Enquiry

This term, our Year 1 children will become history detectives, exploring how hospitals, nursing, and medicine have changed over the last 100 years. Through engaging discussions, stories, and hands-on activities, they will compare the past and present, discovering how medical advancements have improved our lives. Alongside this, they will explore the importance of staying healthy and making safe choices in their daily lives.

Then & Now: The Evolution of Hospitals and Nursing

What were hospitals like 100 years ago? How have nurses’ roles changed? Children will explore the key differences between hospitals of the past and those we see today. They will look at old photographs, medical tools, and uniforms to spot similarities and differences, recognizing what has changed and what has stayed the same.

The Power of Medicine: How It Has Changed Lives

Through stories and artefacts, children will learn how medicine has made a huge impact on people’s lives. They will discuss how treatments were different in the past and why modern medicine has made hospitals safer and more effective.

A Hero from the Past: Who Was Important?

Children will explore a significant person from medical history, learning why their contributions were important. They will discuss how their work helped shape hospitals and nursing today.

How Do We Stay Safe and Healthy?

Feeling healthy makes a difference! Children will learn to recognise how their bodies feel when they are healthy and how making safe choices can keep them well. They will explore topics such as:
✔️ Eating healthy foods
✔️ Keeping active
✔️ Staying safe at home and in the community

As part of this, they will create "Stay Safe & Healthy" posters to share with others in their school and community.

Exploring Materials: What’s the Difference? 

Children will investigate different materials and how they are used in medical settings. They will learn the difference between an object and the material it is made from, exploring how medical equipment has changed over time.

Bringing Learning to Life: Our Authentic Outcome

To showcase their learning, children will:
📸 Create a photo page in their enquiry book, showing them designing their "Stay Safe & Healthy" posters.
📸 Deliver their posters to places in the community, such as hospitals, dentists, GP offices, and schools, helping to spread awareness about health and safety.
📸 Design a poster showing how hospital equipment has changed over time.

Making a Difference: Leaving a Social Legacy

Our Year 1 children will create health-focused posters to leave behind in the community, helping to promote good health and safety in:
🏥 Hospitals
🦷 Dentists’ offices
🏫 Schools
👩‍⚕️ GP offices

By sharing their work, they will leave a lasting impact, showing how small actions can help others stay safe and healthy.

A Special Event: Teddy Bears’ Picnic for the Emily Harris Foundation

To celebrate their learning and give back to the community, children will take part in a Teddy Bears' Picnic to raise money for the Emily Harris Foundation. Families and friends will be invited to join, creating a wonderful way to bring the community together while supporting an important cause.

English

A high-quality text drives each of our enquiries and the texts are used to give knowledge and purpose to the enquiry. High quality texts can only be accessed through knowledge of vocabulary in different tiers. Explicit teaching of new vocabulary and using the classroom environment to showcase key vocabulary helps us to infuse rich and sophisticated vocabulary from EYFS to Year 6. The texts are used as a stimulus for both English and cross curricular writing, ensuring high expectations of our children. Reading is interwoven into all aspects of the enquiry to encourage reading and language development and promote reading for pleasure.

Maths

In maths we follow the Power Maths programme to support children’s learning and to build a deep understanding of maths concepts. Power Maths is a curriculum mastery programme designed to spark curiosity and excitement and nurture confidence in maths. It is built around a child‑centred lesson design that models and embeds a growth mindset approach to maths.

This term we are covering the following:

Addition and Subtraction Within 20

• Practicing addition and subtraction using numbers up to 20.
• Using number lines, objects, and pictorial representations to solve problems.
• Understanding the concept of "adding more" and "taking away."
• Developing fluency with addition and subtraction facts within 20.

Numbers to 50

• Counting, reading, and writing numbers up to 50.
• Exploring tens and ones to build a foundation for place value.
• Comparing and ordering numbers up to 50 using greater than, less than, and equal symbols.
• Counting forwards and backwards in ones and tens from any number within 50

Length and Height

• Comparing and measuring objects using non-standard units (e.g., cubes, hands).
• Understanding vocabulary related to length and height (taller, shorter, longer, shorter, etc.).
• Ordering objects based on length and height.
• Introducing simple measuring tools like rulers and learning to measure in centimeters.

Weight and Volume

• Comparing and measuring the weight of objects using non-standard units (e.g., cubes, hands).
• Understanding the concepts of "heavier" and "lighter."
• Comparing and measuring volume using containers and non-standard units (e.g., cups).
• Using vocabulary related to capacity (full, empty, nearly full, etc.).