Croeso i Dosbarth Elwy – Derbyn a Blwyddyn Un

“Every day is a chance to learn something new.”

Meet the staff

Croeso cynnes i Dosbarth Derbyn a Blwyddyn Un. My name is Miss Barry, and I am absolutely delighted to be your child’s class teacher this year! In Dosbarth Elwy, we are supported by a fantastic team; working alongside me are our dedicated teaching assistants, Miss Mytton, Mrs. Davies who works in our class each morning, and in the afternoons we are joined by Miss Parr. On Monday and Thursday afternoons, Mrs. Johnson leads our Forest School and P.E. sessions.

We strive to ensure that every child’s journey in Dosbarth Elwy is a resounding success, filled with meaningful and “hands-on” experiences. Every milestone your child reaches from the fine motor skills of holding a pencil to the curiosity of exploring our “Mini Zoo” is a vital building block for their future. Our mission is to nurture ambitious, capable learners who are eager to achieve high standards, while encouraging them to be enterprising, creative contributors who can solve problems and share their unique ideas.

Through our outdoor adventures and classroom investigations, we support the children in becoming healthy, confident individuals who lead fulfilling lives, as well as ethical, informed citizens who show kindness to others and respect for the world around them. By immersing our pupils in creative and physical challenges, we ensure they leave our classroom with the skills, character, and confidence to embrace the world.

If you would like more information on how you can support your child at home please see below.

Homework

At Ysgol Sant Dunawd, we believe in a little and often and that practice makes progress! The children will be sent home frequently with Phonics Sounds practise sheets, and when they have progressed through their initial sounds and are blending appropriately, pupils will have a reading book and diary. We encourage the children to read a few pages of their reading book each night, aloud to an adult. Adults are encouraged to sign the diary and write a brief comment.

Sneak peak inside Dosbarth Elwy!

Read Write Inc Phonics

Your child will be learning to recognise letters and sounds before gradually progressing to blending sounds together to make words. Following this stage, pupils will then learn to recognise words and start to read whole sentences. It is important to note, that every pupil will progress at different times throughout the Foundation years.

For more information about Read Write Inc, and to find out how you can help at home, please click here or visit our dedicated Read Write Inc. page.

I have attached below a short video link for parents to be able to use the same correct sounds that we use with our Read, Write Inc scheme in school, I hope you find this useful.

🍁Dosbarth Elwy Class – Autumn Inspire – Change 🍁

How do changes affect me and how I feel?

This term, the children in Elwy will be exploring the idea of change through their own experiences of starting or returning to school. As learners settle into new routines, relationships and environments, they will be supported to recognise that change can feel exciting, worrying, challenging or comforting, and that these feelings are a normal part of growing and belonging.

Our learning will begin with a special School Hunt, inspired by our Talk for Writing text We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. Just like the family in the story journey through different places, the children will explore their new classroom, the school environment and the people who help them. Through stories, play, discussion and practical experiences, learners will develop confidence in their new surroundings and begin to understand what helps them feel safe, happy and ready to learn.

Throughout the term, we will explore questions such as:

• How do changes affect me and how I feel?
• Should everything stay the same?
• How do I become part of my class?
• Can change help us grow?

Children will have opportunities to:

• Explore and talk about their feelings and experiences.
• Learn and rehearse daily routines.
• Develop friendships and recognise the feelings of others.
• Understand how their actions can affect other people.
• Build a strong sense of belonging within our class community.
• Reflect on how they have changed and grown since the beginning of the year.

As the term progresses, learners will begin to recognise change in the world around them too. Through autumn walks in the local area around Bangor-on-Dee, they will observe seasonal changes in weather, trees and the environment, comparing what they see, hear and feel. They will begin to recognise that change happens not only to people, but also to places and environments.

During the second part of the term, children will continue to reflect on their own growth and independence, explore what makes families and communities special, and consider how people celebrate and spend time together in different ways. Throughout these experiences, learners will continue to develop empathy, confidence and a deeper sense of belonging.

Our learning is underpinned by the central idea that:

Change creates new possibilities, shaped by belonging, growth, wellbeing and our environment.

By the end of the term, we hope learners will feel increasingly settled and confident, understand more about themselves and others, and recognise that change can help us learn, grow and become part of a caring community.

Did you know…? The River Elwy (Afon Elwy in Welsh) is a river in Wales forming a tributary to the River Clwyd. The river can be found in North Wales, not far from our school: