Friday 5th December 2025

Dear Parents,

It is hard to believe it is the end of the last full week of term! The Autumn Term is almost over. Next week we have a recording with the Electric Umbrella Company, the Panto at JW3 and the Winter Show, all to look forward to!

This week, our highlight was definitely the trip to the Young V&A Museum in Bethnal Green. The children had a wonderful time exploring the space and learning about toys from the past. They loved the hands on play time with sand, building blocks and magnetic marble run. Just going on a coach was an experience in itself and we could sense the excitement from the children! They behaved very well and represented the school with pride.

In English we spent time retelling and rewriting Lost and Found. It is astounding to see how much the children’s writing has developed over the term and how much they can now write. We spoke about how and where to include full stops and capital letters and where to include adjectives.

In Maths this week., we have been sorting 3D shapes and then creating patterns with 2D and 3D shapes. 

In Jewish Studies, we continued building our Hebrew reading skills. We reviewed the nekudot learned so far,  and were introduced to the shuruk- “oo” sound, as in boot and broom. Through partner reading, workbook tasks and fun games,  the children strengthened their fluency and confidence while learning to tell the difference between kubutz and shuruk. We continued our Chanukah learning by exploring how a chanukiah is set up from right to left, but lit from left to right, and how the shamash, set apart or higher than the other candles, is the helper candle to light all the other candles. The children labelled their own chanukiah diagrams and learned the Brachot for lighting. In Parashat Vayishlach we learned how Yaakov and Esav ultimately made peace, reminding us that we should always try to keep peace with others.

The children finished sewing and decorating their puppets this week which is a huge accomplishment as it was not easy and required lots of perseverance.

In Phonics the children learnt the following new sounds

• wh - whip with a whisk
• ph - photo on a phone  
• ew - the crew flew
• oe - tiptoe past the doe

In our Music lesson we have been practising the songs that we are singing for the show next week. The children cannot wait to perform for

you.

In computing over the last few weeks, we have been using the ipads to work on typing skills. The children have been using notes and Google Docs on the ipad and have been getting to grips with the keyboard, finding the correct letters, using the space bar and inserting capital letters and full stops. 

Please remember that next week, there is no Forest School. Children should come into school in their uniform as normal next Thursday.

Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 28th November 2025

Dear Parents,

This week was an exciting week in English as we finished reading Lost and Found! The children were very happy to see the two characters reunited again at the end of the story, having been separated through a misunderstanding. They worked hard this week to write dialogue between the boy and penguin as there is none in the book. The children also wrote a diary entry as if they were the penguin at the South Pole, alone and confused. Finally the children ordered the story and acted out parts.

In Maths this week we have been learning about 2D shapes. We looked round the classroom to find different 2D shapes. The children drew pictures in their books using the shapes and then wrote down their names. They have also been sorting the shapes into different categories, for example, circles and not circles or shapes with 4 sides and shapes without four sides. We also looked at the names of some 3D shapes, including cube, cuboid, cone, pyramid and cylinder.

In Jewish studies this week,  we continued to advance our Hebrew reading skills with lots of exciting activities. First, we met the vowel chirik, which makes the “i” sound like in “fish.” The children enjoyed singing the Aleph-Bet and vowel songs, practising writing letters with a chirik and reading words with a chirik.  We also learned kubbutz, which makes the “oo” sound like “put.” We reviewed the nekudot song and the children played an iPad sorting game, and continued with their workbooks.  In Jewish life lessons, the children were shown a review of the Chanukah story by puppets Moishy & Malky! The children then created their own wonderful “Chanukah Mentsch” characters  with a latke head, savivon body, candle arms and jug feet! In Parasha, the children learned about the marriages of Ya’akov and the birth of the 12 tribes of Israel.

In DT the children began sewing their puppets which was very challenging! They persisted impressively and should be proud of their achievements. In History we played a game in which the children had to answer questions about toys from the past. These questions included: what materials were most toys made from in the past, how do we know if toys are safe to play with today and how have building bricks changed over time?

