We’ve had a busy and thought-provoking week in Year 1! Our first themed week focused on ‘Me and My Community’. We’ve been thinking about what makes us special, how we are all different and how we can help everyone feel happy, safe and included.

Throughout the week, we’ve welcomed some very special visitors. They’ve helped us learn more about ourselves, the people around us and our wider community.

Our school community

We started by learning more about our own school community and what makes it special.

First, we revisited our school vision, ‘a happy and healthy place to achieve and believe’. We thought carefully about what these important words mean to us. We also shared examples of how we can stay happy and healthy, celebrate our achievements and show what we believe in.

Next, we explored our school logo and learnt more about St James, who gives our school its name. We discovered that St James was a fisherman and that the scallop shell is an important symbol associated with him. This helped us understand why our school logo features shells.

Families and friendships

We spent some time thinking about the different families we belong to. We learnt that families come in all shapes and sizes. Other people’s families might look very different from our own.

We talked about how families can provide love, care, security and a sense of belonging. Although our families might be different, they are all equally important. Therefore, we should respect and celebrate these differences.

We also thought carefully about what it means to be a good friend. We discussed how healthy friendships involve kindness, respect and making others feel welcome. Our words and actions can make a big difference to how other people feel.

For example, we considered how it might feel to be left out. We then suggested ways to make sure everyone has someone to play with.

This linked closely to our school value of compassion. We recognised that we all have a responsibility to make our school a happy place where everyone feels they belong.

Neurostars – celebrating our different brains

One of our special visits this week was from Neurostars. They helped us learn about the amazing ways our brains work.

We discovered that everybody’s brain is different. As a result, people might think, feel, communicate and learn in different ways.

We explored how something that one person finds easy might be tricky for somebody else. We also learnt that different people might need different kinds of help.

This helped us understand why we should respect others, even when they are different from us. We thought about how we can show kindness, patience and understanding. After all, everybody has their own strengths and challenges.

Most importantly, we learnt that there isn’t just one way to think or learn. Our differences are something to celebrate!

A visit from the Mayor of Wetherby

We were also very excited to welcome the Mayor of Wetherby to school!

This was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our local community. We discovered more about the people who help to look after it.

We thought about what a mayor does and why communities need people to represent them. We also explored how people can make decisions to help others.

Our visit linked closely to our learning about British Values, particularly democracy, the rule of law and individual liberty.

We considered how rules help to keep people safe and make things fair. We also discussed how everyone can help make our community a happy place to live.

Finally, we thought about our own responsibilities as members of the school community. Although we might be young, we can all make a difference! We can do this through our choices, our kindness and the care we show for others.

Learning from veterans

Another important part of our week was meeting some veterans.

Their visit helped us learn about people who have served in the armed forces. We also thought about the importance of courage, service and helping others.

We reflected on the sacrifices people have made to protect others. This encouraged us to think about peace, remembrance and the importance of showing gratitude.

We also made links to our school values of courage, compassion and peace. Together, we considered how we can show these values in our own lives.

For example, we can show courage by standing up for what is right. We can show compassion by caring for others. Finally, we can help create peace by finding kind ways to solve disagreements.

British Values and protected characteristics

During a special assembly, we explored British Values and protected characteristics.

We learnt that everyone deserves fairness and respect, regardless of their differences. People might have different beliefs, backgrounds, families, abilities and experiences. However, everybody is equally important.

We revisited the British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance. We then discussed how we can show these values in our everyday lives.

We also began to understand that everyone is different, and that’s OK!

Sometimes, people experience unfairness because of who they are. We talked about why this is wrong and how we can challenge unkindness. We also considered ways to help everyone feel included.

This encouraged us to think more deeply about what respect really means. Being respectful involves much more than simply having good manners. It also means listening to others, valuing their opinions and celebrating their differences.

Above all, we recognised that everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and welcome.

Reflect and Connect

At the end of our learning, we took time to reflect on some important questions:

• What makes me special?
• Why is it a good thing that we are all different?
• How can I help somebody feel that they belong?
• Is treating everybody fairly always the same as treating everybody in exactly the same way?
• How can I make a positive difference to my community?

Help at home by talking about the people in your community. How might your family, friends and neighbours be similar or different? Together, think about how you can celebrate these differences and help everyone feel welcome, respected and included.