Our Early Years & Year 1 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 two classes have direct access to a fabulous outdoor shared area.
Meet the team
Phase 1 team: Miss Arthur, Mrs Jennings, Mrs Thompson, Mr Sharpe, Mrs Jones and Mrs Bradley
We hope you find the following information useful. If you have any questions or comments, please email jjones@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
At the start of each term we will send out a Newsletter via ParentPay. The newsletter outlines the curriculum and relevant information for that term.
Phase 1 Homework Menus
Click to enlarge or see below for a .pdf!
Learning in Phase 1
Young children learn best through play and through following their own interests, so the Phase 1 learning environment 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 two years children are in Phase 1.
For more detail of our curriculum in Phase 1, please take a look at the Curriculum area of our website.
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
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).
Observations and Focus Children
In Phase 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.
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.
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
Useful Information for EY
- Phonics and Reading at Lord Deramore’s Primary School
- The Early Learning Goals
- Book Trust Bookfinder (external link)
- Early Years Foundation Stage (external link to information on GOV.uk)
- EYFS Statutory Framework (external link to information on GOV.uk)
Useful Information for Y1
- Phonics and Reading at Lord Deramore’s Primary School
- The Primary National Curriculum (external link to information on GOV.uk)
- English in the National Curriculum – Spelling (external link to information on GOV.uk)
- English in the National Curriculum – Vocabulary, Grammar & Punctuation (external link to information on GOV.uk)
You can read more about the curriculum at Lord Deramore’s Primary School in our Curriculum Pages.
Remember, you can keep up to date with what is happening in school on Facebook and Twitter.