As you will have seen, the children have now been given their lines for the winter show. Please help them to learn their lines. It is important that they know who speaks before them. We have also been practising our songs. The children are really excited to perform in two weeks time. 

We are looking forward to our trip to the Young V&A museum on Tuesday. 

Reminders:

• Please ensure that your child has at least one 50p in their school bag so they are prepared to buy new stationery as and when they need it. 
• Reading books should be in school bags every day.
• Homework is due back at school on Wednesday. Children should use a sharp pencil to complete their Maths homework and a handwriting pen (not a biro or felt tip) for the English.
• Please note that there will be no Forest School on the last day of term. Next Thursday, 4th December, will be the last Forest School of this term. 

Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 21st November 2025

Dear Parents,

It has been another busy week at school and the children have shown great persistence with their learning.

In English we continued with Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers and the children enjoyed reading on in the book to discover what the boy did to help the penguin. They had a lot of fun acting out their journey to the South Pole and wrote excellent matching descriptions of this journey. They also thought about what they would pack in their suitcase if they were going to the South Pole. We made the distinction between essential things like toothbrushes and warm clothes and beds which we wouldn’t be able to bring.

In Maths we have been using numberlines to add and subtract. The children have learning to move forward on the numberline when we add and go backwards when we subtract. We have also had a go at some word problems, deciding whether we need to add or subtract by reading key information. For example, altogether means we add and how many left means we are subtracting.

In Jewish Studies, we completed our Brachot booklets and the children are getting used to saying all their brachot before snack time!  In our Hebrew Reading lessons, we introduced two new vowels. First, the sh’va, with the “e” sound and then we learned the vowel cholam, with its “o” sound like in top, and reinforced it through reading, painting and crayon letter strips, iPad games, and our workbooks. We also spoke about making good choices Mitzvot in preparation for Mitzvah day. We focused on the mitzvot of tzedakah, hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests), and bikkur cholim (visiting the sick), linking them to our parasha learning. The children then illustrated or wrote examples of these mitzvot. We completed our JS learning with Parasha, where we heard about twin boys who were very different from one another!

The children played with original Victorian toys in their History lesson and enjoyed holding and using real artefacts. They are beginning to understand the differences between old and modern toys, including the materials they are made from as well as the colours and designs used. In DT the children learnt a new stitch, the whipstitch and practiced this on binca material. They also cut out their hand puppets, reading to sew next week.

In Phonics the children learnt two new sounds and reviewed the sounds they have learnt so far. They are beginning to apply their knowledge of these sounds to their writing.

• y - a lovely baby
• al - walk on the wall

In our Computing lessons, the children used the ipads to look at how the letters are set out on the keyboard. They opened a Google document and practised writing their names.

Today was Mitzvah day in school. The children created beautiful bookmarks which will be distributed to the residents of Hammerson House. 

Forest School

Please can we remind you that as we now are into the winter months, it is really important that the children have very warm clothes. Carrie and Emma, who run Forest School recommend that the children wear two pairs of socks, for example, cotton socks underneath thick wool or thermal socks. It is also worth nothing that Wellington boots tend to not retain the heat very well and sturdier boots such as snow boots, or boots that are fleece-lined, are better for the winter. We want the children to enjoy the experience, even when we have very cold weather. If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to ask.

Other Reminders:

• Please ensure that your child has at least one 50p in their school bag so they are prepared to buy new stationery as and when they need it. Lots of children do not have a working whiteboard pen which is a hindrance to their learning.
• Reading books should be in school bags every day.
• Homework is due back at school on Wednesday. Children should use a sharp pencil to complete their Maths homework and a handwriting pen (not a biro or felt tip) for the English section. 

Shabbat Shalom

The Year 1 Team

Friday 14th November 2025

Dear Parents,

This week the whole school marked anti-bullying week with different activities each day, including a workshop by Streetwise about being kind to others and making a superhero with a statement about how they can use their power for good. We were impressed with how well the children engaged with this topic and can see their understanding while at break in the playground.

