Welcome to Mars Class!

Mars class is a mixed class of Year 1 and Year 2 children.

Our teacher is Miss Kelly. Mrs Williams and Mrs Nash are our teaching assistants. 

 The ethos of our class is to develop happy, confident and independent learners who are willing to try their best and find success in their everyday learning. Every child is unique and we aim to tailor lessons to the individual needs of the children.

On this page you can find updates about our learning and any special adventures we have been on. We hope you enjoy reading about our learning journey!

Summer Term

Mars Class information sheet

Week commencing 21.04.2025:

This short first week back in Mars Class, the children have been introduced to African tales in English. We have been focusing on sentence structure to ensure our writing makes sense. In maths, we have begun exploring different types of measurement and revisiting the various units of measurement.

In spelling and phonics, we have been recapping Phase 5 sounds such as aw and au, and learning about the apostrophe for possession. We also introduced our new topic of Africa and began investigating which materials would be best for making a boat as part of our DT project.

Spellings for the half term can be found in the children’s reading records and on our class page.

Spring Term

Week commencing 31/3/25:

This final week has been busy as ever! In English we have been writing our non-chronological report on explorers.

In maths we started fractions finding the relationship between half and quarter with division.

In topic we looked at Henson and Aston who were both polar explorers. In music we practised drums to the genre indie. We created easter cards with Miss Bleakley.

Finally for reward day we spent the day enjoying the sun, watching a film and had a visitor from the Raptor center.

Have a lovely Easter!

WC 24/3/25:
This very busy week, the children have been learning the spelling rule -tion in Phase 6 phonics. We have been practising spelling these words by listening for the -shun sound at the end.

In English, we have been looking at non-chronological reports. We have been identifying fact, fiction, and opinion sentences, as well as the features of a non-fiction text and what makes a good one!

In Maths, we have been investigating which method, sharing or skip counting is quicker for solving division problems. We have also been using our times table knowledge to create fact families to answer division sums. We celebrated World Maths Day by creating maths games, making Mondrian-inspired Dienes art, and taking part in quizzes on Blooket.

We also had a presentation from a local archaeologist, built a bean tipi tent in Forest School, learned about Tim Peake and Neil Armstrong in our topic lessons, and attended our Easter service at the church.

Have a lovely Mothering Sunday, celebrating the amazing village of women who help raise our children!

Week commencing 17/3/25:

This week in phonics we have been looking at u-e, ue and ew. Alongside a lot of practise of blending aliens words! In spelling we have been looking at y making an i and common exception words for each year group.

In english we have planned and wrote instructions using the taught features of how to code a Beebot.

In maths we have been investigating which numbers can be divided into 2 equal groups and how to make 'groups of'. The children are really smashing their understanding of this using the sentence stem '6 shared into groups of 2. I have I have 3 groups.' groups.' Using this sentence at home for mathletics may help them!

In DT we have been researching different types of boats, in music the children looked at playing the drum to rock music. In topic we have been investigating significant explorers and putting them in chronological order. Finally, in art we have completed our learning by drawing silhouettes of our schools outside area to later collage into a map of the school.

Have a lovely weekend!

Week commencing 10/3/2025:

In english this week we have been looking at sentence types and contractions. In maths we have started to look at division and how we can share into groups of using our times table knowledge.

This week has been British Science Week, the children have been focusing on our 5 enquiry types: pattern seeking, comparative & fair testing, researching using secondary sources, identifying, classifying and grouping and observing over time. We have been looking at how plants change over the seasons and using secondary resources to support our learning. We have been looking at animal habitats in our school environment and identifying who would live in our field. We looked at animal adaptions to be able to live in their habitat, we choose an animal to recreate and put on show at our science fair. Finally we took part in a science live lesson about being an ecowarrior and have started an experiment testing where would be the best place to put solar panels at school by measuring the light.

Week commencing 24/2/25 and 3/3/25:

Last week the children were recapping previous learning. In maths we recapped our methods for multiplication. In english we looked at features of instructions and tried to follow lego instructions in the wrong order! In spellings we have been looking at superlative suffixes.

This week has been assessment week and the children have tried their best.

We also looked at how to keep our diet healthy in PSHE, in RE we have looked at Nowrux (Persian New Year.) In forest school the children created art on the trees using clay.

Yesterday was world book day we had such fun dressing up! The children created their own book covers with blurbs, took part in a world record for most children reading at the same time and created a book rap inspired by MC Grammar.

Have a lovely weekend!

Week commencing 10/2/25:

This week in phonics we have been focusing on blending alien words. In spelling we have focused on the al spelling rule.

In english we have been looking at poems with a theme, we have been forming an opinion on them and finding rhyming pairs. In maths we have finished learning about multiplication, focusing on using our counting knowledge and understanding of groups to answer multiplication sums.

In music we practised drumming to a beat in the style of pop/dance music, the children really enjoyed using crab raving to help find the beat. In art we created a map inspired by Christopher Columbus using texture and negative space. On Tuesday it was safer internet day where the children gave advice for situations they may come across whilst being online. In topic the children used a compass and gave directions to their partner to find objects around the school on a map.

