Welcome to our Year 1 Class Page.  

Curriculum Information for Parents and Carers – Year 1 Spring Term 2024

The Spring Term is underway and we would like to share with you a summary of what your child is learning in class.  We would also like to share some ways that you can support your child at home.

Detailed information about the topics can be found in the Knowledge Organisers at the bottom of this page.  The Knowledge Organisers contain the key vocabulary and learning for each topic and you can look at these with your child over the course of the term. 

English

We will be delving into a number of high quality picture books to help us to practise and apply our writing skills to write a list poem, character descriptions, planning and inventing a new story, a non-chronological report, and a letter.

Mathematics

Number and Place Value: Count forwards and backwards to 50 and begin to explore the place value of these numbers.  Count, order, read and write numbers to 50.  Compare numbers using words like less than, greater than, equal to.  Solve addition and subtraction problems to 20, exploring number bonds.  We will continue to use number lines.

Measurement: Measure and begin to record lengths, heights, mass/weight.  Compare, describe and solve practical problems using different units of measurement.

RE

Special People: All families who live or worship in a parish are part of the parish family.  As in any family, there are people who have special roles within the parish.

Being Sorry: For Christians, it is important to make choices in the light of our belief in a loving God.  There are times when we need to acknowledge our sorrow for making wrong choices.  The Church offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which celebrates God’s unconditional love for us.

Change: Lent offers a time to reflect on life and change.  This is a time to prepare for Easter.  Change is  a necessary part of healthy growth.

Science

Planting: We will explore and observe the growth of plants over a period of time leading into Spring and Summer.

Animals: In this topic we will identify, name and compare a variety of common animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.  We will identify if animals are herbivores, omnivores or carnivores.

Caring for the Planet: In this topic, we will explore sustainability and why it is important to care for our planet.  We will consider how we can do this through recycling, or by planting a vegetable or wildflower garden.

Seasonal Changes: We will continue to explore seasonal changes at varying times throughout the term.

History

In Spring Half Term 1, we will be exploring how toys have changed over time.  We will investigate artefacts from the past and begin to pose questions.  We will learn how teddy bears have changed and ‘interview’ an old teddy bear before considering what toys may be like in the future.

Geography

In Spring Half Term 2, we will be looking at the countries and cities that make up the UK.  We will be keeping a daily weather record and finding out more about hot and cold places in the UK.

Music

We will be recapping our knowledge of rhythm and pitch, through singing, listening and ensemble playing.

The children will get a more in depth look at notation and the idea of line notes versus space notes,  and specifically the rhymes that go with these.  We will use this knowledge to develop our pitched percussion skills through the use of boomwhackers, xylophones and ocarinas.

PE

Gymnastics: We will be exploring and developing gymnastic actions on the floor and using low apparatus.  Basic skills of jumping, rolling, balancing and travelling are used individually and in combination to create movement phrases.

Invasion Games: We will be developing the basic skills required in invasion games such as sending, receiving and dribbling a ball.  We will develop our understanding of attacking and defending and what being 'in possession' means.

Net and Wall: We will be learning the importance of the ready position.  We will develop throwing, catching and racquet skills, learning to track and hit a ball and play against an opponent and over a net.

Target Games: We will develop our aim using both underarm and overarm actions.  We will learn to select and apply the appropriate action for the target considering the size and distance of the challenge.

Art

In Spring Half Term 1, we will create simple three-dimensional shapes and structures using familiar materials.  We will develop skills in manipulating paper and card; we will fold, roll and scrunch materials to make our own sculptures.

Design and Technology

In Spring Half Term 2, inspired by the song, ‘Mouse in a windmill’, children will design and construct a windmill for a client (mouse) to live in.  We will explore various types of windmills, how they work and their key features.

RHE (Relationship and Health Education)

This unit explores teaching on physical boundaries, incorporating the PANTS resource by the NSPCC.  Through the animated expert Dr Datfa, children will also learn about the effects of harmful substances (including alcohol and tobacco), some basic First Aid, what makes a 999 emergency and what they should do in an emergency situation.

Educational Visits

We will have a box of toys from Richmond Museum to help support our History topic and family visitors to share with us their favourite toys from the past.

We will also participate in a maths workshop to develop our problem solving skills.

Books and Arts week will be the week of the 11th March.

How you can help your child at home

• Reading daily and talking about the book - recalling what has happened.
• Completing Phonics Homework.
• Helping with Maths homework.
• Providing support with half termly projects.
• Lots of talking! This helps build understanding of the world around us, as well as vocabulary.