As Readers in Year 1

In Year 1, our children focus on learning to read with confidence through daily phonics teaching using the Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) programme, where they learn and revise Phase 3 and 5 sounds to support accurate blending, segmenting and fluency.

Alongside phonics, pupils enjoy a wide range of high‑quality texts that develop vocabulary, comprehension and a love of reading. Throughout the year, children explore rich core books such as Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, and The Last Wolf by Mini Grey. Children also encounter a variety of additional texts linked to our foundation subjects, helping them deepen understanding across the curriculum and make meaningful connections through reading.

As Writers in Year 1

Writing is all around us in Year 1! Children are encouraged to write everywhere they play whether they are in the science lab recording observations, in the construction area writing instructions for their models, or at the message centre creating their own books, labels, cards and letters for real‑life audiences. Through continuous provision, pupils learn that writing has purpose, meaning and joy.

In Year 1, children learn to write for a range of purposes through our carefully chosen class texts, including Rapunzel by Bethan Woollvin and Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, alongside stories linked to our wider curriculum. These rich stories inspire pupils to create simple narratives, write captions and labels, retell events, and begin exploring early instruction and information writing.

A strong emphasis is placed on building the essential foundations of writing. Our ‘Every Time I Write’ initiative supports children through oracy and modelling to remember the key non‑negotiables of being a successful Year 1 writer: using capital letters, finger spaces and full stops 'every time they write' in year one. Children develop their handwriting, rehearse ideas aloud, and build confidence and stamina as they learn to express themselves clearly and proudly on the page.

In Year 1, children build strong early maths skills through practical lessons. Sessions are taught in short, focused bursts with a balance of teacher-led learning and play-based activities. Children use a wide range of manipulatives such as counters, cubes, tens frames and number lines to explore ideas and new concepts hands‑on.