- Home
- Class Pages
- Year 1
Year 1
Welcome to our Year 1 Page!
Meet the Team
Mrs HolmesMrs AllmontMrs Reading
Mrs RosaMrs Kitching & Mrs Johnson
Year 1 Curriculum
General Information
Reading:
Our phonics scheme reading books will be sent home later this half term.
In the meantime, from next week, children will be bringing home a book to share and enjoy with you. Please don’t worry about whether this book is at the exact right reading level for your child — it is simply an opportunity to enjoy reading together. You are also very welcome to continue reading your own books or books borrowed from the library.
Reading books will be changed each Thursday/Friday.
Spellings:
We will not be sending weekly spellings home. Instead, the children will have a dedicated spelling lesson each week where we will focus on practising and applying the Year 1 Common Exception Words.
A PDF containing the words we will be focusing on is attached below, so you can see which words your child will be learning in school.
Year-1-Common-Exception-Words.pdf
Maths - KIRFs:
Why We Are Using KIRFs Across Our School
At OLMC, we are committed to helping every child build strong foundations in mathematics. One of the ways we are doing this is by replacing Rapid Recall and introducing KIRFs (Key Instant Recall Facts) as a whole-school strategy.
What are KIRFs?
KIRFs are carefully selected number facts that children are expected to learn and recall instantly. These include facts such as number bonds, times tables, doubles and halves, and place value knowledge. They are designed to support children’s mental maths and fluency.
Why are KIRFs important?
- Build Confidence: When children can recall key facts quickly, they feel more confident tackling more complex problems.
- Support Reasoning: Quick recall frees up working memory, allowing children to focus on problem-solving and reasoning.
- Consistency Across Year Groups: A whole-school approach ensures progression and consistency, helping children build on prior knowledge year after year.
- Preparation for Future Learning: KIRFs lay the groundwork for success in upper Key Stage 2 and beyond, including SATs and secondary school maths.
How will it work?Edit
Each half term, children will focus on a specific set of KIRFs appropriate to their year group. These will be practised in school and shared with families to support learning at home. Regular practice helps embed these facts into long-term memory.
How can you help at home?
We’ll provide simple activities and games to make practising KIRFs fun and engaging. Just a few minutes a day can make a big difference!
P.E:
PE days are Monday and Friday. On these days children should come to school wearing their PE kit. Long hair should be tied back and earrings removed or taped over. Thank you.
Forest School
Sessions will take place on a Tuesday so please ensure your child has the necessary kit in school on that day.
Prayer Bag and Science Bag
Each child will have the opportunity to take these bags home at some point in the year and to explore the activities provided. Please support your child to make a record of what they have done so that they can share it with their class on a Friday.
Thrive
Thrive - Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic First School
As a Thrive school, we have created a calm and welcoming Thrive area shared by both Year 1 classes. Children are able to use this space when they need time to regulate, with support and guidance from a member of staff. The area provides a safe space for children to pause, reset and return to learning when they feel ready.
