Autumn Term 2026

Welcome 

A big welcome to Year 1 and the start of your Key Stage 1 journey. 

We hope you have all settled back into the new term. We are really looking forward to working together with you all so that we have an exciting and productive term. 

This will be a typical school day for your child. 

ELS Phonics 

Maths 

Break 

Literacy – writing and oracy 

Lunch 

Reading 

Mastering Number 

Handwriting/Spelling 

Other curriculum subjects 

There might be days when the timetable is flexible. 

Reading / Phonics 

Your child will come home every Friday with an ELS weekly reader appropriate to their reading level alongside a reading record. They will also bring home a story time book from our classroom library. These will be changed at the end of every week so please ensure all books are returned every Friday. 

The expectation in Year 1 is that you hear your child read at least 3 times a week. Please sign their reading record when you have read with them. 

ELS books and reading records need to be returned to school daily as the children have opportunities to read in school. 

Writing 

Writing will be taught around different texts each term. 

There is a document attached highlighting these texts. 

Throughout the year the children will learn to write different text types – including a recount, set of instructions and a traditional tale. This term, we have started with the story of Jim and the Beanstalk by Raymond Briggs. 

There will be particular focus on the key sentence starters. There is a document attached to highlight these. 

Spellings 

We will be introducing the Year 1 common exception spellings throughout the year (a list of these is attached). Your child might already be familiar with some of these spellings. 

We will inform you when your child needs to practise spellings at home. 

There is a document attached to highlight the expectations in Year 1. 

Please see spellings in the links below. 

Handwriting 

Handwriting will be taught at least 3 times a week. 

During these lessons the children will focus on their writing posture. 

They will also focus on the correct formation of each letter. 

We will send home a guide on how each letter is formed. 

Maths  

Throughout the Autumn term your child will be focussing on: 

• Number and Place Value: Up to 20 
• Geometry: Properties of Shapes 
• Addition and Subtraction 
• Number and Place Value: up to 100 
• Addition and Subtraction: Facts of 7 - 11 

Your child will also receive access to a programme called Numbots which will support your child’s maths. We will provide your child with login details. We will also send a knowledge organizer home with your child to inform you of what your child is learning in maths. 

Your child will sometimes bring home a maths activity which supports their learning in school. This is optional and there is no pressure to complete the activity. 

Science 

Science – Autumn – Seasonal change and Plants 

All foundation subjects being covered during the term  

Autumn 1 

• Geography – Where I live. My home and the route to school. 
• Art – Self and family portraits – George Seurat 
• PE - Gymnastics / Ball skills 
• Computing – Computing systems and networks – technology around us /Online safety 
• PSHE - Relationships -Being Me in my World. 
• RE - What do Christians believe God is like? 

Autumn 2 

• History - The Gunpowder Plot and Guy Fawkes 
• A Victorian Christmas 
• Science - Materials 
• DT – Mechanisms – sliders and levers 
• PE - Target games / invasion 
• RE – Why does Christmas matter to Christians and how do people celebrate it? 
• Computing - Online safety – Project Evolve – Online relationships and online bullying 
• Music – Sing Up – The Menu Song 
• PSHE – Celebrating differences 

Knowledge Organisers 

Please find useful information attached in the links below. 

PE  

PE is taught twice a week. 

1TH- Monday and Thursday 

1F – Tuesday and Wednesday 

Routines and equipment needed (eg water bottles, stationery etc) 

Please send your child to school with a named water bottle and a named pair of wellies. The wellies can then stay at school. It can also be handy to pack a change of clothes in your child's bag. 

Thank you as always for all the support that you give your children at home. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to speak to your class teacher. We are here to support you and your child in every way we can. If you do have any questions about the curriculum, please do come and speak to us at the end of the school day or contact us by email using dunalley@dunalley.gloucs.sch.uk 

 

From The Year 1 Team 

Mrs Fisher, Miss Taylor Huby, Mrs P-J and Mrs Musto 

 

Knowledge Organisers

 

Spellings