Class 1

Dear parents and children,

I hope you have all had a good week.  I have set more Maths and English activities for the week ahead.  Please keep logging onto TT Rockstars.  The battle with Year 6 runs until 5:30pm on Wednesday.  We have started to gain some ground on their massive total and I am proud of all of you for taking part!

Next week is school transition week where the children will find out what teacher they have next year.  Group A will find out on Tuesday and Group B on Thursday.

I hope you all have a great week ahead.  2 more weeks left of the school year...not that anyone is counting!

Thanks,

Mr Leonard

 30.06.20 - IMPORTANT NOTICE:

For the attention of all children in Year 1.  

We have taken the bold decision of challenging Year 6 to a TT Rockstars battle.  This event starts tomorrow (1/7/20) from 9am and will carry through until the following Wednesday (8/7/20) until 5:30pm.  Please can you all contribute as much as possible.  Every point will count over the coming week.  

It has already been noted how amazing you all were by Mrs Burgess, Mrs Clark and the other senior members of the teaching staff after your amazing win against Year 2. Here is our chance to take on the top of the school and prove we are a force with our times tables!  I know you will all be amazing.  Let's go get them! I know you can do it!

Year 6 on the other hand are very nervous speaking with Mr May today.  Let the games begin!

If anyone has any issues with their logins, please email me on: year1@leverstockgreen.herts.sch.uk

Enjoy,

Mr Leonard

Modeshift Stars

Hello all! As a school, we have worked hard to achieve our Silver award from Modeshift STARS. Modeshift STARS (sustainabe travel accreditation and recognition for schools) is a national schools awards scheme that has been established to recognise schools that have demonstrated excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable travel. In order to retain our silver award, regular travel surveys are carried out in class to track how children are traveling to school and how they would prefer to travel to school. Due to current circumstances, we need your help by completing the survey at home! All you have to do is send an email to your class email account stating how you travel to school and how you would prefer to travel to school! For example: I walk to school but would prefer to take my bike. It's that simple! I have attached a copy of the hands up survey that teacers would usually complete in class to give you some ideas of some different modes of travel.

Please can you send your replies by Monday 6th July, and thank you in advance for taking part!

Keep up the good work and, most importantly, stay safe!

Miss Larkin :)

Dear parents,

Please find activities for this coming week attached below.  English, Maths, RE and Science.  I hope you are finding the activities useful.  For the children that have been in, we have been looking at Poems and how the expression we use in our voice really helps us become more fluent readers.  We discussed how reading a poem is almost using a singing voice and the flow to how it is read.  This is something we look to do across all types of reading or as I like to refer it to as their performance voice.  Please can you ask them to keep doing this with their reading at home.

During Maths we have been working with repeated addition, looking at the number sentence and then looking at the way we write this as a multiplication sentence. 

eg. 2+2+2+2=8; 4groups of 2s which is the same as saying 4x2=8 (4 groups or lots of 2s).  They all have worked really well this week and have shown really good progress.

History - we have been looking at castles and knights.  Looking at the features and castles around the UK. Looking at the battlements, moat, drawbridge, barbican, bailey, keep, tower, turrets, arrow loops and the portcullis.

We have also been drawing some amazing pictures from 'Draw with Rob' website.  This is not only improving how they draw but it is raising their concentration and perseverance skills which is important for the build up to the Year 2 SATs.

Hope you all have a great week and please email if you need any further assistance.

Thanks,

Mr Leonard

Times Table Rockstars

A massive well done to all those who have been on TT Rockstars!

Year 1 took on their very first battle against Year 2 and I am extremely pleased and proud to say that we won!  7554 points (Year 1)to 1545 points (Year 2).

Please continue to practice. I am looking at any other classes who might want a challenge so will keep you posted as soon as this is arranged.

Thanks

Mr Leonard

Dear parents,

Please find below extra work for this week coming.  I haven't set any extra English as I am aware there has been plenty of activities in the past couple of weeks so please continue with those.

In school this week, we have been looking at sharing in Maths.  We have been looking at what they notice when we share even numbers between 2 compared to odd numbers between 2.  I have been really impressed how quickly they have managed to pick this up.  Some are even wanting to investigate sharing with more than 2.  We have also been looking at writing the number sentence using the division sign.

