Welcome to our Year 1 and Year 2 Page
The Key Stage One team would like to extend a warm welcome to Year 1 and Year 2. We are looking forward to working with you and have many fantastic experiences planned for the upcoming year. Please explore the website which includes all the key information you need to help your child make the most out of their time with us.
The Key Stage 1 Team:
- Foxes (Year 2) – Mr Khalique
- Badgers (Year 1) – Miss Swankie
- Hedgehogs (Year 2) – Miss Barton
- Otters (Year 1) – Mrs Purkis (Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri) and Mrs Richards (Mon)
- Rabbits (Year 1 and 2) – Mrs Johnson (Mon, Tues, Weds) and Mrs Graham (Thurs, Fri)
- Phase Leaders: Mrs Johnson and Mr Khalique
- Please note Mrs Dowsett is currently on Maternity leave
Welcome to Key Stage 1. The team is looking forward to getting to know you and working together so that we have a very exciting and productive year.
Please read all of the following information to help support your child in their new school year.
If you have any questions, please talk to your child’s class teacher.
Key Stage 1 Information
PE, R.E. and Music
Autumn 1 2025-26
Rabbits
P.E Days are Wednesday
Music on Thursday
Foxes
P.E Days are Tuesday and Thursday
Wild Area Kit on Thursday
R.E on Thursday
Badgers
P.E Day: Monday and Thursday
Wild Area Kit on Thursday
Hedgehogs
P.E Days are Monday and Thursday
Wild Area Kit on Thursday
R.E on Thursday
Otters
P.E Days are Tuesday and Thursday
Wild Area Kit on Thursday
R.E on Thursday
Reading
Each week, your child will receive one ‘reading for pleasure’ book, which they will choose themselves. This is to help foster a love of reading and encourage enjoyment through books. In addition, they will receive a Read Write Inc. Book Bag Book that is closely linked to the sounds they have been learning in their phonics lessons that week. They will also receive an online copy of a storybook they have been reading in class, set as an eBook (more information about accessing eBooks will be provided shortly). Alongside this, you will also receive a digital copy of the sounds your child has been learning during the week in phonics.
Please note that your child will receive their Reading for Pleasure book by Friday 5th September. The other reading materials will be shared once your child has had the chance to settle in and we’ve identified the best phonics group to support their learning.
Parental involvement has a significant impact on the development of children’s reading skills. We strongly encourage you to read with your child regularly and engage them in discussions about the text, as this will help to deepen their comprehension and foster a greater understanding of what they are reading.
Phonics
This year, we are implementing a new phonics scheme called Read Write Inc. as part of our commitment to ensuring all children develop strong early reading and writing skills. In Key Stage 1, we place a strong emphasis on teaching reading through a phonics-based approach. Read Write Inc. is a highly structured and supportive programme that provides children with the essential skills they need to build their phonics knowledge and become confident, fluent readers.
Topics
In Key Stage 1, there will be an exciting range of lively and interactive topics throughout the year. For the first term, our topic will be ‘Great Fire of London’. You can find out about what we are learning this year by looking at the ‘Curriculum Overview’ on our year group page on the school’s website.
Mathematics
At Round Hill, we take a mastery approach to the teaching of mathematics, ensuring that all children develop a deep and secure understanding of key concepts. We are continuing to use the White Rose Maths scheme to support our teaching, providing a clear and well-structured progression across all areas of the maths curriculum. During the first half term, our main focus will be on reinforcing and developing your child’s understanding of number, place value and addition and subtraction.
We are also excited to be launching the Mastering Number initiative this half term, which helps children in Key Stage 1 develop strong number sense, fluency and confidence in working with numbers.
Daily items
Please ensure that your child brings their book bag, reading book/reading record and water bottle to school every day.
To avoid any items being mislaid, please can we kindly ask that all of your child’s belongings are clearly labelled with your child’s name.
Show and Tell
Every Friday, one child will receive a ‘Show & Tell’ box. The children have an opportunity to choose two items to put in the bag, which they will then talk about and share with the rest of the class. Items might include certificates, photographs, homemade objects and personal possessions. Please avoid sending in more than two items due to time restrictions.
School Clubs
There will be a range of after school clubs available for both Year 1 and Year 2 children during the school year. More information regarding the clubs will be provided in due course.
KS1 Wildlife Award
Each week, one child will have the chance to receive our ‘Wonderful Wildlife’ award, which is presented every Friday. The recipient will take home the class teddy and a weekend diary to record their adventures together. We kindly ask that both the teddy and the diary are returned by the following Tuesday, so your child can share their weekend news with the class.
Communication
Communication between home and school is very important to us so please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. You can contact your child’s class teacher by sending a message via the school office, office@roundhill.notts.sch.uk. We will also be continuing to use ClassDojo and connecting with parents using the class stories, messaging service and photos/videos. Please note that any changes to your child’s end-of-the-day pick up should be notified through the school office.
Please find below the 2025- 26 Curriculum map for Years 1 and 2.
Please see the KS1 Homework Timetable for Autumn 1, which outlines reading expectations, creative topic tasks linked to our Great Fire of London theme, and the Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs) we are focusing on this half term. These activities are designed to reinforce learning at home in fun, practical ways. We encourage parents to support their child with daily reading, explore the topic tasks together, and practise KIRFs little and often to build confidence in key maths skills.
Please see the History, Geography and Science knowledge organisers for KS1 for this year. These will be updated half-termly. They are a useful tool for supporting your child’s learning at home — you can use them to review key vocabulary, discuss big ideas together, and revisit prior learning from class. Regularly referring to these organisers helps children retain knowledge over time and builds confidence in each subject.