Spring: Will our story change?
Enquiry
This term, our young learners will embark on a journey of discovery, exploring their own stories and the world around them. Through engaging discussions, hands-on activities, and enquiry-based learning, they will begin to understand how time passes, how things change, and how people’s lives are connected.
History: Exploring Our Stories
We will begin by looking at the people who are closest to us—our families. Children will explore their own place within their family, learning about parents, grandparents, siblings, and other important relationships. As they develop an understanding of the people around them, they will also learn about the lives of others, including teachers, friends, and members of the wider community.
As we move through the term, children will reflect on special events they have experienced, such as birthdays, Christmas, or weddings. They will begin to understand that stories, whether from books or real-life experiences, can help us learn about the past. Through storytelling and discussions, they will start to use words like yesterday, today, tomorrow, before, and after to describe time and how it moves forward.
An important part of our enquiry will be exploring how things change. Children will recognise that they are growing older each year and that events from the past shape the present. They will also begin to understand that actions have an impact and that some things, though they may change over time, still hold meaning. As we explore these ideas, we will encourage children to think about the concept of being the same but different—a key theme in understanding ourselves and the world.
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.
Key Texts
Phonics
At Leamington Primary School we follow the Little Wandle programme for phonics in EYFS and KS1. We understand the impact of teaching good phonics enables children to become fluent readers in KS1, so they are able to continue to access learning in KS2.
All phonics lessons throughout the school follow the same structure of 'revisit/review, teach, practice and apply'. Children are encouraged to use the correct vocabulary, please see the glossary below for the words that are used when teaching phonics.
In Foundation 1, children access Phase 1 phonics teaching through daily short guided groups and the continuous provision. During the short guided sessions the children access discrete phonics teaching. In the continuous provision the children can access musical instruments to help identify sounds. When appropriate, the initial phonemes from Phase 2 are introduced in Pre-Phase 2 sessions. The links below provide appropriate resources for Phase 1 phonics.
Maths
In maths we aim to build a deep understanding of maths concepts whilst supporting children's learning. Daily sessions are taught discreetly in small groups and they are designed to spark excitement. We follow a mastery approach which enables us to nurture confidence in maths.
This term we are covering the following:
Taking part in number rhymes
Comparing amounts using language such as ‘lots’ ‘more’ or ‘same’
Noticing patterns and change
Completing different shaped puzzles
Counting in everyday contexts - sometimes children may skip numbers (such as 1 2 3 5) then beginning to count and recite numbers
Recognition of groups of objects up to 3