In English we started our new book which is very exciting! This term we will be working our way slowly through Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers. The children wrote a character description of the penguin which should prepare them well for their homework this weekend. They also read a factfile about penguins, wrote a diary entry as if they were the boy and made a Found! poster for the

penguin.

In Jewish Studies this week, we began with our Hebrew reading, this time focusing on the segol and tzeireh, both making the 'eh' sound. We also had the Seed Mezuzah workshop this week and it was truly special to see parents and children learning together and creating beautiful mezuzah cases! We also celebrated completing our unit on brachot; the children have now learned all the food brachot and proudly finished their fantastic brachot booklets. In Parasha, we explored the life of Sarah, reflecting on her kindness and goodness, and learned about the beautiful story of Yitzchak marrying Rivka. 

In Maths we continued with subtraction. The children are grasping the idea that three numbers can have multiple number facts related to them. For example:

2+8=10        8+2=10

10=8+2       10=2+8

10-8=2        10-2=8

2=10-8         8=10-2

We have been using a variety of methods to help the children find the answers to subtraction number sentences, including cubes, counting back on numberlines and crossing out. 

The children learnt the running stitch in DT and are preparing to design their own hand puppet. In History the children compared an original box of Crayola crayons to a modern one and spotted lots of similarities and differences. They also learnt about the history of Meccano.

We covered the following sounds in Phonics this week. Please try to review these with your child.

i-e - time to shine

o-e - note on an envelope

u-e - tune on the flute

c - cycle through the city

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 7th November 2025

Dear Parents,

Welcome back after what we hope was a lovely half term break. We are all excited for this half term with its full weeks and many activities and highlights. 

This week the children had their second World Religion lesson in which they learnt about the Buddhist festival of Wesak which celebrates Buddha’s birthday. The children made their own paper lanterns as a symbol of this celebration. In English, the children shared news from their half term and also completed a comprehension about rainbows. They also wrote their own short stories using the Mighty Writer to guide them in including a beginning, middle and end.

In Jewish Studies this week, the children reviewed the five final letters of the Aleph Bet. They enjoyed singing along to the Aleph Bet Song and practicing the final letters on their whiteboards before exploring them through reading, iPad games, and writing activities. The children also revised the vowels kamatz and patach, using songs, air writing, and games to help remember the “ah” sound. In Jewish life lessons, we have started our Brachot topic. The children discussed when and why we say brachot, shared examples from home and school, and spoke about the importance of thanking Hashem for all that we have. They began  their brachot activity books, decorating the covers and starting their first pages. In Parashah, we learned about Avraham’s kindness and care for others, as he pleaded with Hashem to save the people of Sodom.

In Maths this week, we began looking at addition word problems. Then we moved onto finding a part. The children had part-whole models that had a missing part. This involves subtracting the part from the whole to find the missing part. We also looked at subtraction problems and children used the method of crossing out to see how many were left. Finally, we looked at different part-whole models and found 8 different facts in the fact family. For example, 3+4 = 7, 7= 3+4, 7 - 4 = 3 etc.

We started a new topic in DT which is all about puppets. The children were excited by this and spent the lesson learning about the different types of puppets, including marionettes, rod puppets, hand and finger puppets. We also started a new topic in History all about toys. The children spent time this week thinking about their favourite toy and what makes it their favourite. We also discussed the materials from which theses toys were made and whether these materials were used to make toys long ago. The children are excited for our upcoming school trip to the Young V&A Museum to see and play with old toys!

In Music this week, we learnt a song about Bonfire night and we practised some songs in preparation for Chanukah. The children particularly enjoyed using the parachute and using it to move to the music of Jelly on a plate.

In Computing, we learnt how to take pictures on the iPad. We discussed that sometimes we might take a picture and we don't like it, so the children learnt how to delete a picture. We also spoke about how we must ask permission if we are taking pictures of other people. The children then began inserting them onto a blank poster using Canva. 

