Welcome back to the first week of the new half term. I trust you had a good half term week.

We have been talking a great deal this week about the forgiveness of sins and how we must all repent and ask for forgiveness, as we all make mistakes. It is important that the children recognise we all make mistakes, but that these can be put right through saying sorry, meaning it and trying to be better. Throughout Lent all of Year 1 are trying to be better - this is the challenge we have set ourselves and I hope that you can see this in your own child. We are working particularly on our friendship skills and trying to make things right ourselves - this is hard as the children often think that they make things better by telling me - but I am encouraging the children to speak to each other when things go wrong, to see if they can reach a solution themselves. This is a work-in-progress, but we are all trying to be ‘‘better’.

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 are continuing to work hard on our common exception words, reading them in class every day!

Maths - this week we have been working on two digit number, how to read them, how to write them in digits and words and how to show them using our ten frames and our tens and ones. It is really important that the children recognise each digit and the value it has in the number either a ten or a ones number.

RE - this week has been all Jesus and the time He spent in the desert. We have all written our own Lent promises on a foot to show that we are ‘walking towards Jesus’ over Lent.

ICT - this week we started our new topic all about Bee Bots and giving and receiving directions.

Topic - this half term our topic theme is History focusing on Castles and Queens. This week we introduced Queens Elizabeth I, Victoria and Elizabeth II and found out about how long they reigned for, where they lived and who they were married to - if at all!

Art - this week the children have begun their new college topic with Mrs Gilheaney.

A busy week….this week we also went to church on Monday to receive our ashes as we were not in school in Ash Wednesday.

Many congratulations to this week’s winners…

Golden Award - Ruby for always being a respectful member of our class and a true role model to all.

Writing Award - Edie for her RE writing reflecting on why people of faith act in the way they do during Lent.

Maths Award - Luna for a super explanation of tens and ones and in our Place Value work this week.

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 - all the children were given a new school bottle this week. 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. Lost water bottles can be replaced at the school office, but I am afraid you will have to pay for those. Year 1 have white tops.

I will not be in class on a Thursday afternoon, as it is my release time. This will be covered by Mrs Gilheaney, Miss Simons and Mrs Connolly and is also when the children will have Music with Mrs Watson

Party Invitations - I am afraid that Miss Simons and I will not be able to give out party invitations in class. Please do not send your child into class with them for them to give out - it creates upset and fuss about something that takes place outside of school.Thank-you for your understanding with this matter.

Key Rings - please do not put key rings onto your child’s school bag, it create fuss in class and then upset if they are lost.

School bag - please continue to use the red book bag that your child was given in Reception, we don’t not have the room to store large bags. Many thanks for your help with this matter.

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!! Yr1 Homework — Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School (squarespace.com)

Lent Calendar - to share at home

In Key Stage 1, children have common exception words to learn alongside their letters and sounds spellings. Common exception words are words in which the English spelling code works in an unusual or uncommon way. They are not words for which phonics 'doesn't work', but they may be exceptions to spelling rules, or words which use a particular combination of letters to represent sound patterns in a rare or unique way.

In Year 1 we are having a real PUSH on these words this term - to ensure that ALL children can read, write and spell correctly ALL of these words. They really do help support the flow of reading. You can really support your child at home by practicing these words. First of all, can they read them instantly? Not sounding them out, but just read them because they know them. Secondly, can they spell them? Thirdly, can they spell them correctly if they ar writing their own sentence and are not told how to spell the word? These are all things you can help with at home - just 5/10 minutes each day will really help.

I have included a link to the Top Marks web page with a few interactive games which might hep!

Many thanks for your help.

Words and Spelling, English Games for 5-7 Years - Topmarks

Spelling games: Common exception words (spellzone.com)

Little Bird Spelling || Practise spelling Common Exception Words (ictgames.com)

Common Exception Word List - Year 1

Just a few important dates coming up for you to know about….

Thursday 7th March - World Book Day. We are inviting all of the children to come to school on this day dressed as a book character and to bring their favourite book to share. (Please make sure these are clearly named with your child’s name)

Friday 15th March - Brian House Own Clothes Day - we are inviting the children to come to school in their own clothes on this day and for parents to donate to our chosen charity. (PLEASE NOTE as it is a Friday Year 1 will have PE on this day - so remember suitable footwear.)

Tuesday 19th March - KS1 Open Afternoon - all parents are invited to join us in class on this day anytime after 2pm to 4pm to see what we do in class, talk to your child and their teachers about their learning and have a look round our class. We hope you can join us!

Friday 22nd March - KS1 Palm Sunday liturgy - join us in Church at 2.30pm to see KS1 retell the story of Palm Sunday.

Catholic Life of our school..

The following resources are a great way of keeping you all informed of our current liturgy themes and of the weekly Gospel scripture, with some activities that the children can complete at home. We hope you find these resources useful and that they help you to support prayer and worship in your own homes.

https://www.paperturn-view.com/uk/wednesday-word/faithfulness?pid=MTA101634&v=74.6

http://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/