What happens in year 1?

[Rhio92]

My son is finishing reception year in 3 weeks and starting year 1 in September. So what happens?

I know reception is very play based. Do year 1s still get to play? They seem too young not to

What changes?

 

[caz_hills]

Following! My son moves to year one too so I will be really keen to see the responses!

 

[Moominmummy1]

Following as well !

 

[george83]

In our school they slowly transition them from play based lessons to more structured, the first half term is still a lot of play. I think it does depend from one school to the next though. I'm dreading my son making the change, I don't think he's going to like it one bit

 

[wishingonastar]

Our school has quite a marked difference between year R and 1. My eldest found the change quite hard and for the first time ever started saying she didn't want to go in. There is more sitting and learning and slightly more regular love to learn challenges.

That said the change from year 1 to 2 was bigger I'd say and their playtime is much reduced and homework greatly increased.

 

[Quartz]

It moves to the KS1 syllabus and is a lot more lesson focused and structure. They start to learn about topics and how to write. DD school has Golden time on a Friday afternoon (even in yr 2) where they get to play and take things in.

It takes a 1/2 term really for them to get used to it (and again Yr 1 to 2) with a new teacher etc.

The difference at the end of Year 2 though is amazing they can all read and write and do times tables.

 

[Fredapain]

i was worried too about a more structured day and mainly the no access as and when to the outside classroom, as my ds lives outside. All I know from what little my ds tells me, is that they have reduced outdoor time already at his school, as they have started to join the 'bigger' kids for their morning and afternoon playtimes in preparation for year 1. I think this will help him settle in much better as he already knows the score re outdoor playtime and may ease the transition to sitting at desks all day. As for playtime/free time inside, I have no idea what going to happen

 

[Boomerslady]

I was really worried about him moving into year 1 but they spent the first term 'transitioning'! Bens a really active kid who struggles to concentrate so I was really concerned but he handled it really well. A few grumpy days where he said it was boring but he got used to it!

 

[sabby52]

I think we do it different over here, here year 1 is primary 2, I just looked through Decs primary 2 books and it seems like he was doing alot, but his primary 1 (reception) books have a lot of work in them too. In his primary 2 books he had, 5-7 spellings every week, 1-2 reading books (depending on length of book), he was writing his own little sentences (spelt phonically), simple adding and take-away maths and measuring among other things. Over here primary 1 (reception) is very structured and by the end of primary one they are reading, writing and doing simple maths so by the time they go into primary 2 (year 1) they are used to sitting at a desk doing work. But they always get to play My son is in primary 5 (year 4) and he still gets golden time on a Friday and 5-10mins of free time each day (if they are good lol) x

 

[lindseymw]

They still do a lot of play in Year 1 here but there is more structure and more focus.

In my boys' primary school, they have moved up to their new class rooms/teachers this week.

We have a meeting tonight that will go through what is expected. I'll let you know what the syllabus is, how they will be doing it etc tonight.

 

[Torz]

My DS1 finished year 1 just over a week ago. I was initially very anxious for him last September with the change as our school don't transition them during the first term.

During reception everything is very play based & they have 'golden time' every afternoon.

In year 1 they would only get 'golden time' on a Friday afternoon. It took him at least until after the October half term to really settle in & get the hang of things. They did do more book work, more writing & mathematics but from what I can see (the school are always taking pictures in class & displaying them on a projected screen in a morning for parents to see) it was very much fun based & not just sitting behind a desk with repetitive learning. They did a lot more projects, each term they did at least one, sometimes two projects which took them outside the classroom quite a lot. Sometimes it was just a trip to the local farm, others were full on day out trips & one project they had superheroes in school which they all loved.

What I haven't loved about year 1 is the phonic testing. I really don't agree with testing at this young age even if the kids don't know they are being tested. I found it very difficult because I obviously wanted to help my son learn the phonics & understand the importance of them without putting pressure on him. The kids must know something important is going on, the teachers are under pressure, the parents feel some form of pressure & the kids must know even though they are not told they are being tested.

Overall I think that my son has enjoyed year 1 & is ready to move up to year 2. I'm not so anxious for DS1 for this upcoming September as I was the last. Anxious for DS2 though who starts reception.