Key Stage One

Years One and Two at Primary School are known as Key Stage One. Within the context of a creative and topic based learning, children will develop skills and understanding in the subject areas outlined by the National Curriculum. The draft revised curriculum (due to come into effect in 2014) defines these for Key Stage One as:

Core Subjects

• English
• Mathematics
• Science

Other foundation subjects

• Art and Design
• Computing
• Design and Technology
• Geography
• History
• Music
• Physical Education

In addition, schools are advised to teach personal, social and health education (PSHE), together with at least one modern foreign language.

Schools also have to teach religious education, though parents have the right to withdraw children for all or part of the religious education curriculum.

Learning together

Key Stage One children all participate in daily phonic sessions. We follow the Letters and Sounds scheme of systematic phonic progression and carefully monitor each child’s developing knowledge. By sharing learning across the key stage, we can ensure that each child will be working at an appropriate pace for their reading development and enjoyment. At times children may also mix with peers from other classes and year groups for special theme days or sporting activities.  We strongly feel that this tradition of learning together develops children’s confidence and sense of the wider school community.

Foundation Stage and Key Stage One also come together each week for a special, celebration assembly. Children’s achievements and successes are recognised by being put in the ‘Gold Book’ as well as stickers and certificates being awarded.  

Learning at Home

Children in Key Stage One will be offered the opportunity to select books from our reading scheme twice a week. SPS has a good and expanding range of texts from schemes such as Collins Big Cat, Jelly and Bean and Oxford Songbirds for children to enjoy. 

In addition, each year group has a trolley of ‘free readers’, some of which can be enjoyed independently and some of which will be best accessed with adult support. We are very keen for children to develop their own reading preferences and interests as this is a crucial part of developing a life-long love of reading. All families should feel happy to select their own reading materials (library books, books from home, comics and magazines, online texts etc.) as part of daily reading, balanced with regular access to the reading scheme. 

Children will also receive a Home Learning Journal with weekly suggested activities that are linked to topic learning. Please do not feel restricted to these suggestions alone: the focus of home learning is a choice to be made between parent and child.