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Year 1

  • Oct 102025

    Art – Clarice Cliff

    Year 1 have had a very exciting start to our new art topic, learning all about the artist Clarice Cliff! We began by looking closely at some of her beautiful pottery and noticed how she uses lots of shapes, such as triangles and squares, as well as bright, bold colours in her designs.

    We have loved starting to use our new sketchbooks to explore her style. First, we practised drawing around 2D shapes to create our own shape pictures and patterns. Then, we learnt all about primary and secondary colours, experimenting with mixing paints to discover how to make new colours. We used the colours we had mixed to paint the shapes we had drawn — just like Clarice Cliff!

    Next, we designed our own plate in her distinctive style and are really looking forward to making it next week. We also created our Christmas cards inspired by Clarice Cliff, using her bright colours and geometric patterns. We hope you love them as much as we enjoyed making them!

    🌟 How to Help at Home

    • Explore shapes – look for different 2D shapes around your home or on walks. Can your child name and describe them?

    • Colour mixing fun – try mixing paints or food colouring at home to create new colours. Talk about what happens when colours mix.

    • Create patterns together – use coloured paper, stickers, or crayons to make bold, geometric patterns inspired by Clarice Cliff.

    • Visit virtual galleries – search online for Clarice Cliff’s pottery and talk about which designs your child likes best and why.

  • Oct 032025

    Maths in Year 1

    This week in Maths, we have been developing our number skills and working out one more and one less than a given number. We have learnt that when you find one more than a number, the original number will get bigger and when you find one less, the original number will get smaller.

    We have also been counting forwards and backwards in sequences. This can be quite tricky because we need to remember that our numbers should be getting bigger if we are counting forwards, and smaller if we are counting backwards!

    During our Maths lessons in Year 1, we will be learning to use a range of manipulatives, or resources, to help us show our learning in a practical way. This week, we have been using bead strings to demonstrate our understanding of finding one more/less than a number.

    How you can help at home:

    • Go for a walk around your local streets – have a look at the numbers on the houses you walk past – are the numbers getting bigger or smaller?
    • Encourage your child to help set the table at meal times. As they are laying the plates etc, ask questions such as ‘How many plates are there? How many would there be if there was one more/one less?’
    • Give your child a number, e.g. 5 and see if they can count forwards and backwards from that number. You may need to use practical resources to help, particularly with counting backwards!

  • Sep 252025

    Science in Year 1

    This half term in Science we are learning all about ourselves.

    We started the topic by thinking about the names of some of our different body parts. We drew around some of our friends and labelled the different parts of their bodies. We made sure to include lots of body parts like ankles, wrists and elbows.

     

    Then we looked carefully at our faces and identified some of the parts of our face; we noticed eyebrows, eyelashes, chins and foreheads. We worked hard to draw ourselves and then used the word bank to help us label the different parts. Can you tell who is who by looking at the pictures?

    Next week we will be thinking about the enquiry question ‘Do older children have bigger feet?’.  We will draw around each others’ feet and then use the drawings to help find out the answer to our enquiry.

    How to help at home: 

    • Encourage your child to ask questions and think about how they can find out the answer to them.
    • Visit the library and see if you can find some books about humans.
    • Draw around a family member and label their body parts.
    • Compare yourself to your grown up or a younger brother or sister. What is the same? What is different?

     

  • Sep 192025

    Year 1 authors!

    Due to a technical error, we have been unable to publish photographs this week.

    Over the past two weeks in English, we have been learning a range of skills to help us create books about ourselves.  We have created a page each day about our self,  our family,  where we live, our favourite food, our favourite toy and a goal we would like to achieve by the end of year one.

