Map of Science topics in Year One

The Network recently completed a map of science knowledge content for Year One:

	Plants	Animals including humans	Everyday materials	Seasonal changes
Exploring and asking questions	- Looking at fruits and vegetables for seeds - Different leaves and shapes of plants - Observing how plants grow	How do mini-beasts move, eat etc	Look at the similarities and differences between different materials (textures and properties)	Observe the changes in the school environment
Observing over time	- Observe the plants in the school grounds in different seasons. - watch seeds grow into plants, observe and record growth	Observe the growth of animals over time (butterflies, chickens, frogs etc)	Observe the effect of weathering on the school environment over time	Changes to trees over time
Identifying and classifying	Where do different plants grow? Group plants and trees by observable features (type of leaf, where they grow)	Group animals by features: herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, where they live	Group materials by properties and features (waterproof, rigid, shiny)
Pattern seeking	Similarities between plants (types of leaf, flower types, where they grow)	Patterns in animals linking features to habitats – laying eggs, live babies, fur, scales, beaks	Look for links in properties: waterproof and rigid? Shiny and hard?
Research (using secondary sources)	Research what plants grow in different environments (jungle, the arctic)	Use second-hand sources to observe the growth of animals and humans over time (photos of yourself from a baby)		Seasonal weather from the past in different places around the world
Performing simple tests	Grow seeds in different conditions and different locations	Testing how well we can hear different sounds, taste different  foods	Test the qualities of materials
Gathering and recording data	Recording data from observations	Recording data from research	Recording tests in different ways	Recording observations over time (photos, video, audio)

Teaching science in Year One

Our thanks to Joe Wilson (Science SLE) for his excellent presentation to the network on 17th May.  His powerpoint and handouts on the effective teaching of Science in Y1 are being uploaded onto the Gants Hill Partnership Teaching Alliance's website shortly (http://www.ghpta.co.uk/cpd/year-one-network).

Strategies for supporting the teaching of Skills and Attitudes in Year One

The following list represents the summary of all the methods used by the members of the Year One network to support the development of children’s skills and attitudes:

• Whilst teaching, focus on offering feedback to children on the lesson’s success criteria.  In addition, ask the children to self-review their progress against the success criteria.
• The use of circle time and Philosophy for Children model to reflect on learning and problem resolution
• Focus behaviour management around mutual respect and a high focus on agreed values, children’s rights and responsibilities
• Focus within the term on sharing the represented cultures, tolerating others and differences
• Embedding the UNESCO Rights Respecting culture into the curriculum
• Encouraging children’s curiosity through lesson planning
• Play-based activities centred around problem-solving and independence
• Planning learning that has a creative focus
• Responding to mistakes as a good opportunity for further learning
• Promotion of a can-do ethos
• Differentiating the curriculum with special high challenges that stretch children’s skills
• Awarding numerous responsibilities to children
• Encouraging children to take risks
• Share work and learning with other classes
• Encouraging children to choose own learning tasks
• The use of reward systems, including praise, rewards, stickers etc
• Focus of support from the SLT
• Using mini-plenaries to offer feedback and encourage learning from our mistakes
• Encouraging children to offer peer feedback
• Using older children as role models

Our thanks to the teachers in the network for this input

CLPE's Reading and writing scales

The CLPE have produced useful guides to learning progression in reading and writing.  These can be used to support planning in English.

Online link to these free resources:
https://www.clpe.org.uk/aboutus/news/download-free-new-clpe-reading-and-writing-scales

Baseline data

Member schools in the Network, all from the London Borough of Redbridge:

Highlands Primary
Fullwood Primary
Gearies Primary
Chadwell Primary
Downshall Primary
Redbridge Primary
Clore Tikva Primary
Mossford Green Primary
Gilbert Colvin Primary
Aldersbrook Primary

Schools have been grouped together to create "like-schools groups" based on variant factors, including SEN, EAL, FSM and mobility.  Schools have been grouped into 3 categories.

Baseline data for the agreed milestones has now been collated.  Our results show:

Group One schools
	Skills and Attitudes					Reading				Science
	Emerging/M1	Secure/M2	Embedded/ M3		Emerging/M1	Secure/M2	Embedded/ M3		Emerging/M1	Secure/M2	Embedded/M3
Group Average	13	13	1		13	12	4		13	9	8
Group Two schools
	Skills and Attitudes					Reading				Science
	Emerging/M1	Secure/M2	Embedded/ M3		Emerging/M1	Secure/M2	Embedded/ M3		Emerging/M1	Secure/M2	Embedded/M3
Group Average	13	13	4		11	11	7		6	14	10
Group Three schools
	Skills and Attitudes					Reading				Science
	Emerging/M1	Secure/M2	Embedded/ M3		Emerging/M1	Secure/M2	Embedded/ M3		Emerging/M1	Secure/M2	Embedded/M3
Group Average	15	15	0		20	9	1		11	17	2

Learning pedagogy – it was agreed that all network schools organised their teaching and learning within a social constructivist pedagogical structure, characterized by cross curriculum topics, first-hand learning, an emphasis on dialogue and experiential learning.

