Friday 25th April 2025

Welcome back! It has been lovely to see the children return refreshed and ready to learn after the Pesach holidays. We’ve had a great week together getting back into our routine.

This week in Maths we practised counting forwards and backwards in 2s and 5s. The children enjoyed using number lines, cubes and numicon to show this. In English, the children wrote about their holidays and shared their favourite moments. We also read a fact file about giraffes and answered questions to practise our comprehension skills.

In Computing, thie children were introduced to the VEX123 robots. They had fun programming the robots to move forwards, turn around, and travel from point A to B.

We began a new topic on identity in Art. We discussed what identity means and how we can show who we are through art. We also looked at cubism and some of Pablo Picasso’s paintings. The children created their own self-portraits in the style of cubism.

Our new topic in History is all about transport. This week, we focused on how transport has changed over time, especially looking at bikes and planes. The children were fascinated by the differences between old and modern forms of transport.

In PSHE we spoke about big feelings and how sometimes big feelings cause us to cry or shout because they feel so big. We said that being very sad might feel like being in a big cloud or being angry like a volcano erupting. The children shared ideas as to how they could calm down and regulate after experiencing these big emotions.

Reminders:

• Please listen to your child read daily and send their book and reading record to school on a Monday and Thursday.
• Forest School is on Thursday mornings this half term. Please send your child to school wearing their Forest School clothes.
• Every child should have at least one 50p coin in their bag for when they need to purchase new stationery.
• Thursday, May 1st is Yom Haatzamut. Children should wear blue and white while following the school dress code.

Wishing you a restful weekend!

Friday 4th April

Dear Parents,

As we wrapped up the last week of term, we were busy with a wonderful Model Seder alongside the rest of the school. The children finished their beautiful Haggadot in Jewish Studies, preparing for Pesach with great enthusiasm. A bittersweet moment came as we said farewell to Noah and Sammy, who are returning to South Africa. We will miss them dearly but look forward to keeping in touch.

This week in maths, we reviewed place value, focusing on hundreds, tens, and units. The children also deepened their understanding of odd and even numbers and revisited telling the time, particularly o’clock and half past.

In English the children worked incredibly hard over three days to retell the story of Rapunzel, breaking it down into the beginning, middle, and end. They used descriptive adjectives and powerful verbs to bring their stories to life, producing some very impressive work. Building on this, they also created their own fairy tales, using their imagination to develop unique characters, settings, and exciting adventures.

Our young scientists explored different materials, testing whether they were waterproof or not. We also reviewed key vocabulary such as absorbent, opaque, transparent, and translucent.

In preparation for Pesach, the children had a fantastic time making their own matzah in D+T. It was a hands-on, engaging activity that connected learning with tradition in a meaningful way.

Reminders

• Please continue listening to your child read over the holidays.
• Optional homework is available on Google Classroom for those who would like to keep busy during the break.
• Forest School will resume after Pesach and therefore PE will be on Tuesday afternoons only.
• Please see email about PE and disruptions to the lessons.

Wishing everyone a restful and enjoyable holiday. Chag Pesach Sameach!

The Year 1 Team

Friday 28th March 2025

This week was full of excitement and learning!

We were delighted to welcome parents to our SEED event on the 10 Plagues. It was wonderful to see so many families engaging in the learning alongside the children.

In Jewish Studies this week, we continued our Pesach learning and we are almost finished our beautiful Haggadot. The children have been working hard and are so excited to take them home. The children were treated some pre Pesach Matza as we spoke about Motzi Matzah.

In Maths, we wrapped up our unit on weight and volume and began reviewing partitioning. The children practised breaking down two-digit numbers and even explored three-digit numbers, identifying the hundreds, tens, and ones. We also reviewed subtraction within 20 to strengthen our number skills.

In English, we finished reading Bethan Woollvin’s Rapunzel, which kept the children on the edge of their seats! The surprising ending had everyone cheering for Rapunzel as she became the heroine of the story. The children wrote thoughtful reflections, sharing their ideas and feelings about the book.

In Science, we conducted absorbency and transparency experiments. The children learned the new words absorbent, translucent, and opaque while testing different materials. It was exciting to see their discoveries in action!

D&T was especially fun this week as we made charoset! The children practised their knife skills by cutting and grating apples—a great hands-on experience.

Reminders:

• All boys should wear a kippah daily and bring extra clips to keep it secure.
• All children should have 50p in their bags in case they need to buy new stationery.
• House badges must be worn every day.
• The mock seder will take place next Tuesday morning. Please send your child to school in their Shabbat clothes and a bag with their PE kit so they can change later in the day.

We look forward to another great week ahead!

Shabbat shalom,

Mrs Bataller

Friday 21st March 2025

Dear Parents,

It has been a wonderful week in Year 1 and we have all enjoyed settling back into our routine. This week, Elise and Amelie gave a fantastic presentation on Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The children learned about the significance of each item on the Haft-sin table and appreciated the opportunity to explore a new culture.

In Maths, we focused on mass and volume, comparing different weights and measurements. Using scales and beakers, the children engaged in hands-on activities to deepen their understanding of these concepts.

In English, we delved further into Bethan Woollvin’s Rapunzel. The children imagined themselves as the witch and listed ingredients for a spell to curse Rapunzel. They were thrilled to find out that Rapunzel escapes from the tower on her own. To bring this moment to life, we acted out how she might feel upon leaving for the first time and experiencing nature. The children then captured these emotions in a diary entry and speculated on what Rapunzel might do next.

In Science, we explored materials and their properties, using vocabulary such as soft, hard, shiny, dull, transparent, bendy, and stretchy. Our Geography lesson took us through the UK, where the children learnt about its four countries, their capital cities and notable rivers, mountains and landmarks.