    As an author, we have learned that we need to apply many different skills when we are writing our books. We need to be able to:-

    • Form our letters correctly
    • Use a capital letter for our name
    • Label a drawing
    • Use finger spaces
    • Say our sentence out loud

     

    We have also learned how important it is to have the correct posture when we are doing our writing:-

    • Our feet should be flat on the floor
    • Our back should be straight
    • We need to hold our pencil correctly
    • Our book or paper should be at the correct angle

     

     

    How you can help at home:-

    • Encourage your child to create their own book at home, using the above suggestions to ensure correct posture for writing
    • Encourage as many opportunities for writing as possible, for example shopping lists, a card for a family member, instructions for a game etc
    • Complete the homework set on Seesaw

     

  • Sep 112025

    Welcome to Year 1

    Welcome back, everyone! It has been wonderful to see the bright, happy faces of all the children this week and to meet with you. We’ve had a fantastic start to the new school year, and we are excited to share what we’ve been up to.

    In Year 1 we have been exploring our classroom areas and settling into year 1 routines. We were very excited to vote for our new class names, and we are now called Kingfishers and Moorhens.

    By now you will have heard about our new behaviour curriculum ‘The Merry Hill Way’. The children have been enthusiastic to learn all about it and are beginning to understand the meaning of the words ‘Ready, Respectful and Safe’. In our lessons so far we have discussed what it means to be ready for school and the belongings we need to bring with us everyday. We also thought about our morning routine to make sure we are ready for learning once we arrive.

     

    We have also been thinking about what kind and unkind behaviours look like as well as safe and unsafe behaviour.

     

    We have been enjoying our maths and English lessons so far. Keep an eye out each week for more detail about what we are doing.

    How to support at home:

    • Ensure your child has their bookbag, reading record, water bottle and coat in school everyday
    • Help your child to keep track of their belongings by labelling everything with their name
    • Discuss the new school rules – Ready, Respectful, Safe
    • Talk about what our rules might look like at home e.g. ready to leave the house for school
    • Look at the homework grid that your child has brought home today – plan out when you will complete each task

     

  • Jul 152025

    🌟 A Year of Wonder in Year One at Merry Hill 🌟

    Oh what a year it’s been in our bright Year One,
    A chapter of memories, laughter and fun.
    From first nervous hellos on that September morn,
    To waving goodbye now — how much you have grown!

    We’ve tiptoed through time to the Victorian day,
    At Reveley Lodge we learned work and play.
    In pinafores, caps, we wrote on our slate,
    Pretending to curtsy or line up straight.
    We saw how they lived in old Bushey town,
    With tea cups, saucers and the school inspector’s frown!

    In Design Technology, with our small proud hands,
    We threaded our needles and followed our plans.
    Stitch by small stitch, our puppets took their shapes,
    Animals from wild bears, orange foxes and even some apes!
    We cheered at our triumphs, so proud of our art,
    Brave with our scissors, so clever and smart.

    On Purple Mash screens, we’d excitedly steer,
    Sending bees to find flowers, or astronauts near.
    We mapped out the mazes with giggles and squeals,
    Learning directions with spins and with wheels.
    Our minds full of missions, exploring new lands,
    Coding adventures with curious hands.

    In geography, we’ve wandered the UK’s green shore,
    Named England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland galore.
    Learned of London’s bright lights, Cardiff’s watery bays,
    Edinburgh’s castles and Belfast’s fair ways.
    And seas all around us, so deep and so blue,
    On aerial maps we saw the colours of Britain- grey, green and blue.

    Through history we met Queen Victoria- grand!
    And wondered at dresses and life in her land.

    We pictured grand banquets, long train rides so slow,
    And thought of how Bushey was ages ago…

    Down cobbled streets in Victorian days,
    Children skipped by in bonnets and braids.
    They’d call at the shop where the keeper would smile,
    And weigh out goods on scales with style.

    Meat hung in windows by the baker’s wide door,
    While bright bolts of fabric lined the haberdashery floor.
    At the greengrocer’s stall, fresh apples to choose,
    Bouquets from the florist with delicate hues.

    Off to the fishmonger, baskets in hand,
    Gathering all needed across this fine land.
    Life bustled brightly in streets long ago,
    In the heart of  Bushey village, candles aglow.

    On the carpet in Mastering Number, our brains did ignite,
    We counted and reasoned from morning till night.
    With counters and games, our maths grew so strong,
    We’re maths masters now, we can’t go wrong!

