Willow Class 2025 - 2026

Miss Jackson

Welcome to Willow Class!

Miss Jackson welcomes you to Willow Class.

We are a mixed class of Year 1 and 2 children. We are fun, curious and love our learning. In Willow class we are supported by Mrs Gardener and Julia.

Welcome to a new term. We hope you all had a restful break.

This term, our BIG question in Geography is “What is the weather like in the UK?”. The children will learn where the UK is located, explore the four seasons, use compass directions, observe and discuss the daily weather, compare weather in different parts of the country, and consider how people prepare for different weather conditions.

In English, the children will study ‘On the Way Home’ by Jill Murphy. Through the Talk 4 Writing approach, they will learn a shortened version of the text and develop their writing by using conjunctions, improving verbs and adverbs, adding dialogue and including expanded noun phrases to create an encounter recount.

Reading and phonics will continue to follow the Twinkl programme. Year 1 children will read ‘Grandma Bird’ by Benji Davies to build vocabulary and understanding, while Year 2 children will explore ‘Mr Majeka’ by Humphrey Carpenter to develop reading fluency. Year 1 pupils will consolidate Level 5 phonics, and Year 2 will continue to secure Level 6 sounds and spelling rules. Reading books will continue to be changed on Fridays, and we ask that reading records and books remain in school each day so adults can listen to readers across the week. Spellings will also be sent home on Fridays, and children will be tested the following Friday.

In Maths, Year 1 will begin by learning number bonds to 16 before moving on to length and height and then progressing to number bonds between 17 and 20. Year 2 will start the term by learning their 5× and 10× tables before moving on to length and mass, while continuing to practise their recall of the 2, 5 and 10 times tables to develop fluency.

In Science, the children will learn about growth by describing the needs of humans and animals for survival, understanding the importance of healthy eating, exploring what a balanced diet looks like, learning about hygiene and investigating how exercise affects the body. They will also observe seasonal changes as we move from winter into spring and begin planting seeds and potatoes as part of their learning about healthy food and the natural world. In Design and Technology, the children will learn about wheels and axles and will design and create a pull‑along moving toy. In Music, the children will explore the music of Charlie Chaplin and will learn to use duration, pitch and volume to help them compose a simple soundtrack.

Our PSHE theme this term is Rights and Responsibilities. The children will learn about taking care of belongings, understanding money and practising basic first aid. They will also continue working on their sewing licences and will help to redesign and improve our outdoor area to create new purposeful learning spaces. In RE, we will explore the question “Why does Easter matter to Christians?”, learning about the Easter story and its significance within Christianity. In Computing, children will build their understanding of data by learning what data is, how to collect it using tally charts and how to present it to answer questions.

PE lessons will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and children will be developing their ball skills using sending and receiving techniques which will then be applied within small‑sided games.

Reminders:
PE takes place on a Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon with Atlas Sports and Miss Jackson. Please ensure PE kit is worn.

My PPA time takes place on Tuesday afternoons, when the class will be covered by Mrs Paxford and Mrs Gardener.

Miss Jackson's SENCo time is on Thursday afternoon, when the class is covered by Mrs Balloch and Mrs Gardener.

Please ensure your child has clothes for all weathers in school (including a coat), we try to get outside as much as we can!