In D&T, we examined the Seder plate and learned about charoset, which we look forward to making next week.

Thank you for your continued support.

Reminders:

• Looking forward to seeing you at the SEED event next Tuesday at 8:30am in the Landy Gallery.
• Please ensure your child has a supply of 50ps in their school bags
• Boys must wear tzitztit every day and have clips to hold their kippah in place
• Children must be wearing their house badges daily
• Please label all jumpers - the weather is getting warmer and jumpers are coming off more frequently now. We cannot return a jumper to the right child if there is no name inside.

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 14th March

Dear Parents,

HAPPY PURIM!! The children had the most wonderful day celebrating at school this morning! They enjoyed listening to the Megillah, taking part in a costume parade and attending a beatboxing workshop. It was lovely to see how much effort they put into decorating their mishloach manot boxes and giving them to a friend.

Another highlight of the week was visiting Hammerson House on Wednesday morning. The children were absolutely amazing—singing songs to the residents, answering questions about Purim and engaging warmly with them. It was incredibly special to see the interactions they had. Thank you to the parents who drove us there and back.

A further highlight was making hamantaschen in DT on Thursday. The children had a lot of fun adding and mixing the ingredients, shaping the hamantaschen and finally eating them!

In Maths this week we began a new topic on weight. The children used the following vocabulary: heavier, lighter, the same as, equal, mass, weight and scales.

In English we continued delving deeper into Bethan Woollvin’s Rapunzel by considering how Rapunzel feels trapped in the tower. The children wrote questions for Rapunzel and even had the chance to meet her! They then wrote a diary entry as if they were Rapunzel and practised saying a spell like the witch threatened to.

Please continue listening to your child read daily as this is really important.

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 7th March 2025

Dear Parents,

It has been a truly special week, and an honour to celebrate such an important milestone with you and your children. The most memorable moment for me was when we returned to the classroom after the Chagigat Siddur, and the children opened their siddurim to recite all the morning brachot and prayers together. They truly understood the significance of this moment and deeply valued having their very own siddur. Thank you for making the day so special and for your beautiful flowers and generous donations to Camp Simcha.

In Maths, we have continued exploring numbers up to 50, focusing on partitioning them into tens and ones. For example, 47 can be broken down into 40 and 7. We also spent time thinking about how many more would be needed to reach the next multiple of ten.

In English, we continued our work on Rapunzel by Bethan Woollvin. The children made thoughtful observations about the author’s choice of words, imagery, use of colour, and the unique starting point of the story. They also shared their likes and dislikes so far, along with any questions they have.

In Science, we carried out an experiment using chromatography paper and alcohol to investigate which pen was used to write "Pepsi" near where her blanket went missing. The children were fascinated by the experiment and enjoyed testing out different felt-tip pens in the classroom afterwards.

Thank you for all the fabric scraps we received this week—we are so grateful! However, due to an error, we realised that our topic this half-term is actually food, and the fabric will instead be stored for Year 1 to use later this year.

Next week in DT, we will be baking hamantaschen! This week, the children wrote down the ingredients they will need, drew what their hamantaschen might look like, and practised folding a circle into a triangle.

Next Wednesday we are going to Hammerson House to sing and do an activity with the residents. Thank you to all the parent volunteers.

JS: The highlight of our week was undoubtedly our Chagigat HaSiddur! The children did an incredible job, performing beautifully and making us all so proud. It was a joy to see their excitement as they received and began using their beautiful, new siddurim. Their enthusiasm for tefillah is truly heartwarming.

A huge thank you to all the parents and families who came to support and celebrate with us—it was a pleasure to share this special milestone with you! The children were excited to get back into their aleph champ reading books and workbooks on Thursday. Some children even did their reading from their new Siddur! In our Parasha lesson this week, the children learned about the special clothes that the Kohen and Koden Gadol wore in the Mishkan. They explored this further by trying on a set of Kohen Gadol clothes.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Please see a message from Ms Dalwai about Science Week.

We had a fantastic time celebrating British Science Week in KS1 and KS2, where our students explored this year’s theme, ‘Change and Adapt’, through a variety of engaging and interactive activities.

One of the highlights of the week was our Forensic Detective Whole School Investigation, where pupils took on the role of young detectives to solve a scientific mystery. They examined fingerprints, analysed clues, and used their observational skills to understand how forensic science helps solve real-world problems. This activity allowed them to see science in action while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Throughout the week, pupils participated in hands-on investigations, creative projects, and discussions, exploring how materials change state, how animals adapt to their habitats, and how the world around us constantly evolves. They conducted experiments, observed real-world examples of adaptation, and engaged in group discussions that enhanced their scientific thinking and curiosity.

In addition to our hands-on investigations and discussions on how materials change, how animals adapt to their environments, and how the world around us evolves, we also focused on Smashing Stereotypes in Science. Pupils learned about diverse scientists from different backgrounds, challenging outdated ideas about who can be a scientist. Through inspiring stories and engaging discussions, we encouraged our pupils to see themselves as future scientists, inventors, and problem-solvers.

It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm and excitement from all our students as they made new discoveries and developed a deeper appreciation for science. We encourage you to continue the conversation at home by discussing examples of change and adaptation in everyday life!

Friday 28th February 2025

Dear Parents,

Hopefully, you all had a wonderful half-term with your children last week. It sounds like lots of adventures were had and plenty of fun memories were created!