We have also been concentrating on handwriting, making sure their letter formation is correct, including ascenders and descenders going above and below the line.   I have included sheets to carry on and practice.

In English , we are going to be focusing more on poetry.  In particular looking at a poem called Help which describes an alien.  The children have looked at drawing describing our own alien.  Sentences including:

 My alien is........ (using adjectives)

My alien was....... (describing how they feel and why).

I have also set a PSHE (looking at feelings and what makes them happy)and Geography (looking at the weather throughout the week) task for this week.

Hope you have a great week and remember to contact via the year 1 email if you are sending any work in or would like any assistance.

Thanks

Mr Leonard

Dear parents,

Please find enclosed activities for next week.  I am also aware that there was a lot of work set for this week, please feel free to continue with those activities as well.

W/C 15.06.20

English - writing tasks.  Can children try to include capital letters, full stops, finger spaces as well as using and, but and/or because in their sentences.

Maths - times tables x2, 5 & 10.  Also a big thank you to all the children who have been using Times Table Rockstars.  We are currently in a battle with Year 2 and Year 1 are currently leading the race (not that I will be gloating to Mrs Plester too much!).  In total 19 children out of 29 have contributed so far which is a great start.  We shall be logging on to the site during the days the children are in.

History - I have included activities and some reading all about castles and making your own coat of arms.  On top of this, as an extra extended activity, I would like the children to list some key features and if they wanted to do some independent research on one of the following:

Dover Castle

Bodiam Castle

Warwick Castle

Mountfitchet Castle (this was going to be our trip this term before lockdown).

Art - http://www.robbiddulph.com/draw-with-rob

I have included Remmie's amazing picture she drew yesterday after yesterday afternoons lesson, on the web page.  A brilliant effort Remmie! I would like the children to also give this a go if they have access to a computer.  Please search Draw with Rob.  Rob Biddulph has uploaded up to 28 different pictures showing how to draw a variety of animals.  Please feel free to choose one and email to Year 1 email.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

Dear Parents,

I thought I'd give you an update on what items your child should be bringing and leaving school with each day as there have been some confusion over the last week.

Please can both groups arrive into school with their water bottle and packed lunch + snack.  This should be brought into school in a plastic or paper bag which will then be put into our bins, once they have finished eating, at school.  We are still having lots of children arrive will rucksacks, lunch boxes each day.  We have been advised that any bags brought into school will be sent home before each child enters the school going forward.  We are trying to minimise the risk of any germs and maintain the safety of all the children, staff and families during these uncertain times.

At the end of the 1st day, the children will not be bringing their water bottles back home with them.They will be leaving school with just their coats. We shall be keeping their water bottles and washing them and replenishing with fresh drinking water for the start of day 2.  All pencil cases and clothes will remain in their lockers and will not be returning home at the end of day 2.  These items are to remain at school at all times.  At the end of day 2 they will be bringing home their water bottles and coats (if they have one). There shouldn't be anything else for them to take with them.

We now have our own thermometers for each class (as of  Thursday 11th June) and each child will have their temperature checked before entering the school building.  If anyone is feeling unwell, please do not send your child into school.  If anyone starts to feel unwell during the day, we shall be isolating that child and a call will be made for a parent to come an pick up asap.

I hope this helps a little what the expectations are regarding what to bring and what to keep in school.  If there are any queries, please do not hesitate to send a message via our class email which is being monitored by Mrs Plester from 9am to 3pm each day (Year1@leverstockgreen.herts.sch.uk )

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

W/C 8th June 2020:

Dear parents,

Thanks you to all the parents who have sent in the children's work.  I have been really impressed with the level of work produced by the children.  For those that haven't mentioned in the emails...can you please consent that you would be happy for your child's work to be uploaded to this class page?  

Can I also remind parents to include coats when coming into school?  The last couple of days have been fairly cold and with the school working on skeleton staff, we don't have the numbers to keep children inside if they have left them at home.

I would also like to inform you that it was our intention to use a head thermometer so would could check each child's temperature before entering school.  We are, at this moment, waiting for these to be delivered, but should be with us for next week (fingers crossed).

