Welcome to Year 1

In Year 1, children build on their Early Years learning through a structured and engaging curriculum. Children will develop their phonics skills to become more confident readers, build their writing skills by forming sentences and using punctuation, and strengthen their understanding of numbers in maths. Science, Humanities, art, and other subjects are explored through exciting, hands-on activities that encourage curiosity and creativity.

A young girl pupil makes gestures perhaps suggesting riding a bike

Upcoming Events for Year 1

Here’s what you’ve got to look forward to over the coming weeks.

First Day of Term
Thu 3rd Sep
Black History Month
Thu 1st - Sat 31st Oct
Pirate Day Menu
Thu 1st Oct
National Poetry Day
Fri 2nd Oct
Flu Vaccinations
Tue 6th Oct
World Mental Health Day
Sat 10th Oct
SEND Coffee Mornng
Fri 16th Oct
Diwali
Tue 20th Oct

Curriculum

Art and Design / DT / Food and Nutrition

At KS1 and KS2 we follow a two year sequence:

2025/2026 and 2027/2028

Autumn 1 – 3D: Clay

Autumn 2 – Food Technology

Spring 1 – Printing

Spring 2 – Mechanica | Systems (axles and wheels)

Summer 1 – Portraits, including mixed media

Summer 2 – Structures

2026/2027 and 2028/2029

Autumn 1 – Painting

Autumn 2 – Mechanical Systems (Sliders and Levers)

Spring 1 – Collage

Spring 2 – Food Technology

Summer 1 – Portraits, including mixed media

Summer 2 – Textiles – weaving

Computing

Each year through KS1-2 we cycle through the following units at increasing depth:

  1. Productivity
  2. Programming
  3. Computational Thinking
  4. Creativity
  5. Networks
  6. Communication/collaboration
English

Learning to Read

Children in the early years who are learning to read (decode) follow the Read Write Inc. synthetic phonics program.

This enables them to work to decode a book appropriate for their phonic knowledge, to begin to develop reading stamina and fluency. At this point, children take part in our Oral Shared Reading program, so they can work on their comprehension skills using a shared text, read by an expert teacher.

Click here to see which books we read in Year 1.

Geography

Children in Year 1 learn about the following subjects:

The living world

  • Biomes
  • Hot and cold climates
  • Rainforests

The economic world

  • Food, water and energy
  • The changing economic world
  • Tourism and ecotourism
  • Case study: Cambridge
History

We cover two topics a year for History in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. In Year 1 we look at Childhood, then Buildings and Towns.

Mathematics

Our school uses Maths Mastery to teach the subject. In Year 1 we cover:

  • Numbers to 10
  • Addition and subtraction within 10
  • Shape and patterns
  • Numbers to 20
  • Addition and subtraction within 20
Music

Autumn 1 – Getting to know you! Singing.

Autumn 2 – Introduction to musical elements 1

Spring 1 – Introduction to musical elements 2

Spring 2 – Introduction to musical elements 3

Summer 1 – Introduction to musical elements 4

Summer 2 – Reflect, Rewind and Replay Summer concert/production

PE
  • Gymnastics
  • Dance
  • Attack/defend/shoot
  • Hit/catch/run
  • Send/return
  • Run/jump/throw
Religious and Non-religious Worldviews (RE)

We follow a three-year cycle (see below) covering the major world religions as well as  worldviews.

The programme is designed so that each previously taught religion is reviewed and comparisons are drawn between the content. Over six years, each child will have studied each identified religion/non-religion twice, studying in greater depth and making connections between religions.

Pupils are taught key substantive knowledge for each religion and worldview and each lesson is broken down into one of 3 disciplines: Theology, philosophy and Human/Social Science.

2024-2025: Christianity and Islam
2025-2026: Judaism and Humanism
2026-2027: Hinduism and Sikhism

Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of RE – please contact the principal if you wish to explore this as an option.

RSHE and PSHE

The Paradigm primary schools follow the Jigsaw programme.

From September 2019 we have allocated 45 minutes per week to PSHE at KS1 and KS2.

  • Being Me in My World
  • Celebrating Difference
  • Dreams and Goals
  • Healthy Me
  • Relationships
  • Changing Me
Science

Autumn 1 – Plants and Seasons

Autumn 2 – Materials and Forces

Spring 1 – Animals including Humans

Spring 2 – Plants

Summer 1 – Materials

Summer 2 – Living things and their habitats

INSET Days for this term are:

  • Tuesday 1st September
  • Wednesday 2nd September
  • Monday 2nd November

Pupils should not attend school on these days.

 

The first day back after the summer holidays for pupils is Thursday 3rd September 2026.

The first day back after the October half term for pupils is Tuesday 3rd November 2026.

 

Bank Holidays

Christmas Day: Friday 25th December 2026

Boxing Day: Saturday 26th December 2026

New Year’s Day: 1st January 2027

Term Dates
Start Thursday, 3rd September
End Friday, 18th December
Half Term Holiday Dates
Start Monday, 26th October
End Friday, 30th October
End of Term Holiday Dates
Start Monday, 21st December
End Friday, 1st January

INSET Day for this term is:

  • Monday 4th January

Pupils should not attend school on this day.

 

 

The first day back after the Christmas holidays for pupils is Tuesday 5th January 2027.

The first day back after the February half term for pupils is Monday 22nd February 2027.

 

Bank Holidays

Good Friday: Friday 26th March 2027

Easter Monday: Monday 29th March 2027

Term Dates
Start Tuesday, 5th January
End Thursday, 25th March
Half Term Holiday Dates
Start Monday, 15th February
End Friday, 19th February
End of Term Holiday Dates
Start Monday, 29th March
End Friday, 9th April

INSET Day for this term is:

  • Monday 12th April

Pupils should not attend school on this day.

 

The first day back for pupils after the Easter holidays is Tuesday 13th April 2027.

The first day back after May half term for pupils is Monday 7th June 2027.

 

 

Bank Holidays

May Bank Holiday: Monday 3rd May 2027

Spring Bank Holiday: Monday 31st May 2027

Summer Bank Holiday: Monday 30th August 2027

Term Dates
Start Tuesday, 13th April
End Wednesday, 21st July
Half Term Holiday Dates
Start Monday, 31st May
End Friday, 4th June