Giraffes
Welcome to Giraffes, where every day brings new opportunities to learn, explore and grow! Our classroom is a happy, lively and welcoming place where children are encouraged to be curious, confident and enthusiastic about their learning. As our Year 1 and 2 children continue their journey through Key Stage 1, we celebrate their individuality, encourage increasing independence and help them develop the confidence to tackle new challenges. Whether working independently, with a partner or as part of a team, our Giraffes learn the importance of sharing ideas, helping others and celebrating each other's successes.
Books and stories are at the heart of life in Giraffes. We love discovering new characters, exploring imaginative settings and sharing our thoughts about the stories we read. This year, we look forward to enjoying wonderful texts including The Stone Giant and Esio Trot, which will inspire our own creative writing, drama and artwork. Children will also have opportunities to become young researchers, gathering information and writing their own non-chronological reports. Through daily phonics, reading and English lessons, we aim to develop confident readers and writers who enjoy expressing their ideas.
Our budding mathematicians are encouraged to investigate, explain and problem-solve every day. We begin by developing a secure understanding of numbers and place value before exploring addition, subtraction, fractions and other important mathematical concepts. Through practical resources, games, visual models and exciting challenges, children learn that there is often more than one way to solve a problem and that having a go is just as important as finding the answer.
There is so much to discover beyond English and Maths! In History, we become detectives of the past, exploring our own personal histories, investigating how toys have changed and discovering the incredible story of how people first learnt to fly. Geography encourages us to look more closely at the world around us, beginning with our local environment before exploring the weather across the UK and discovering the fascinating features of our coastline.
Our Science lessons are filled with opportunities to explore, observe and investigate. Children learn about the human body, experiment with different materials and discover how the world changes throughout the seasons. We also enjoy planting and growing, learning about animals and exploring ways to care for our planet. Whether observing changes outdoors or carrying out practical investigations in the classroom, we encourage our Giraffes to ask questions and find things out for themselves.
Creativity plays a huge part in our learning. In Art, children explore spirals, experiment with printmaking and use different materials to create their own imaginative birds. Our Product Design lessons bring exciting challenges, from creating electrical wobble bots to investigating gears and pulleys and designing bridges. In Computing, children learn to programme Bee-Bots, develop their coding skills and explore ways of organising information.
Music brings plenty of fun and excitement to Giraffes as we explore pulse, voice and rhythm through singing, movement and playing instruments. Our PE lessons are equally energetic, with opportunities to develop balance, coordination and teamwork through gymnastics, dance, yoga, athletics and a variety of games. We encourage everyone to join in, try something new and take pride in their progress.
Learning how to be a good friend and a responsible member of our school community is just as important as our academic achievements. Through PSHE, children explore kindness, friendships, emotions, personal safety and making sensible choices online. Our World Cultures and Beliefs lessons introduce different religious beliefs and traditions, helping children understand the importance of respect, compassion and caring for others.
One of the highlights of our year is the much-loved Key Stage 1 Christmas production! The children have a wonderful time learning songs, practising their lines, developing their acting skills and working together to put on a fantastic performance for their families. It is always a special moment to see their confidence grow as they take to the stage.
Above all, Giraffes is a classroom where everyone belongs, every voice matters and every achievement is worth celebrating. Guided by our Oxley values of ‘Be Kind’, ‘Be Brilliant’ and ‘Have an I can attitude’, we encourage children to be brave, thoughtful and determined learners who are excited about what they can achieve.
We can't wait to share a year full of learning, laughter, friendships and wonderful memories with our Giraffes!
Welcome to the Year Ahead – Parent Meets 2026/27