Welcome to Halls Class

The teachers in Year 1 Halls Class are Mrs Snowden and Mrs Bain. We will help you with anything you need to know or any queries you may have - we are happy to help.

Our class is named after the author Smriti Halls. Smriti Halls is an award-winning, critically acclaimed children’s author. With a cast of characters as varied as mischievous monsters and disgruntled geese, she explores relationships and identity; the personal and the political; how it feels to be in your own skin — and in someone else’s. Her books, often fast-paced and funny or lyrical and tender, are always full of hope and heart and speak to the child in all of us.  Several of her books have been nominated and shortlisted for national awards. 

In Halls Class, we love to read and ensure that all children have exposure to a wealth of engaging books from different authors. Books can take you any place that you can imagine and even to places that you can't! They give you a wonderful insight into other cultures, experiences, people and places without even leaving your seat. We encourage children to value and understand others and gain a greater understanding of the world around them through their broad reading experiences.

PE will take place on Tuesday and Thursday (Term 5).  On these days, children are asked to wear their school PE kits to school (plain black jogging bottoms / leggings / shorts, school polo top and school jumper with trainers or daps).  I would advise that you also bring a carrier bag of spare clothes (underwear, change of trousers / skirt) in case of any accidents - we can keep this in school on your child's peg. We will also continue with Forest School on a Friday morning, so please wear PE kits and bring Wellington boots / old shoes in a named bag.

If you have any questions, please ask myself or Mrs Bain!

Kind regards Mrs Snowden

Term 5

This term our enquiry question is 'How have explorers changed the world?' In History, we will learn about the explorers Christopher Columbus, Mary Kingsley, Matthew Henson and Ellen Macarthur. We will learn about what explorers did and how they explored the world. In Science, we will also be learning about animals - sorting and classifying into different groups e.g. mammals, birds and fish.  Alongside this learning, in Art, we will be learning how to make a bird sculpture, developing observation drawing skills.  Please refer to knowledge organisers for the relevant subjects and the overview curriculum map for Term 5.

In Maths, we will learn to count in 2s, 5s and 10s, developing early multiplication and division work. We will also learn about fractions of shapes and amounts (half and quarter). In English, our writing will consist of a narrative unit based on the story 'Grandad's Island' by Benjii Davies.  We have our daily phonics lesson (following the Little Wandle phonics programme) - to support early reading and spelling, and 4Xweekly group reading with Mrs Snowden or Mrs Bain. You will bring the book home after we have practised reading it - your children should be able to read this book with fluency and expression.  PE this term will be on Tuesday and Thursday is in Term 4.  Forest School remains on Friday mornings.  Please wear PE kits on these days.