Have a lovely half term rest!

Week commencing 3/2/25:

This week in phonics we have been focusing on words starting with 2 consonants and with a split diagraph in them.

In English we have been looking at Julia Donaldson stories and creating alternative endings using our partner to help us edit our writing. In maths we have continued looking at multiplication, 2,5 and 10 times table. Remember your child has a times table rock star login on their reading record to help practise this!

We have also been learning how Easter is celebrated in Judaism, in Science we looked at the life cycle of a plant. In PSHE we focused on road safety and created videos for the children in Mercury class. In art this afternoon we explored texture using pencil and ink.

Have a lovely weekend!

Week commencing 20/1/24:

This week in phonics we have been looking at alternative A/S/C/I. In spellings we have been looking at the suffix -er and -est.

In english we have continued to look at the snail and the whale. We have been using adjectives and conjunctions to role play as the snail describing the places he has visited.

In maths we have started looking at multiplication, recognising equal groups and writing repeated addition sums to match groups.

In music we have practised drumming, we found a new word paradiddle which is a combination of musical notes. In science we observed fruit and vegetables for signs of life. In topic we identified what we like and don’t like about our local area. In art we did an artist study on Kathy Prendergast.

Week commencing 6/01/2025:

Happy new year!

This week in phonics we have recapped oo (zoom to the moon), ue, ew and u-e.

In english we have been doing some spag practise, what is a sentence, word classes and using conjunctions.

In maths we have revisited place value before moving on to money.

This week the children have also had PE with Hunts, forest school with Mrs Tickle who were using found materials to turn into games, in science and topic the children collected what they know about plants and explorers and what they want to know. Finally the children took part in an art competition this afternoon.

Autumn term 

Week commencing 9/12/24:

This week in phonics we looked at ue and u-e as well as revisiting some previous sounds.

In English we finished our diary as though we were Thomas Farriner during the great fire of London. We have also started our letters to Santa in exciting writing.

In maths we have continued to look at 3D shapes and identify their properties, we also applied this knowledge to grouping them.

We have also been learning all about Christingle, what each part represents, made our own and attended a Christingle service. I was so proud of how safe my team were with their lit Christingles. In topic we made a map of London in 1666 and explained what needs to change to the King. We also started to make a museum of what we can apply to London in the modern day from what we have learnt from the fire. In science we designed a house for the three little pigs using our knowledge of materials.

1 more week to go!

Week commencing 2/12/24:

This week in phonics year 1s have learnt alternative s, oe and o-e. Year 2s have continued to practise the double or drop spelling rule when adding suffixes.

In English the children have planned a diary as though they are the baker in the great fire of London and started to write the diary entry.

In maths the children have been looking at 2D and 3D shapes, identifying edges, sides, vertices, faces and lines of symmetry.

This week we had the nativity performance and I’m so proud of my little team! Each and every one of them smashed it!

We have also created our Christmas cards to send home and in topic we used sources to decide what was the main cause of the fire spreading quickly.

Have a lovely weekend!

Week commencing 25/11/24:

This week in phonics Year 1s revisited ea and practised a new split diagraph a_e. On spellings we looked at alternative s and plurals.

In English we have continued looking at diary features like verbs, adverbs, adverbials of time and expanded noun phrases.

In maths Year 1s have been identifying and adding tens and ones up to 20. Year 2s have been comparing number sentences and practising finding missing numbers from number sentences using the four operations.

This week we have had lots of nativity practise coming up to our shows next week, we have been making Christmas decorations using collage and in DT we have made our final design for our bread.

WC 18.11.24

This week we have been so busy I have forgotten to take any photos!

Word wall scores are being put on tapestry and phonics scores will be shared in reading records next week.

This has been assessment week and I am so incredibly proud of my little team! This week we have also been practising our nativity, exploring Great Fire of London artwork to inspire our bread designs in DT, identifying man made and natural materials in science.

Have a great weekend!

Week commencing 11/11/24:

This week the children had Mrs Whiting who did a kindness lesson, the children made kindness posters and decided which kindness act they would focus on this week.

In English we looked at facts or opinions about the great fire of London and exclamation marks. In maths the children were recapping addition methods and subtracting from a 2 digit number. We also started a few assessments leading into assessment week.

In RE the children looked about how different religions show care, in PSHE the children acted out kind acts for given situations. The children did a survey in DT to find out the most popular bread and we have also been practising our nativity play. The children have had great fun creating props for the show.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Week commencing 4/11/24:

First week back and its been busy as ever!

In English we have been looking at spelling rules when adding suffixes and turning words into contractions to start our diary focus. In maths Year 1s have been practising subtracting with a number line and using their number bonds. Year 2s have been adding using fact family knowledge and adding 2 two-digit numbers.