I shall also be giving instructions on this site for the coming week so all parents will have activities set for the start of Monday instead of Wednesdays going forward.  This week I have an English booklet for the week and maths a series of worded problems for additions and subtractions. I would also like the children to use the TT Rockstars website and continue to practice their times tables as often as possible (esp x2, x5 & x10).

Thank you and if you need anything, please feel free to contact via the Year 1 email address: Year1@leverstockgreen.herts.sch.uk

Mr Leonard

 W/C 2nd June 2020

Hi Parents,

I would also like the children to look at the BBC Bitesize activities for 2, 5 & 10 times tables this week.  Link below:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zqbg87h

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

Dear Parents, 

Please can you look at the times tables for 2 & 10. I have also included 5.  We will be looking at this more for those that will be in school but I shall be including more activities on the class page and purple mash today.

Many Thanks,

Mr Leonard

02/06/2020

Dear parents,

I have loaded up 2 writing tasks for the children to be getting on with this week.  Please remind them that we are looking for capital letters, finger spacing and full stops.  Writing along the line and to concentrate hard on formulating letters correctly.

I have also included a maths activity.  I usually cut these into strips and play this game in our hall in teams and who can work out the quickest showing me what method they used etc... Can you cut these up and get them to go find one of the strips within a room of the house and then go about working each out.  Can you please record how they solved each problem/what method they used and take a photo and send across for me to look at?

I have also set a battle on TT Rockstars starting from tomorrow against Year 2 which will run for 3 weeks.  Please can you support your child with this.  TT Rockstars is an excellent online resource that will excite them with their times tables.  If you require your individual log ins, please contact via Year1@leverstockgreen.herts.sch.uk - I can resend you each child's log in details.

Thanks

Mr Leonard

Monday 1st June 2020

Dear Parents,

Hope you are are well and safe?

We have been preparing the school for tomorrow's return for Year 1.  Your child has an allocated bubble.  Group A will attend school on Monday & Tuesdays.  Group B will attend school on Thursdays & Fridays.  Wednesdays are closed to allow a thorough clean in all classrooms.  I shall be uploading more activities on Wednesday on Purple Mash as well as Bug Club and on this class page. Could I please ask all children to complete the online activities.

Mrs Plester will be monitoring the Year 1 email address during the day and will be monitoring which children are completing the tasks.  If you are having any issues, please feel free to contact via email and we will be able to respond, offering support where necessary.  

Can I ask for parents to share children work by sending in via email.  We would love to share some of the fantastic work the children will be doing for the next 6 weeks.

Can I also ask for children to have a share set of clothes with them just in case of any emergencies as we will not be able to provide any within school.

We look forward to seeing the 1st group tomorrow. 

Regards,

Mr Leonard

Dear Parents,

I have loaded up more activities on Purple Mash that will be available from tomorrow.

For more activities, this week I'd be grateful if your child could look at the BBC bitesize website.  There are lots of fun activities for them to be getting on with on every subject.. I have included a link below for Science.  Please could you all look at Plants.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z6svr82

ALSO - If you haven't do so already, please could you email Year1@leverstockgreen.herts.sch.uk and inform whether you are looking to send your child back into school from Tuesday 2nd June?  Thank you for the responses so far. We are looking to get a rough estimate of numbers so we can prepare as best we can for everyone's safe return.

Monday 1st June is a school inset day for teaching staff only.  We look forward to welcoming those who decide on returning after the half term break.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

11th May 2020

Dear Parents and children,

Please find attached some Maths tasks around telling the time as well as an RE task.  I have also added more activities onto Purple Mash.

Thanks

Mr Leonard

8th May 2020:

Hello to all the Parents and children!

Hope you are all well?

BUG CLUB

Please feel free to log into bug club.  Have set reading bands and activities on there for the children to be getting on with.

ALSO.....

Melany's birthday is coming up shortly and as an extra activity can the children please create some beautiful/colourfulbirthday cards?  Melany a little girl from Costa Rica we are sponsoring as a school.  It's her birthday coming up this month.  If you are able to send a picture to the Year1@leverstockgreen.herts.sch.uk email and we will forward on to the charity to pass on.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

7th May 2020

Dear Parents,

After having some difficulty logging onto the Bug Club website from my laptop, I have now managed to get in and have set your child their book bands, so they can start using asap.  I have also set some grammar and phonics activities as well for them to be getting on with.