New Phonics sounds this week:

• au - pause the launch
• ey - use money to buy honey
• a-e - cake by the lake
• e-e - the athletes compete

Books read this week:

• The Jelly That Wouldn’t Wobble by Angela Mitchell
• Gozzle by Julia Donaldson
• The Duck Who Didn’t Like Water by Steve Small
• Owl’s Lesson by Nick Butterworth

Shabbat shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 24th October 2025

Dear Parents,

It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of our first half term in Year 1 at Kerem School! We are excited to have plenty of full weeks of school in the next half term and be able to really get into the routine of Year 1.

This week the children have their first World Religion lesson. Each year group focuses on one religion and in Year 1 we learn about Buddhism. The children will have a total of six Buddhism lessons over the course of the year. This week the children started to understand their religion and the symbols associated with Judiasm. They also shared different information they have about other religions like Christmas, cross, muslim etc. We spoke about the importance of understanding different religions and showing respect to all people regardless of their religion or beliefs. This week the children learnt about the 5 basic principals of Buddhism and were able to make comparisons to Judiasm.

In English we finished our book: I Want my Hat Back by Jon Klassen. The children seemed to really enjoy the story and the build up to the ending. They got to grips with the different characters in the story, felt empathy towards bear who had lost his hat and identified humourous parts of the story. This week they ordered the different parts of the story and wrote about their favourite part as well.

In Maths we have been working on our number bonds to 10. The children have learnt songs and played games in order to try and learn these number bond facts, for example, 10+ 0  = 10, 9 + 1 = 10, 8 + 2 = 10 etc. We have also been working on adding two numbers together to make a total. 

In Jewish Studies, the children continued with their Hebrew reading. They are loving their Aleph Champ books and are making excellent progress. This week we revised all the  Aleph Bet letters. Some children focused on individual letters, while others practiced reading words. They copied letters onto strips of paper, played snakes and ladders with the Aleph Bet, and read aloud at their tables. They also listened to “Ma Tovu” and sang it together, explored slides of different homes, and learned that we can say Ma Tovu when entering Hashem’s special home. The children drew pictures of what they see in their own shuls. We also focused on “Adon Olam,” discussing Hashem as master of the world and praising His creations, then the children drew pictures of Hashem’s creations they have seen. Finally, we explored Parashat Noach using an interactive activity, cutting and sticking animals into their own Teivah to retell the story of Noach and the flood

.

We completed our Art topic of primary colours with the children learning about Piet Mondrian’s unique style and creating their own artwork based on this. They had a fantastic time and we loved seeing their interpretations.

Books read this week:

• First Facts: Dinosaurs
• Vaccines by Cara Florance and Jon Florance
• The Diddle That Dummed by Kes Gray and Fred Blunt
• How the Elephant got his trunk by Andrea Florens
• The Lucky by Andrea Florens and Claire Norden

Reminders:

1. Reading books should be in school bags every day. The children will be listened to read on Monday and Thursday.
2. Whiteboard pens and glues are beginning to run out and it is really important that the children have the financial means to purchase new materials. Please ensure your child has at least two 50ps in their bag ready to be used as and when needed.
3. No homework is set over half term. Please keep listening to your child read daily. You can also encourage your child to review the number bonds to 10 and ask them to write a sentence or two a day.

We hope everyone has a great half term.

Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 17th October

Dear Parents,

We hope everyone had a lovely end to Succot. 

In Phonics this week, we learnt aw (fawn on the lawn) and we read words such as awful, saw and claw. We also reviewed all the graphemes that we have been learning by reading and writing words and sentences containing these graphemes.

In Maths we have been looking at fact families and finding out how to write different number sentences from a given fact. For example, 4 + 3  = 7. We can also say:

3+ 4 = 7       7= 3 + 4             7 = 4 + 3

We have also been finding bonds to numbers within 10. These are 2 numbers that, when added, equal a given number.  (For example, number bonds to 7  are  0 and 7, 1 and 6,  2 and 5, 3 and 4)

In English, we discussed different emotions that we can have and then linked it to our book. We discussed the different emotions that the bear had throughout the book. 

Our Science for this half term is based on Seasonal Changes and much of this is learnt through the work in Forest School. However, this week, as there was no Forest School, we took the opportunity to discuss some of the changes that we see in Autumn. 

