Year 1 & 2 Learning

Year 1 & 2

In Key Stage 1, we have four classes:

Cherry Class – Year 1 – Mrs Harrison / Miss Storey
Pear Class – Year 1/2 – Mrs Williams / Mrs Scott
Peach Class – Year 2 – Mrs Laws

Please take a look at our wonderful learning!

View Our Curriculum section for further details of our learning.

Posts are in date order, starting with the most recent post first.

Spring 2 2024 – Introduction

In Key Stage 1 this half term we will be focusing on our local area. In History, our key enquiry question is ‘Why was mining so important to Pelton and Beamish?’ We will be exploring why had coal mines in Pelton and Beamish. Finding about life in the past for children and adults working in the coal mines and how it was dangerous. We will explore how conditions improved as worker’s rights became important and how we can find out more about our coal mining past by linking with Beamish Museum.

We will continue our work in Science on exploring animal groups further by learning about carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. We will also celebrate Science Week and International Women’s Day by learning about a famous female Scientist. I

n DT, we will be making fruit kebabs, developing our chopping skills and designing, making and evaluating our own fruit kebabs. In RE, we will be learning all about the Easter Story and how it is important to Christians.

We will be also celebrating TT Rock Stars day on Friday 1st March and World Book Day on Thursday 7th March with lots of exciting reading activities and a visit to Pelton library!

KS1 Cycle A Spring 2 Topic Web

Literacy and Numeracy How to help at home Spring 2

History KO Spring 2 Why was mining so important to our area

Spring 1 2024 – Introduction

In Key Stage 1 this half term we will be exploring the United Kingdom, its countries and capital cities. We will explore what is special about each of these countries and make a map of the UK.

In Science, we are exploring animal groups and how they are the same and different. We will also be planting some seeds and observing how they grow and change over the half term.

In Design and Technology we will be investigating wheels and axles and exploring how things move. We will design, make and evaluate a toy vehicle (product) for a child (user) to play with (purpose).

In PE we will be continuing to develop our skills in gymnastics by linking movements to create a sequence to be a ‘champion gymnast’. In RE we will be sharing books that are special to us, so we can understand why the Bible is a special books for Christians.

Topic Web Cycle A Spring 1

Science KO Spring 1 Animals including humans

Geography KO Spring 1 What is our country like

Literacy and Numeracy how to help at home spring 1

Autumn 2 2023 – Introduction

In Key Stage 1 this half term our enquiry question is, ‘What is my place like?’. In Geography, we will be making a map of our classroom and then we will be exploring out school grounds and completing fieldwork, gathering and recording information. We will also be linking our work in Geography to that in Science when we investigate the weather. We will gather and record information about the weather in autumn and winter by observing rainfall using a rain gauge. In Science we will also be exploring a variety of everyday materials including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water and rock. We will be observing the uses of different materials and completing investigations to gather and record information for floating, sinking, absorbency and a fair test to answer our enquiry question: Which material is best for making curtains?

In Computing we will be learning to use features in Microsoft Word and also learning about online safety linked to Anti-Bullying Week Monday 13th – Friday 17th November.

We will also be practising for our KS1 Christmas performance ‘Baarmy Bethlehem’

In RE, we will be learning about why gifts are given at Christmas and the importance of the Christmas story to Christians.

KS1 Cycle A Aut 2 Topic Web Changing Seasons

KS1 Aut 2 Literacy and Numeracy Ways to help at home

KS1 Geography KO What is my place like

KS1 Science KO Everyday materials

KS1 Science KO Seasonal Changes

Autumn 1 2023 – Introduction

In Key Stage 1 this half term our enquiry question is Why are our toys more fun than our grandparents toys?. We will be asking questions and finding answers to questions such as what toys our grandparents use to play with. Will also explore toys from the past and compare them with toys from today.

In Design and Technology, we are exploring textiles!
We will design a puppet based on design criteria, select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing. We will evaluate our ideas and products against design criteria.

In RE, we will be learning about Why Jesus is special to Christians. We will listen to some parables/stories- the lost sheep, the story of Zacchaeus and the paralysed man.

In Science, we will be learning about parts of our body and our 5 senses. We will complete senses investigations as well as answering the enquiry question: ‘Will the oldest child in class have the biggest feet?’ We will be learning to measure the length of our feet using a ruler in cm. We will also talk about our findings.

We are very excited to be improving our ‘Mental Maths’ by participating in the NCETM Mastering Number program. We will be using Rekenreks to build our knowledge of number.