On Tuesday the children had their first gymnastics lesson with a Hunts coach, in forest school the children have been observing the leaves falling and how that can change the landscape. We made our wreath for remembrance and spoke about why it is still important today to think about people in war. In DT the children looked at bread designs and practised using playdough and we have started practising songs for our upcoming nativity play.

Week commencing 20/10/24:

This week in English we have been planning and writing our traditional tale comic. We have used our understanding of sentence structures and focused on correct punctuation.

In maths children have been recapping on previous learning and subtracting from below 20. We have been using number lines and know knowledge of number bonds to 10 to support this.

In computing the children continued to practise typing, in PSHE the children made their own worry dolls. In PE they have been practising catching and throwing skills, in forest school the children made autumnal art work and finally in art we created portraits of other people.

Have a great half term everybody!

WC 14.10.24

This week in Maths, Year 1 have continued writing addition fact families to represent a part-whole model and using this knowledge to solve mathematical problems. Year 2 have been adding across 10 and adding three 1 digit numbers. In English, we have continued looking at traditional tales and have focused on single clause sentences, recapped how to use the co-coordinating conjunctions 'and', 'but' and 'or' to extend our sentences and learnt how to edit our writing to make it better.

In phonics Year 1 received ie and wh from phonics fairy. Year 2s have been revising the suffix ly and y. In RE we looked at religious symbols and identified which religion it belongs to, in PSHE we talked about how to react and help when others make bad choices. For our Science topic we had a visit from Cambridgeshire waste management who explained to the children which materials are recyclable. And we had our harvest festival where the children performed a harvest song to George Ezra Shotgun.

Week commencing 7/10/24:

This week in phonics the Year 1s have received oy and I-e their first split diagraph!

Year 2s have been focusing on turning verbs into adjectives.

In English we finished our Traction Man stories and started traditional tales. We have identified similar themes in traditional tales and wrote questions for Goldilocks.

In maths we have been practising our fact family skills. Year 1s have been doing it up to 10 and Year 2s up to 100. We have also been practising our arithmetic skills for subtracting.

In computing we practised using 2 hands to type, in PSHE we identified emotions others may be having, in topic we became 1600s firefighters and compared them to modern day firefighters and in PE we have been practising throwing and co-ordination skills.

Week commencing 30/10/24:

This week in phonics Year 1 have received oy and ea whilst recapping phase 3. Year 1s have been looking and long and short vowel sounds.

In maths we have been going fact family crazy for number bonds to 10. We have also been practising adding using taught skills to check our answers.

In English we have been planning our own Traction Man story and have started writing the beginning.

In RE we looked at religious headwear and why it is worn. In forest school the children made habitats with Mrs Tickle, in topic we compared present day London to the 1600s. And in art the children choose an artist to research which used colour.

Week commencing 23.09.24:

This week in phonics the children have been learning Oi and revising phase 3. In spelling we have been turning adjectives in to superlatives.

In English we have been continuing with Traction Man looking at adjectives to describe him, using speech to role play and sequencing the story. In maths we have been flexible partitioning and using crocodile symbols to compare numbers.

In computing we have been practising typing, in music we practised our new song this term, in PE we have been practising throwing and catching, in science we explored material properties and in art we started to look at colour theory and made our own colour wheels.

Week commencing 16/9/24:

This week in English the children have been looking at Traction Man. We have been identifying verbs, writing simple clause sentences and introducing co-ordinating conjunctions into our writing.

In maths Year 1s have been focusing on the composition of numbers 0-10 and Year 2s have been identifying tens and ones in numbers to 100.

In RE we have been looking at the differences in everyone, in forest school the children have been looking at camoflage, in PE we have been practising core skills through games and we have been designing some costumes for our very own Traction Man.

Week commencing 9/09/24:

This week we have been perfecting our routines and jobs to keep Mars class running smoothly. In english we have been learning about verbs, both action and to be verbs. We have been sorting, identifying and using them in sentences.

In maths we have been practising our number bonds to 10, number formation, counting objects and identifying tens and ones. We also had our first go at a arithmetic check.

In phonics we have starter to blend cvcc words and practise our tricky words. In spelling we have been adding the suffix -ing to root words.

We have also been identifying our feelings in PSHE using the colour monster story to support us,in PE we have been playing balancing games focusing on different movements, in topic we put the events of the great fire of London in chronological order and finally in art we have been identifying primary colours and seeing what happens when they are mixed together.

Week commencing 2/9/24:

This week we have been focusing building relationships and routines.

In the morning we always have a morning meeting with our partners where we share how we are feeling. We made our class promises and shared how we would like our teacher and our classmates to be like. We also met our class pet Speedy and made artwork inspired by her using oil pastels and watercolour paint.

In maths we are looking at number bonds to ten with Tia Ten, we helped her complete her restaurant orders. In english we identified common nouns and started to use them in a sentence. We also found out our topic which will be 'The great fire of London'.

Next week we will be assessing your childs phonics sounds and reading level so please make sure they have their reading books in every day.

Have a lovely weekend!