    🌷 A Special Thank You 🌷


    To all of our parents and carers, you’ve stood by our side,
    Cheering us on with such love and such pride.
    Your support in this journey has meant so much more,
    Than we could ever express from our classroom floor.

    And to the FOMH, our wonderful crew,
    Who sprinkle such magic in all that you do.
    From planning fun fairs, raising money for new screens, 
    To the rainbow slide best thing ever seen!
    We zipped down the slide, sponsored smiles all around,
    Thanks to your kindness, joy truly abounds.

    Together we’ve built a year shining and bright,
    With teamwork and friendship our daily delight.
    So here’s to you children, so curious and sweet,
    To your giggles and questions and skipping feet.

    As we close this chapter and look to new skies,
    Know how you’ve all sparkled in our caring eyes.
    We’ll treasure these moments, keep them so near,
    Thank you all for a truly spectacular year.

    💖 With all our best wishes from the Year One team 💖

    Miss Bates, Miss Honnor, Mrs Rogerson, Miss Senghani, Ms Din, Mrs Shaz, and Mrs Bradbury

    How to help at home over the holidays:

    • ✏️ Read little and often: Share stories daily, explore picture books, comics or information books. Let your child read to you too!

    • 🔤 Practise phonics & tricky words: Play simple games like spotting sounds on signs, or writing words in chalk outside.

    • ✍️ Keep writing fun: Try postcards, diaries, shopping lists, or even writing a recipe together.

    • ➕ Play with numbers: Count out snacks, spot house numbers, do simple addition or subtraction in everyday life.

    • 🎲 Board games & card games: Great for turn-taking, counting, strategy and number bonds

    • 🌞 Talk about Year Two positively: Chat about the new adventures and things to look forward to, while he weather is often different in each season.
      Some types of weather can be described as cold, cloudy, windy, rainy or sunny.
      The weather in autumn is often windy and rainy, and turns colder.
      Temperature is how hot or cold something is.
      A thermometer can be used to measure the temperature of different seasons.

  • Jul 102025

    Transition

    In PSHE we got a letter from Jigsaw Jo, who is the Jigsaw friend in Year two!

    Jigsaw Jo made a poem from her name telling us lots of things to look forward to in our new class.

    We played a new circle time game called ‘This or That?’ which has quickly become a new favourite- we sit in a circle and pass around our Jigsaw friend, or roll a ball to each other, answering a this or that question:

    Our favourite ones have been:

    Winter or spring?

    Tennis or football?

    Night sky or daytime skies?

    Cats or dogs?

    Etc.

    It has been a really fun way to learn and gather more information about each other. Then we reflected on our favourite musicians, athletes and authors. Lions said Taylor Swift, Benson Boone, Alishia Keys, Bob Marley, Simone Biles, Michael Rosen, Daisy Meadows and more! We reflected that these people must have persevered whenever they faced a challenge to get to where they are today. We talked about our own dreams and goals going into Year Two.

    Our Jigsaw Charter helped us to be respectful and listen actively to what our friends were saying.

    How you can help at home:

    Talk about the change positively by framing it as an exciting experience. Continue reading growth mind-set books with your child to support their emotional literacy during times of change, i.e. The Koala Who Could, The Magical Yet.

    Practice social interactions by arranging Summer playdates, encourage sharing, and help your child resolve minor conflicts with peers. 
    Practice daily tasks such as dressing themselves, packing their own bags, and managing personal hygiene.
    Create a dedicated learning space: If possible, designate a quiet area for homework and learning.
    Encourage open communication: Talk about their day, listen to their concerns, and help them express their feelings

  • Jul 102025

    🎭 Year 2 Leavers Show – A Celebration of Our Journey! 🎭

    We have been working incredibly hard preparing for our Year 2 Leavers Show, and we can’t wait to share it with you! As we get ready to say goodbye to Year 2 and look forward to the exciting adventure of Year 3, our end-of-year performance is a special way to celebrate everything we’ve learned and experienced together.

    Over the past few weeks, we’ve been busy rehearsing, singing, dancing, and acting. The show tells the story of our journey through Year 2 and our big step up to Year 3. We’ve had so much fun working as a team, learning new songs, practising our acting skills, and supporting each other along the way.

