Welcome to our Magnolia Class page! We are delighted to share this exciting stage of your child's school journey with you.

Magnolia Class is a mixed Reception and Year 1 class where we nurture a love of learning through a balance of play, exploration and carefully planned teaching. We recognise that children learn in different ways and at different rates, so we provide a learning environment that supports both the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and the transition into Key Stage 1.

Our Reception children continue to benefit from a largely play-based and child-led approach, developing their imagination, curiosity, independence and confidence through purposeful play. Year 1 children build upon these foundations through a combination of practical, hands-on learning and more structured teaching opportunities. 

Continuous Provision, or Independent Learning, remains an important part of our day. Children can explore maths, reading and writing challenges alongside role-play, construction, art and physical activities. Our outdoor area is open throughout these sessions, providing opportunities for investigation, creativity and learning in all weathers. You'll often find us pulling on our wellies and waterproofs to explore the natural world around us!

I feel very privileged to be part of your child's learning journey and look forward to working together to help them flourish.

Miss Ward

Children are taught phonics in groups according to their stage of development, ensuring that learning is closely matched to their needs. Reception children begin by developing their listening skills, recognising initial sounds, and learning to blend sounds together through engaging Fred Games, quickly progressing to reading simple words. Year 1 children continue to build on their phonics knowledge, consolidating previously learned sounds while being introduced to new sounds and spelling patterns to further develop their reading and writing skills.

For more information about how phonics is taught in our school, please visit our Phonics page.

Drawing Club is a fun and imaginative approach to writing that encourages children to become enthusiastic storytellers. Sometimes it links to other areas of learning, but its main purpose is to provide an exciting and engaging stimulus that inspires children to write about the things that interest them. Through stories, characters and imaginative adventures, children develop their speaking, drawing and writing skills in a meaningful way.

Each child will work towards individual writing targets that are carefully matched to their stage of development and next steps. Later in the term, the children will be introduced to Professor Klunk, who will set exciting challenges to encourage the Year 1 children to become more confident and independent writers. Some of the stories we will be looking at this term include - Freddie and the Fairy, The Ugly Duckling, Kipper's Birthday and The Enormous Turnip.

Maths is taught through practical, hands-on experiences that help children develop a deep understanding of number and mathematical concepts. Children are encouraged to use resources, explain their thinking and solve problems in a variety of ways. Throughout the year, we aim to develop confident mathematicians who can apply their knowledge independently. As children become more secure in their learning, the Year 1 children will often be asked to "Show Me" their understanding by completing activities and challenges independently, demonstrating what they know and can do.

Both Reception and Year 1 children take part in the NCETM Mastering Number programme. During the first five weeks, Reception children will build an understanding of numbers through counting, subitising (recognising quantities without counting), comparing groups and exploring the composition of numbers. Year 1 children will continue to develop fluency with number facts, strengthen their understanding of number relationships, and explore ways of representing and partitioning numbers. These daily sessions help children develop confidence, flexibility and a secure understanding of number, providing strong foundations for future mathematical learning.

Alongside the Mastering Number programme, Year 1 children will begin by revisiting and securing numbers to 10 before moving on to place value, counting forwards and backwards, comparing numbers, and developing addition and subtraction skills.

In Science this term, we will be learning all about ourselves through the topic Animals Including Humans. The children will explore the different parts of the human body and learn to identify and name them correctly. We will also investigate our five senses, finding out how we use sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch to help us understand and interact with the world around us.

Through practical activities, investigations and discussions, children will learn about how their bodies work and what makes them unique. This exciting topic encourages curiosity, observation and a greater understanding of themselves and others.

The children will also have opportunities to explore a variety of historical artefacts, learning how these objects can give us clues about the past and help us understand life before our time.

Later in the term, we will focus on the concept of similarity and difference through stories such as Peepo! and A Street Through Time. By comparing life in the past with life today, children will begin to identify what has changed, what has stayed the same, and how everyday life has developed over time. Through discussion, investigation and storytelling, children will develop curiosity about the past and an understanding of how history helps us learn about the world around us.

The children will be encouraged to ask questions, share their own ideas and reflect on the world around them. Through this learning, they will develop an understanding of Christian beliefs while learning to respect different viewpoints and beliefs held by others.

The children will have lots of opportunities to explore art and design through daily activity time. This will include a mixture of freely chosen creative experiences and guided art activities linked to our Drawing Club themes. Children will be encouraged to experiment with a range of media and materials, helping them to develop their creativity, imagination and confidence while exploring techniques they may not have used before.

Through drawing, painting, collage, printing and model-making, the children will learn to express their own ideas and interests while developing important artistic skills. The Year 1 children will also take part in a guided art study based on the theme of Spirals, exploring how artists use spirals in their work and creating their own pieces inspired by this fascinating pattern. This will help them to develop their observational skills, creativity and understanding of artistic techniques.