Year 1

Local Explorers

Get ready for an exciting adventure as children explore the place they call home! The children will begin by exploring the school grounds, followed by the area immediately surrounding the school, by taking part in activities that involve using and creating maps. Through these activities, they will learn how to follow and give directions, understand simple compass points, use map keys and symbols and draw their own routes around their local area. In computing, they will extend this learning by programming Bee-Bots to follow directions, helping to build their understanding of position and movement. During a local area walk, children will spot and name a range of physical and human features such as rivers, bridges, shops and historic buildings. While 'out and about' children will visit significant local landmarks, including Tewkesbury Abbey, to help them understand why people choose to visit their town.

Our Wild Neighbours

From curious foxes and clever badgers to mysterious owls and hedgehogs, children will learn all about the birds and mammals that live nearby and share our local environment. Children will explore what these animals eat, how they move and how their bodies are specially adapted to life in the wild. As the autumn season sets in, children will investigate how animals prepare for the colder months, with a special focus on nocturnal behaviour and hibernation. To deepen their connection with local wildlife, children will go on a walk around a nearby nature reserve to observe animals and their habitats first hand. Inspired by their learning, children will create observational drawings using a range of media, developing their still life skills in art lessons. Throughout this topic, children really will discover the vast array of wild neighbours that live on our doorstep and understand their role in taking responsibility for looking after them and protecting the environments they live in.