Phonics screening check
The phonics screening check determines how well a child can use the phonics skills they have learned in year 1, ensuring that they are on track to become fluent readers.
The check was cancelled by the government for year 1 children in June 2021.
In December 2021, the phonics screening check will be taken by all children in year 2 instead. Year 2 pupils who do not meet the expected standard in the autumn check will take the statutory check in June 2022, alongside year 1 pupils.
The phonics screening check contains 40 words divided into two sections. Both sections contain a mixture of real words and alien words.
The children are encouraged to add sound buttons or use phoneme fingers to read a word. Here is a video showing how we do this.
You can help your child at home by reading anything and everything!
Keeping happy and healthy – PE
All the Year 1 and 2 classes have done some PE this week. The glorious weather helped and we all enjoyed getting active. Children can wear their PE kit (following the school uniform guide) all day on their PE days. Please send children in shoes they can fasten themselves.
1A Miss Lowry – Thursday and Friday
1,2B Mrs Latham – Thursday and Friday
2C Mr Gathercole – Wednesday and Thursday
Reading at home
Children will be bringing home at least 2 reading books this week. These will be changed once a week.
Please return books to be changed on the days below. We will quarantine books before putting them back in the system.
1A (Miss Lowry) – FRIDAY
1,2B (Mrs Latham) – WEDNESDAY
2C (Mr Gathercole) – FRIDAY
Children will be bringing home a variety of books. The ‘practise phonics’ book (sticker on the front cover) is for children to work on their ‘sounding out’ of words.
A ‘children’s choice’ book or books will be chosen by the children and can be read together and is to encourage an enjoyment of reading. Look at the pictures, talk about the characters or information and ask questions.
Please comment on how your child copes with the books as it may take us a little time to adjust and match books to each child. Year 2s will gradually move away from phonics books and have more children’s choice books and then the freedom to be ‘free readers’ – reading whatever they choose.
Children will also choose a library book each Friday (all classes will visit the library on FRIDAY).
Help us help your child by reading anything and everything you can.
THANK YOU!
First days in Year 1 and 2
The children have come back to school full of enthusiasm and excitement. After a few nerves, we’re all starting to get used to the new routines. We are enjoying reading Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers as it has opened up discussions about our feelings and looking after each other. Ask your child about any new friends they have made or old friends they have enjoyed seeing again.
Welcome back!
The Year 1 and 2 Team have been busy getting your classrooms ready for Monday. We are looking forward to welcoming our new classes. We hope you are excited too, or maybe a little bit nervous? That’s ok, we will look after you all.
Here are some posters showing you who is in the Key Stage 1 team. Have a look further down this page for more information about your own class, PE days and lunch menus too.
Lunch menus
PE days – which day to I wear my PE uniform?
We are going to continue with wearing PE kit on PE days – this cuts down on lost property and saves learning time, so we’re going to continue this for at least next year as a longer term trial. On the days your child has PE, they should come to school in their school uniform PE kit. (Track-suit bottoms instead of shorts would be good on colder days. Footwear : black/brown/grey/white flat shoes which are safe to run around in.)
Footwear on PE days could be children’s ‘school shoes’ which are often a plain ‘trainer’ style anyway, if you want to avoid having to buy 2 pairs of shoes.
Here is a link to our uniform policy.
Please find below the days each class has allocated PE times, which will be taught outdoors, except in extreme weather.
- F2 Sunshine (Miss Parling) – Monday and Friday
- F2 Rainbow (Mrs Allen-Kelly/Mrs Wilkins) – Monday and Friday
- 1A (Miss Lowry) – Thursday and Friday
- 1,2B (Mrs Latham) – Thursday and Friday
- 2C (Mr Gathercole) – Wednesday and Thursday
- 3,4A (Miss Harker) – Tuesday and Thursday
- 3,4B (Mr Catherall) – Monday and Tuesday
- 3,4C (Mrs McCormick/Mrs Wadsworth) – Tuesday and Wednesday
- 5,6A (Mr Freeman) – Monday and Wednesday
- 5,6B (Mrs Hogarth) – Tuesday and Wednesday
- 5,6C (Mr Lindsay) – Wednesday and Thursday
Class information September 2021
1A – Miss Lowry’s class information
Below is some information about your child’s new class and some of the day to day things that will help your child settle into their new class and routine.
Email : kaylowry@spherefederation.org
- PE days – Tuesday and Friday (school uniform PE kit can be worn all day)
- Reading books changing day – Friday
- Library – Friday
- Spare clothes – can be kept in a small bag on their peg, if required
- Lunch menus – will be displayed in the window and on the Class News/Year 1 & 2 page of the website.
- Playtime snacks – fruit or vegetables only please but there is a fruit/veg bowl in each class for playtimes
- Water bottle – should be in school every day, can be emptied and refilled in school
- Children will have their own tray for suncream, tissues, hats/gloves, snack
- Coat – please send one every day as we may be learning outside
1,2B – Mrs Latham’s class information
Below is some information about your child’s new class and some of the day to day things that will help your child settle into their new class and routine.
Email : vickylatham@spherefederation.org
- PE days – Thursday and Friday (school uniform PE kit can be worn all day)
- Reading books changing day – Wednesday
- Library – Friday
- Spare clothes – can be kept in a small bag on their peg, if required
- Lunch menus – will be displayed in the window and on the Class News/Year 1 & 2 page of the website.
- Playtime snacks – fruit or vegetables only please but there is a fruit/veg bowl in each class for playtimes
- Water bottle – should be in school every day, can be emptied and refilled in school
- Children will have their own tray for suncream, tissues, hats/gloves, snack
- Coat – please send one everyday as we may be learning outside
2C – Mr Gathercole’s class information
Below is some information about your child’s new class and some of the day to day things that will help your child settle into their new class and routine.
Email: carlgathercole@spherefederation.org
- PE days – Wednesday and Thursday (school uniform PE kit is worn all day)
- Reading books changing day – Friday
- Library – Friday
- Spare clothes – can be kept in a small bag on their peg, if required
- Lunch menus – will be displayed in the window and on the Class News/Year 1 & 2 page of the website
- Playtime snacks – fruit or vegetables only please but there is a fruit/veg bowl in each class for playtimes
- Water bottle – should be in school every day, can be emptied and refilled in school
- Children will have their own tray for sun cream, tissues, hats/gloves, snack
- Coat – please send one every day as we may be learning outside
Maths : add, subtract, multiply, divide
This term, we have been working on the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division).
Year 1 children have been doing lots of practical maths, showing calculations in different ways (multiple representations) and writing fact families (calculations that can be grouped together).
Year 2 have looked at multiplication and division in the same way.
Scarecrow competition
We will be making some scarecrows in school. If anyone lives in the village, you can join in individually and display them outside your house. If not, and you want to make your own, bring your scarecrow to school on Friday 16 July and we will display it outside school over the weekend.
