This page gives you an insight into daily life in Year 1, including useful information about our timetable, curriculum, educational visits and key events throughout the year.
Year 1 is a vibrant, exciting and inspiring year where children are encouraged to explore, create and discover through a wealth of hands-on learning experiences. Our curriculum is carefully designed to spark curiosity, build confidence and nurture a lifelong love of learning.
Children develop important geographical skills by observing their surroundings, using maps and learning about the environment around them.
During the summer term, children enjoy a visit to Skegness, where they compare the seaside town with St Annes. They look at what is similar and different about the two locations and learn more about coastal geography. This exciting trip brings their learning to life and gives them the chance to make wonderful memories with their friends.
Pupils also learn about the inspiring achievements of Amelia Earhart, exploring her role as a pioneering aviator and the challenges she overcame. These topics encourage curiosity about the past while helping children develop and understanding of significant individuals and historical change.
Pupils explore seasonal changes and investigate plants and animals within our local environment, including visits to the local orchard where they can observe nature first-hand.
Our science learning is brought to life through exciting visits from a variety of fascinating creatures. These hands-on experiences give children the chance to see animals up close, learn about where they live, what they eat and how they survive in the wild.
These memorable visits spark curiosity, encourage lots of questions and help children develop a real love of learning about the natural world. They are always a highlight of the year and create lasting memories for our young scientists.
Pupils take part in exciting practical projects, including designing and making a chair for Little Bear from Goldilocks and the Three Bears, encouraging them to think carefully about structures, materials and stability.
Children also design and create a coat to keep Little Red Riding Hood warm, developing their sewing and textile skills while learning about suitable materials and design features.
Through PE and PSHE, children strengthen important life skills such as teamwork, resilience, independence and kindness.
With engaging topics, practical learning opportunities and memorable experiences both inside and outside the classroom, Year 1 provides a truly exciting and inspiring start to your child’s learning journey, laying strong foundations for future success while ensuring every child feels valued, challenged and inspired to achieve their very best.
Autumn Term: Visit to Newark Air Museum to explore real aircraft and learn about the history of flight.
Spring Term: trip to a local orchard where children observe seasonal changes, explore nature and develop their fieldwork skills.
Summer Term: visit to Skegness to learn about coastal geography and compare seaside locations through first-hand experiences.
These visits help broaden children’s experiences, encourage questioning and discussion, build confidence and inspire a lifelong love of learning.
Further information about class experiences is provided in advance of any trips.
In Year 1, the children will take a statutory phonics screening assessment in June, which assesses the progress your child has made in early reading. The children are well prepared for this, and it take place in school with their class teacher in a familiar environment and format. We will provide information on this as the year progresses, including a parent workshop.
If you have any questions about the assessment, please speak with your child’s class teacher.
Children bring home a phonics reading book that matches the sounds they are learning in school, helping them to build confidence and fluency. We also provide a reading for pleasure book for you to enjoy together and help foster a lifelong love of reading.
How parents can support at home:
Regular reading at home, even for a short time each day, makes a significant difference in helping children become confident, fluent, and thoughtful readers.
If you have any questions about reading or how best to support your child, please contact your child’s class teacher.
The five key principles that underpin all the teaching in the Read Write Inc. programme are:
As their skills develop, children progress through the coloured reading levels, accessing books that match their growing knowledge and introducing new words and challenges along the way.
To support learning at home, we also share helpful phonics videos and resources with families.
Please ensure pupils are in full uniform every day:
School PE kit must be worn all day on PE days:
If you have any concerns about PE kit please let us know.
