What We Are Learning in Year One

Welcome to our Year One learning update! This term, we are building on the children’s learning from Reception and developing their confidence, independence and curiosity across the curriculum.

📚 English – Harry the Happy Mouse Bridging Unit

In English, we are beginning our Harry the Happy Mouse bridging unit. The children will develop their listening, speaking and comprehension skills through engaging stories and activities. They will explore characters, settings and events, build their vocabulary and begin to develop their ideas for writing. We will also be encouraging the children to write in sentences, using their phonics knowledge to support spelling.

🔢 Maths – White Rose: Place Value within 10

In Maths, we are following the White Rose scheme and focusing on place value within 10. The children will develop their understanding of numbers to 10, including counting forwards and backwards, recognising numbers and quantities, comparing groups and numbers, and understanding one more and one less. We will use practical resources and representations to help children develop a secure understanding of number.

🔤 Phonics – Little Wandle

In Phonics, we are following the Little Wandle programme. We will begin by reviewing Phase 3 sounds and words before moving on to Phase 4, where the children will practise reading and spelling longer words and words containing adjacent consonants. We will then begin exploring Phase 5 GPCs (Grapheme-Phoneme Correspondences), learning alternative ways of representing the sounds they already know. The children will continue to develop their blending, segmenting, reading and spelling skills.

✏️ Handwriting – Letter-Join

In Handwriting, we are using Letter-Join to develop correct letter formation and handwriting habits. Our focus will be on capital letters, learning how to form each letter accurately, with the correct starting points and direction. We will encourage children to take pride in their handwriting and develop increasing fluency and control.

We are looking forward to a fantastic term of learning and seeing the children grow in confidence as they take their next steps in Year One!

🌱 Science – Plants

This half term in Science, Year 1 will be learning all about plants. We will explore the different parts of a plant and discover what plants need to grow and stay healthy. The children will have opportunities to observe and identify a variety of common plants, trees and flowers in our school environment. We will also investigate how plants change as they grow and develop our scientific skills by making observations, asking questions and recording what we discover.

🗺️ Geography – Here I Am

This half term in Geography, Year 1 will be exploring ‘Here I Am’ through the United Curriculum. We will begin by developing our understanding of where we live and the places that are important to us. The children will explore their local area, using simple maps and geographical vocabulary to describe places and locations. They will learn about human and physical features and begin to understand how places can be represented in different ways. Through this topic, we will encourage children to develop a sense of place and their understanding of the world around them.

🎨 Art – I Am an Artist

This half term in Art, Year 1 will be exploring ‘I Am an Artist’ through the United Curriculum. We will look closely at the work of artists Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian, exploring how they used colour, line, shape and pattern in their artwork. The children will experiment with different materials and techniques, developing their confidence in making creative choices. We will encourage the children to see themselves as artists and to enjoy expressing their own ideas through art.

💻 Computing – Technology Around Us

This half term in Computing, Year 1 will be learning about ‘Technology Around Us’ through Teach Computing. We will explore what technology is and identify examples of technology that we use in our everyday lives. The children will develop their understanding of how technology can help us and begin to use different devices safely and responsibly. We will also develop key skills such as using a mouse, keyboard and other common technology tools.

⚽ PE – Baseline

This half term in PE, Year 1 will begin with baseline activities following the Lancashire PE planning. The children will take part in a range of fun activities designed to assess and develop their fundamental movement skills, including running, jumping, balancing, throwing and catching. We will use these activities to identify the children's starting points and help them develop their coordination, control, agility and confidence. Most importantly, we will encourage the children to enjoy being active and working together as a team.