Year 1 matters

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Opportunity #20 - Year 1 matters: Training and support to develop practice and provision

A model for organising and resourcing Year 1, which creates a constructive, achievable approach, bridging the gap between traditional Early Years and Year 2 organisation.

Moving from Early Years provision, into Year 1 is one of the most complex and challenging moves children make in their whole school career. Post pandemic, many schools report growing numbers of children who enter Year 1 with complex needs, or who have not reached the expectations of the Good Level of Development (GLD). As a result, traditional models of practice and provision in Year 1 can struggle to meet children’s needs.

Drivers for adapting Year 1 provision might be centered on supporting those under-resourced children, but might also be driven by the need to provide a model for teaching and learning. This model sees direct teaching followed by practical experience, enabling children to apply what they have been taught in meaningful contexts.

This provision also aligns with; specific Year 1 curriculum skill development, making reasonable adjustments, quality first teaching, increasing use of accurate vocabulary, supporting autonomy and independence.

Year 1 matters: Training and support offer:

  • 1 hour meeting with leaders and Year 1 staff To outline and discuss the model.
  • 3 hour meeting with Year 1 staff
  • Explore teaching space and suggest layouts.
  • Map out and present resourcing plans linked to the subject areas of; mathematics, science, art, design technology, geography and history. Resourcing will enable children to work in specific curriculum areas, but also to make meaningful links across and between areas.
  • Exemplify how children will share their ideas, approaches, successes and plans for future enquiry.
  • Exemplify a possible approach to organisation and management of the space, in terms of teaching and learning.
  • Exemplify and support staff to create tools which enable children to work with growing independence to know and remember more - using dual coding, scaffolding and worked example strategies.
  • Optional 2 hour follow up meeting to review and develop progress and application of the model.