After a tumultuous year, there is comfort to be found when we pause to read, pray, and reflect over the course of the Advent season in which believers eagerly anticipate the celebration of Christ’s birth.
The first Sunday of Advent gives us the opportunity to center our thoughts on hope. It's a beautiful chance to remember the hope God offers to our lost and dying world, and that He's given us through Jesus.
As we prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus’ arrival as a gift to all humanity; let’s stir up in our hearts and homes a sense of anticipation. Over this Advent, we pray that hope would rise up in our spirits in a tangible and life-giving way.
English - we have continued on with our RWI lessons. During these sessions we all focus on phonics, reading, spelling and sentence development. We have also been working on our pre-cursive handwriting in which we focus on how to write our letters, starting on the line. We have also been learning how to spelling because suing the rhyme….big elephants can always understand small elephants. As well as that we are focusing on the tricky words of ’said and ‘you’ - how to recognise them, read them and spell them.
Maths - this week we have continued to work on parts and wholes as our introduction to addition and subtraction. This week we have looked at comparing two calculations using our comparison signs. Firstly, we had to work out the whole and then which sign to use. This has been tricky but by the end of the week we had got it!
RE - this half term is all about Mary. We have continued with our learning of the Hail Mary prayer and have thought about all the ways we are planning to prepare ourselves to meet Jesus at Christmas.
Science - our topic this half term is all about animals. This week we have focused on the features of each animal group and how we can tell one from another. We have used our Knowledge Organisers to write lists of the different features.
Geography - our focus for this half term is all about the world around us, with a focus on continents. We continued this week with looking at the seven continents of the world…this week our focus was Africa and the country of Kenya. We looked at what areas of Kenya look like and the animals that live there.
ICT - this have term it is all about algorithms - we have started by looking at algorithms as simply a set of instructions. This week the children have considered the steps that they would need to take a complete a picture.
Art - this week the children have painted their Winter tree in preparation for our Winter/Advent themed board in class.
These are the children we are celebrating this week….
Golden Award - Matilda for superb learning in Science and writing a detailed account of the features of animals. I am very impressed!
Writing Award - Emilio for trying hard with his letter formation - keep up the hard work
Maths Award - Liam for super part part whole work this week finding the whole number when you know the parts.
PE will be on Monday and Friday so please send the children into class in the PE kits on those days. No earrings can be worn for PE so please ensure that they are taken out at home.
Water bottles - This will come home each night to be cleaned and re-filled. Please only use the school bottles and ensure your child brings theirs each day.
I will not be in class on a Thursday afternoon, as it is my release time. This will be covered by Mrs Veasey and Miss Sanderson and is also when the children will have Music with Miss Hope
Homework Expectations - please see the Homework page for what I expect the children to do at home…..don’t worry, it’s mainly just reading!! Year 1 News letterYear 1 Homework Expectations - Autumn — Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School (squarespace.com)
PHONICS Support - take a look at Oxford Owl for information about how you can help your child at home with their phonics and reading. This is is a great site in general but the page linked has a super little video showing how the sounds should be pronounced. See how many sounds your child knows! How can I support my child with phonics? - Oxford Owl for Home
CHRISTMAS CARDS - I hate to mention it already, but I have been asked about cards this week. Although it is lovely to want to send a card to everyone in the class, it is not necassary. The children often leave them in school and they end up in the bin, it also takes up SO much time giving them out. Instead can we ask that if you wish to send a card then just send in ONE for the whole class and a £1 donation to CAFOD. We feel this is a much better use of your hard-earned money and will help us support Catholic charities around the world. (Please don’t feel you have to send a card at all) Many thanks.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Friday 2nd December - PTA Film Night KS1 4.30-6pm tickets £2 payable via ParentPay
Wednesday 14th December- Year 1 and 2 Nativity 9.30am and 2pm - two tickets per performance per child.
Advent Liturgies
Throughout Advent we would like to invite all children and families to join us in the school hall for a short Advent liturgy led by Father Frank.
This will be held every Tuesday morning at 8:20am and will begin from Tuesday 29th November, continuing until Tuesday 20th December 2022.
We do hope you can join us for this opportunity to gather as a faith community to reflect on the true value and meaning of Advent.
We are delighted to be able to share with you the Good News Gospel readings for families. Please follow the link to share the Gospel at home with your family. These are really child-friendly resources to share at home. https://www.paperturn-view.com/uk/wednesday-word/faithfulness?pid=MTA101634&v=74.6
And finally…have a lovely weekend. Mrs Hollinghurst, Mrs Veasey and Miss Sanderson
