Year 1
Welcome to year 1
The year 1 team for 2025/2026 consists of Mrs Johnson & Mrs Witts (1C) and Mrs Finch (1D), along with our teaching assistants Mrs Simpson, Mrs Randall, Mrs Goddard, Ms Fazackerley, Mrs Billa-Patel, and Mrs Kelly.
PE lessons take place on Thursday and Friday (1C) and Monday and Friday (1D).
Library books are due in Wednesday (1C) and Thursday (1D).
Geography- What is it like to live in Shangahi?
In this exciting geography topic, What is it like to live in Shanghai?, children will explore life in one of the world’s largest and busiest cities. They will begin by learning about the continents of the world, using atlases to locate the UK and China, and identifying Europe and Asia on a world map.
Pupils will develop their understanding of human and physical features by sorting photographs and identifying key features of China and Shanghai. They will use aerial photographs to spot landmarks, describe what they can see, and practise using simple directional language to explain locations.
Through local walks, children will identify features in their own environment and create simple sketch maps using symbols and compass points. They will then compare Shanghai to their local area, exploring similarities and differences between human and physical features.
This topic builds key geographical skills while helping children understand the wider world beyond their community.
Please use the links below to find out more about our new topic.
Curriculum summary
Knowledge organiser
Home Learning
Please find below this half term's learning sheet. Please support your child with their phonics by accessing the games and links on the homework sheet.
Learning showcase
Art- 3D sculpture (May 2026)
Children have been using paper to create 3D sculptures in Art. They have explored the work of Samantha Stephenson and looked at examples of 3D art.
Phonics (Mar 2026)
Year 1 have been working hard getting ready for their phonics screening. They are using their knowledge of phonemes to apply in their writing.
Daily Mile
The Daily Mile was set up as a simple, free, and proven way to help children feel happier, healthier, and more focused through daily movement outdoors. Year 1 have thoroughly enjoyed joining in every afternoon.
World Book Day 2026
Black history musuem (Feb 2026)
We visited the Black Country Living Museum to explore toys in the past. Children explored toys from past to present in a toy workshop and discussed the materials the toys were made from. Children also experienced life in the past from homes to school.
Tennis (Feb 2026)
Year 1 have been learning to send and receieve using tennis rackets in PE.
Reading
Regular reading at home has a huge impact on children's overall academic and personal growth. This is because reading supports many areas of the curriculum and gives children opportunities to see different perspectives, settings and character experiences.
Because of the power that reading has, we encourage regular weekly reading. When you listen to your child read, it is truly beneficial if you ask questions to support their ability to retrieve and comprehend the information that they are reading. Ensuring that children understand what they are reading helps them not only in school, but in their own lives. Reading can have a long-lasting personal, social and emotional positive impact.
All children have a Bug Club account which they can access at home. It has a vast library of texts for the children to choose from and read. Additionally, it provides comprehension questions for them to answer as they go through the book. You can access Bug Club using the following link: https://www.activelearnprimary.co.uk/login?c=0
Please use the video guides below to help you understand the various elements involved in supporting their phonics development and knowing how to use the resources found on Bug Club:
all you need to know about phonics - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44mZZQfgkjY
how to use the website - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1R8xRz43PU
Phonics Screening Check
Information for parents about screening check -https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/676e908e517edf5c74c83728/Phonics_screening_check_information_for_parents.pdf
2023 Phonics Screen Check-https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6495b5d783131100132962d0/2023_phonics_pupils_materials_standard.pdf
Furthermore, you can access free resources and advice from Oxford Owl using the following link: https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/reading-at-home/
Finally, on Purple Mash (which children can access at home using the welearn365.com link) children can click on the 'reading' section near the top of the page to access free books from DK Publishers, or use the Serial Mash to access a wide range of books and again answer comprehension questions as they go.
How to access Purple Mash at home
Home learning
Home learning is set on a Friday and is due in by the following Thursday. This will come home as a sheet of spellings for the children to practise.
Children should be reading to an adult at home at least three times per week for ideally 15/20 minutes each time in order to help increase their fluency and to help develop a love of reading. Reading can take place with either the book sent home from school or an allocated book on your child's Bug Club. Each time they read, please record this in your child's reading record - this can be any book not just their school book. Trying to find time to snuggle down and get cosy with your child and their book helps to increase the comfort and joy that can be found in reading. It also helps to remove any negative feelings that they might have towards reading.
For their home learning tasks, your child can access Spelling Shed (Spelling Shed parent how to guide) to enhance and support their spelling practice at home. In addition to this, apps such as Hit the Button, Times Table Rockstars and Numbots (you can use your TTRS username and password for this as well) can support with consolidating and securing number facts and knowledge.
Would you like to access a maths lesson again? Then click this link to view the year 1 maths lessons in a video format - White Rose Maths home learning videos.
This half term's homework
Handwriting
Long term plan 2025 - 2026
Year 1 E-Safety
Writing key objectives
Maths key objectives
Year 1 spelling words
