Welcome to Class KR – Year 1

Year One are called Class KR. Mrs. Ratcliffe is the teacher and Mrs. Palin works in Year One for 4 days a week as the teaching assistant; every day except Thursday. On Wednesday afternoons Mrs. Palin teaches the class a P.E lesson and there is a second lesson on Thursday morning.

In Year One we continue to use the phonic scheme called Floppy’s Phonics and there will be a folder with further information about this in your child’s reading bag. The reading books will be changed by Mrs. Palin on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, if needed and where possible. Please make sure that you have signed the reading record book to confirm whether the book has been finished. We listen to the children read every week in a focused guided reading session. This book may be a different text to the one which the children bring home and will not be recorded in their home/school reading record book. The idea of the home reading book is to practise the skills taught in the weekly guided reading and phonics sessions. In Year One we do not routinely listen to the children read individually out of their home/school reading book. The children will be listened to individually where necessary and by volunteers in school. Guided group reading will be weekly and children will be reading daily during phonics sessions.

Spellings are given out on a Friday to learn for the following Friday which we can practise at home.

Our ‘Show and Tell’ is on a Friday and this is a time when your child may bring into school anything which is special to them to talk about (excluding toys.) We choose approximately 5 children each week. If your child is unable to show one week, it will be moved into the following week.

At school we can earn individual house points and class marbles through our whole class working together. When we have earned a total of 25 marbles, we choose some whole class activities as a reward!

It may be helpful in the wetter months to have a pair of wellies in school. Whilst we do not have weekly Forest School sessions in Year One, we do go outside for some curriculum learning and we also visit the Forest School area throughout the year.

“Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan interesting tasks that engage
pupils.”

Ofsted comments

“The school is a calm, orderly and purposeful place for pupils to make the most of their learning.”

Ofsted comments

“Pupils behave well and are polite, articulate and respectful.”

Ofsted comments

“From the moment pupils enter the school each day, they are greeted with respect and a genuine sense of care from the adults in the building.”

Ofsted comments

“The school’s welcoming and caring ethos is central to its work in raising standards for
pupils.”

Ofsted comments

“Staff welcome the professional development they receive and say that this makes a real difference to the quality of their teaching.”

Ofsted comments

“The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.”

Ofsted comments

“The passionate and effective leadership of senior leaders and the commitment of the staff have sustained the good quality of education at the school.”

Ofsted comments

“Adults give pupils
opportunities to share ideas and challenge their own thinking and this helps them to articulate their opinions with confidence.”

Ofsted comments

“Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and
are clear about priorities and plans for improvement.”

Ofsted comments

“The profile of sport has been raised and more pupils now compete in sporting
activities.”

Ofsted comments

“Governors are ambitious for the school. They challenge and support leaders effectively.”

Ofsted comments

“The broad curriculum provides a wide range of enriching experiences for pupils.”

Ofsted comments

“Pupils listen to the opinions of others and are keen to offer their views considerately and respectfully.”

Ofsted comments

“Improvements in the teaching of mathematics have helped to increase pupils’ progress and improve pupils’ ability to solve mathematical
problems.”

Ofsted comments

“Parents and carers who offered their views to inspectors were overwhelmingly positive about the experiences of their children.”

Ofsted comments

“Exciting activities, such as visits to places of worship, generate high levels of
interest and curiosity about the themes that pupils are studying.”

Ofsted comments

“Effective safeguarding procedures are in place. All staff have a clear understanding of how to keep pupils safe.”

Ofsted comments

“Older pupils develop a good understanding of what they read. Leaders promote a love of reading and pupils say the school provides them with high-quality texts.”

Ofsted comments

“Staff encourage pupils to be resilient and take risks. Pupils know it is all right to get things wrong and that this is part of the process of learning.”

Ofsted comments

“By the end of Year 6, outcomes are high in reading and writing. In reading, they are
particularly high.”

Ofsted comments

“Learning in early years gets off to a good start. As a result of effective teaching and provision, children progress well from their starting points.”

Ofsted comments

“In mathematics lessons, resources are used well to enable pupils to visualise abstract ideas and to get a more secure understanding of number.”

Ofsted comments

“Leaders are well trained and use their knowledge of special educational needs to identify specific requirements at an early stage and provide timely support.”

Ofsted comments

“Good teaching through early years and in key stage 1 ensures that the proportion of pupils passing the Year 1 phonics screening check is consistently above average.”

Ofsted comments

“The teaching of reading is good. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of
phonics.”

Ofsted comments

“The quality of teaching at Walkington Primary is underpinned by warm and caring
relationships between staff and pupils.”

Ofsted comments

“In all key stages, pupils are now making good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics.”

Ofsted comments

“Teachers plan interesting activities that motivate the pupils. Staff ensure that all pupils are valued and included in learning.”

Ofsted comments