It has been a busy week at school, filled with the beginning of new topics and rehearsals for the upcoming Chagigat HaSidur! I also finished reading Esio Trot by Roald Dahl, which had a very satisfying ending. The children enjoyed listening to the story and imagining our very own Sunny in place of Alfie, the tortoise in the story.

In English, we began our new topic of traditional tales. This half-term, we will be focusing on Bethan Woollvin’s version of Rapunzel. Before being introduced to the story, the children spent time asking questions about a drawing of a girl in a window, such as: What is she looking at? What is she thinking about? If you have a copy of Rapunzel or other traditional tales at home, such as Little Red Riding Hood, that you wouldn’t mind us borrowing this half-term, it would be lovely if you could send them in, please. It will enhance the children’s understanding of the features of traditional tales and help them notice the different ways in which the same story can be portrayed.

In Maths, we finished looking at length and height and measuring in cm and have now moved on to numbers between 20 and 50. The children have explored different ways of representing these numbers using manipulatives like Numicon and Dienes. It is important for the children to develop an understanding of the relationship between different numbers, as well as how many tens and ones are in each number.

Our new Science topic is Everyday Materials, and this week we spent time identifying and naming different materials around us in the classroom and playground. This will link nicely with our D&T topic on Fabrics. If you have any scraps of fabric at home that you would like to donate to our class, that would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

The children enjoyed a lesson about the Dalai Lama in World Religion this week and were fascinated by his age, the robes he wears, and his shaved head. We spoke about how Buddhists believe in reincarnation and how this influences the way the next Dalai Lama is chosen. Our new Geography topic is Our Country: The UK. This week, we looked at the difference between town and country.

We are looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday morning! Children should be wearing smart Shabbat clothes, and boys must be wearing tzitzit.

Homework this week is to learn the words to all the songs in the Chagigat HaSidur. Some optional suggestions for things to work on at home are in Google Classroom.

Wishing you a restful weekend and Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Dear Parents,

It is hard to believe that it is already February half term and we are half way through the academic year! Time has flown by and we are looking forward to everything the next half year brings us.

The children have maintained their focus this week and all wrote wonderful creative writing pieces entitled ‘Lost’. They tried to remember that a story has a beginning, middle and end and focused on using finger spaces, capital letters and full stops.

In Maths, we completed our unit on addition and subtraction and moved on to height and length. We focused on the following vocabulary: height, length, long, short, longer, shorter, taller, centimeters. It was important for the children to understand that we use taller and shorter for height and longer and shorter for length. The children measured the length of classroom objects using blocks and centimeters.

In Art this week the children learnt about Moroccon art, specifically tiles and mosaics which links with our art unit on stamping and patterns perfectly. The children took inspiration from Moroccan art to create their own beautiful pieces.

Thursday was a special day as we celebrated Tu Bishvat. In JS, the children created beautiful trees and discovered all the useful and important gifts that we receive from our trees. The children loved the fruit party and wearing their own natural themed clothes. This week I read two Tu Bishvat themed books to the class which they enjoyed: Tidy by Emily Gravett and the Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

Reminders:

• Next half term there will not be Forest School for Year 1. There will be PE on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• The chagigat siddur is on Wednesday March 5th
• Please continue to listen to your child read to you daily during half term.

Wishing you a lovely half term. Shabbat shalom,

From the Year 1 Team

Friday 7th February 2025

Dear Parents,

Year 1 had a fantastic week, the highlight of which was our much anticipated trip to Kensington Palace. The children were delighted to see an actual royal palace (despite the front facade being covered in scaffolding!) and could sense the connection between them being there are royalty once living there. We were blessed with beautiful blue skies and bright sunshine in which we explored some of the grounds of the Palace, including the famous statue of Queen Victoria, the statue of Princess Diana with her sons and the sunken garden. Once inside the Palace the children enjoyed a workshop with a young Queen Victoria who was in the process of moving to Buckingham Palace upon her appointment as queen. The children enjoyed looking at artefacts from Queen Victoria's childhood including her dolls house, jewellery box and music box. They also played with an abacus, spinning top, wooden rattle amongst other toys from that period and compared them to the toys they are used to playing with now. It was a fantastic trip!

At Monday morning's assembly, Year 1 performed Michael Rosen's 'The Rhythm of Life' to the rest of the school. Everyone was impressed with the way they had remembered the poem as well as the actions. The children spent time during English lessons this week writing their own verses to the poem ‘The Sound Collector’ by Roger McGogh. They also read a new poem called 'Hands' by Julia Donaldson and identified lots of the features of poetry we have been learning about. Children also wrote detailed recounts of their trip to Kensington Palace.

In Maths we have continued to look at using a number line to complete subtraction sums. The children also spent two lessons understanding and completing related number facts by writing down the 2 addition sentences and 2 subtraction sentences for the same group of 3 numbers. It is important that the children understand the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction and can use this knowledge to solve problems where there is a missing number: 7 - __ = 2.

This week the whole school marked Children's Mental Health Week. The theme of the week is know yourself, grow yourself and we spent time exploring what this means. The children created beautiful pieces of artwork showing their roots (family, neighbourhood, religion) and also their plants and different things that are important to them (football team, hobbies, interests). It was an interesting exercise for the children to think about these things and represent them artistically. We also spent time this week discussing emotions, how to identify and manage them.

Reminders:

- Our last Forest School for this term is on Thursday. Yesterday the ground was still frozen while we were there and many children got cold feet. Please ensure your child is wearing suitable clothing for the weather.

- Please continue to help your child learn their lines for the chagigat siddur.

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 team

Friday 31st January 2025

Dear Parents,

Year 1 concluded the week with a special morning at the EYU, spending quality time with their classmates, Reception pupils and staff. It was a wonderful and meaningful experience, allowing the children to reflect on how much they have grown and developed since leaving the EYU last summer.