Remember, if you need anything, I am now actively on Year1@leverstockgreen.herts.sch.uk.  Feel free to contact as, from now on, I am looking at this email daily.

Many Thanks,

Mr Leonard

3rd May 2020

Hi all,

Hope you are al well and keeping safe?

I have added a number of tasks on Purple Mash starting tomorrow and to be completed by the end of the week.

I have included Maths activities - working with money as well as spelling activities.

Also attached are handwriting sheets for the children to practice with.  Feel free to utilise these resources that come from Twinkl website.  I thought with no set date upon returning to school yet, the children can practice their writing, letter formations.  Making sure they use a capital letter, full stops and finger spaces.  For more challenging writing, get them to add different sentence starters, conjunctions (and, but or because).

I thought I'd give the children a task to do this week.  I would like them to research anything they wish:

Japan  

South Africa

Brazil

USA 

For example, they could find out how many people live in Japan, what their National Flag looks like and could they draw and colour in?  How many people live there? Where is it situated on a world map? What cities are there? Who can find the most interesting facts? (For instance - the Olympic Games are scheduled here shortly in Tokyo - can the children find out more?)

Hope you have a great week!

Take care

Mr Leonard

Week Commencing 27/04/20

Dear Parents and Children,

I have set more activities for you to do on Purple Mash for this up and coming week.  Hope you enjoy the tasks?

There is also a great Art activity online by Rob Biddulph who is an illustrator  - you can upload previous sessions online. Every Tuesdays and Thursdays Rob teaches children how to draw live online. 

www.robbiddulph.com

Thanks,

Mr Leonard

Dear Parents and children,

I have set some more activities that will become available throughout the week on Purple Mash.  Remember to keep reading each day for at least 5 to 10 mins each day.  Keep practising your number bonds to 10 and 20 and use these to work out the addition and subtraction problems on Purple Mash for W/C 20/4/20. I have also set some English tasks, as well as Science throughout the week.

Regards,

Mr Leonard

Good morning all, I need your help today. 

Tomorrow is Ms Perrin’s last official day with us as part of the Leverstock Green Team. She is retiring after many years with us, 12 years in fact. Usually we would make a book of pictures and messages as a farewell gift. However due to the current situation we have been unable to do this. However I wonder if the children could create a picture at home and upload it for Ms Perrin. I can collate them and put it together in a book for her and deliver it next week.  Yes these will be printed pictures and not the children’s original art work but it’s still theirs. Any messages can also be printed and put in. We would like as many of the children as possible to contribute to this. Please encourage them to share their favourite memories of working with her. I’m sure she will love to read them all. 

If someone would be kind enough to share this on the class Facebook page I’d really appreciate it. 

Work can alternatively be emailed in to our new class email account, which will be going live later today.
Year1@leverstockgreen.herts.sch.uk

All messages and pictures need to be received by email by mid day on Monday 6th April to allow me time to collate everything before delivering it to her on Wednesday. 

Thank you for all your continued support during this unprecedented time. 

Miss Conyard

Lockdown Links

Here is a list of useful links to help support children during school closures.

YEAR 1: IN THE EVENT OF SCHOOL CLOSURE

Dear Parents,

In light of current events I thought it would be best to make sure all parents are as prepared/ready as can be and will be able to continue school learning should the school be faced with closure. Your efforts during this unprecedented time would be greatly appreciated!

Please be aware that Twinkl are offering all parents free access to their resources for a month (ultimate pack).  This usually comes at a very high price and the resources are fantastic across all subjects for all year groups and is well worth taking advantage of if we all end up self isolating.   

PHONICS/READING:

With the phonics assessment approaching, please could you make sure they continue to read every day with your support with any words they struggle with.  Reading is vital.  Each child must read at least for 10 mins each day!  

Please can you make sure they are secure with all their sounds (Phase 3 to 5 - again lots on twinkl for this!) and more crucially, please can you make sure they are identifying their sounds and blend with real or alien words (Letters and sounds or twinkl websites).

