Year 1

WELCOME TO YEAR 1

We are incredibly excited about the year ahead and cannot wait to welcome your child into a year full of discovery, creativity and growth in Year 1. This is a year where children make huge strides in their learning, and we will support them through a rich mix of whole-class teaching, small-group activities and continuous provision, where they can explore ideas through practical, hands-on experiences. A strong focus on phonics, reading and writing will help children grow into confident and enthusiastic communicators. Through the Little Wandle phonics programme, daily lessons will introduce new sounds and tricky words in a clear and engaging way, giving children the tools they need to become successful readers and writers. In maths, children will build secure foundations through daily lessons and Mastering Number, developing confidence and fluency with numbers step by step.

Stories will be at the heart of our classroom, and we will share some truly memorable books together. In The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, we will follow Plop’s journey as he discovers that the dark can be full of wonder and excitement. We will laugh together while reading The Day the Crayons Quit, where the crayons share their surprising opinions and inspire us to think creatively. We will also explore the amazing world we live in through Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth, encouraging children to think about their place in the world and how we can look after it. These stories will spark imagination, inspire writing and help children develop a real love of reading.

Year 1 is a very special year, full of important milestones and exciting achievements. We are looking forward to celebrating successes, nurturing curiosity and watching the children grow in confidence and independence every single day.

The Year 1 Team

AUTUMN

In Year 1, we begin the year as geographers, exploring the exciting question: “Where do I call home?” This theme helps us understand our place in the world. We create maps of our school and local area and take a walk around our neighbourhood to observe key features. We also explore different types of homes from around the world and compare them to our own. In Science, we learn about our bodies and discover how we use our five senses to understand and explore the world around us.

We then become historians as we learn about toys from the past. We begin by sharing our favourite toys with our friends before comparing them to toys children enjoyed long ago. We investigate similarities and differences between old and new toys and are introduced to timelines to help us understand how things change over time. We also explore important developments in toys and imagine what life would be like without electricity or the internet. In Science, we learn about everyday materials and their properties, investigating which materials are best suited for different purposes.

The fun continues as we apply our learning in Design and Technology. Using our knowledge of materials and their properties, we take on a special festive challenge — helping our Christmas elves complete an important task!

SPRING

G’day! In the Spring term, we will discover what life is really like ‘down under’ as we become experts in all things Australia. We will learn about some of the country’s most famous landmarks, including the Sydney Opera House, and compare the city of Manchester with Sydney. As ethical learners, we will explore the impact pollution is having on the Great Barrier Reef and consider how we can help protect our planet. In English, we will write persuasively to encourage others to visit this beautiful country, and we will explore the traditional Aboriginal style of artwork, developing our creativity and cultural understanding.

In Science, we will focus on animals, learning about different animal groups and how they have adapted to their climates and habitats. To reinforce and enrich this learning, we will visit Chester Zoo, where children will have the opportunity to observe a wide range of animals first-hand and deepen their understanding of classification and adaptation. The term will culminate in our exciting Australian Showcase, where the children will proudly share their work and learning with parents, an event they are already very much looking forward to.

SUMMER

As the summer sun begins to shine, we turn our attention to the beauty of nature through our Science topic on plants. We will explore how plants grow, what they need to survive and the important role they play in our world. In Design and Technology, we will apply our creativity and problem-solving skills to design and make our own trolley for transporting plants, carefully considering structure, stability and purpose. To conclude our learning about seasonal change, we will revisit our special tree in summer, completing our observations across all four seasons.

In History, we will study the development of trains over time and how travel has changed through the years. We will learn about the achievements of George Stephenson and the significant contribution he made to the world of transport and industry. Inspired by the natural beauty around us, we will also refine our Art and DT skills by creating our own clay sculptures of flowers, carefully shaping and adding detail to produce finished pieces we can be proud of.

Values

A Connected Environment

We believe that Year 1 is a happy, nurturing and connected environment where every child feels valued and supported. We love working together as a year group and creating opportunities for the children to learn, play and grow as one team. Through shared experiences, we encourage collaboration, kindness and a strong sense of belonging.

In the Autumn term, our Harvest Festival performance brings us together in a very special way. This is a wonderful opportunity for the children to perform with confidence and pride, while also learning about the importance of giving back to others. As part of our celebration, we collect donations for our local foodbank, helping the children to understand how they can make a positive difference in their community.

The Year 1 curriculum is carefully designed around exciting and engaging themes that spark curiosity and imagination. Throughout the year, children have opportunities to work with different classmates, build new friendships and grow in independence as learners. We also enjoy collaborating with other year groups to share experiences and be supported in our learning journey.

During our Australia theme, we strengthen our connection between home and school by inviting parents to a special showcase performance. This is a wonderful opportunity for the children to share their learning, celebrate their achievements and proudly perform the work they have created, building both confidence and a sense of accomplishment. 