In Maths, we explored doubles and near doubles up to twenty. The children also practised using a number line for subtraction and used key subtraction vocabulary, including take away, minus, difference, more than and less than.

In English, the children read The Sound Collector by Roger McGough. They particularly enjoyed imagining a world without sound and even sat in complete silence for a few moments to experience it firsthand. It was impressive to see how well they identified poetic features such as verses, repetition and rhyme. The children also spent a lesson reviewing the story of The Hare and The Tortoise and rewriting it themselves. It was incredible to see how their writing, spelling and handwriting have all progressed. The children are beginning to include adjectives, finger spaces, capital letters and full stops in their writing more and more.

This week in Art the children did printing with their fingers and made creative and colourful patterns and prints. We were taken aback by their imagination and creativity. I read the children a book called Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg which the children thoroughly enjoyed. We discussed how some things that we might think are a mistake can be changed or modified into something even better. It requires flexibility of mind which we are working on.

Reminders:

• Children should continue learning their lines for the Chagigat Siddur performance.
• Please ensure your child has at least two pairs of socks for Forest School to keep their feet warm while wearing wellington boots.
• Our trip to Kensington Palace is on Wednesday! The children are excited to visit the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria. As they will be walking extensively, please ensure they wear comfortable shoes and appropriate outerwear.
• Next week marks Mental Health and Wellbeing Week, during which we will be engaging in daily activities to support emotional and mental well-being.

We look forward to another exciting week ahead!

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 24th January 2025

Dear Parents,

We’ve had another busy and exciting week in Year 1, filled with engaging learning experiences and new discoveries!

This week in Maths the children focused on deepening their understanding of numbers 0–20. They used number lines, hundred-square grids, and ten frames to solidify their learning. We revisited number bonds to 10 and extended this knowledge to explore number bonds to 20. The children also began working on doubles, and we will continue to support their fluency and recall in this area.

Our exploration of performance poetry continued in English as we delved into Voices of Water by Tony Mitton. The children enjoyed identifying verses, repeated phrases, and rhyming words, with a little help from some clues! They also had fun playing with water, generating an impressive list of water-related vocabulary, including onomatopoeic gems like splash, plop, and rumble. The week culminated with the children crafting their own water-themed poems, which were truly impressive!

In Art, we continued our focus on patterns and stamping. Using recycled materials brought in from home, the children experimented with creating various shapes and designs, discovering how different techniques could produce unique effects. Thank you for your contributions! Next week, we will be stamping with natural materials, so if you can send in any natural items for the lesson it would be greatly appreciated.

This week in History the children learned about Queen Victoria and were fascinated by the fact that she and Prince Albert had nine children! They also showed great interest in the penny farthing bicycle, which was invented during her reign. We’ve been discussing our upcoming trip to Kensington Palace, and the children are eagerly anticipating the experience.

A huge well done to all the children who stood for positions on the Kerem Cares Committees. They delivered their speeches with confidence and clarity, and it was heartwarming to see their classmates showing such wonderful support for one another.

Many children have shown an interest in the Big Garden Birdwatch taking place this weekend. Emma told them all about it at Forest School. If you would like to participate, further details can be found on the RSPB website.

Congratulations to the class for earning all the gems in the gem jar and thus Golden Time! This will be on Monday and the children will be able to bring their favourite teddy or soft toy to school. Please prepare this over the weekend so the children are ready on Monday morning.

Reminders:

• Clips and kippot: Boys should bring these every day.
• 50p coins: Please ensure these are in bags.
• Homework: Available on Google Classroom and in school bags.
• Reading books: Please return on Mondays and Thursdays.
• Kensington Palace trip: Wednesday, 5th February.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy weekend.

Shabbat Shalom,
The Year 1 Team

Friday January 17th 2025

Dear Parents,

We’ve had another busy and engaging week filled with learning and creativity.

This week in English we began a new topic on poetry, focusing on Michael Rosen’s The Rhythm of Life. The children analyzed the poem, examining its rhyming patterns and repetitive structure. They were captivated by Michael Rosen’s performance of the poem and thoroughly enjoyed memorising and performing it themselves – their enthusiasm and talent were truly impressive! The children also contributed their own imaginative verses, such as:
Hand on the tree, feel the rhythm of the leaves,
Hand on the star, feel the rhythm of the night.

In Maths, we explored numbers up to 20 and ventured further into numbers up to 100. The children practiced ordering numbers in ascending and descending order and placing them accurately on number lines. To conclude this topic, we played a lively game of Bingo, which was both fun and educational.

Our exploration of stamping and printing continued this week in Art. The children created artwork and even used stamps to write their names or craft longer messages. We would greatly appreciate any clean recyclable materials such as yogurt pots, kitchen rolls, or bottle caps to use in future printing projects. Thank you in advance for your support and for the materials already sent into school.

In History, we deepened our understanding of British monarchs by exploring a timeline of rulers and their reigns. The children enjoyed looking at paintings and photographs of monarchs and noting the differences in clothing styles over the centuries. They also practiced reading dates aloud, splitting the numbers into tens – for example, 1956 as “nineteen fifty-six.”

Forest School, as always, was a wonderful opportunity for the children to connect with nature. Please see the separate blog post for more details.

Reminders:

• Elections for the Kerem Cares Committees will be held on Tuesday next week. If your child would like to stand, kindly email me if you haven’t already. Children wishing to participate will present a short speech to the class, followed by voting.
• Please ensure your son brings a kippah daily and has plenty of clips to keep it securely in place.
• Children should have 50p coins in their bags for purchasing stationery as needed.
• Homework is due by Wednesday.
• Reading books should be in children’s bags every Monday and Thursday so we can listen to them read and change their books if necessary.

