Class 3
Year 1
Year 1 is the school year where you really see children progress academically and socially. Confidence in themselves and their abilities increase and they really start to persevere with their work and become independent learners.
The children’s experiences begin to broaden and they will learn through many different subjects including, Science, History, Geography, Art, Music, PE, to name a few.
However, our main drivers are still Phonics and reading. Our new “Little Wandle” phonics scheme is not only teaching children their letters and sounds but also how to blend these sounds to begin to read fluently and with comprehension. To encourage a love of reading we have daily “BEAR” time (Be Excited About Reading), where children get to choose a book and share it with a friend or look at it independently. We also have a daily reading session, where a book is read by the teacher, and the “reading for pleasure” books that the children are allowed to bring home to share with their families. Many of the stories we read in class are based around our topics, for example: plants and trees, seasons, princes and princesses and holidays.
Each child in Year 1 will have the opportunity to experience Forest School for a block of five to six weeks. Children will go out in all weathers, apart from high winds and lightening, so please make sure they are dressed appropriately. They may also get rather muddy, so please do not send them in their best clothes.
What are we learning?
Explore what ideas, topics and vocabulary our class will be exploring each half term.
Meet our teachers
Mrs Livesey
Welcome to Class 3. I am Class 3’s teacher Mrs Livesey and I work Tuesday to Friday, with Mrs Vousden working hard in class on a Monday. I have worked at Netherton Infant and Nursery School in many different capacities, starting as a parent helper, to SEN support and then as a classroom assistant. Working with some many amazing teachers at this school, inspired me to restudy and qualify to become a teacher myself. Luckily, I was sponsored by the school and gained my teaching qualification through the Graduate Teaching Programme. This was a year’s course and again, I was lucky enough to land myself a job in my favourite school, working in Nursery.
After teaching in the classroom for a couple of years, I got the urge to gain another qualification. I have always had a love of the outdoors and can see the benefits it has on children’s motivation, mental health and ability to socialise by team building. It was this interest that led me to train as a Level 3 Forest School practitioner. Once I qualified, I was given a huge opportunity to introduce a Forest School to our school. This has brought me so much pleasure over the years. Netherton Infant and Nursery School has a special place in my heart and has given me so many opportunities. I have never felt more at home at work than I have here.
I hope your children love the experience of Year 1 as much as I love teaching it. It really is a fantastic year!
Mrs Vousden
Hi, I’m Mrs Vousden. My aspirations in terms of a prospective career have always been in education. I vividly remember playing schools constantly when I was a child, with my dolls and teddies being the perfect pupils. Teaching to me is the prospect of stimulating the minds of young individuals and becoming an influential figure in their lives. After gaining a First Class degree and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education, I have gone on to teach for 16 years. My passion for teaching and interest in the international perspectives of education, took me overseas to teach in New Zealand and Australia. I thoroughly enjoyed my time overseas and learned so much from it. Most of my teaching experience is in the Foundation Stage and KS1, therefore, a large part of my career has been spent teaching children to read. I have a passion for reading and I truly believe that once a child learns to read it opens many doors. I have held various roles in school, however when my children were born I decided to step back from senior roles and work part-time to balance my family life. It was at this time when I came to work at Netherton. After teaching in various schools over the years Netherton definitely has a unique feeling of nurture, for children and staff alike. At home I have a husband and two very energetic boys that keep me on my toes. I love to travel, read and be outside whatever the weather.
Our Big Six - books we return to over and over again
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The Gruffalo
JULIA DONALDSON AND AXEL SCHEFFLER
"A gruffalo? What's a gruffalo?" "A gruffalo! Why, didn't you know? He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, And terrible teeth in his terrible jaws.”An absolute classic, for good reason. This is a fantastic read along book we all enjoy.
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The Gruffalo's Child
JULIA DONALDSON & AXEL SCHEFFLER
In the second Gruffalo book, we meet the Gruffalo’s child, whose curiosity takes her on an adventure in search of the Big Bad Mouse.
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Lost and Found
OLIVER JEFFERS
What would you do if a lost penguin arrived on your doorstep? A lovely story about friendship and bravery.
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The Colour Monster
ANNA LLENAS
A sensitive book which is a fun and accessible way for children to explore and talk about emotions. The little monster has mixed up feelings, and his friend, a little girl, helps him make sense of them all.
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Oi Dog
CLAIRE & KES GRAY, AND JIM FIELD
An absurdly funny book about a very bossy frog. This rhyming book full of silly animals is a joy to read and always makes us laugh.
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Going to the Volcano
Great fun to read aloud and join in together, this is a very silly book about two explorers on a journey to look at a volcano. What could possibly go wrong? We want to read it again and again-o.