Geography - Our Country

This half term in Geography, Year 1 will be exploring The United Kingdom, learning about the countries that make it up, the seas that surround it, and the features that make different places special. Children will build on their previous knowledge and develop key geographical skills through maps, atlases, photographs and simple research. 

Children will begin by revisiting where we live and locating England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on a map of the UK. They will learn to recognise and correctly spell the names of the four countries and begin to identify their capital cities. 

The Seas Around the UK - We will explore the three main seas that surround the United Kingdom. Using atlases and digital maps, children will learn to name and locate these seas and understand how they link to the countries of the UK. 

Human and Physical Features - Using photographs and the story The Naughty Bus as inspiration, the children will investigate London. They will learn to identify famous landmarks such as Big Ben, Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace, and sort them into human (man‑made) and physical (natural) features. They will also begin to understand why cities like London have more human features than physical ones. 

Village, Town or City? Children will compare the village of Rainford, the town of St Helens, and the city of London. They will explore what makes each type of settlement different, thinking about size, buildings, transport and what you might find there. 

Creating a Non‑Chronological Report - To finish the unit, children will bring all their learning together by creating a simple non‑chronological report about a country in the UK. They will include information such as: 

• the capital city 

• human and physical features 

• the nearest sea 

• the country’s flag 

• interesting facts or things you can do there 

This helps children practise organising information and presenting what they have learned in their own words. 

 

 

Computing - End of year project 

Children to use word and paint.  

Children create a 3 image story.

Children to design each part of story on paint.

Children to then create a short label on word to match each image they’ve designed.  

End goal: children will create a 3 part story on word – using paint to create each image & text and formatting to create image label. 

 

RE

This half term in RE, Year 1 will be learning about Christianity by exploring the idea of belonging to God and how Christians welcome people into their faith through baptism. The children will visit Corpus Christi Church, where they will have the opportunity to re‑create a baptism and see the special objects and symbols used during the service. They will learn about the meaning behind these symbols—such as water, the font, the candle and the sign of the cross—and how each one represents being welcomed into God’s family. This hands‑on experience will help the children understand why baptism is an important celebration for many Christians and how it shows a sense of belonging and community. 

 

PSHE

This half term in PSHE, Year 1 will be exploring themes of teamwork, responsibility and growing independence. Through our No Outsiders text Errol’s Garden, the children will learn about working together and valuing everyone’s contributions. In our Citizenship lessons, we will begin to think about voting, discussing who votes, what we vote for, and why voting can be a fair way to make decisions—linking this to simple choices we make in class. We will also learn about money, including recognising coins and notes, what we use money for, how to keep it safe, and what to do if we ever find money. The children will think about saving and spending, sharing their own experiences and ideas. Towards the end of the half term, we will focus on transition, reflecting on everything they have achieved in Year 1 and talking about their hopes and any worries as they prepare for Year 2. 

 

Music - 'Your Imagination'

As part of our music learning this half term, the children will explore the Charanga unit Your Imagination. Through this upbeat and engaging song, they will develop their singing skills, learn about rhythm and pulse, and take part in imaginative musical activities. The unit encourages creativity as the children use music to express ideas and explore different sounds, building confidence as performers. 

 

PE

Kwik cricket 

Rolling and stopping a ball with one/two hands  

Throw and catch a ball with some control  

Bowl underarm towards a target  

Hit a ball off a tee using various bats  

Play a modified game hitting off a tee  

Small-sided adapted games.  

Begin to develop tactics for striking and fielding  

 

Ball Games 

Catch/receive a ball safely.  

Pass a ball with some control (using either hands, feet or object)  

Introducing footwork e.g. stopping and freezing in adapted games, landing on spots with two feet  

Move into a space in a game, looking to throw/pass the ball to someone in a space  

Follow an opponent in a game/adapted game  

 

Art Craft & Design:  Woven Wonders 

-Draw and talk about a remembered experience of making something creative. 

Independently choose and measure lengths of wool and join wool sections together. 

-Adjust their wrapping technique if something doesn’t work well. 

-Show that they are selecting colours thoughtfully. 

-Be open to trying out a new skill. 

Show that they are choosing materials based on colour, thickness and flexibility. 

-Weave with paper, achieving a mostly accurate pattern of alternating strips. 

-Describe their own weaving and compare it to Vicuna’s artwork. 

-Discuss the choices they make and what they like about their finished work