Thank you for your continued support and wishing you all a lovely weekend!

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 team

Dear Parents,

Welcome back to school and the Spring Term. The mornings and evenings are feeling lighter even if it has been freezing outside! The children have been happy to be back at school and have shown as much enthusiasm for their learning as ever. They are a great group of friends and work so well together. They are a pleasure to teach.

This week we reviewed the Maths topics from last term and started learning to tell the time to o’clock and half past. The children were able to read these times on clocks as well as show me the times on model clocks. In English the children spoke to each other about their holiday and wrote about them as well. They concentrated on writing about one part of their holiday and including lots of detail about it. They focused on using capital letters and full stops correctly in their writing. We also looked at rhyming words in preparation for our unit on poetry which we’ll begin next week.

In Art we began a new topic on patterns and printing. The children used classroom objects and paint to create beautiful prints. We will be working on this during this half term. We spoke about using other materials to print with such as items which would normally be recycled like plastic bottles and kitchen roll holders. If you have any objects you would like to donate to our Art lesson next week, please send them in.

We also started a new and exciting topic in History all about kings and queens. The children learnt about what a monarch is and the qualities needed to be a good monarch. We spoke about our current monarch, the previous monarch and their relationship to each other. The children showed a keen interest in this.

At Kerem, we have 3 Kerem Cares committees:

1. Kerem Cares: Kehilla (Hebrew word for community)
2. Kerem Cares: Tzedakah (Hebrew word for charity)
3. Kerem Cares: Tikkun Olam (Hebrew for repair of the world - our eco council)

Each class needs to nominate 2 representatives for all 3 committees so there will be 6 children from Year 1 chosen in total. Please speak to your child about this over the weekend and ask them if they would like to stand for one of the councils. This will involve giving a short speech to the class about why they think they would be good in that role. We will then have a vote to choose the 2 representatives for each committee. Please email me telling me whether your child would like to stand and for which committee by next Friday, January 17th.

Reminders:

• Homework is in your child’s folder and on Google Classroom. Please hand in by Wednesday morning.
• Reading records and books should be in your child’s bag every Monday and Thursday, even if your child has not finished reading the book.
• Please ensure your child has some 50p coins in their bag ready to purchase stationery if and when needed.
• Forest School is on Thursday - please ensure your child is suitably dressed for the weather.

Wishing you and your families a Shabbat shalom.

The Year 1 team

Friday 13th December 2024

Dear Parents,

What a week we have had: performing at Hammerson House and meeting some of the residents, the Winter Show yesterday (the children were AMAZING!) and the Chanukah extravaganza today! It has been a wonderful way to end such a fantastic term.

This week we spent time reviewing addition and subtraction in Maths with both one and two digit numbers. In English, the children acted out the story of ‘Lost and Found’ and completed an independent piece of writing about another adventure the boy and penguin might go on. We were very impressed with the quality of the children’s writing and their ability to write using the structure of beginning, middle and end.

Reminders: 

• Forest school restarts on Thursday 9th January 2025
• Please continue listening to your child read during the holidays

We hope you all have a peaceful and relaxing winter break and a fun Chanukah!

We look forward to welcoming you back in January.

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Dear Parents,

We have enjoyed a busy week in Year 1.

In English the children spent a few lessons retelling ‘Lost and Found’ and did so independently, confidently and coherently. We were incredibly proud of them and hope you have enjoyed reading their version of this story at home.

We looked at money in Maths this week and the children familiarised themselves with the different coins we use here in the UK. They looked at the difference between them in terms of colour, size and shape. We priced different items in the classroom and the children used pretend money to find the right amount needed to buy each item. Please give your child a chance to touch, identify and count any coins you might have at home. Play games with the coins to familiarise them with money and perhaps even take them to a shop and let them buy something with cash.

In Geography we continued looking at maps and map symbols. The children completed a fun task of matching map symbols with photos of the real thing!

In DT the children finished sewing their puppets - a huge accomplishment!

Please help your children learn their lines for the Winter Show next week. It is really important that they feel confident in recalling their lines. Thank you for your support with this. Children should bring black bottoms and a white top to school next Thursday to change into for the show.

Upcoming events:

• Trip to Hammerson House on Tuesday 10th December. Thank you to all our parent volunteers
• Winter Show on Thursday 12th December
• Forest School is restarting in January - please ensure your child is prepared with warm clothes, layers of clothing, warm socks etc.
• Trip to Kensington Palace on Wednesday 5th February 2025

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 29th November 2024

Dear Parents,

It has been another wonderful week in Year 1 and we are all grateful for educating such a fun loving, curious and hardworking group of children. Thank you. It was lovely to meet with so many of you at parents evening this week.

We have continued with ‘Lost and Found’ in English this week. We noticed that throughout the story, so far, the boy and penguin don’t talk to each other. The children spent time last week and this week thinking about what they might say to each other and wrote their ideas down in speech and thought bubbles which are now on display. The children also thought about how the penguin was feeling when it was left alone in the South Pole looking very sad. They also acted out the part of the story where the boy rows back to the South Pole to collect the penguin while the penguin sets sail to the boy. They pass each other in the ocean on either side of an iceberg which the children thought was very amusing!

In Maths we have been looking at numbers up to 20 and beyond. I have introduced the idea of tens and ones. For example, the number 12 has 1 ten and 2 ones and the number 21 has 2 tens and 1 one. We have been using lots of manipulatives like diens, cubes and ten frames to aid understanding.

