NumBots Year 1

NumBots | Welcome to the NumBlog!

We launched NumBots just before the Easter holidays and are continually monitoring its use. It’s great to hear so many children are enjoying going up through the levels and already improving their speed and recall. We’ve noticed not everybody has started using the app yet so wanted to send out a remind in case you have forgotten.

We expect children to be playing on NumBots for at least 12mins a week as part of their homework. If your child does not have access to an online device, please let us know.

Here’s a handy introduction to the app:
A Parents/Carers introduction to NumBots – YouTube

Big Difference

NumBots is an online game and playing little and often will significantly improve your child’s recall and understanding of number bonds and addition and subtraction facts. These are critical foundations in maths so we are excited by the impact NumBots will have.

Logging In

The children have been shown how to login and have brought home a username label in their [book bag/reading planner/insert here]. They might need some help navigating to the website and entering the details but once they’re in, they just need some quiet space to get on with the games.

Please ask your child’s teacher if they are struggling to login. Maths Circle (the creators of NumBots) cannot provide username and password information to parents, even during school holidays or out of hours.

Important: please don’t allow siblings, friends or family to answer for them but do support your child if they’re stuck.

Little and often

In order to get the best out of NumBots children should regularly play for short bursts so we would ask you to give them 3 minutes, four five times a week.

Game Types

  1. Story Mode – the emphasis is on learning the ideas and concepts behind addition and subtraction so it features more diagrams, shapes and question styles.
  2. Challenge Mode – the emphasis is more on speed of recall of key facts, like number bonds to 10, doubling small numbers or adding & taking away in your head.

SMART cup treat!

Year 1 – Miss Harrison’s class won SMART cup before the Easter holidays. 

Trophy Cup Silver PNG Clipart​ | Gallery Yopriceville - High-Quality Free  Images and Transparent PNG Clipart

It’s been a long awaited treat so I thought it should be a good one!
Children can bring in a toy from home to play with in class on Monday 24th April?
It should not be electronic (i.e. no tablets, switches, or nerf guns) and children should be willing to play it with others.

We look forward to an afternoon of fun! Download Smiling Face Emoji Icon | Emoji Island

We also had most improved attendance (get us!) so will be having an additional playtime this week. Don’t forget Cool Cat is in all week. Get in nice and early to wave at them and maybe even have a cuddle! File:Paw-print.svg - Wikipedia

Kind regards,
Miss Harrison

Year 1 – teaching arrangements – Mrs Millington’s class

Dear Parents / Carers of children in Year 1,

 As you know, Mrs Millington has been doing a wonderful job teaching your child in this class up until she leaves to have her baby sometime in mid-June.

 This is looming and we wanted to inform you of the plan we have in place which we know will maintain the standards already in year 1.

 Mrs Stack will take over from Mrs Millington. She is a very experienced member of staff who knows this cohort extremely well. Together with Miss Harrison, Mrs Goodwin and Mrs Wilmot we know this will continue to be a strong team. 

 As always, please rest assured we always do whatever is possible to ensure the best outcomes for our children.

 Kind regards,

Miss Cook

Summer term ☀️

In the summer term, our PE and Forest School days have changed:

Tuesdays – Forest School

Wednesdays – Indoor PE (Cricket)
Thursdays – Outdoor PE (Athletics)

As we head into the warmer months, please ensure your child brings in their water bottle everyday.

Homework

Your child was given a log in for Numbots and a parents’ guide on how to use this. The games are great for quick recall of number facts! We will be looking at the leaderboard each week to see who has been a Marvellous Mathematician 🌟

After the Easter holidays, we will be starting weekly spellings (these are in addition to the Jumping Orange Words at the end of every half term).

We hope you all have a lovely break over the Easter holidays 🐣

Year 1 team

An update from the Newdale Governors 28/3/23

As proud governors of Newdale Primary School and Nursery, we attend regular committee meetings in school – where we look at how the school continues to provide such a high standard of education for your child, and where we have the opportunity to see and discuss school life from the perspective of the staff and the pupils.

Today, as part of one of these Governor committees, we looked at a sample of Literacy books and listened to a group of Year 6 children talk about their learning. All of these children commented on how they felt well prepared for their move to secondary school and excited about their next steps (and even more transition activities will be taking place in the summer term!).

We are continually seeking the views of children to ensure that the decision making has them at the centre. We are pleased that the children can speak so enthusiastically about their school, but we are keen to not only get the views of children and staff but also parents. We look forward to analysing the recent parent survey that many of you kindly filled in during parent consultation week. 

As Governors, we really do want to support our school in ensuring that we educate children to become ‘doers, believers and achievers’. If you would like contact Governors to celebrate something that has happened or make suggestions on what we could do differently,  please do email in on newdale.primary@taw.org.uk and we will make sure we respond.

 On behalf of the governing body,

Mrs Carole Williams, Mrs Beryl Mason and Mrs Karen Rowley

 

Nature Walk – Year 1

We enjoyed our walk around Newdale Pond today. It was a bit tricky to find seasonal changes but our nature detectives did a fantastic job!

We even saw a heron fishing at the edge of the pond today. I wonder if herons are carniores, omnivores or herbivores…

Our geography topic is all about how our area is changing. There were lots of new houses! We saw builders on site and think we know where a new road will be built.  

We also created some brilliant journey sticks. We found lots on our journey that we hope you can spot: dead leaves from Autumn, new leaves on trees, feathers, catkins, evergreen holly leaves and lots more!

 

Year 1 Nature Walk

As Miss Harrison has explained in a previous post, our Nature Walk has unfortunately been cancelled for this Wednesday (22nd), due to a shortage of adults.

It has been postponed to the afternoon of Tuesday 28th March. Please, let us know if you can volunteer for this new date. We would love for this walk to go ahead still!

*Please note: there is no Forest School this Wednesday* 

Many thanks,

Mrs Millington

Year 1 Nature Walk.

Due to adult shortages, we will have to postpone our Nature Walk until Tuesday 28th March.

If you can volunteer for Tuesday afternoon instead, we would love to have you.
Our younger pupils thoroughly enjoy having their parents along to support their learning. Please let us know if you can make it via the year 1 email or in reading diaries.

Thank you in advance,
Miss Harrison

Yr1 Science week!

Year 1 were bridge engineers. We’ve previously tested out the strength of different materials in holding weights. Today, however, they completed an independent experiment testing the strength of different shapes. We tested square, triangular, arch and beam bridges. We measured the gap to make sure it was a fair test each time. Then, we balanced 1g weights until the bridges collapsed – which was super exciting! The arch bridges held the most weight so we think this shape is the strongest. What do you think?