Autumn-1-Year-1-Curriculum (ID 1085)

• English
  English

  This half term in English, children will begin by exploring pirate-themed poetry, joining in with rhymes and songs as they learn how poems use rhythm, repetition, and rhyme. They’ll have fun performing verses and creating their own list poems using exciting pirate vocabulary. Later in the term, they’ll enjoy the beautiful picture book Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers. Through this story of an unexpected friendship and a journey to the South Pole, children will explore emotions, sequencing, and story structure. They’ll build descriptive language and, by the end of the unit, write their own adventure story about helping a character in need.

• Maths
  Maths

  This term in maths, children begin by exploring numbers to 10. They learn to count forwards and backwards, compare numbers, and understand the vocabulary of ‘more than’, ‘less than’, and ‘equal to’. Once confident with these early number concepts, children move on to using the part-whole model, an important method for showing how numbers can be split and combined in different ways. This helps them build strong foundations for number bonds and early addition and subtraction. Finally, the children begin simple addition and subtraction within 10, using objects, pictures, and number sentences to deepen their understanding. Throughout the term, we support children to develop confidence, accuracy, and flexibility with numbers—crucial skills for all future maths learning.

• PSHE
  PSHE

  This half term in PSHE, children are learning about families, friendships, and feelings. They’ll talk about the people who care for them and explore what makes a good friend. Through stories, discussion and role play, they’ll begin to recognise how others might be feeling and how to respond with kindness and empathy. Children will also think about how to work and play well with others, how to solve simple friendship problems, and how to make sure everyone feels included. Towards the end of the unit, they’ll begin to explore the idea of stereotypes and learn that anyone can enjoy any activity, no matter whether they are a boy or a girl.

• RE
  RE

  This half term in RE, children are learning about the Christian belief that God made the world. They will explore the creation story from the Bible and think about what it tells Christians about God and the world around them. Through discussion, artwork and storytelling, children will begin to understand that Christians believe God is the Creator and that this belief encourages them to care for the world. The children will also learn about how Christians say thank you to God, especially during Harvest, and how creation is celebrated through art and worship.

• Science
  Science

  This half term in science, children will be learning all about animals, including humans. They’ll begin by exploring and naming a wide range of animals such as birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, and learn how to sort them into groups. They’ll also find out what different animals eat and whether they are herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. As part of the topic, children will compare animal features, including pets, and explore similarities and differences between them.

  Later in the term, the focus will shift to humans. Children will name and label the main parts of the body and link them to the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Through hands-on investigations and observations, they’ll begin to understand how we use our senses to explore the world around us.

• PE
  PE

• Dance
  Dance

• Music
  Music

  This term in Music, children will be learning to keep a steady pulse and explore rhythms using their voices, instruments, and bodies. They’ll listen to music from different styles and cultures, and begin to describe sounds using musical vocabulary. Through songs, games and simple compositions, they’ll learn the difference between pulse and rhythm, and explore long and short sounds. Children will also experiment with pitch, volume, and tempo, and use symbols to help them perform and create music. Singing simple songs, copying rhythms, and joining in with class soundscapes will help them grow in musical confidence.

• Computing
  ,
  Computing

  This term in computing, children are learning how to use technology safely and confidently. They’re being introduced to Purple Mash, our online learning platform, where they’re learning how to log in, find their work, and use simple tools to create and save digital content. They’re also exploring what it means to stay safe online, including the importance of keeping personal information private and using kind words when communicating on the internet.

  Later in the term, children will develop their early data-handling skills by grouping and sorting objects on screen. They’ll learn how to organise items by different features, helping them build logical thinking and understand how computers can be used to sort information. These first steps set the foundations for confident and responsible use of technology.

• Spanish
  Spanish

  This half term, children will be introduced to Spanish for the very first time. They’ll learn how to say simple greetings and count from 1 to 10. Through songs, stories, and games, they’ll begin to recognise basic words and start speaking with confidence.

• Art
  Art

  This half term in art, children will be exploring colour through painting and mixed media. They’ll start by learning about the primary colours and experimenting with mixing them to create secondary shades. Using printing techniques, brushes, and a range of materials, they’ll investigate how colour can be used in different ways. The unit finishes with a focus on the artist Clarice Cliff, known for her bold and colourful ceramic designs. Inspired by her work, children will design and paint their own patterned plates, applying their colour mixing skills with confidence and creativity.

• History
  History

  In history, children are stepping back in time to learn all about the age of the dinosaurs. They’ll discover when dinosaurs lived, what the world looked like during the Jurassic period, and how it compares to the modern day. Through timelines, pictures and discussions, children will explore key events from prehistoric times, learn the names of different periods like the Triassic and Cretaceous, and understand how the world has changed over millions of years. They’ll also look at how and why dinosaurs became extinct, and think about how our world has developed since then.