Our Learning

Year 1 marks the beginning of our journey into Key Stage 1. Our children continue to do the majority of their learning through play and exploration within a range of exciting and engaging topics.

The autumn term starts with a mission to become weather experts. Our science unit focuses on seasonal change and is closely linked to our geography learning about weather across the UK, including extreme weather. It is easy for us to become weather-obsessed, especially when daily weather patterns are so unpredictable. We observe and record daily weather patterns, investigate seasonal changes and measure wind and rain on different days.

Our first history unit is Past, Present and Future. We develop a sense of chronology and make comparisons between things we are familiar with like toys and schools in the the past and present. We draw on the experiences of our family members to gain an understanding of ‘living memory’ and what history lies further back in the past, ‘beyond living memory’.

Our second history Explorers and Journeys takes us further back in time learning about the experiences of some famous explorers:  Christopher Columbus, Ibn Battuta, Neil Armstrong, Mae Jemison and Robert Falcon Scott. By studying and comparing the historical periods in which these great explorers lived, we begin to develop understanding of the past and the order of events in the past (chronology).

In geography, we continue with a theme of exploration as we travel around the globe learning about the continents and oceans. We learn to distinguish between globes and maps and understand what makes them similar and different.

In the summer term, we explore our local area using aerial photographs and observational walks and learn to make our own maps and plans. We then travel further afield to learn about the coast and take a trip to Chalkwell. Here, we gain first-hand experience of key coastal features and make comparisons between the physical and human geography of this location and our own local area.

In our final history unit of the year, we learn about key individual such as Wilbur and Orville Wright and Amelia Earhart when we learn how humankind took to the skies.

Throughout Year 1, we enjoy a rich range of texts on our reading spine. Our teacher reads to us every day and we explore fiction, non-fiction and poetry together to develop a love of reading and broaden our vocabulary.

Take a look at the Year 1 – Yearly Learning Overview to find out more about learning in each subject across Year 1.