What Should a 1st Grader Know? Checklist by Subject

Math · Addition & Subtraction

Your child is building strong foundations in addition and subtraction — learning to add and subtract numbers fluently within 20, understanding the relationship between these operations, and applying various mental strategies to solve problems.

• Subtraction as taking away or separating

  Understand subtraction as taking away or separating from a group to find how many remain

  • Model 'taking away' with physical objects and say how many remain
  • Act out a 'take from' situation (e.g. 5 biscuits, eat 2, how many left?)
  • Explain that subtraction means finding how many are left

• Addition as combining or putting together two

  Understand addition as combining or putting together two groups to find the total

  • Model 'putting together' with physical objects and say the total
  • Act out an 'add to' situation (e.g. 3 children arrive, then 2 more join)
  • Explain that addition means finding how many altogether

• Reading +, −, and = symbols

  Read, write, and interpret the symbols +, −, and = in number sentences

  • Read 3 + 2 = 5 aloud as 'three plus two equals five'
  • Write a number sentence to match a concrete addition situation
  • Interpret the = sign as 'is the same as' rather than just 'the answer is'

• Number bonds to 9

  Find the number that makes 10 when added to a given number from 1 to 9 (number bonds to 10)

  • Given 7, respond '3' to make 10
  • Use a ten-frame to find the complement to 10
  • Record pairs that make 10 as equations (e.g. 6 + 4 = 10)

• Numbers up to 10 into pairs

  Decompose numbers up to 10 into pairs in more than one way (part-part-whole)

  • Show that 5 = 1 + 4, 5 = 2 + 3, 5 = 0 + 5 etc.
  • Use objects or drawings to find all pairs that make a given number
  • Record decompositions as equations

• Fluent adding and subtracting within 5

  Fluently add and subtract within 5

  • Answer 2 + 3 quickly without counting on fingers
  • Answer 5 – 2 from recall or with minimal counting
  • Complete a set of within-5 addition/subtraction facts accurately and quickly

• Addition and subtraction within 20

  Add and subtract within 20 using strategies such as making ten, decomposing a number leading to ten, and using known facts

  • Solve 8 + 6 using making ten: 8 + 2 + 4 = 14
  • Solve 13 − 4 by decomposing: 13 − 3 − 1 = 9
  • Use a known fact (8 + 4 = 12) to derive 12 − 8 = 4

• Fluent adding and subtracting within 10

  Fluently add and subtract within 10

  • Answer any addition fact within 10 quickly from memory
  • Answer any subtraction fact within 10 quickly from memory
  • Complete a timed set of within-10 facts with high accuracy

• What the equals sign means

  Understand the meaning of the equal sign as 'is the same as' and determine if equations are true or false

  • Explain that 6 = 6 is true because both sides are the same
  • Determine that 4 + 1 = 5 + 2 is false
  • Understand that = does not mean 'the answer comes next' — it means balance

• Adding within 100

  Add within 100 using strategies based on place value, including adding a two-digit and one-digit number, and a two-digit and a multiple of 10

  • Calculate 46 + 7 using place value (46 + 4 + 3 = 53)
  • Calculate 38 + 40 = 78 using tens understanding
  • Relate the strategy to a written method and explain the reasoning

• Addition in any order

  Understand and apply the commutative property of addition: addends can be added in any order

  • Explain that 3 + 8 gives the same answer as 8 + 3
  • Use commutativity to choose the larger number to count on from
  • Demonstrate that subtraction is not commutative (5 − 3 ≠ 3 − 5)

• Finding a missing number in addition

  Understand subtraction as finding an unknown addend (e.g. 10 − 8 = ? is the same as 8 + ? = 10)

  • Solve 10 − 8 by thinking 'what do I add to 8 to make 10?'
  • Explain that subtraction can be thought of as a missing-addend problem
  • Use known addition facts to solve related subtraction problems

• Inverse: addition undoes subtraction

  Recognise and use the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction to check calculations and solve missing-number problems

  • Check 15 + 7 = 22 by calculating 22 − 7 = 15
  • Use the inverse to solve: □ + 9 = 14, so □ = 14 − 9 = 5
  • Explain that addition and subtraction 'undo' each other

• Addition and subtraction word problems

  Solve addition and subtraction word problems within 10 using objects or drawings

  • Solve 'There are 6 apples, 2 are eaten, how many left?' using counters
  • Solve 'add to' and 'take from' result-unknown problems
  • Solve 'put together/take apart' problems with total unknown

• Representing Addition and Subtraction

  Represent addition and subtraction using objects, drawings, and mental images

  • Use cubes or counters to show 3 + 2
  • Draw a picture to represent a subtraction situation
  • Use fingers to model an addition problem