Today we went to the school library for the first time. The children had the opportunity to choose a library book to bring home, if they wanted to. In most cases, these are books that the children will not be able to read themselves. We would encourage you to read the book with your child to share a love for books and reading. Please bring the library books back next Friday. 

Wishing you Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 10th October

Dear Parents,

Chag Sameach to everyone! It has been so lovely celebrating Succot together in school over the past couple of days and we look forward to continuing on Monday. The children had a wonderful time today visiting the Lily’s succah. Thank you to Mr and Mrs Eman for hosting us. We also went to visit the shul succah yesterday. We spoke about our 5 senses and which parts of our body we would use for each of the senses. The children thought about these in relation to the succah. We then wrote sentences, for example, I can see the decorations or I can smell the etrog.

In Maths we have been doing more work on splitting numbers into parts and wholes. The children have learnt how to put this information into a part-whole model and write number sentences.

In Phonics we have learnt ir (a quirky shirt) and ue (true, the sky’s blue). We practised writing words with these graphemes, as well as others that we have learning recently. 

Please can we also remind you that there is no Forest School next Thursday, 16th October.  

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 3rd October 2025

Dear Parents,

Over the last few weeks the children have learnt some new sounds: ea (each have a treat), ie (pie on your tie), ay (play all day), ou (a proud cloud) and oy (a boy cried ahoy). Feel free to review these with your child at home. 

*New to Year 1* -  Each week the child who is nominated to attend the tea party will be invited to be the line leader the following week. They will also be asked to bring three of their favourite story books from home which will be read aloud to the class by the teacher the following week. We hope this will add some excitement to the tea party invitee and to create some motivation for the children to want to be nominated.

Books we read this week:

• Dino Duckling by Alison Murray
• A Watermelon in the Sukkah by Sylvia Rouss and Shannan Rouss
• Chicken’s can’t see in the dark by Kristyna Litten

In Maths this week we have been comparing numbers and putting numbers in order. We have also begun looking at whole numbers and how we split the number into 2 parts. For example, 5 can be split into 3 and 2. We used the language of parts and whole. 

Please note that there will be no Forest School on Thursday 16th October. 

Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 1 Team

Friday 26th September 2025

Dear Parents,

Wishing you all a Shana Tova! It was a special week for everyone and the children enjoyed the build up at school to Rosh Hashanah.

This week in English the children focused on writing. We wrote a sentence or two related to a picture from Mighty Writer and the the children wrote about their Rosh Hashanah. They were encouraged to use a capital letter to start the sentence and a full stop at the end of their sentences. We also thought about adding adjectives to our writing. These are symobolised by a yellow star on Mighty Writer and it is a visual way for the children to think about this concept.

In Maths this week we have been focusing on comparing numbers, using vocabulary such as more than, greater than, less than, fewer than and equal to. The children were introduced to the signs to show more than and less than and they created their own maths sentences. For example, 4<10 and 12>5. During our computing lesson, the children enjoyed using iPads to play a maths game which helped with number formation practice. We would recommend  using the website Topmarks. The game is called Number of the Day and we have posted the link below. 

In Phonics we have been reviewing the graphemes ‘ay’ as in ‘play’, ‘ou’ as in ‘cloud’ and ‘ie’ as in ‘tie’. We have been practising reading and writing words using these graphemes, as well as reading sentences containing these words. 

Wishing you Shabbat Shalom and G’mar Chatima Tova. 

The Year 1 Team.

Friday 19th January 2025

Dear Parents,

It was a wonderful week in Year 1. The children have shown improved listening and instruction following skills. Well done to them!

In English the children discovered that the bear in our book has lost his hat and they worked in groups to think of questions they could ask him about it. The bear came to visit the classroom and the children asked him their questions which included:

• Where did you last see your hat?
• Can I buy or make you a new one?
• What colour is your hat?

The children then wrote a sentence or two about the lost hat and played some drama and role play games pretending to be different animals from the story.