In Science we spoke about rain or precipitation. The children thought of lots of wonderful ways to measure rainfall and I am sure they will enjoy making their rain gauges over the weekend. We also looked at rainfall and temperature data for London for last year and compared these amounts per month.

In D&T the children continued with their puppets. They are all very proud of their hard work and rightly so. It isn’t easy to sew with a needle and thread at their age! They displayed a lot of determination to complete these.

Thank you very much for all the photos of landmarks in Hampstead Garden Suburb. This week in Georgaphy we looked at maps of the area and the children identified local landmarks as well as different map symbols.

In Jewish Studies children have continued to work hard on their Hebrew Reading skills, reinforcing all the nikudim. They have also just been given brand new Aleph Champ workbooks and they really enjoyed using them to write and read their Aleph bet letters and words. On Wednesday, the children wrote and decorated beautiful Chanukah cards, which will be sent to the children of the Jewish community in Uganda! The children were fascinated to learn about Jewish life in Uganda which they now know is the continent of Africa. The children have finished their Brachot workbooks this week and are saying their Brachot proudly. 

Reminders:

• We are going to Hammerson House again on Tuesday 10th December
• All children should have a small supply of 50ps in their bags to buy supplies when they run out
• All boys should be wearing kippot (with clips) and tzitzit every day
• Reading folders should be in school on Mondays and Thursdays, regardless of whether your child has finished the book

Shabbat shalom,

The year 1 team

Friday 22nd November 2024

Dear Parents,

Thank you for coming into school this morning. It was very special to see the children’s pride in showing you their hard work. The day continued with fun assemblies and activities to celebrate Mitzvah Day. The children enjoyed creating artwork for residents at the North London Hospice. We were very impressed with the way they planned and designed their creation while adding detail. Thank you for your toothbrush contributions as well!

In English this week the children developed their writing skills and wrote fantastic descriptions of the South Pole as well as diary entries describing the boy and penguin’s journey to the South Pole. The children also experienced the South Pole through the VR headset which was really fun, especially when the polar bear came up close!

In Maths we looked at the days of the week, months of the year and counting up to 20. The children got used to the order of the months of the year and days of the week. They were asked questions like, if today is Monday, what day is tomorrow? If it is March, which month was before this one?

The children became weather forecasters this week and joined their table friends to give an update on the weather and in Geography the children explored Hampstead Garden Suburb on Google Maps, looking for landmarks they recognise. We looked at photos of St Jude’s church and went into the Youth Centre to see it through the window.

Wishing you a Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 team 

Friday 15th November 2024

This week was anti-bullying week and we had activities each day relating to the theme ‘choose respect’. The children enjoyed exploring this idea and thinking about treating others they would like to be treated. We thought of respectful ways to play in the playground with friends as well as what the word respect means.

In English we started our new book ‘Lost and Found’ by Oliver Jeffers. The children enjoyed delving into the story and learning more about penguins. They imagined they were the boy writing a diary entry describing the things he had done that day to help find the penguins family and wrote a character description of the penguin. 

In Phonics the children learnt the following sounds and rhymes. Please go over these with your child at home and practice writing words with these sounds in them.

i-e /igh/ time to shine

o-e - /oa/ note in an envelope

u-e - /(y)oo/ tune on the flute

c - /s/ cycle in the city

In Maths we took a break from numbers and looked at 2D and 3D shapes. Children worked hard to name and describe the shapes as well as sort them.

We started a new topic in Geography - our local area - Hampstead Garden Suburb. We began by talking about the things that are in our local area, the things we like and dislike and the things we wish there were here. Over the next few weeks, while you are out and about in the area, please take photos of local landmarks and email them to me. I will create a scavenger hunt with the photos for the children to do one weekend for homework to help them get to know the local area even better.

We finished the day today with a special Golden Time to celebrate the class filling the gem jar to the top! A well deserved treat for a wonderful class.

Wishing you a Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 team

Friday 8th November 2024

Wow! What an exciting end to the week we have had! The children are so excited about our new pet tortoise, Sunny, and I am so pleased it made a safe entry into our classroom. We are all getting used to it and learning how to care for its needs. Thank you to the families that have volunteered to take care of the tortoise over the weekends and holidays.

In Phonics the children learnt the following new sounds:

au - pause the launch

ey - use money to buy honey

a-e - cake by the lake

e-e the athletes compete

In English this week the children learnt about the differences between fiction and non-fiction books and learnt about some features of non-fiction books. The children labeled diagrams of tortoises, wrote captions underneath photos of tortoises and made lists, all while not knowing we were getting a pet tortoise! They know so many facts about tortoises now, for example that they don't have any teeth.

In Maths we looked at subtraction and different methods one can use to complete a subtraction sum. The children explored crossing out, using a number line and using concrete objects such as cubes to take away. The children have grown in confidence in this. Questions which all children found harder were those in the following format: ___ - 5 = 3.

In Science we continued learning about the seasons, particularly the different weather you might experience during each season. The children then made the connection between different types of clothes one might wear to suit the weather conditions.

In D&T we continued thinking about different types of puppets and how they might be made. The children did some threading and a simple running stitch using a needle and thread.

This week in computing the children reviewed turing an iPad on and off correctly and opening Safari. The children played a fun matching game on the iPads.

This week in Jewish Studies, the children have continued working on their Brachot booklet. We have talked about Hamotzi, Mezonot and Hagafen and the children have enjoyed using their creative skills when decorating their booklets. The children are continuing to work hard on their Hebrew Reading, and the children were excited to receive their Aleph Champ books.  During our Parasha lessons, we discussed doing the right thing through the story of Avram leaving his land and following Hashem.