A Creative Outlook

We take a creative approach to the Year 1 curriculum which we believe brings your learning to life. Throughout the year, you will meet exciting characters and take part in imaginative experiences that inspire your learning. You will meet characters throughout the year and when Christmas approaches, our festive elves need our help to complete a very special Design and Technology task. We even board ‘Heyes Lane Airways’ for a pretend flight to Australia, sparking our curiosity about the wider world. As part of our Science learning about animals, we explore and learn more about different species, including during our visit to Chester Zoo. Through these creative experiences, we develop our imagination, curiosity and love of learning.

A Positive Mindset

In PE, we take part in fun team-building activities that help us learn how to work together, take turns and support one another. We learn how to work and play kindly with each other, how to stay safe in school, and why it is important to keep our bodies healthy and active. We also think about simple goals we would like to achieve and how we can try our best every day.

As the year goes on, we encourage everyone to be brave, keep trying when things feel tricky and believe in themselves. We take inspiration from people in the past who showed courage and kindness during difficult times, and we talk about how we can show those same qualities in our own lives. At the end of the year, we reflect on all that we have learned and celebrate how much we have grown, making sure everyone feels proud, confident and ready for Year 2.

A Caring Nature

Year 1 is one team and we all care for one another. There is always a cheerful good morning at the classroom door and we love the way you share your smiles, kind words and thoughtful manners each day. We take time to say thank you, celebrate each other’s efforts and recognise the wonderful ways we help our friends.

We show our caring nature across school by being positive role models, using kind hands and feet, and helping others when they need support. Whether it is tidying up together, encouraging a friend or sharing our resources, we learn that small acts of kindness can make a big difference.

During our Harvest Festival in the Autumn term, we learn how we can care for the wider community. By collecting donations for our local foodbank, the children begin to understand how their actions can help others. We talk about why some families may need extra support and how giving is a way of showing kindness and gratitude.

Our weekly circle time sessions are an important part of developing empathy and emotional understanding. Together, we talk about different feelings and emotions, explore how to manage them and practise ways to solve problems calmly and kindly. These sessions help the children to understand themselves and others, building a strong foundation of compassion, respect and care.

An Active Approach

In Year 1, we are active learners who love to explore, investigate and try new things. We learn best by doing, and our classroom environment is carefully designed to give us opportunities to practise and apply our skills in different and meaningful ways.

Through our continuous provision, children can revisit and strengthen their learning through construction, creative craft activities and purposeful mark making. Whether building models, designing and creating artwork, or developing their writing skills, children are constantly growing in independence, imagination and problem-solving.

We also love active maths! We regularly play practical maths games and use hands-on equipment to help us understand new concepts. By using resources such as counters, number lines and practical apparatus, we build confidence and deepen our understanding while having fun.

Physical activity is an important part of life in Year 1. Each week, children take part in dedicated PE afternoons where they enjoy a range of sports and activities, including dance, hockey, team-building challenges and gymnastics. These sessions help us to develop coordination, resilience and teamwork, while encouraging healthy and active lifestyles.

HOME LEARNING

We believe that short, regular homework activities help children build fluency and confidence. In Year 1, homework focuses on practising key skills in a simple and enjoyable way. Children should read their Little Wandle reading book regularly, as well as spend time reading for pleasure by sharing stories at home. Regular phonics practice will help children become more confident readers and writers, and using NumBots will support their early maths skills.

Homework activities should be short and manageable, and support is available in school if needed. Tasks will usually include the following:

READING

In Year 1, we want children to enjoy reading and to grow in confidence as readers. Each week, children will bring home a Little Wandle reading book, which is a familiar book that helps practise the sounds and words they are learning in school. These books are designed to be read more than once so children can build fluency and feel proud of their progress.

Alongside this, we encourage reading for pleasure. This might be a story, picture book or favourite book shared with an adult or family member, simply for enjoyment. Talking about stories together helps children develop a love of books and language.

We recommend reading a little every day where possible. This might include re-reading the Little Wandle book and sharing another book together for enjoyment.

PHONICS

The Little Wandle phonics homework is sent home each week to help children practise the new sounds and tricky words they have been learning in class. All of the sounds and words will already be familiar, so the activities are designed to build confidence and reinforce learning rather than introduce anything new. The tasks give children opportunities to recognise new sounds in different words and to practise both reading and spelling. The homework should be completed in short, manageable chunks across the week, helping children to develop their skills little by little.

NUMBOTS

NumBots is available as a way to support children in developing their early maths skills in a fun and engaging way. The activities help children build fluency with number facts and gradually introduce more challenging problems as their understanding grows. Using NumBots can improve children’s speed, confidence and accuracy with numbers. In Year 1 there is no expectation for children to reach certain levels or spend a set amount of time on the programme; it is simply there to support and strengthen their learning.

LINKS TO WEBSITES

NumBots

Little Wandle – parent section