Phase 1 – Early Years, Year 1 & Year 2

Our Early Years, Year 1 and Year 2 classes together make up Phase 1. As well as having their own lovely classrooms, each with an interactive whiteboard and carefully planned and developed areas of provision, the Early Years and Year 1 classes have direct access to a fabulous outdoor shared area and the Year 2 classroom has direct access to our playground.

Meet the Team

Mrs Graham, Mrs Arthur, Mr Sharpe, Mrs Carr, Miss McCormack, Mrs Thompson, Mrs Jennings, Mrs Gulliver, Mrs De Souza, Miss Alhaj, Ms Synnott & Ms Silverio.

We hope you find the following information useful. If you have any questions or comments, please email the Phase Leader, Miss McCormack, on  mmccormack@lordderamores.com. Alternatively, you can phone school and leave a message via the office, or pop in and see us at the end of the day.

Newsletters and Information for Families

At the start of each term, we will send out a newsletters via ParentPay. The newsletter outlines relevant information for that term.

2026 Autumn Newsletter coming soon!

Homework Menus

2026 Autumn Homework coming soon!

We send out a home learning menu with a wide range of activities linked to our learning in school. The children can complete any of the activities they choose and we encourage them to bring in any completed work to share with the class. However, this is optional. 

All children in Year 2 have access to Numbots and, from the Spring Term of Year 2, TTRockstars.

Observations and Focus Children In Early Years & Year 1

In Early Years & Year 1, we use Tapestry Online Learning Journey to record the children’s learning.  Each week, both the Early Years  and the Year 1 staff choose three children to focus on. Staff will spend time observing and talking to the focus children, recording some observations and interactions on Tapestry. Families will be invited to add information about what their child enjoys at home. The following week, there will be an opportunity for a ten minute meeting with staff to discuss their child’s learning.  In Early Years, each child will have three observation weeks – one per term.  In Year 1 there will be two weeks – one in the autumn term and one later in the year.

Learning in Phase 1

Young children learn best through play and through following their own interests, so the learning environment in Early Years and Year 1 is set up to enable children to play. Adults play and have conversations with the children for the majority of the time. We help children practise and consolidate what they already know and help them learn new skills and knowledge whilst they are pursuing their own activities. We encourage reading, writing and maths in all these areas. Daily focused activities, both whole class and in groups, enable staff to teach skills and knowledge directly, for example phonics, writing and maths. Adult-led whole class sessions are short at the start of Early Years, gradually increasing in length over the years that children are in Phase 1.

In the Early Years curriculum there are 7 areas of learning:

Three Prime areas: Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development.

Four Specific areas: Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding of the World; Expressive Arts and Design.

Underpinning all these are the Characteristics of Effective Learning:

  • Playing and Exploring
  • Active Learning
  • Creating and Thinking Critically

Year 1 Curriculum

In Year 1, the Characteristics of Effective Learning continue to be developed through the children’s play. The Year 1 curriculum consists of; English, maths, computing, science, design technology, geography, history, RE (Religious Education), PE (Physical Education) and PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education).

Year 2 Curriculum

The Year 2 curriculum consists of; English, maths, computing, science, design technology, geography, history, RE (Religious Education), PE (Physical Education) and PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education).

For more detail of our curriculum across all three year groups, please take a look at the Curriculum area of our website.

Reading

Our aim is to foster a love of books and reading for enjoyment and information. Children will bring home a reading book for you to celebrate with them their increasing reading skills. Please listen to them read this book at least 3 times. Don’t forget to check your child’s understanding of the text by asking questions or asking them to retell the story. They will also bring home a library book for you to enjoy together. Talk about the story or information, discuss the illustrations and characters. Talk about similar experiences or how the story makes your child feel.

Reading in Year 2

At the start of Year 2, the children will continue to bring home a Little Wandle reading book for you to celebrate with them their increasing reading skills. It will be a book they have already read in school so they will be able to read it confidently and fluently. Please listen to them read this book at least 3 times. As your child becomes a more fluent reader, they will move onto our colour banded books progression. They will then be able to pick their own book from a wide selection and change their book as often as needed. We still encourage parents/carers to read with children three times a week as this helps to develop their fluency and comprehension skills further.

The children will bring home a library book each week. This may be a book they can read by themselves, or it may be a book that you read to them. The children can change their library book any day of the week.

How can I help my child in Phase 1?

  • Share stories with them
  • Listen to them read their reading book
  • Encourage their curiosity
  • Talk to them about their family, community and traditions
  • Talk to them about the seasons, the weather and the world around them
  • Count things and look out for numbers in the environment
  • Play physical games or dance

End of the School Day

The children will be handed to a parent/carer at the classroom door.

Useful Information & Links

Early Years

Year 1

Year 2

Remember, you can keep up to date with what is happening in school on Facebook and in the weekly updates via ParentPay.