Welcome to Year 1 at Beaconside! 

Year 1 is an exciting new chapter in your child’s learning journey, and at Beaconside, we want every child to feel happy, confident and ready to shine. We provide a warm, nurturing environment where children are encouraged to be curious, have a go, celebrate their achievements and develop a lifelong love of learning. 

In our Learning Lab, children enjoy focused, class-based teaching in Phonics, Writing and Maths, building the essential skills they need to succeed. In our Discovery Den, both indoors and outdoors, they have the freedom to explore, investigate, create and apply their learning independently through practical, hands-on activities. 

We believe children learn best when they feel safe, supported and excited about what they are discovering. By balancing structured teaching with opportunities for independent exploration, we help every child grow in confidence, develop their independence and take pride in their progress. 

How You Can Support Your Child’s Learning at Home 

Parents and carers play a really important role in making learning enjoyable and helping children feel confident as they begin their Year 1 journey at Beaconside. Little things at home can make a big difference! 

• Share a love of reading: Read together every day, listen to your child read their school reading book and talk about the pictures, characters and story. Encourage your child to use their phonics to sound out unfamiliar words. 

• Make phonics fun: Practise the sounds your child is learning at school. Play simple games such as spotting objects that begin with a particular sound, finding rhyming words or reading familiar words on signs and food packets. 

• Bring Maths into everyday life: Count steps, compare quantities, recognise numbers, spot shapes and practise adding or taking away everyday objects. Cooking, shopping and playing games are wonderful opportunities to develop Maths skills. 

• Encourage writing: Give your child opportunities to write shopping lists, birthday cards, labels, captions and little stories. Celebrate their efforts and encourage them to use the sounds they know to spell words independently. 

• Inspire curiosity and discovery: Talk about the world around you, explore outdoors, collect natural treasures, investigate how things work and encourage your child to ask questions. These experiences help develop the curiosity and independence we nurture in our Discovery Den. 

• Build independence: Encourage your child to get dressed, organise their belongings, tidy away toys and have a go at simple tasks before asking for help. These small steps build confidence and resilience. 

• Talk about their day: Ask open questions such as “What did you discover today?”, “What made you proud?” or “What would you like to find out next?” This helps children reflect on their learning and share their experiences. 

 

Homework in Year 1

Year 1 homework will consist of two short, fun tasks each week, linked to our current learning in Maths and Writing. These activities are designed to help children practise and build confidence in the skills they are developing in the classroom, while encouraging parents and carers to be part of their learning journey.

Homework will be sent home every Friday and should be completed and returned to school by Wednesday.

Reading at home is also a very important part of your child’s learning. We ask that children read at home at least five times a week, sharing a book with an adult and practising their reading skills regularly. Please record each reading session in your child’s reading record so that we can celebrate their progress and encourage a love of reading.

We encourage you to support your child with their homework, keeping activities positive and enjoyable. A little practice at home can make a big difference to their confidence and progress as they continue their exciting learning journey in Year 1!

Thank you for your continued support.

Outdoor Learning and PE in Year 1

At Beaconside, we love learning both indoors and outdoors! Every Thursday, the children will have the opportunity to explore, discover and learn through outdoor activities, whatever the weather. Please ensure your child comes to school with a waterproof coat, waterproof trousers and wellies so they can enjoy their outdoor learning comfortably and confidently.

We also have PE lessons on Mondays and Thursdays. On these days, children should come prepared with a plain white T-shirt, black shorts and trainers.