Please remember to sign and return the Hebrew Reading and parasha folders by Wednesday.

A few reminders:

• Reading books should be brought back to school on a Monday and Thursday regardless of whether your child has finished reading the book. 
• The children have been assigned an ebook to read at home during the week as well as their physical book.
• Please make sure that you child always as a supply of 50p coins in their school bag to use to buy stationary as and when they need.

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 team

Friday 1st November 2024

Welcome back after what I hope was a lovely Succot and half term.

We got straight back into learning at school this week and the children have been as enthusiastic as usual.

In Maths we continued looking at numbers, in particular addition and subtraction. The children also read and wrote their own word problems (often harder than solving the actual sums as they involve reading and understanding the question). When telling word problems we used the vocabulary of first, then and now. For example, first there were 8 people on the bus, then 5 people got off, now there are ___ people on the bus. The children are now familiar with the whole part model and how the information can be written as 4 different number sentences, like below:

5 + 2 = 7

2 + 5 = 7

7 - 5 = 2

7 - 2 = 5

In English we reviewed the grammar rules of puncutating a sentence correctly with a capital letter and full stop. The children also learnt about using capital letters at the beginning of a sentence, for the first letter of a name, or a proper noun such as a place name, month of the year or day of the week. When you are reading with your child, see if they or you can point out the capital letters. The new phonics sounds from this week are wh (wheel, whisk), ph (phone, photo), ew (crew, flew) and oe (toe, doe).

We started our new topic in Science of seasons and the children spent time thinking about the things they already know about the four seasons. They then thought about how the appearance of trees change during the seasons and decorated their own trees to reflect this.

We had our second world religion lesson this week all about the festival of Wesak that Buddhists celebrate on the full moon in May. The children enjoyed making their own lanterns as part of their understanding of this festival. The class also had their second Black History Month lesson all about Dina Asher-Smith and thought about her acheivements and which Kerem Characterstics she utilised to reach success.

In D&T we started our project on puppets by thinking about when we have seen puppets, what materials they may have been made from and how the materials may have been stuck together.

Please take a moment to read the reminders below.

Reminders:

• Children should always have 50p in their bag in case they need to buy new stationary (lots of children have whiteboard pens and glue sticks that need replacing). 
• This half term PE is on a Tuesday and Thursday.
• Reading books and records should be brought to school every Monday and Thursday to be changed and for your child to be listened to.
• All the children were given a folder with their weekend homework inside. Please return all homework by Wednesday. Homework will also be posted in Google Classroom and this week there is a link to an online Maths game.
• We visited the library this week and all children borrowed a book. Please ensure the book is returned by next Wedneday so your child can borrow another one.

Wishing you a Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 team

Week 6, Friday 11th October 2024

Dear Parents,

Shana tova, happy new year and wishing you well over the fast. What a busy and special time of year this is.

We had  a fantastic morning at the EYU today! The children really loved being back and seeing their previous teachers as well as siblings. This week I have noticed that the children in are able to sit for longer periods of time while learning and are also able to concentrate better to complete written work. The transformation in the last few weeks has been impressive and I am looking forward to watching them grow and mature as learners as the year progresses.

In English we finished the story of Flotsam, not before the children made predictions about how they thought it would end. The children worked on sequencing the events of Flotsam and retelling the story - perhaps they could tell you the story at home? They also made a prediction about what might happen next if the story were to continue.

In Maths we have been looking at number bonds and facts. The children have gone from using part-whole models to writing corresponding number sentences using the + and = signs. They have found number bonds to numbers less than 10 and found all of them in a systematic way. The children have used cubes and counters to help find and picture these number relationships.

During the school year each class learns about a  world religion and in Year 1 the children learn about Buddhism. This week the children discussed what religion is and shared what they know about other religions. They were then introduced to Buddhism and learnt what the 5 main principles of their faith are. The children were able to make comparisons between Buddhism and Jusaism which was very nice to see. We had an interesting discussion about different religions, what their names are and what people who follow them are called. We also spoke about the different names given to places of worship as well as different symbols, customs and rules associated with different religions.

In Art the children reviewed what the three primary colours are created art using those three colours.

This week in PSHE the children were introduced to Sebby Star (ask your child to share with you his story) which was the first lesson of the Heads Up PSHE programme we will be following for the next few months. Feel free to read more about it here.

This week was our last Forest School until January. The children enjoyed learning about fungi and making art using mushrooms. Some children had great fun building a den in the woods while learning how to tie knots, problem solving and working collaboratively. 
 

Reminders:

• Reading books should be brought back to school on a Monday and Thursday to be changed and for the children to be listened to read
• After half term we have a slightly different timetable which is on the blog
• Next Tuesday, October 15th we are going to Hammerson House with the children to sing and engage with the residents. Thank you to all the parents who have generously offered their time to drive us there and back and join us. We have more than enough drivers but you are all welcome to join us. I will email all parents who have responded on Monday morning.
• Doodle Maths is still up and running and there are some assignments set related to number bonds to 5 and 10 which your child might enjoy completing.

Shabbat shalom and chag sameach,

The Year 1 team

Week 4, Friday 27th September 2024

Dear Parents,

This week the children filled the class gem jar which was a very exciting moment!! The class receives gems as a reward for good behaviour, good participation during lessons, kindness, etc. They received a special prize of Golden Time today which remained a secret until it happened. Lots of children hoped they would receive an ice cream (which maybe they will another time) but their treat today was a dance party, musical statues and a Rosh Hashanah themed game. The gem jar was emptied and is being refilled again, so watch this space :)

In Maths this week we looked at comparing numbers using greater than, less than and equal to. The children also used the signs <, > and = to compare numbers. We also looked at ordering groups of numbers from smallest to largest.

