think we have ever before had every week covered before we have even started the term!
Phonics Screening
During the week beginning Monday 9th June, the Year 1 children (and any Year 2s who didn’t pass their screen last year) will take part in the Phonics Screening check. The purpose of the screening check is to see where the children have got to with their phonics and to help us as a school to put in place any future support with regards to phonics. The children have had several practises throughout the year, so will be very familiar with the format and set-up of the screening check.
www.phonicsscreeningtest.co.uk/phonics-screening-2023
Important dates for this term
W/b 9th June – KS1 Phonics Screening
Wednesday 25th June – Sports Day
Wednesday 2nd July – Reserve Sports Day
Monday 7th July – Class trip to Drusillas
Friday 11th July – “Moving Up” morning
Wednesday 16th July – Whole School Performance
Thursday 17th July – Whole School Performance
Friday 18th July – End of Year Cup Assembly
As always, if there are any questions please just ask.
hsullivan@blackboys.e-sussex.sch.uk
Mrs Sullivan
