back to classes

We aim to explain in more detail about what it is like to be a member of Year R by sharing some key ways that we learn during the day. We hope this supports you to further support your child.

click here to see what we're learning in this module

Please click on the link below to view the whole school curriculum overviews and subject specific information.

PYP Curriculum framework and subject overviews

areas of learning

At the end of the year, children will be assessed against achieving their Early Learning Goals in the following areas:

  • Communication and Language
  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development
  • Physical Development
  • Literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Understanding the World
  • Expressive Arts and Design

For your child to achieve a good level of development in their Early Learning Goals they must achieve a best fit judgement for statements in the following areas: Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development, Literacy and Mathematics.

maths (number and numerical pattern)

  • Mastery Approach – Our maths curriculum is centred around a ‘Mastery Approach’. The aim is to ensure pupils have mastered and understood key concepts before moving on: using more difficult/higher numbers does not mean a child has a better understanding; rather, it is best that the child is able to access the learning in a wider range of contexts, the child can give detailed explanations and approach problem solving tasks.
  • White Rose – We follow the White Rose scheme to sequence maths lessons. This ensures that there is a progression of skills within the academic year, but also across all years. On the curriculum overviews, which are shared with home at the start of each module, the maths skills we are focusing on can be seen. On the White Rose website, there are home learning. If we have been learning to make 10, for example, you will be able to find an equivalent video to support further at home.

click here to view the year r home learning videos

  • Numbots – Numbots is a fun and challenging programme which is designed to help the children master their number bonds and adding skills. Logins are at the front of your child’s reading record book so that this can be used routinely at home.
  • Multiplication – We encourage children to recall their number bonds to 5, as part of their Number Early Learning Goal. We teach them number bonds to 10 and doubling facts. This helps prepare children for learning their multiplication facts as they move to the next year group.
  • Multiplication Check – Towards the end of year 4, all children nationally take part in a ‘multiplication check’. They are tested on all of their times tables.

click here for more information

english (literacy)

  • Our Literacy teaching is broken down into Comprehension, Word Reading and Writing.
  • Targets – All children are working towards the Early Learning Goal of writing a simple sentence. Children will achieve this by firstly writing simple words using the sounds we know, moving on to simple sentences.
  • Core texts – Click here to view our core texts.
  • Reading – It is important for children to read daily however this does not need to be for a lengthy amount of time or a strenuous task. Conversation around the text is just as important as word reading in order to help support comprehension. Suggestions of the types of questions to ask your children will often be found at the end of your child’s reading book.
  • Phonics – In school we follow Phonics International as our phonics scheme. The approach is systematic and learning is broken down into a reading focus one day, and a writing focus the next, for the sound being taught. We match your child’s reading book to their phonics level. We pitch the books to a level that is appropriate to build up your child’s fluency and comprehension skills.
  • Buster’s Book Club – an initiative that encourages the children to read at home. The class works collaboratively to be the class who has read the most minutes in the school. It encourages the reading of any reading material, not just the children’s banded reading book.

google classroom

Check at least weekly for updates on the Google Classwork for suggestions of work to do at home to support your child.

what we're learning

who we are

Central Idea:
‘Learning about ourselves and others helps us gain a sense of community.’
We can use this to help us get to know each other in the first module. Our main focus is settling into school.

We will be reading:

  • ‘On Sudden Hill’ by Linda Sarah
  • ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’ by Judith Kerr
  • ‘Funnybones’ by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

The maths skills we are focusing on are:

  • Numbers 1-5

The phonics skills we are focusing on are:

  • Once we are settled in school we will begin our Phonics learning.

    This helps support us in our reading and writing.

    We will keep you updated on what sounds we are learning.

In our lines of enquiry, we will explore:

How families relate to each other.

  • What is our role in our family?
  • Who is in our family?
  • What are the differences and similarities in our families?
  • What are our likes and dislikes?

Our responsibilities in our school community.

  • What is our role in school?
  • What are the routines in school?
  • How are we part of the school community?

how we express ourselves

Central Idea:
‘Celebrations are important.’
We will use this to learn about all the various celebrations taking place this half term and as a base to form our lines of inquiry. From this we will then think of our own questions.

We will be reading:

  • ‘The Colour Monster’ by Anna Llenas
  • ‘The Christmas Story’ by Jane Werner Watson
  • ‘Today I am Strong’ by Nadiya Hussain

The maths skills we are focusing on are:

  • The composition of numbers to 5 and 1 more/less.

The phonics skills we are focusing on are:

  • How to write and read simple words using the sounds we have been learning
  • We will learn that sometimes two letters can make one sound

In our lines of enquiry, we will explore:

An inquiry into celebrations in our community.

  • An exploration of celebrations in different cultures
  • An exploration of special times around our world

The questions we are trying to answer are:

  • What are feelings?
  • What are the different ways we can express ourselves?
  • Why do we all express ourselves differently?

where we are in place and time

Central Idea:
Exploration leads to new discoveries.’

Our theme for this term will be based around ‘Where we are in place and time’. 

We will use this to learn about Space. 

We can use also use this theme and our central idea as a base to focus some lines of inquiry and questions.

We will be reading:

  • ‘Whatever Next’ by Jill Murphy
  • ‘Beegu’ by Alexis Deacon
  • ‘The Way Back Home’ by Oliver Jeffers

The maths skills we are focusing on are:

  • We are all  really secure with our numbers 1-5, this term we will be extending our knowledge to 10.

In our lines of enquiry, we will explore:

  • What is in Space?
  • How is Space discovered?
  • How to get to Space?

where we are in place and time

Central Idea:
Exploration leads to new discoveries.’
Our theme for this term will continue to be based around ‘Where we are in place and time’. We will use this to learn about Dinosaurs. 
We can use this theme and our central idea as a base to focus some lines of inquiry and questions.

We will be reading:

  • ‘National Geographic: Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs’ by Catherine D Hughes
  • ‘Dinosaurs Love Underpants’ by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort
  • ‘Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs’ by Ian Whybrow

The maths skills we are focusing on are:

  • 3D shapes
  • Adding two numbers together
  • Looking into the numbers 9 and 10

In our lines of enquiry, we will explore:

  • What happened to Dinosaurs?
  • How can I learn more about Dinosaurs?
  • Where did Dinosaurs come from?

sharing the planet

Central Idea:
The environment influences living things.’
This term we will be thinking all about different ecosystems and the impact humans have on different animals around the world.
Over the next two terms our learning will be based around our central idea. We will first be looking at growing and minibeasts focusing on life cycles and how things change. We will then turn our attention to the sea and different environments around the world.

We will be reading:

  • ‘The Snail and the Whale’ by Julia Donaldson
  • ‘Minibeasts’ by Victoria Munson
  • ‘Superworm’ by Julia Donaldson
  • ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle
  • ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ from the ‘My Fairytale Time’ series

The maths skills we are focusing on are:

  • Adding two numbers together
  • Number bonds to 5 and recalling them at speed
  • Numerical patterns

In our lines of enquiry, we will explore:

  • The life cycle of animals
  • Animals and their habitats
  • Our role in caring for our planet