Welcome to Beech - Year 1!

Autumn Term

Settling in

We are so proud of every person in Beech class for the way they have settled in to life in Year 1. We have ensured that the transition from Early Years into Year 1 is a smooth one, by creating an outdoor space filled with learning opportunities that link to our curriculum. The children love being able to move from the classroom to the outdoors freely, and this has already proven to be a real success.

Below are some photographs that show the children taking part in both their formal lessons, and accessing the continuous provision (learning through play).

Forest school

Beech class have now begun their weekly Forest School sessions! Our first visit to Forest School this week was linked to spirituality and maths.

The children used a mix of natural found objects (twigs, leaves and stones) to count groups of objects accurately, and some children took on further challenges to compare quantities.

We then took some time to be mindful and show an awareness of our surroundings. We thought about what we could see, hear, smell and feel around us.

Although the weather was drizzly and our wellies got muddy, we had a fantastic time out in the fresh air!

Topic homework

Thank you to all of the families that have supported their children to create such fantastic topic homework this term. Our role play areas have really been brought to life with the children’s creations.

Spring Term

Our Great Fire of London Day!

Beech had a memorable day exploring what life was like during The Great Fire of London in 1666. In the morning, the children took on the roles of the workers in the City of London, where they experienced the concerns of residents in the path of the fire. Roles included: Barber, Surgeon, Apothecary, Leather workers, Candle Makers, Schoolhouse, Perfumer, Baker, Metal Worker, Seamstress and Weavers. They delighted in taking home all of the creations that they had made.

The children also enjoyed working as a team to pass the water buckets along their long lines to stop the fire from spreading followed by an outdoors session with the fire hooks – “PULL!” In the afternoon, they pretended that London had burnt down and the children sifted through the ashes in an archaeological study. They tried to make sense of the items that they found and conclude which shop the items came from. All of the children left school that day discussing their favourite moments and sharing their new knowledge of The Great Fire of London.

Time to Talk!

‘Time To Talk’ is a special part of the week, where a pupil from each class gets to take centre stage and share something they are passionate about, a past experience, or showcase a skill. They then answer questions from their captivated audience.

Outdoor Learning

Every week, Beech class bring their learning outdoors and their excitement bubbles when we head towards our forest area. This is an incredible opportunity for exploration, independence and learning to work in a team. Recently, we have been outdoor mathematicians, where we have been using the natural resources to explore numbers to 20!