Year 1 World Book Day Workshop
Year 1 were fortunate enough to take part in an online workshop for World Book Day. The author of The Flower Thief, Alice Hemming, read her book to us. This book linked to our focus on Signs of Spring. Then, the illustrator, Nicola Slater, showed us step-by-step drawing on the squirrel and the bird from the story. The drawings made by Year 1 were fantastic! It was a lovely way to start our World Book Day celebrations.
Year 1 World Book Day
Year 1 looked amazing in their World Book Day costumes! We had so many princesses, Roald Dahl characters and lots of children in cozy pyjamas. We have lots of fun activities to look forward too.
World Book Day Oracy Worship
What a fantastic morning we had celebrating World Book Day! Children from Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 came together for a special Oracy Talk Assembly, where the hall was filled with the sound of meaningful discussion. Working in trios, the children were challenged to dive deep into their love of literature by sharing their favourite books and characters, providing thoughtful "whys" for their choices. The energy peaked during a fascinating debate on whether reading gives you a "superhero power." After some deep exploration, the children concluded that reading truly is a superpower; they decided it makes you incredibly clever and has the unique ability to expand your imagination beyond the classroom. Mrs. Wilkinson was immensely impressed by the level of maturity and respect on display. It was a "super" oracy worship, with children across the three year groups demonstrating excellent communication skills by taking turns and listening intently to one another. It was wonderful to see our youngest learners not only celebrating stories but also developing the confidence to articulate their ideas with such clarity and enthusiasm.
Year 1 PSHE: Passing On The Praise
In PSHE, we have thought about praise and how it makes us feel. Praise is different to compliments as it is based on our behaviour, work and effort. Year 1 said happy, excited, motivated, it makes us smile and feel proud of ourselves. We then made little notes of praise and passed them to each other.
Year 1: Pinocchio Dance Workshop
Year 1 absolutely loved their Pinocchio workshop delivered by West End in Schools. Their part of the story was Pinocchio becoming a donkey. We are so proud of all of the children for stepping out of their comfort zone and joining in. They all had so much fun and we loved watching the story come together.
Year 1 DT: Cutting Skills
Year 1 practiced two types of cutting skills: claw hold and bridge hold. These techniques allow us to cut fruit or vegetables in a safe way. We learnt to hold the knife in our hand and place our index finger on top for control. We also had to pull the knife back and forth to cut. This will be useful when we make our healthy breakfast pots.
Year 1 History: Sharing Our Living Memory Interviews
At home, Year 1 have been interviewing their family members about toys they had when they were little. Together, we shared our interviews to discover toys that we have never seen or played with, as well as some toys which we still play with today. We noticed that our parent’s favourite toys were made from plastic, but any grandparent’s favourite toys were typically metal, wood or fabric. This helped us to understand more about toys from the past and the materials they were made from.
Year 1 PE: Jumping In Gymnastics
Year 1 practiced their jumping skills in gymnastics today. They were able to jump from different heights and use a spring board to help them with jumping. They understood the importance of landing on your feet with knees slightly bent. It was brilliant to see them being brave when jumping from the higher obstacles. Well done Year 1!
Whole School Worship
During today’s whole school worship, we reflected on what we might give for Lent. We explored how Lent is a time of sacrifice, remembering Jesus’ sacrifice, but also a time to give — not only by giving something up, but by giving more of ourselves. We thought about how we can share smiles, kindness, love and live out our Christian values in simple, meaningful ways each day. The children shared thoughtful ideas about small changes they could make, both at school and at home, to show patience, forgiveness and generosity. We also focused on this week’s Kindness Kite theme, “Share what you have,” reminding ourselves that even the smallest act of generosity — sharing time, helping a friend or offering encouraging words — can make a big difference to others.
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Whole School Worship - Ramadan
During worship, we were also treated to a special and informative reflection on Ramadan, thoughtfully led by Miss Kachwalla. The session helped us to understand the importance of this sacred month in Islam — a time of prayer, fasting, reflection and generosity. We learned about how Muslims around the world show dedication, self-discipline and compassion during Ramadan, and how values such as kindness, gratitude and community are central to this time. It was a wonderful opportunity to deepen our understanding, celebrate diversity within our school community and reflect on the shared values that bring us together. We also looked at the similarities between Lent and Ramadan and how they were both important times to give to others and give food up or fast to feel closer to God.
Year 1 RE: Signs of Spring
In our RE lesson today, we went on a walk to spot the Signs of Spring. We were looking for growth, colour, new life and change. On our way, we saw lots of new flowers starting to grow and blossom. The trees are starting to change from Winter and growing their leaves. Year 1 also saw lots of squirrels on their way. As it is Spring, we also walked in lots of rain and noticed that the rivers are starting to fill. We may have to go on another walk in a few weeks to see more changes as Spring progresses.
Year 1 Science: Absorbent or Waterproof
This week, we have learnt two new words: absorbent and waterproof. If something is absorbent, it will soak up water and if something is waterproof, water will not go inside the object and will drip off. In groups, we tested different objects made from a variety of materials to see if they are absorbent or waterproof. After that, we did a rainbow water test. We made 3 colours of water and used an absorbent tissue to dip into each cup. The tissue soaked up the water and changed colours, which was very exciting.