Wow what a hot and fabulously sunny week we have had. Take a look at what we have been up to this week…

Show and Tell

A gentle reminder that children should not bring toys, jewellery, Pokémon cards or other personal items into school, as these can easily become lost, damaged or cause distractions during the school day.

If your child would like to share a special item during Show and Tell, please email a photograph of the item to the class teacher(s). We will be happy to display the photograph while your child talks about it with the class.

We would be grateful if all parents and carers could support us by ensuring that toys, jewellery and other personal belongings are left at home. Thank you for your cooperation and continued support.

Maths

This week in maths, we have been exploring our problem solving skill for the term: looking for patterns. The children enjoyed investigating consecutive house numbers and working out what happens when numbers are placed next to one another. It was a fun way to develop their reasoning skills while encouraging them to spot and explain mathematical patterns.

We discovered that when an even number and an odd number are added together, the answer is always odd. The children used examples of consecutive numbers to test this idea and were able to explain their findings clearly. We also looked at what happens when we add ten to a number. The children noticed that the ones digit never changes, which helped them understand place value more deeply.

This learning has given the children a great opportunity to use mathematical language, share ideas with their classmates and build confidence in explaining their thinking. They worked well together and showed enthusiasm throughout the activities.

Please continue to talk to your child about numbers and patterns at home, as this will help reinforce their understanding. Simple questions such as “What do you notice?” or “What do you think will happen next?” are a brilliant way to support their mathematical thinking.

Fact of the week

Our fact of the week this week is:

6 +2 =8

2+ 6 = 8

8 – 6 = 2

8 – 2 = 6

Read, Write Inc.

This week, our focus has been on developing both our reading and writing skills through our Read Write Inc. lessons. The children have been practising reading and spelling words, phrases and simple sentences using the sounds they know, while also being introduced to some new sounds. It has been wonderful to see their confidence continue to grow as they apply these sounds independently.

One of the most important skills we have been practising is spotting the "special friends" in words before blending the sounds together to read them. This approach is helping the children become more accurate and fluent readers. If you are able to spend a few minutes at home identifying special friends, saying the sounds and blending words together, it will make a huge difference to your child's progress.

Alongside our reading, we have been taking great care with our handwriting and written work. The children have been concentrating on forming their letters correctly, writing neatly and remembering to include capital letters and full stops when writing their own sentences. We are so pleased with the determination and progress they are showing.

In Story Time, we have started our exciting poetry unit. The children have loved listening to a range of poems, exploring interesting vocabulary and noticing patterns, rhythm and rhyme. They have enjoyed joining in with repeated lines, performing poems with expression and sharing their thoughts about their favourite parts. These activities are helping to strengthen their speaking and listening skills, broaden their vocabulary and develop a lifelong enjoyment of reading.

Reading

Next week we will be collecting all the RWI books in. Children are able to take home their coloured sticker books for the summer holidays.

Children will bring home two reading books each week: a RWI home book and a Learning Zone book (with a coloured sticker). RWI books will be changed by an adult every Monday, so please ensure all reading wallets are placed in the trays. Children should read their RWI book three times during the week to build fluency. Learning Zone books can be changed independently by the children on Tuesday–Friday mornings.

Minute Reads are also included; once completed, please ask the class teacher for a new one. Please read with your child regularly at home and sign their reading record each time. Both RWI books and Learning Zone books can be recorded in the reading record. Certificates are awarded weekly, with additional certificates for every 20 reads.

If you have any questions, please speak to your child’s class teacher.

Computing and RE

This week in Computing, we have been learning all about programming using ScratchJr. The children have explored how to give clear instructions to characters, called sprites, by selecting and joining different programming blocks together. They have learnt how to make their sprites move, change backgrounds and create simple animations by following and testing their own algorithms.

As the unit has progressed, the children have experimented with changing values within their programs, discovered that each sprite has its own set of instructions and designed their own exciting space-themed animations. They have been encouraged to predict what their programs will do, test their ideas and debug any problems they find, developing resilience and problem-solving skills along the way.

It has been fantastic to see the children's confidence grow as they become young programmers, thinking carefully about the instructions they give and celebrating the success of bringing their own creative projects to life!

This week in RE, we have been learning about some of the special celebrations and traditions within Islam. The children have explored the significance of the Islamic New Year, Eid and the Hajj pilgrimage, discovering why these events are so important to Muslims around the world. They have enjoyed looking at photographs, sharing their ideas and asking thoughtful questions about different beliefs and customs.

Throughout our lessons, we have been developing our understanding of how people show their faith in different ways. We have discussed the importance of kindness, community, prayer and celebration, while learning about special places such as Mecca and why Muslims make the Hajj pilgrimage. The children have also taken part in creative activities to help them remember and reflect on what they have learnt.

It has been wonderful to see the children's curiosity and respect as they explored another religion and considered both the similarities and differences between their own experiences and those of others. These discussions are helping to develop their understanding of the diverse world we live in and the importance of respecting different beliefs and traditions.

Love to Learn

This week we would love for you to look back at your memories of Year 1. What stood out for you? What was the best parts? What did you enjoy the most? This can be presented in any way you wish.

 Additional Information

PE is now on a Monday afternoon please can children wear a plain white t-shirt, or our new Chilton PE t-shirts, black or navy bottoms and a plain black or blue sweatshirt.

Read at 3! This is where we would love to invite you into our classrooms and read with your child for the full 15 minutes. This will happen every Friday there after this term.

Spare clothes for year 1

We kindly ask that all Year 1 children have a spare set of clothes in school, including underwear and socks, in case of accidents or spills during the day. Having these items available helps us ensure your child stays comfortable and can quickly return to their learning.

If you have any spare underwear or clothing at home that your child has outgrown and you would be happy to donate, we would greatly appreciate it. These donations are very helpful for supporting all children when needed.

Thank you for your continued support.

Key dates

13th, 14th, 15th July– Transition days (children will spend these days with their new class teacher) On the 13^th please drop the children off at their Year 1 classes and collect from their Year 2 one at the end of the day. For the remaining two days please drop off and collect from Year 2.

14th July 2.45pm – Parents invited into child’s new class to meet their teacher

If you would like to contact us, please feel free to email, alternatively we are available to catch at the end of the day or the start of the day by the door.

Team Ocean - Eloise.hall@chiltonprimary.co.uk

Team Sky - Poppy.winchcombe@chiltonprimary.co.uk and Elaine.howard@chiltonprimary.co.uk ( On a Wednesday).

Have a lovely weekend and we will see you all on Monday!

Miss Hall, Mrs Winchcombe and Mrs Howard