Welcome to Year 1!
Elstar
Teacher: Miss L Humphries
Teaching Assistant: Mrs Bomers
Kanzi
Teacher: Mrs Wright (M, Tu) and Mrs Barfoot (W, Th, F)
Teaching Assistant: Mrs Nicholson
We are so excited to welcome the children to Year 1. This is an important year where pupils build on their learning from Reception and become more confident, independent learners.
In Year 1, children continue to learn through practical experiences, stories, discussion, exploration and carefully planned lessons. They develop their confidence in phonics, reading, writing and maths, while also beginning to explore the wider curriculum in greater depth.
Our Local Area: Kent
Our Year 1 curriculum theme is Our Local Area: Kent. Across the year, children explore the question:
What makes our local area special, and how is it connected to other places?
Children begin by learning about Rainham and their school community before widening their understanding to other places, climates, transport, wildlife and the seaside. Through this, pupils begin to develop as curious and responsible Global Citizens, learning to care for their local area and understand how it connects to the wider world.
Term 1: Why is Rainham so great?
What makes our local area special?
Children begin the year by exploring their school, local area and community. They learn about Rainham, identify human and physical features, and begin to understand what makes a place special to the people who live there.
In English, pupils use texts such as Incredible You and Funny Bones to write simple sentences, captions, a family fact file and retellings. In Science, children learn about the human body and senses, helping them understand themselves and how they experience the world around them. In Art, pupils create self-portraits through drawing and sketching.
Term 2: Hot and Cold Places
How do people, animals and plants adapt to different places?
In Term 2, children learn about hot and cold places around the world. They explore weather, seasons and climate, and think about how people, animals and plants adapt to different environments.
In English, pupils use texts such as Lost and Found, Meerkat Mail, Handa’s Surprise, The Mixed-Up Chameleon and Poles Apart. They write instructions, letters, diary entries and descriptive pieces. In Science, pupils learn about seasonal change, and in DT they create simple structures using nets and tabs.
Term 3: Toys Through Time
How have toys changed over time?
In Term 3, children become historians as they learn about toys from the past and present. They explore how toys have changed, what they are made from, and how technology has influenced the way children play.
In English, pupils use Lost in the Toy Museum and The Paper Dolls to write narratives, letters, instructions and postcards. In Computing, pupils learn about iLearnAI, beginning to understand technology in an age-appropriate way. In Art, children explore weaving and textiles
Term 4: Transport
How has transport changed the way families and communities are connected?
In Term 4, children learn about different types of transport and how transport has changed over time. They think about how travel helps people connect with school, work, family, communities and places further away.
In English, pupils use The Hundred Decker Bus, You Can’t Take an Elephant on a Bus and The Great Balloon Hullaballoo. They create their own adventure stories and write information texts or fact files about types of transport. In DT, children design and make a slider and lever toy linked to toys and movement.
Term 5: Where the Wild Things Are
How can we care for living things and their habitats?
In Term 5, children explore local wildlife, animals and habitats. They learn how living things can be classified and how people can care for animals and the places where they live.
In English, pupils use The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Where the Wild Things Are and Owl Babies. They write their own stories, descriptive writing, reports and fact files. In Science, children learn about animals including humans, and in DT they prepare a salad using local products.
Term 6: The Seaside
How has the seaside changed over time?
In Term 6, children learn about the seaside, including coastal places, seaside holidays in the past and present, and how people can care for beaches and the ocean.
In English, pupils use texts such as Storm Whale, Katie Morag, The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch, The Whale Who Ate Plastic and Above and Below. They write instructions, stories, information texts and poems. In Science, pupils learn about everyday materials, and in Art they create seascapes.
P.E. Lessons
PE lessons take place on Monday.
Children should come to school wearing their PE kit on this day. Long hair should be tied back and earrings should be removed before school, as staff are not able to remove or replace earrings.
Across the year, pupils will take part in team building, dance, gymnastics, target games, net and wall games, sending and receiving, athletics, striking and fielding, invasion games and ball skills.
