Primary 1a Wallacewell Primary

Everyone has returned after the mid-term break feeling refreshed, positive, and eager to learn. It has been wonderful to see so many smiling faces and to hear all about the children’s adventures over the holidays!

This week in Maths, we have been exploring measure using non-standard units. The children had great fun measuring different objects around the classroom using their hands and feet. We measured tables, chairs, books, and even the carpet!

It quickly became clear that this was not the most reliable way to measure. We discovered that we were all getting different answers and after some fantastic discussion, the children worked out why: our hands and feet are all different sizes! This was a brilliant introduction to understanding why standard units of measurement are important.

We have also been working very hard on our common words. The children are making fantastic progress with reading and writing them. We are so proud of their efforts!

Some children are still reversing certain letters when writing. This is very common at this stage, but extra practice at home really helps to build confidence and accuracy. Please continue to practise common words regularly in short, fun bursts.

On Friday, we celebrated our school’s Diversity Day. We spoke about what diversity means in our classroom — recognising, valuing, and celebrating the unique differences each child brings to our learning and friendships.

We discussed different cultural and religious celebrations. Some of our children shared their experiences of Chinese New Year and Ramadan and we compared these to Christian celebrations such as Christmas and Easter. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from one another.

One of our Support for Learning Workers wore traditional cultural dress and spoke to the children about it, kindly answering their thoughtful questions. The children also learned how to say hello in Urdu, which they thoroughly enjoyed practising!

Embracing diversity helps to ensure that every child feels respected, included, and safe in our classroom. We are very proud of how thoughtfully the children listened and contributed to our discussions.

Click on the link below to view our term 3 curriculum newsletter. 

P1a Curriculum Newsletter – Term 3 2025-26 (5)

This week, Primary 1 enjoyed a very exciting visit from Zoolab! The children had the opportunity to learn about,  and even hold, a fascinating selection of animals. They were introduced to a tortoise, a stick insect, a tarantula, a corn snake and some gerbils. Some children were very eager to hold the animals, while others were a little more reluctant and preferred a gentle touch. Everyone showed great curiosity and bravery!

It was a fun, exciting and informative experience for all, and we can’t wait for Zoolab to return.

Our learning linked perfectly with our class topic on dinosaurs. After listening carefully to Zoolab host Ash, the children discussed what dinosaur skin might have felt like and why. This led to lots of thoughtful questions and brilliant ideas.

The children have also created their own non-fiction fact files about their favourite dinosaurs. They wrote about what the dinosaurs looked like, what they ate, their colour and where they lived. We found it especially interesting learning about the different shapes of dinosaur teeth and why these were important for helping them to eat.

As always, it has been a very busy and enjoyable week of learning in Primary 1!

This week in Primary 1, we have been very busy learning all about dinosaurs!

In topic work, the children explored different types of dinosaurs and learned how to categorise carnivores and herbivores. We had some fantastic discussions about what dinosaurs might have looked like, thinking carefully about their size and colour. The children also learned about camouflage and why it would have been important for dinosaurs to blend into their surroundings, either to hide from predators or to sneak up on prey.

In maths, Primary 1 have been developing their data-handling skills by learning how to use tally marks to record information. They then used this data to create a pictogram showing the class’s favourite fruits. The children did a great job counting carefully and presenting their results clearly.

In literacy, we continued our work on describing settings. The children wrote about where dinosaurs lived, using their imagination to describe forests, jungles, and prehistoric landscapes. They also practised uplevelling simple sentences by adding adjectives to make their writing more interesting and detailed.

We have also been learning the difference between fiction and non-fiction books.

Non-fiction books help us learn real facts and true information. We especially enjoyed reading non-fiction books about dinosaurs, where we discovered interesting details about how they lived, what they ate, and what they looked like.

Fiction books are made-up stories. These stories allow us to use our imagination and enjoy tales that can be funny, exciting, and entertaining. Even though they are not real, fiction stories help us develop creativity and a love of reading.

By reading both fiction and non-fiction, we have learned that books can teach us new information while also providing enjoyment. We are building important reading skills and discovering that there is something special to enjoy in every kind of book!

To finish the week, the children used a variety of construction materials to build their own dinosaurs. We were very impressed with their creativity and teamwork. Some children even built dinosaur enclosures, inspired by Jurassic Park, and discussed what safety features would be needed to keep the dinosaurs safely inside.

Well done, Primary 1, for a fantastic week of learning!

We’ve had another busy and exciting week of learning in Primary 1! The children have continued exploring our topic on Scotland, comparing rural and urban areas and talking about what we can see and experience where we live. This sparked some lovely discussions and thoughtful observations from the class.

We’ve also been enjoying stories by Julia Donaldson, listening to them in Scots. A particular favourite was The Glasgow Gruffalo, which brought lots of laughs and smiles – a real highlight of the week!

In maths, we have been learning to recognise and order coins up to £2. If you’re able to, it would be very helpful to show your children real coins at home and talk about their values to reinforce this learning.

In literacy, we are developing our descriptive skills by learning how to describe settings. The children wrote wonderful descriptions of castles and Katie Morag’s island, linking beautifully to our Scotland topic.

We also had a lovely visit from some parents who came along to observe and take part in our spelling and phonics activities. The children thoroughly enjoyed showing off their skills and knowledge – and we were very proud of them!

Well done, Primary 1, for another fantastic week of learning! 🌟

Primary 1 have returned to school after the festive period full of enthusiasm and energy! The children have settled back into routines very well and are eager to learn.

In literacy, we have been revising our sounds and common words and using these to support our sentence writing. This term, our focus is on sentence structure, ensuring we use capital letters, finger spaces and full stops correctly.

In numeracy, we have been skip counting in 2s and learning how to group objects into pairs. The children have enjoyed exploring these concepts through practical activities.

Our new topic this term is Scotland. We have been very creative, designing our own tartan patterns and making Saltire flags. We have also been learning about different places in Scotland with the help of Oor Wullie. Please talk to your child about any places in Scotland they have visited so they can share their experiences with the class.

Homework plays an important role in supporting learning. Please continue to support your child by focusing on homework tasks and revising numbers, sounds and common words, as this greatly helps to develop their reading and writing skills.

We look forward to sharing lots of exciting learning with you this term!

Term 2 has come to an end, and it was certainly one to celebrate with plenty of festive cheer!

Primary 1 have been working like Santa’s little elves this week, busily making Christmas cards and decorations while continuing to practise their sounds and numbers. Their hard work and enthusiasm have been wonderful to see.

On Thursday, the children celebrated the end of term with a party and were delighted to receive a special visit from the man himself — Santa Claus! There were gasps of excitement and lots of cheers as they sang Jingle Bells, listening carefully for the hooves of Santa’s reindeer.

Then on Friday, we were treated to a visit from the ice cream van. The children were amazingly quiet for a whole five minutes as they happily enjoyed their ice creams!

Thank you once again for your continued support throughout the term. We would like to wish you all a very enjoyable festive season and look forward to seeing everyone again in 2026.

What a wonderful week it has been! Primary 1 shone brightly as they took to the stage for their two nativity performances of Born in a Barn. Their confidence, enthusiasm and infectious energy filled the room from start to finish.

There were moments of laughter and even a few happy tears from proud parents, families and teachers as the children delivered their lines with charm and sang and danced their hearts out. As always, they reminded us just how amazing they truly are.

With such a joyful week behind us, the countdown is now officially on to our festive break!