Year 1

Welcome everybody to the Year 1 section of the website.

KS1 Assistant Head Teacher

Mrs Spoor

Class Teachers:

1S Ms Singleton. LSA: Miss Shields.

1K Miss Khanum. LSA: Mrs Osanloo.

1R Miss King. LSA: Mrs Andrews.

Mrs Rahman supporting and teaching across all Year 1 classes. 

If you have any questions, then please don’t hesitate to ask one of the Year 1 team.

Welcome to the Spring term in Year 1. This term is full of exciting learning opportunities as children continue to develop confidence, independence and curiosity across the curriculum. Below is an overview of what your child will be learning and how you can support them at home.

Reading at home

Please ensure that reading books are handled with care and brought back into school everyday. During the week, adults in school will continue to listen and assess their reading and they will be given a new book to take home. Children need to read their reading books at home every night for approximately 10-15 minutes. Please can adults sign their record book each time their child reads, so that we know how much they have practised. Children also have a set of key words to practise reading at home each night. These words should be read by sight, without sounding out. Books will be changed once a week and new key words will be given out when the child is confident with their current set. 

Reading at home with your child is so important. It builds listening skills, creates bond time with family members, expands vocabulary, increases attention span and develops children socially and emotionally. Please read 5 times a week and record this in their reading diary. Reading books will be changed once children have read their book three times.

Phonics (Read, Write Inc)

We follow the Read, Write Inc. programme to teach phonics throughout school.

Read Write Inc. is a systematic phonics programme that teaches children to:

• Recognise sounds and the letters that represent them

• Blend sounds to read words using Fred Talk

• Build fluency through Fred in your Head and Speedy Reading

• Children’s home reading books are carefully matched to the sounds they are learning in phonics, enabling them to read with confidence.

Parents are encouraged to watch the Read Write Inc. phonics video for further information:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXOJUPNVnLc

Each day a different sound is taught and we recap these daily. We have a huge focus on children blending sounds together to read words ie c-u-p = cup, s-p-r-ay = spray. The children are taught in smaller groups for their daily Phonics lesson. 

We also do weekly Handwriting lessons to support with letter formation.

Phonics Screening Check 

You may be aware that all Year One, children will participate in a Phonics Screening Check. This check will take place in June 2026. This is a statutory check which will identify children who have developed decoding skills to the appropriate standard and those who may need extra support. Children who do not pass will have another opportunity in Year 2. Therefore, it is crucial your child is reading and practicing everyday. 

All children will receive a phonics pack with all set 1,2,3 words, including alien words that they can practice at home. Please also keep an eye out on Seesaw, teachers will share additional alien words you can practice. Any questions please ask, we want all of our children to do well.

Homework

Throughout Year One, children are expected to read their books and practise their key words every night for homework. We will also send one piece of homework on Monday. This must be returned on Friday.

P.E. 

Our P.E. days are:

• 1S: Tuesday 

• 1K: Tuesday and Thursday (Dance)

• 1R: Tuesday 

A gentle reminder that our school P.E. kit is:

• Plain white t-shirt

• Black shorts

• Black pumps or trainers (no visible branding)

• Some sessions take place outdoors, so children may also wear black jogging bottoms and a long-sleeved white top, depending on the weather.

Please ensure children wear their P.E. kit before coming into school. 

Water bottles and snacks

Children should bring a labelled water bottle to school every day. Bottles should be refilled daily at home.

Children are welcome to bring a healthy snack such as fruit and vegetables to school each day for snack time, but are also offered a piece of fruit from each day. Breadsticks and milk can be purchased at the start of each half-term. Please contact the school office for further information.

Please do not send in nuts due to allergies in school.

Storytime

The class have a daily story session, when they listen to and talk about a story. They develop their vocabulary, by learning new words in each story. They will have a chance to take part in fun drama activities too!

Writing (EY2P)

I Follow the Fox

In English, we are going to explore the story I Follow the Fox. We will use the text to develop our reading and writing skills, as well as our understanding of language and storytelling.

Through this story we will:

• Explore the characters, setting and themes of the story.

• Develop comprehension skills by predicting, asking questions, and discussing key events.

• Learn new vocabulary linked to the story.

• Write our own pieces inspired by the story, such as descriptions and short narratives. 

By the end of the unit, children will have improved their reading fluency, developed their creative writing.

We will also continue to develop our phonic knowledge, becoming confident with our Set 1, 2 and 3 sounds. We will developi our writing skills by consistently using capital letters and full stops, applying our phonic knowledge for spellings, using conjunctions (because, so, and, if, but), using new punctuation and adjectives. We will become more independent with by checking our own work.

In Guided Reading, we will continue to read a range of stories. We will develop our reading comprehension skills of being able to read the text, process it and understand its meaning.

Children will have a spelling test each week. Please ensure your child can read and spell these words. These will be uploaded to Seesaw. 

Maths (First4Maths)

Addition and Subtraction within 10

In Maths, we follow the First4Maths scheme, which is fully aligned with the National Curriculum. During Spring 1, children will focus on addition and subtraction, developing their understanding through practical, visual and written methods.

Children will:

• Add and subtract within 10

• Use number lines, ten frames and base ten resources

• Apply number facts to solve problems

• Explain their thinking using mathematical vocabulary

• Regular practice helps children build confidence, accuracy and fluency.

Science (Kapow)

Children will explore two science units:

Animals: Sensitive bodies

Children will identify and name body parts and conduct practical activities with the senses to spot patterns and answer questions.

Animals: Comparing animals

Children will compare and group animals based on similarities and differences in their characteristics, physical features and diets.

History (Kapow)

How am I making History?

Children will: 

• Order photographs correctly on a simple timeline.

• Use the terms ‘before’ and ‘after’ when discussing their timelines.

• Explain why memories are special and name four events that they celebrate throughout the year.

• Know a similarity and a difference between childhood now and in the past.

• Use key vocabulary to compare the present, the past and possible changes in the future.

Geography (Kapow)

What is the weather like in the UK

Children will:

• To identify and locate the four UK countries

• Recognise their own country and describe locations using basic compass directions.

• Measure different types of weather, using symbols used in weather forecasts.

• Describe seasonal changes

• Suggest appropriate clothing and activities for each season.

Art

Self-Portraits 

Children will:

• Focus on self-portraits. 

• Explore how artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Georgia O’Keeffe represented themselves and their subjects through art.

• Develop their observational drawing skills, experiment with colour, line, and shape, and create their own self-portraits using a range of media.

• Begin to express their individuality and explore how art can communicate feelings and identity.