Welcome to St Christopher!

We are a class of Year 1/2 children.

Our teacher is Miss Cafferkey.

Our class teaching assistant is Mrs Toms.

I know that your children will shine brightly and enjoy this year in St. Christopher class.

Teacher Email

caffk009@mastacademy.co.uk

Our Curriculum

We use an online live curriculum published by Cornerstones. English and all foundation subjects: History, Geography, Art, DT and Music are taught through our termly theme, although we will also use a music platform called Charanga to supplement this. Cornerstones will provide our children with a good level of challenge, giving them opportunities to solve problems, apply themselves creatively and express their knowledge and understanding across the full range of National Curriculum subjects.

Year 1/2 will experience three Learning Projects in a year. Each individual project is split into sections, which see children progress through four stages of learning: Engage, Develop, Innovate and Express. We are confident that our curriculum will instil a curiosity and love of learning in our children. It will help them maintain their well-being and provide opportunities for each of them to achieve their full potential. 

Our Topic
Over the year, the children will learn many things through our topics and over the year, the children will learn many things through our topics. For Terms 5 and 6, our topic will be 'Magnificent Monarchs'. We will learn about the English and British monarchy from AD 871 to the present day. Using timelines, information about royal palaces, portraits and other historical sources, the children will build up an understanding of the monarchs and then research six of the most significant sovereigns. We will analyse the portraits of Tudor monarchs and compare Tudor portraits and selfies today. The children will use photo editing software to create royal portraits. In science, we will learn about growth in animals by exploring the life cycles of some familiar animals. The children will build on learning about the survival of humans by identifying the basic needs of animals for survival, including food, water, air and shelter. We will also complete a Design and Technology project, learning about 'make do and mend'. 

Core Subject Priorities

Our school priorities this year are mathematics, literacy and extending our students’ knowledge with challenges. Children will be given opportunities to complete a mathematics challenge every day during their mathematics lesson. Children will be given at least one designated literacy session each week to develop their writing skills and their ability to write for long periods of time. 
 

PE

PE days are on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Please ensure your child brings their kit into school. PE bags can be stored in school on pegs through the week. We will be outside on Thursday so please ensure your children have suitable clothing, such as jogging bottoms as the weather changes. Children must be able to take out their earrings before the lesson and are responsible for looking after these. If your child is unable to remove their earrings, they must come to school with tape on their ears, no earrings or you can show your child how to apply the tape themselves before the lesson.

Homework (Year 1)

Homework will be sent home on a Friday.

There will be a mathematics and literacy for the children to complete. Homework should be returned to school the following Thursday. In addition, children are expected to read their book, and to practise reading and writing the year 1 common exception words every night. 

Homework (Year 2)

Homework will be sent home on a Friday. There will be a maths and literacy task for the children to complete. Homework should be returned to school by the following Thursday. In addition, children are expected to read their book, sent home from school, and to practise the 2, 5 and 10 times tables every night.  Click on the yellow maths games star below to find a number of links to websites which will help children practise times tables and other maths skills. Children will have a daily spelling test in their RWI group and there is a link below to the common exception words which children are expected to be able to read and spell by the end of year 2.  
The list of year 1 and 2 common exception words are pictured below:

Knowledge Organisers

Please remember to look at your Knowledge Organisers each night at home and quiz your child on the different interesting facts on both sides! The information on these sheets should be easily recalled by the children once the topic is completed. Children may also wish to extend their learning beyond the knowledge organiser if they have a specific interest in the topic. Please use the knowledge organiser as a starting point for any extra study.

Behaviour Expectations

St Christopher class are expected to follow the school’s Golden Rules at all times and are encouraged and rewarded for being ‘green to go’.

The Golden Rules are:

• We respect and follow our school values.
• We work hard to achieve and shine brightly.
• We listen carefully and follow instructions.
• We are kind, gentle. inclusive and supportive.
• We look after property.
• We are safe and honest so everyone can enjoy school.

If, after a reminder, a child continues to break a rule, their name will be moved on our class traffic lights. Each colour (yellow, orange and red) has a number of possible consequences, such as loss of play time. If a child has to move their name, they given the opportunity to earn their way back to green by sticking to the golden rules and showing “green to go” behaviour.

Rewards and Prizes

The children are rewarded in class by getting stickers, goodies or awards for following the Golden rules or for producing beautiful work. Green to Go Star of the week, Maths Star of the week and Literacy Star of the week are nominated and rewarded during class praise assembly on a Monday morning. The year 1/2 children can also receive a whole class reward each term! The children choose a treat and, working as a class, they aim to fill their jar with stars.

If your child is registered with the school as having specific special learning needs, please look at the learning links below for further support. Thank you.