• Number bonds

  Recall number bonds (addition and related subtraction facts) within 20

  • Quickly recall that 8 + 5 = 13
  • Given 13 – 5, respond 8 using knowledge of related addition fact
  • Know all pairs of single-digit numbers that sum to numbers up to 20

• Adding and subtracting

  Add and subtract one-digit and two-digit numbers to 20, including zero

  • Calculate 14 + 5 = 19
  • Calculate 17 – 3 = 14
  • Add or subtract 0 and explain the result stays the same

• Early Word Problems

  Solve one-step word problems involving addition and subtraction to 20, including missing-number problems

  • Solve 'I have 12 sweets and eat 4, how many left?'
  • Solve missing number: 7 = [ ] – 9
  • Solve problems using concrete objects and pictorial representations

• Mental and written addition and subtraction

  Solve addition and subtraction problems using mental and written methods, including problems involving numbers, quantities, and measures

  • Solve a two-step problem: 'I had 35p, spent 12p, then found 5p. How much now?'
  • Choose an appropriate method (mental or written) for a given problem
  • Solve problems involving measures, e.g. 'a ribbon is 45cm, I cut off 18cm'

• Adding two two-digit numbers

  Add and subtract two two-digit numbers using concrete objects, pictorial representations, and mental methods

  • Calculate 34 + 27 using base-ten blocks or column addition
  • Calculate 63 − 28 using a number line or partitioning
  • Explain a strategy for adding or subtracting two two-digit numbers

• Mental addition and subtraction (age 6+)

  Add and subtract a two-digit number and ones mentally and using concrete/pictorial representations

  • Calculate 36 + 7 = 43 using objects or mentally
  • Calculate 52 − 4 = 48 using a number line or mentally
  • Explain bridging through 10 when adding ones to a two-digit number

• Unknown in Addition & Subtraction

  Determine the unknown whole number in an addition or subtraction equation relating three whole numbers

  • Solve 8 + ? = 11 and write 3
  • Solve 5 = □ − 3 and write 8
  • Solve 6 + 6 = □ and write 12

• Fluent addition and subtraction

  Recall and use addition and subtraction facts to 20 fluently, and derive and use related facts up to 100

  • Rapidly recall 7 + 8 = 15 and 15 − 8 = 7
  • Use 6 + 4 = 10 to derive 60 + 40 = 100
  • Derive 35 + 5 = 40 from knowledge that 5 + 5 = 10

• Adding and subtracting tens mentally

  Add and subtract a two-digit number and tens mentally and using concrete/pictorial representations

  • Calculate 45 + 30 = 75 mentally
  • Calculate 82 − 40 = 42 mentally
  • Explain that only the tens digit changes when adding/subtracting tens

• Subtracting multiples of 10

  Subtract multiples of 10 (10–90) from multiples of 10 using place value strategies

  • Calculate 70 − 30 = 40
  • Use base-ten blocks to show 80 − 50 = 30
  • Explain that subtracting tens is like subtracting the tens digits

• Adding Three Small Numbers

  Add three one-digit numbers using strategies including looking for pairs that make 10

  • Calculate 5 + 7 + 3 by first adding 7 + 3 = 10, then 5 + 10 = 15
  • Add any three single-digit numbers correctly
  • Identify useful pairs within three addends to make the calculation easier

• Grouping numbers to add

  Understand and apply the associative property of addition: when adding three numbers, any two can be added first

  • Solve 2 + 6 + 4 by first adding 6 + 4 = 10, then 2 + 10 = 12
  • Explain that grouping addends differently gives the same total
  • Choose which two numbers to add first to make the calculation easier

• Addition and subtraction strategies

  Use counting on and counting back as strategies for addition and subtraction

  • Add 8 + 3 by starting at 8 and counting on 3 (9, 10, 11)
  • Subtract 12 − 3 by counting back 3 from 12 (11, 10, 9)
  • Explain that counting on is a way to add

Math · Measurement

Your child is learning practical measurement skills — reading clocks to five-minute intervals, measuring length and capacity using standard units, and working with money including making change.

• Measurable Attributes of Objects

  Describe and identify measurable attributes of objects such as length, height, weight, and capacity; use comparative language (longer, shorter, heavier, lighter, more, less)

  • Identify that a pencil has length and can be measured
  • Describe multiple attributes of one object (e.g. a bottle has height, weight, and capacity)
  • Use words like 'long', 'heavy', 'full' to describe objects

• Choosing measurement units

  Choose and use appropriate standard units to measure length (m/cm), mass (kg/g), temperature (°C), and capacity (litres/ml) to the nearest appropriate unit

  • Measure the length of a table in centimetres using a ruler
  • Weigh an object in grams using a scale
  • Measure the capacity of a container in millilitres using a measuring jug