This week in Maths we worked on counting forwards and backwards in ones from numbers between 0 and 20. The children used number fans and one hundred square grids to help them with this. They also spent time practising reading and writing numbers. We looked at finding one more and one less than numbers to 20.

In Jewish Studies, the children enjoyed singing the Aleph Bet song, using flashcards and PowerPoints to practise their letters and they played games to reinforce the letters "hey" and "vav". They were so excited to return their Aleph Champ books and have made a fantastic start. Thank you for supporting their Hebrew Reading. We explored the shofar - where it comes from, how it’s made and the different sounds it makes. The children had lots of fun acting out tekiah, shevarim and teruah. The children also learned about tashlich, thinking carefully about mistakes they want to throw away and good things they will try to do in the new year. They also created their own simanim plates, cutting, sticking and labelling the special Rosh Hashanah foods and explaining why we eat them.

In Geography the children learnt the difference between human and physical features. They were able to identify that trees and the brook in Lyttleton Playing Fields are physical features and that school and the shops in the Market Place are human features.

This week in Art the children reviewed the primary colours and then mixed them to make the secondary colours. They loved guessing what colour they would make and will continue to experiment with these next week.

In Music this week, we once again joined Reception in the EYU for a lovely lesson together. Together with Morah Netta, we sang a Rosh Hashanah song in Hebrew and the Y1 children were able to teach it to Reception!  The children each had instruments and we practised playing them together and then stopping together. The children sang along to the Music Man song with their instruments.

We have started our Computing lessons on a Friday. As we use ipads in school, we began by looking at key apps that are on the ipad e.g. photos, camera and settings. This week, we also talked about different types of technology that we have at home and in school. 

At the Forest School site, the children practised their understanding of how to carry sticks carefully by going on a hunt for short and long sticks and sorting them into different piles. 

Next, the children worked together to find different natural materials to decorate two giant people on the ground. They thought carefully about which objects to use for the eyes, nose, mouth and the rest of the body.

For the rest of the session, children chose activities that interested them. Some children made puppets with sticks and clay. Once they had made them, the children had fun making their puppets talk to each other! Other children took part in a leaf printing activity with Emma. A group of Year 1 children began to make a debris den using fallen wood and it was great to see how their skills have developed since last year. Some children chose to be creative in the mud kitchen and made a charcoal and mud birthday cake for Mr Sumroy. Other children were very curious about a friendly slug and their close observation enabled them to discover its breathing hole! They then decided to build a home for it including a fence of acorns. 

Year 1 finished their session by learning a new movement song which was quite a challenge. There are three levels of difficulty to it and the class managed to get to level 3!

There is no formal homework for the next few weeks due to the chagim. However, we still encourage the children to continue practising their reading. Please note that the children's Google Classroom login details have been stuck into the their yellow reading record books

Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova U’metukah. May it be a sweet and healthy year for everyone.

The Year 1 Team

Friday 12th January 2025

Dear Parents,

It was lovely to see so many of you on Tuesday evening.

This week in English we reviewed our letter formation to make our writing neat and clear. We also had fun trying on lots of different hats, thinking about what they are used for, which seasons they might be worn in and how we felt wearing them before writing our own sentences. Finally we looked closely at the front cover of the book we will be reading this half term (without seeing the title) and spotted a bear. We discussed what we could see and imagined what the bear might look like and what kind of personality it might have.

Reminders:

• 50p in bags.
• Reading books should be in bags every day.
• On Wednesdays we are having our music lesson and some free play at the EYU and will be walking there and back. Please ensure children have a coat.

This week in Phonics we reviewed the graphemes taught in Reception. We have attached a document with these graphemes to the blog for your convenience should you wish to review them at home with your child.

This week in Maths we have been practising our counting skills. The children have been representing numbers to 10 in different ways, for example using a ten frame, numcion, their fingers and using number cards. We have also been practising forming our numbers as well as practising reading numbers to ten as words.