Forest School Lessons
Forest School lessons take place on alternate Mondays as follows:
Elstar Class – Monday 7th September and every other Monday following.
Kanzi Class - Monday 14th September and every other Monday following.
Children must wear a long-sleeved top and long trousers regardless of the weather. Children will be outside for at least 50 minutes of a session; they will have time to get changed at the start of the session. Children do not get changed after the session; they go home in their kit. The only exceptions are if they are attending a club.
Educational Trips and Visits 2026/7
Across Year 1, pupils take part in trips, visitors and enrichment experiences that help bring their curriculum learning to life.
In Term 1, pupils enjoy an in-school hook day and take a walk around Rainham as part of their learning about why Rainham is special.
In Term 2, pupils have a visitor linked to hot and cold places, with tropical dancing linked to different countries.
In Term 3, pupils take part in a Toys Through Time visitor workshop linked to Maidstone Museum.
In Term 4, pupils enjoy a Transport hook day in school, including practical activities such as junk modelling and paper aeroplanes.
In Term 5, pupils visit Wildwood as part of their learning about animals, wildlife and habitats.
In Term 6, pupils visit the seaside as part of their learning about coastal places and seaside holidays. The location may change from Margate so the whole year group can attend on the same day.
All trips, visits and enrichment activities are carefully planned and risk assessed in line with school procedures.
Please scroll down to find out more about our learning.
Key ways to help your child
Reading & Phonics
Reading is one of the most important ways children can build vocabulary, confidence and imagination. In Year 1, there is a particular focus on phonics. Children have a daily phonics lesson that follows the ELS scheme of learning. They also read regularly with an adult and enjoy daily story time, where the teacher reads aloud to the class.
Children should read daily at home for at least 10 minutes. Please record reading in your child’s Reading Record and make sure it comes to school every day.
Children will bring home a fully decodable reading book matched to their phonics learning. This helps them practise the sounds and words they have been taught in school. Parents and carers can support by listening to their child read, encouraging them to sound out and blend words, and re-reading books to build fluency and confidence.
This year, key texts include:
- Incredible You
- Funny Bones
- Lost and Found
- Meerkat Mail
- Handa’s Surprise
- Lost in the Toy Museum
- The Paper Dolls
- The Hundred Decker Bus
- Where the Wild Things Are
- Owl Babies
- The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch
- The Whale Who Ate Plastic
These texts support children’s understanding of identity, family, community, place, animals, transport, stories and caring for the world.
Phase 2 Pronunciation Video
Phase 3 Pronunciation Video
Phase 5 Pronunciation Video
Below is a link to a bank of entertaining children's stories from classics to more modern books.
Writing
In Year 1, pupils build on the writing skills developed in Reception. There is a strong focus on letter formation, finger spaces, capital letters, full stops and writing simple sentences that make sense.
Across the year, writing will include:
- simple sentences about themselves;
- labelled pictures and captions;
- family fact files;
- story retellings;
- instructions;
- letters;
- diary entries;
- postcards;
- adventure stories;
- information texts;
- fact files and reports;
- poems.
Children are encouraged to say their sentence aloud before writing it and to read their writing back to check it makes sense.
Maths
In Year 1, children follow the White Rose Maths sequence. They build a secure understanding of number through practical resources, models, images and discussion.
Across the year, children learn about:
- place value within 10, 20, 50 and 100;
- addition and subtraction;
- shape;
- length and height;
- mass and volume;
- multiplication and division;
- fractions;
- position and direction;
- money;
- time.
Parents and carers can help by practising counting, number bonds, reading numbers, using money, talking about time and spotting maths in everyday life.
Spelling
In Year 1, children learn to spell words using the phonics they have been taught. They also learn to read and spell the Year 1 Common Exception Words.
Regular practice at home helps children become more confident readers and writers. Short, frequent practice is best.
Useful Resources
Below you will find some useful resources for each of our subjects including Phonics.