• Comparing Lengths & Heights

  Compare two objects directly by length or height and describe the difference using language such as long, short, tall, longer, shorter, taller, double, half

  • Stand two children back-to-back and say who is taller/shorter
  • Directly compare the heights of two towers and describe one as taller
  • Use 'longer' and 'shorter' to compare two ribbons placed side by side

• Measuring length and height (age 5+)

  Measure and begin to record lengths and heights using non-standard and standard units

  • Measure the length of a table using cubes and record the result
  • Begin to use a ruler to measure in centimetres
  • Record a measurement as a number with a unit

• Comparing Capacity

  Compare and describe capacity and volume using language such as full, empty, more than, less than, half full

  • Compare two containers and say which holds more/less
  • Use 'half full' and 'quarter full' to describe a container
  • Solve practical problems like 'Which cup has more water?'

• Measuring mass and weight (age 4+)

  Compare two objects directly by mass or weight and describe the difference using language such as heavy, light, heavier than, lighter than

  • Heft two objects and say which is heavier/lighter
  • Use a simple balance to compare the weight of two objects
  • Describe one object as 'heavier than' another

• Capacity and volume

  Measure and begin to record capacity and volume using non-standard and standard units

  • Measure capacity by counting how many cups fill a container
  • Begin to use litres as a unit of capacity
  • Record capacity measurements with a number and unit

• Measuring mass and weight

  Measure and begin to record mass/weight using non-standard and standard units

  • Use a balance to compare masses of two objects
  • Measure mass using non-standard units (e.g. 'this book weighs 5 cubes')
  • Begin to read a simple scale for mass

• Ordering Events in Time

  Sequence events in chronological order using language such as before, after, next, first, today, yesterday, tomorrow, morning, afternoon, evening

  • Order three daily events using 'first', 'next', 'last'
  • Use 'yesterday', 'today', 'tomorrow' correctly
  • Describe an event as happening in the 'morning' or 'afternoon'

• Days, Weeks, Months & Years

  Recognise and use language relating to dates, including days of the week, weeks, months, and years

  • Name the seven days of the week in order
  • Name the twelve months of the year in order
  • Understand that a year is made up of months and weeks

• Measuring length (age 6+)

  Measure the length of an object using same-size length units laid end to end with no gaps or overlaps

  • Measure a book by laying paper clips end to end and counting them
  • Understand that the length measurement is the number of units that span the object
  • Avoid gaps and overlaps when placing units

• Measuring length

  Order three objects by length and compare the lengths of two objects indirectly using a third object

  • Put three ribbons in order from shortest to longest
  • Use a piece of string to compare the heights of two objects that cannot be placed side by side
  • Explain that if A is longer than B and B is longer than C, then A is longer than C

• Comparing and ordering measurements

  Compare and order lengths, mass, and capacity and record results using >, <, and =

  • Measure two objects and write 45cm > 32cm
  • Order three containers by capacity after measuring each
  • Use = when two measurements are the same

• Comparing durations

  Use comparative language for time: quicker, slower, earlier, later

  • Compare two events and say which was quicker/slower
  • Use 'earlier' and 'later' correctly to describe daily events
  • Solve practical problems like 'Who finished first?'

• Telling time to the minute

  Measure and begin to record time in hours, minutes, and seconds

  • Use a sand timer or stopwatch to time an activity
  • Begin to understand that 1 minute = 60 seconds
  • Record a duration in simple terms (e.g. 'it took about 2 minutes')

• Number of minutes in an hour

  Know the number of minutes in an hour and the number of hours in a day

  • State that there are 60 minutes in an hour
  • State that there are 24 hours in a day
  • Use these facts to solve simple time problems

• Telling Time: Minutes

  Tell and write the time to five minutes, including quarter past and quarter to, and draw clock hands to show these times

  • Read an analogue clock showing 3:25
  • Write 'quarter past 9' or '9:15'
  • Draw clock hands to show twenty to four

• Telling Time: Hours and Half Hours

  Tell the time to the hour and half past the hour, and draw clock hands to show these times

  • Read an analogue clock showing 3 o'clock
  • Read an analogue clock showing half past 7
  • Draw the hour and minute hands on a blank clock face to show a given o'clock or half-past time

• Coin Values

  Recognise and know the value of different coins and notes

  • Identify 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 coins
  • Know that a £2 coin is worth more than a 50p coin
  • Recognise £5 and £10 notes

• Sequence intervals of time

  Compare and sequence intervals of time

  • Order three events by how long they took
  • Compare the duration of two activities (e.g. 'the race took longer than the walk')
  • Sequence intervals on a timeline

• Money Addition & Subtraction

  Solve simple money problems involving addition and subtraction, including giving change