In JS this week, we continued learning about Rosh Hashanah and discussed Teshuva and how we want to have more Mitzvot than Aveirot. The children stuck their Mitzvot onto their scales and weighed them down with Mitzvot. In Parasha, we discussed the beautiful mitzvah of Bikurim and the children created lovely baskets of fruit to depict this mitzvah.

This week in Art we learned what the primary colours are and the children enjoyed painting with them to explore how they can be used.
 

In our first Geogroahy lesson this week we discussed the name of the neighbourhood school is in. We reviewed the difference between road names and neighbourhood names and the children shared some landmarks in Hampstead Garden Suburb that they know like Lyttleton Playing Fields, School, the EYU, Bekem’s and the tower of St Jude’s in Central Square. The children then cut and sorted pictures of places in Hampstead Garden Suburb and Central London. While you are out and about this weekend, see if you can point out some local landmarks to your child.

This week Reception Year 1 joined together for Music, which will happening every week at the EYU. The children enjoyed singing call and response songs which focused on their listening and repeating skills. We also sang songs related to Rosh Hashanah. 

Forest School

It was great to see all the Year 1 and Reception children and meet a few new faces. As we sat down a couple of dragonflies flew over to say hello! Emma recapped the Forest School boundaries and the rules we have to keep everybody happy and safe. Then we played the 1,2,3 Where Are You? game to practise the children coming back to our special call to gather everybody together. They had great fun hiding in the woods and running back to find Emma. 

Next the children went on a nature hunt to find and sort different coloured leaves. They were eager to get as many as they could! Some of the children were surprised at the size of some of the lime tree leaves.

The next part of the session was the independent choosing part which we call ‘Forest Fun’ and all the children were very keen to explore and play. The hammocks and slackline were very popular and this provided a good opportunity for children to practise sharing with their peers and taking turns. Some children chose to work with Emma and get creative with clay. Some children manipulated it into a flat circle shape and decorated it with different seeds including acorns and conkers. Some decided to make different creations such as pots. Other children enjoyed sitting in a den with the Forest Friends and looked at some different books about creatures.

Unfortunately, our session was cut short by the weather changing and thunder nearby. The children were excellent at acting quickly to get ready to go back to school with their classes as quickly as possible. 
 

Shabbat Shalom

The Year 1 Team

Dear Parents,

It has been wonderful to welcome all the children back to school this week and into Year 1. They have quickly settled into their new routines, become familiar with their new teachers and are already feeling at home in their classroom environment.

This week, we spent time sharing our holiday news and talking about the ways we are all connected – our likes, our strengths, and what makes each of us special. The children drew pictures of something they like to do and wrote a sentence to go alongside their work. This gave us a lovely insight into their interests.

As part of the schoolwide initiative, we also explored what it means to be a mensch (a good and kind person). In Year 1, we discussed different scenarios and thought carefully about whether the behaviours shown were ‘mensch-like’ or not.

We reviewed our phonic sounds and were very impressed with how much the children remembered! They also enjoyed eating the school lunches, spending time in the playground, and meeting their Year 6 buddies both during playtime and in assembly. Sitting with their buddies in assembly gave them a reassuring start and their buddies were able to show them the place in their siddur during tefillah. The children have also enjoyed singing songs with Mr Sumroy as well as hearing him blow the Shofar everyday.

In our first JS lessons in Year 1, the children looked at all the Aleph Bet letters that they had learned and they then took turns playing Aleph Bet games on the smartboard. The children enjoyed our discussion around the Parasha  (Ki Teitze) where they learned about the Mitzvah of Hashavat Aveidah- returning lost objects. 

To kickstart our English learning, we are going to have a lesson all about HATS. We would love for the children to have the opportunity to try on lots of different hats. Please try to send in a variety of hats (summer, winter, shul, flat caps etc) to school on MONDAY for our English lesson. Please can you ensure that all hats are clearly named so we know who to return them to at the end of the day. Many thanks for your support with this.

We hope the children have been coming home happy and excited and we cannot wait for our first full week together in Year 1.

We look forward to seeing parents at the Meet the Teacher evening on Tuesday. 
 

Shabbat Shalom

The Year 1 Team