WRITING:

When children do any writing tasks, please make sure they remember CAPITAL LETTERS, FULL STOPS and FINGER SPACES (2 finger spaces if needed).  Get children to use conjunctions (and, but, because).  Sentence starters/openers eg. A long time ago (twinkl will provide all of these).  

I would also like them to write along the line and children must think about their letter formation.  Less writing and more emphasis on quality is key. Letter formation activities also on twinkl website.

MATHS:

Twinkl website 

• I always ask children key vocabulary we can use for each operation  - they should be able to provide you these answers (eg. take away, minus, less, difference between etc...).
• Number bonds to 10 and 20.
• Addition and subtraction - 1 or 2 digit with a 2 digit number.  Get them to draw out 10 frames or print off from twinkle or just goggle search.  
• Even look at cherry model eg. 12.  Has 1 ten and 2 ones.  Can they rearrange differently? 6 and 6 makes 12.  (12 is the whole and the 2 numbers are the parts that make the whole number).
• Use money whenever you can!  We have looked at what coins can be used to make 4p up to 10p and beyond, getting them to demonstrate, using coins all the different ways to make that amount.
• What is an even/odd number?  Can they explain why they are odd or even?

I hope this will give you an idea what to do if we do end up with school closure any time soon.

If you need any assistance, feel free to email and I will look to get back to you asap.  I will be checking my emails frequently: Adrian.leonard@leverstockgreen.herts.sch.uk

Many Thanks,

Mr Leonard

Dear Parents,

I have changed the way each child gets their new spellings for each week.  Instead of sending home their spelling books with the new list to learn inside, I am now putting these spelling lists into their homework books to go home for the weekend.  You will still be able to obtain the new lists each week from the website as per usual.  Their spelling books will remain in school as too many children were leaving them at home on Friday.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

Phase 2 to 5 sound button word resources

Please find attached a really useful resource to practice with your child.   (5 mins at a time)

We have been working a lot on our sounds.  I believe it would be highly beneficial for each child to practice using their knowledge of sounds and continue to blend with real words.  

It is common for children in Year 1 to identify sounds, but when it comes to blending with words, they can often struggle.  This resource will really help them progress quickly with their reading and writing, which is crucial this year. Any extra practice at home (daily or couple times a week), will be of great benefit.

We are looking at arranging an afternoon (after school) with parents so we can provide extra guidance using these cards and for you to be able to reinforce what the children are being taught in school.

If you want to discuss this in more detail, please feel free to contact the office and I will more than happy to discuss it further. I am also aware that not everyone will be able to make a time straight after school due to other commitments. I'd be happy to discuss via a phone call otherwise.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard 

Please can all parents label PE and school uniform. This would make it a lot easier getting Year 1 changed quicker and out on time on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Can I also ask for PE bags to remain in school from Monday and then can be taken home at the end of the week.  There have been a few children who have been without proper kit for our PE sessions, especially as we have these sessions on consecutive days and Dance class the night before.  If you are taking PE kits home after dance classes, please can you bring them back in the morning.

Many Thanks

Mr Leonard

Spelling books:

Please make sure you are practicing your spellings.  The books do not have to be in school until Friday morning as this the day we will be testing the spellings for that week.  Please do not leave spelling books in their homework folders.

Many Thanks

Please find a link to the Letters and Sounds website to practice with your child.  It is a huge part of our focus in Year 1 to work on all their sounds across each phase across all subjects.  Any extra practice at home will go a long way securing and reinforcing their learning.  http://www.letters-and-sounds.com

If you wish to discuss in more detail, please feel free to contact via the office, to book a meeting.

Welcome back for the new academic year.  Here are some dates for your diary:

Meet the Teacher - 19/09/19

Harvest Service: - 07/10/19 @ 10am

Parent Consultations: 22/10 & 24/10

Our PE sessions are every Wednesday & Thursday afternoons so please make sure they have the correct PE kit each week.

If you wish to discuss anything regarding your child, please contact the office and I will contact via phone or book an appointment where necessary.

Mr Leonard

Mrs Trainor