    The show has also helped us with our transition to our new school. On Monday, we visited our new classrooms and met our new teachers – it was so exciting! Now, we’re feeling even more confident and ready for what’s ahead.

    We would love for you to come and see all our hard work come to life.
    📅 Don’t miss it! The show will be performed on Tuesday 15th July at 2:00pm.

    Get ready for laughter, music, and maybe even a few happy tears!

    ⭐ 3 Targets to Try at Home ⭐

    To help us keep learning and growing during this exciting time, here are three simple things you can do at home:

    1. Practise Your Lines and Songs – Go over your show lines or lyrics with a family member to build confidence.

    2. Talk About Year 3 – Chat with your grown-ups about what you’re looking forward to at your new school.

    3. Get Organised – Start thinking about things you’ll need for Year 3, like your uniform, bag, or even a bedtime routine.

    We’re so proud of how far we’ve come, and we’re ready for the next adventure! 🎉

    Let the show begin! 🎤🕺💃

  • Jul 032025

    Telling the Time

    In Year 1 we are learning to tell the time.

    We began by securing our knowledge of some of the vocabulary related to time, including before, after, past, earlier and later. We also learnt the difference between seconds, minutes and hours. We were interested to find out that there are 60 seconds in 1 minute and 60 minutes in 1 hour.

    Then we practiced making whole and half turns in clockwise and anticlockwise directions. We linked this to a clock using the numbers 12, 3, 6 and 9. We particularly enjoyed using hoops as clocks and gave a partner instructions to turn.

    Then we discussed the difference between the minute hand and hour hand. We noticed that the minute hand was longer than the hour hand and that it moves around the clock much faster.

    To help us become familiar with the layout of a clock we made our own clocks. We can also use them to practise telling the time at home.

    Over the next 2 weeks we will be learning to tell the time to the o’clock and half past.

    We will learn that when the time is __ o’clock that the minute hand will always point to the 12.

    Once we are confident to tell the time to the hour, we will them learn that when the minute hand points to the 6 the time is half past ___. We will look carefully at the hour hand and noticed that it points in between 2 of the numbers when it is a half past time. We will work out which number it has been past already to help us know what the time is.

    How you can help at home:

    • Use the clock you made at school to practise telling the time – you could test your family to read the times you make or you could challenge them to make some o’clock and half past times.
    • Set yourself clock challenges – Every time the time is o’clock, hop on your left foot 10 times. Every time the clock strikes half past, hop on your right foot 10 times.
    • Use a timer to measure out seconds, minutes and hours – what activities can you do in each of these time periods?

     

  • Jun 262025

    Money

    This week in maths we have been learning about money.

    We begun the topic by identifying the different coins that we use in England and learning about the value of each coin.

    Then we worked hard to find different ways to make amounts up to 10p. We had to remember to only use the available coins.

    Once we were confident with making amounts up to 10p we extended our learning to make amounts up to 20p.

     

    Next week we will be learning to count up in steps of 2, 5 and 10. We will link this to our knowledge of money by using what we have learnt to count 2p, 5p and 10p coins.

     

    How to help at home

    • Have a look at some real coins -can you order the coins from the smallest value to the largest?  How much do you have altogether? What could you buy at the shop with your coins?
    • Go to the shop and buy something using coins e.g. a loaf of bread.
    • Make equivalent amounts e.g. show £1 as 100p

  • Jun 192025

    Science in Year 1

     🧊 Saving the LEGO Men! A Year 1 Science Adventure 🧪

    This week in Year 1, we had a very important mission! We received a letter from none other than the Chief Inspector at the LEGO Factory. 😮 He told us there was a big problem – some LEGO men had gotten trapped in ice, and they needed our help to rescue them!

    📩 The Mission

    The LEGO men were frozen solid, and we had to figure out how to melt the ice to save them. This wasn’t just play – it was a real science investigation! We needed to explore how solids can change into liquids and test which methods would work the best.

    🔬 Becoming Scientists

    We split into research teams and each group chose a different way to try and melt the ice. Everyone made predictions first, then tested their theories in mini science labs (also known as the Panther and Lion classrooms! 😄).