Reading Milestones

The Network has mapped a proposal for key learning milestones in Reading throughout Year One.

Themes	M1		M2	M3
Word Recognition
·       WR: apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to  decode words ·       respond to graphemes	Is secure in knowing Phase 2 and 3 in phonics. Beginning to apply this knowledge in reading and writing. They use phonic knowledge to decode some regular words and read them aloud accurately.		Is secure in knowledge of Phase 3/4 Is able to apply phonic knowledge to decode increasing numbers of regular words.	Is secure in Phase 4/5 Applies phonics knowledge confidently to decode words Responds speedily with the correct sound to graphemes (letters or groups of letters) for all for 40+ phonemes, including, where applicable, alternative sounds for graphemes.
·       blending	Is able to blend phonemes to decode cvc words.		Can confidently blend sounds to decode an increasing number of cvc , ccvc and cvcc words.	Reads accurately by blending sounds in unfamiliar words containing GPCs that have been taught.
·       common exception words	They read some common irregular words.		They are able to read an increasing number of irregular words with confidence.	Reads common exception words, noting unusual correspondences where these occur in the word. Reads words using common suffixes (-s, -es, -ing, -ed, etc.)
·       reading words with GPCs	Is able to read simple words using GPCs		Is able to approach new words and decode using GPCs with confidence.	Reads other words of more than one syllable that contain taught GPCs.
·       reading words with contractions	Is able to identify contractions within text		Can recognise and read simple contraction words, don’t, can’t, isn’t	Reads words with contractions and understands that the apostrophe represents the omitted letter(s).
·       reading aloud accurately	Children read and understand simple sentences		Reads aloud accurately from books that are consistent	Reads aloud books that are consistent with their developing phonic knowledge and that do not require them to use other strategies to work out words.
·       reading fluently	Is able to read books which are pitched at an appropriate level fluently .		Reads books and returns to favourites to reread.	Re-reads books that build up their fluency and confidence in word reading.
Develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, vocabulary and understanding by:
listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently	Is able to listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments,  questions or actions. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity. They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read		Listens attentively and can discuss a range of poems, stories and non-fiction. They listen attentively to what others say and respond appropriately adding to the other person’s contributions.	listens to and discusses a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently Participates in discussions about what is read to them, taking turns and listening to what others say. They can explain clearly their understanding of what is read to them
being encouraged to link what they read or hear to their own experiences	Can engage with a story and link it to their own experiences.		Can make relevant links between their own experience and the stories they read and hear.	Can make inferences on the basis of what is being said and done They comment spontaneously on perceived links with own life experience or other experiences, e.g. films, books
becoming very familiar with key stories, fairy stories and traditional tales, retelling them and considering their particular characteristics	Is becoming familiar with a growing range of stories, which they can retell with some details. They are able to identify main characters and sequence the main events in the correct order.		Is building up an increasingly wide range of stories they are familiar with. Is able to sequence the main events of the story, describe the characters and its setting.	Has a wide repertoire of familiar stories, which they retell confidently and with pertinent details. They are able to describe similarities and differences between fairy tales.
recognising and joining in with predictable phrases	Is able to join in and anticipate predictable phrases		Is able to guess what is going to happen in a story that has repeated patterns	I can use the patterns and structures when I’m retelling a story or creating my own
learning to appreciate rhymes and poems, and to recite some by heart	Recognise and join in with familiar rhymes Is able to hear/ identify rhymes within poems and stories Can identify rhymes within texts, rhymes and songs.		Become familiar with an increasing number of rhymes and simple poems Is able to hear and generate simple rhyming words	Knows and Is able to recite a range of traditional poems and rhymes with confidence.
discussing word meanings, linking new meanings to those already know	Is able to make sensible  predictions about the meanings of new words		Is able to make informed guesses about new vocabulary making links to other words they know.	Makes informed guesses about unknown words and can contribute other words that have the same or similar meanings.
Understand both the books they can already read accurately and fluently and those they listen to by:
·       drawing on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher		They answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events	They are able to ask sensible questions to clarify their understanding	They are able to draw on a range of experiences and  their increasing knowledge of vocabulary to make sense of more challenging book content
·       checking that the text makes sense to them as they read and correcting inaccurate reading		Is able to read simple texts and notices when their reading doesn’t make sense.	Notices when reading does not makes sense and can reread and correct using context to help them.	Is aware when reading does not make sense and can use a range of strategies including context to help them.
·       discussing the significance of the title and events ·       making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done ·       predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far		Make appropriate predictions using a range of strategies, such as illustrations to help them	Can make predictions using an increasing range of information including previous events and in text inferences  etc.	Can make predictions using an increasing range of information including previous events, in text inferences  and own experiences  etc.
·       explain clearly their understanding of what is read to them		Can explain what they have been read, occasionally needing questioning for support.	Can increasingly explain what they have been read without adult support.	Is starting to accurate summarise what has been read to them.