Key Stage 1 Curriculum

Literacy

In years 1 and 2 at Chepstow House, students have many opportunities to develop the skills of effective communication during literacy lessons. The curriculum is both challenging and inspiring. Using various resources, we aim to improve children’s knowledge and mastery of core competencies, from speaking and listening to spelling, grammar, writing comprehension, handwriting, reading and comprehension. Proficiencies like these serve as a basis for achievement in other subject areas, as well as in later school years and university. 

Literacy lessons feature a range of activities that focus on communicating with adults and peers, including listening and responding, building vocabulary and encouraging children to articulate their knowledge and feelings. Using Jolly Phonics, we help children to improve their phonetic knowledge and develop an excellent understanding of the field. We believe all children should develop a love of reading. Thus, we encourage them to draw on their phonic knowledge to decode words and participate in discussions about a variety of books. Based on our weekly text focus, children will plan, draft and produce their own texts by combining a range of literacy skills. They will also use Word Aware to build a rich vocabulary in all subjects, while learning to write in cursive using the Kingston script.

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Mathematics

In the Key Stage 1 mathematics curriculum, our students work on vital skills that will empower them to excel across subject areas and in the wider world. The syllabus builds on the concepts covered in Reception, using various exciting resources to develop a range of vital, broadly applicable proficiencies. 

We spend significant time ensuring children grasp key principles and are ready for more challenging work as they progress through the school. These include number and place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, measurement, properties of shape, position and direction, and data handling. To encourage mathematical thinking and help children make links between principles, we also teach problem solving, and use written, practical and computer-based activities, including Numicon, to embed knowledge and support number understanding.

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Science

Science in Key Stage 1 is an exciting opportunity for children to learn practical skills and develop their curiosity in different areas. Our broad science curriculum uses various topics to teach children all about the world we live in and help them become knowledgeable on a range of subjects, including animals, living things and their habitats, everyday materials, plants and seasonal change. In this core subject, children grow confident in their use of scientific methods, from questioning and observation to identification, classification, performing simple tests, making predictions and reaching conclusions.

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Digital Literacy & Computing

Digital literacy at Chepstow House helps children to successfully utilise a range of technologies and unlock their potential in a modern, interconnected world. Throughout the school day and in dedicated computing lessons, children learn functional skills related to IT literacy, education and entertainment. In Key Stage 1, children learn to programme bee-bots and computer software, store and manipulate digital content, and understand how technology is used in everyday life. Children’s safety is of prime importance to us; for this reason, we develop children’s e-safety skills, including knowing when to have a digital detox or use traditional methods to consume content. We use Microsoft Teams and SharePoint to link work in class with homework and to celebrate achievements across the school.

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Humanities

Humanities at Chepstow House include two key areas, history and geography, which students learn about through fascinating cross-curricular themes and topics. In history, we encourage them to consider significant global or national events, from the Great Fire of London to the lives of noteworthy individuals. In geography, children use maps to learn about the world’s continents and oceans and the countries that comprise the United Kingdom. They draw comparisons between where they live and other non-European countries and develop an awareness of the world’s climate, increasing their understanding of the world and their place in it.

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Design & Technology

In Design & Technology, students take part in enjoyable projects that seek to challenge them and develop their creative and technical skills. We foster their burgeoning creativity and flair for design by engaging them in various aspects of production: our students learn to conduct background research, review criteria for design, plan and create prototypes, develop their practical skills, and techniques, and finally evaluate the finished product. Years 1 and 2 also involve learning to model new ideas, describe the purpose of different products, create with a range of tools and materials, follow safety and hygiene procedures, make simple judgements about their products and suggest improvements.

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Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education

Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education is critical for promoting our students’ continued welfare, and for helping them flourish both in school and beyond. Through a varied and engaging curriculum, children learn how to live in the wider world, gain strong relationship skills and look after their health and wellbeing. PSHE lessons aim to instil courage, resilience, core values and a positive outlook; we also teach students to understand issues like the importance of humour, relationships, emotions and the ingredients for success, as well as bullying and how to tackle it. 

Relationships & Health Education (RHE) is part of the PSHE syllabus and likewise aims to promote pupils’ wellbeing. We encourage all students to learn the value of respect, love, care, self-respect and empathy for others, in the context of trusting, stable and loving relationships. In Key Stage 1, students learn about how animals (including humans) move, feed, grow and reproduce, as well as the main parts of the body.

Opportunities outside the classroom help students to develop a sense of the value of money, including ‘real-life’ scenarios, like a toy sale, the school fair and charity initiatives. We take mental wellbeing very seriously both in PSHE and throughout school life; for this reason, we have a dedicated Mental Wellbeing Lead whose role is to work with members of the school community to promote children’s wellbeing.

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Religious Education

At Chepstow House, we recognise that learning about, and promoting respect and tolerance for, different faiths is very important; this view is reflected in our school's Religious Education syllabus. Our enriching curriculum aims to expose students to various faiths and explore the differences and similarities between them. In addition, students in years 1 and 2 have the opportunity to visit a place of worship.

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