Meet the Staff
This is the year the children move on from the Early Years profile and onto the national curriculum. We are passionate about ensuring children receive the diet they need to be successful. We understand that many children will still need time to transition, therefore the Reception and Year 1 team work very closely to ensure information is shared and plans are put into place to support the children moving into Year 1. Learning through play continues to be valued, with carefully planned provision to challenge and interest the children. Teaching and learning is mindful of the Early Years profile and we spend time nurturing the prime areas of learning. Speaking and listening is key within our lessons and creativity can be found within our whole curriculum. Children become sportsmen, singers and actors, keen historians and scientists just to name a few!
Phonics
In Year 1, we believe that high quality phonics teaching is the key to creating confident, fluid readers. We use Read, Write, Inc to teach We operate our phonics lessons in small groups so that children are receiving the phonetic diet that they really need. We send home books that are carefully matched to children’s confidence in phonics and complete regular phonic assessments to keep a handle on progress and children’s needs.
In June, your child will take a phonics screening check- a short test designed to test the accuracy of your child’s decoding. Your child will be very well-prepared for this so is nothing for them or you to worry about. Please visit the phonics page for more information.
Writing
In Year 1, the children continue their writing journey, using lovely books to inspire their work. Initially their focus will be embedding their phonics learning and handwriting skills whilst fostering a love of writing. Children will learn to identify the subject and verb within a sentence- the foundational skills needed for the rest of the writing curriculum. As the children’s understanding of basic sentence structure develops, we then start to introduce ‘Talk 4 Write’ and other oracy-based strategies which allows the children to consolidate their learning in longer pieces of writing, designed to build their writing stamina.
Mathematics
In Year 1, children follow a progressive sequence of learning to enable them to become competent learners. Children are challenged and reasoning and problem-solving questions to extend their learning and understanding. Children take part in active lessons to fully embed their understanding.
Wider Curriculum
Memory Box
In Memory Box, we travel back in time! We explore toys, schools and homes from the past and compare them to today. We love sharing family memories and discovering how things have changed over time.
Splendid Skies
During Splendid Skies, we look up and learn all about the weather. We explore clouds, rainbows, sunshine and storms, and discover how weather (and the world around us) changes across the seasons.
Bright Lights, Big City
In Bright Lights, Big City, we explore what makes a city special. We learn about famous landmarks, compare city and countryside life, and discover exciting places around the UK.
Paws, Claws and Whiskers
Our Paws, Claws and Whiskers topic is all about animals! We learn about mammals, their habitats and what they eat. We compare wild animals to pets and explore their amazing features.
Our Wonderful World
In Our Wonderful World, we become young geographers. We explore continents, oceans and different countries, learning about the amazing planet we live on.
Moon Zoom
With Moon Zoom, we blast off into space! We learn about the Moon, the Sun and the planets. We explore space travel and discover what it might be like to be an astronaut.
Time to Play
We still value play within our Year 1 classrooms and areas are set up to create curiosity and engagement. Children enjoy exploring the different areas and learning in the moment. Teachers regularly change the provision to keep interest high and maximise learning.
As children enter the national curriculum, we hook children in with engaging topics and ideas. Teachers make learning fun and children enjoy all of the different subjects we cover.
Be sure to check out your child’s Seesaw page for a window into our classrooms!
Useful links:
Home – new design – updates v1
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
If you have any questions or queries about Year 1, please contact your child’s class teacher.