    🧠 Our Investigations Included:

    🕯️ Using warm water – Would pouring warm water over the ice speed things up?

    ☀️ Putting the ice on the windowsill in the sun – Could sunlight alone melt the ice?

    💡 Putting the ice directly under a lamp, like when we had chicks under  lamp in the incubators.

    💨 Blowing warm air – What if we used our breath or a hairdryer?

    ✋ Holding the ice – Could the warmth from our hands melt it?

    🧂 Adding salt – Some of us had heard that salt melts ice faster… time to test that out!

    🧰 Putting the ice in a box and shaking it!

    🍳 Knocking the ice on a hard surface and cracking it like an egg.

    🧊 The Results Are In!

    After careful testing, observing, and a lot of excitement, we found that:

    ✅ Hitting it with a hammer took 19 minutes.
    Cracking it against a hard surface like an egg took 3 minutes and 3 seconds.

    🌞 The sun and under a lamp worked too, but it took much longer. Over an hour.

    🙌 And yes, we managed to rescue all the LEGO men in the end!

    We wrote letters to explain our findings.

    What We Learned

    • Ice is a solid, but when it warms up, it melts into a liquid.

    • Heat helps solids turn into liquids.

    • Scientists ask questions, test ideas, and learn from what happens – just like we did!

    🎉 A Big Well Done!

    We had so much fun being scientists and helping the LEGO factory. The Chief Inspector will be thrilled to hear that all his LEGO men are safe and sound. 🦸‍♂️🧊🚿

    Stay tuned for more science adventures coming soon… 👩‍🔬👨‍🔬

  • Jun 132025

    Fruit Kebabs

    Hello children, parents and carers!

    We’ve had an exciting and hands-on start to the week in Year 1 as we’ve launched our brand-new Design and Technology (DT) unit – all about fruit kebabs! The children in Lion Class and Panther Class have been busy learning the skills they’ll need to safely prepare food and will be working towards making their very own delicious and healthy fruit kebabs for their final product.

    🍓 Safe Cutting Skills 🍌
    This week, we began learning how to cut safely using real kitchen tools. We introduced our ‘Word of the Day’ – slice – and explored what it means and how to do it safely. The children were full of brilliant ideas and showed great enthusiasm and maturity when learning about knife safety.

    Here are the three golden rules they came up with:

    1. Bridge Hold – Use a bridge hold with the knife blade pointing down (never up!) to cut between your fingers safely.

    2. Claw Grip – Tuck your fingers under in a claw shape to keep them safe while slicing.

    3. Tidy Workspace – Always keep your chopping area clear and clean so there’s nothing to trip over or get distracted by when holding a knife.

    It’s been wonderful to see the children so engaged in practising these skills with care and confidence!

    👨‍🍳 Tips to Help at Home: Extend DT Learning in the Kitchen

    Here are some simple ways you can support and reinforce this learning at home:

    • 🍎 Let your child help prepare a snack using a child-safe knife (supervised) – try cutting bananas, strawberries, or cucumber.

    • 🍊 Talk through knife safety as they cut – encourage the bridge hold and claw grip techniques they’ve learned.

    • 🥝 Create a fruit face or pattern together using different sliced fruits – this helps with both creativity and fine motor skills.

    • 🍇 Set up a ‘mini chef’ station with a chopping board and a few fruit pieces for your child to practise their skills.

    • 🍍 Use real kitchen vocabulary like “slice,” “chop,” “careful,” and “sharp” to build understanding and confidence.

    📚 Link to English:
    Encourage your child to write a simple recipe list for their ideal fruit kebab. What fruits would they include? How would they prepare them? This helps build sentence structure and vocabulary around food preparation.

    ➗ Link to Maths:
    Practise slicing fruits or vegetables into halves at home. Talk about how each piece needs to be equal and count how many pieces they make. “If we cut 1 apple in half, how many pieces do we have?”

    Thank you for your continued support at home – we can’t wait to see the children’s final fruit kebab creations and celebrate all the practical and tasty learning along the way!

    Best wishes,
    Miss Bates & Miss Honnor