In English the children wrote questions to discover more information about photos found in Flotsam. For example, where are you? Who is with you? Who took the photo? How did you get there? The children tried to punctuate the questions with a capital letter at the beginning and a question mark at the end. The children also worked on sequencing the events of the book.

In ICT we spoke about different types of technology in school and home. The children compiled a long list which included computers, video games, watches, speakers and tablets.

We were fortunate to have another dry session at Forest School. The children listened to a story about an apple tree which had to be patient for its apples to grow and fall to the ground. One apple split open and the tree saw a star inside. The children thought about the special qualities each of them have inside of themselves.

This week in Phonics we reviewed the following sounds and words:

Shabbat shalom,

Mrs Bataller and the Year 1 team

Week 3, Friday 20th September 2024

Dear Parents,

Thank you for coming to Meet the Teacher on Tuesday evening. It was so meaningful to meet with you in person and for you to learn more about me and your child’s new learning environment.

The week has flown by and the gorgeous sunny weather has meant lots of fun outdoor time for the children.

In English we continued to explore the book ‘Flotsam’. The children looked very closely at the pictures in the book and used their keen eyes to notice the small details in each. The boy in the story found an old camera which was washed ashore on the beach and he takes it to a printing shop to have the film developed. It linked nicely to our History topic of toys old and new. The children spent time predicting what they thought would be in the photos and then looked closely at the pictures in the book. All the children wrote a few sentences to describe each picture.

In Maths we continued looking at numbers, primarily focusing on counting one more and one back (within 10 and then within 20). We also looked at how the numbers from zero to ten are written and thought of some ways to help us recognise them.

In Forest School the children started by paying a game called ‘Hunter, fox, mouse’ which they really enjoyed! They then listened to a story about the festival Mabon which is a celebration of the autumnal equinox (this year on September 22nd). The children had lots of fun during choosing time and displayed their perseverance and collaboration qualities.

In ICT the children reviewed/learnt how to turn an iPad on, how to take a photo and delete it and how to turn the iPad off.

During Phonics this week we continued our review of the phase 1 and 2 sounds (see useful links at the top of the page). The children have impressed us with their knowledge of these sounds and with their reading.

In History we continued with our topic of Toys, old and new and learnt about toys from Victorian times. We spoke about the materials from which the toys would have been made, mainly from wood and cloth.

Reminders:

• Please send your child’s siddur from Reception into school for them to use between now and their chagigat siddur later in this academic year.

Wishing you all a Shabbat shalom,

Mrs Bataller and the Year 1 team

Week 2 - Friday 13 September 2024

Dear Parents,

We have just finished our first full week in Year 1 and it has been a fun, exciting and full week. The children had their first Ivrit lessons with Mora Neta, their first PE lesson as well as their first house tefilla where they received their house badges.

Again, I would like to mention how impressed I am with the way the children have adapted to being in the big school and I am enjoying spending time with them.

This week there is homework set on Google Classroom. There is one piece of English homework and one piece of Maths homework. Homework is due back on Wednesday and is to be submitted to Google Classroom. The login details for Google classroom are in your child’s reading folder or bag and are printed on a bright piece of orange paper. This information should be used to log into their school email account. Once there, there should be an email with an invitation to the Google Classroom. Alternatively, you can use the following code to join the classroom: aaglb46.

Well done to all the children for doing their reading homework this week. We will be changing reading books every Monday and Thursday if the child has finished their book. Please listen to your child read over the weekend as well as completing the other homework.

In English this week we started looking at ‘Flotsam’, a book the whole school is learning about. On Tuesday morning the children arrived at school to find the corridors and staircases transformed into a seaside scene. Year 1 children made sandcastles which adorn the Year 1 and 2 corridor. Flotsam is a special book without any words and in English lessons the children enjoyed looking closely at the pictures to decipher the story. They began the week by making a prediction about what they thought would happen and also wrote simple sentences to describe some of the pictures.

In Maths we have been looking at counting, sorting and ordering numbers as well as writing numbers correctly.

Some reminders:

• PE is on a Tuesday afternoon - please bring your child to school on a Tuesday in their PE kit.
• Forest school is every Thursday morning - please bring your child to school on a Thursday already in their waterproof clothing and boots.
• Please make sure all belongings are labelled with your child’s name. 
• Please make sure boys have a kippah at school every day and have clips to secure it to their head.

I’m looking forward to seeing you at Meet the Teacher on Tuesday evening.

Shabbat shalom,

Sonia Bataller

Wow! What a wonderful first three days in Year 1 we have had!

The children have adjusted so well to all the changes that Year 1 brings. They know where to find the toilets, have joined in with a whole school tefilla, are getting used to the dining room and where to wash their hands and put their plates when they’re finished and they know where their pegs and trays are. I am so impressed with how quickly the children have settled into Year 1. Well done! I am very proud of them.

Apart from getting used to new routines and structure, the children in Year 1 enjoyed reading a book with their buddies, returning to forest school, singing tefilla with Year 2, painting sandcastles, learning about this week’s parasha of Shoftim and so many more things.

-            Reminder to please make sure all snack pots, water bottles, clothes, kippot and everything else that comes to school are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

-            PE is on Tuesdays

-            Forest school is on Thursdays

It has been lovely to meet some of you and I look forward to meeting everyone else and seeing you at Meet the Teacher on September 17th.

Wishing you a Shabbat shalom,

Sonia Bataller