LOVE GOD, LOVE OURSELVES, LOVE PEOPLE

Year 1

Year 1 is an important stage in your child’s learning journey, building upon the strong foundations established in Reception. Throughout the year, children will continue to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding across all areas of the curriculum, whilst growing in confidence and independence.

Year 1 Curriculum Overview

We are delighted to share our Year 1 curriculum overview, which outlines the exciting learning opportunities planned for the year ahead. This overview is designed to help you support your child’s learning at home and gain an understanding of the topics and skills they will be exploring.

For further information, please refer to the attached Long-Term Plan.

Reading and Phonics

Developing confident and enthusiastic readers remains a key priority in Year 1. Children will take part in daily phonics lessons to strengthen their reading and spelling skills, building on their prior learning. These sessions follow a structured approach to ensure children develop a secure understanding of phonics and can apply their knowledge when reading and writing.

In addition, children will participate in guided reading sessions three times each week. During these lessons, they will develop key reading skills, including fluency, comprehension, vocabulary development and the ability to discuss and respond to texts. We encourage regular reading at home, as this plays a vital role in supporting children's progress and fostering a lifelong love of reading.

Rainbow Reading Challenge

To encourage children to read for pleasure at home, the children are invited to take part in our whole-school reading reward challenge. Children will receive stamps on bookmark cards based on how many books they have read at home. This does not include their school phonics reading book but instead books of choice.

Children will receive 1 stamp per book or 2 stamps if they choose to read a book from the recommended reading list of books for Year 1. 

Bookmark cards will be stamped by your child’s class teacher once an adult at home has confirmed the book has been completed. Just a signature in your child’s reading diary is all that’s needed.

Each time your child fills a bookmark card they will receive a colour badge in our class celebration assembly with the aim of collecting all the colour badges of the rainbow. Once the whole rainbow reader challenge has been achieved for the new academic year, your child’s name will be entered into a raffle for a prize.

10 stamps = red badge                               50 stamps = blue badge

20 stamps = orange badge                         60 stamps = indigo badge

30 stamps = yellow badge                          70 stamps = violet badge

40 stamps = green badge      

Maths

In Maths, children will follow the White Rose Maths scheme, supported by resources from Power Maths. Lessons are carefully planned to develop a secure understanding of mathematical concepts and to build confidence in problem-solving and reasoning.

Children will learn through a range of concrete, pictorial and abstract approaches. This means they will first use practical resources and equipment, before representing their learning through pictures and diagrams, and finally applying their understanding using numbers and written methods.

Throughout the year, children will develop their fluency in number and place value, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, fractions and measurement. We will place a strong emphasis on helping children recognise the relationships between mathematical concepts and operations, enabling them to explain their thinking and apply their skills in a variety of contexts.

Regular opportunities for practical exploration, discussion and problem-solving will help children develop a deep and lasting understanding of mathematics.

Homework

Homework will be set each Friday on Seesaw. Children will receive either English or Maths homework on alternate weeks. Where possible, homework activities will link closely to the learning that has taken place in class that week, helping to reinforce key skills and concepts.

Once completed, a photograph of the work can be uploaded to Seesaw for marking and feedback. If your child experiences any difficulties with the homework, please let us know. We will be happy to provide support and go through the activity with them at school.

Paper copies of homework are also available upon request. Please contact your child’s class teacher if you require a printed version.

We greatly appreciate your support with homework, as it plays an important role in consolidating learning and developing your child's confidence and independence.

PE and Forest School

The children in Bask Class will be having their PE lesson on a Thursday and Forest School on a Wednesday.

The children in Nest Class will be having their PE lesson on a Tuesday and Forest School on a Wednesday. 

Ways you can foster a love of learning:

• Hear your child read daily

• Support your child with weekly homework (Reading, Writing and Maths)

• Reading stories, poems, magazines to your children.

• Encourage your child to be curious about the world around them.

• Provide lots of opportunities for your child to write in different contexts.

• Talking and listening to your child.

• Noticing their environment.

• Encouraging a sense of ‘wonder and awe’

We look forward to a fantastic year together!

The Year 1 Team