  • Calculate the total cost of two items priced in pence
  • Work out change from 50p after buying an item costing 35p
  • Solve 'How much more money do I need?' problems

• Adding money and giving change

  Find different combinations of coins that equal the same amount of money

  • Show that 50p can be made with 2×20p + 1×10p, or 5×10p, or 1×50p
  • Systematically find multiple coin combinations for a given total
  • Explain why different coin sets give the same total

• Pounds & Pence Notation

  Recognise and use symbols for pounds (£) and pence (p) and combine amounts to make a particular value

  • Write £1.50 or 150p correctly
  • Combine coins to make a given total, e.g. 50p + 20p + 5p = 75p
  • Read prices written with £ and p symbols

Math · Geometry

Your child is discovering the world of shapes — identifying properties of 2D and 3D shapes, learning how to combine shapes to make new ones, and describing positions and movements using mathematical language.

• 3-D shapes

  Recognise and name common 3-D shapes (cubes, cuboids, pyramids, spheres, cylinders, cones)

  • Name a cube, sphere, cylinder, and cone when shown them
  • Identify 3-D shapes in the environment (e.g. a tin is a cylinder)
  • Recognise a cuboid and a pyramid among a set of solid shapes

• 2-D shapes

  Recognise and name common 2-D shapes (circles, triangles, rectangles including squares)

  • Name a triangle, circle, rectangle, and square when shown them
  • Identify a shape correctly regardless of its size or orientation
  • Pick out all the triangles from a mixed set of shapes

• 3-D shapes (age 5+)

  Analyse and compare 2-D and 3-D shapes using informal language to describe sides, vertices, and other attributes

  • Count the sides and corners of a shape
  • Compare a triangle and a rectangle by number of sides
  • Describe a cube as having 'square faces' and 'corners'

• 2-D shapes (age 6+)

  Identify and describe properties of 2-D shapes including the number of sides and line symmetry in a vertical line

  • Count the number of sides of a given 2-D shape
  • Identify whether a 2-D shape has a vertical line of symmetry
  • Use properties (number of sides, symmetry) to describe and distinguish between shapes

• Angles in triangles (age 6+)

  Distinguish defining attributes of shapes (e.g. triangles are closed and three-sided) from non-defining attributes (e.g. colour, orientation, overall size)

  • Build and draw shapes that possess defining attributes
  • Identify that a shape remains a triangle regardless of its size, colour, or orientation
  • Explain why a given shape is or is not a particular type based on its defining properties

• Turns & Directions

  Describe movement and direction, including whole, half, quarter, and three-quarter turns

  • Follow instructions to move forward, backward, turn left/right
  • Demonstrate a whole turn, half turn, and quarter turn with their body
  • Describe a route using directional language

• Position, direction, and movement

  Use mathematical vocabulary to describe position, direction, and movement, including straight lines and distinguishing rotation as a turn in terms of right angles (quarter, half, three-quarter turns, clockwise and anti-clockwise)

  • Use terms such as clockwise, anti-clockwise, quarter turn, half turn, three-quarter turn
  • Describe a right angle as a quarter turn
  • Give and follow directions involving straight-line movement and turns

• Positional Language

  Describe the position of objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, next to

  • Describe a toy as being 'on top of' the table
  • Follow instructions like 'put the cube behind the box'
  • Use 'left' and 'right' in simple contexts

• Edges, vertices, and faces

  Identify and describe properties of 3-D shapes including the number of edges, vertices, and faces

  • Count the edges, vertices, and faces of common 3-D shapes
  • Use the terms edge, vertex (vertices), and face correctly
  • Describe a 3-D shape by its properties (e.g. a cube has 6 faces, 12 edges, 8 vertices)

• Sorting 2-D and 3-D shapes

  Compare and sort common 2-D and 3-D shapes and everyday objects by their properties

  • Sort a collection of 2-D shapes by number of sides
  • Sort 3-D shapes by number of faces or whether faces are flat/curved
  • Explain criteria used to sort a group of shapes

• Building & Drawing Shapes

  Model shapes by building from components (e.g. sticks and clay balls) and by drawing

  • Build a triangle from three sticks and three clay balls
  • Draw a recognisable rectangle
  • Construct a cube from straws and connectors

• Combining Simple Shapes

  Compose simple shapes to form larger shapes (e.g. two triangles make a rectangle)

  • Join two triangles to make a rectangle or larger triangle
  • Use pattern blocks to fill a hexagon outline
  • Create a picture or design by combining basic shapes

• Building with 3-D Shapes

  Compose three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, right circular cylinders) and create composite shapes; build new shapes from component shapes

  • Stack cubes and prisms to build towers or structures
  • Combine 3-D shapes to make a new solid (e.g. cone on top of cylinder)
  • Describe a composite 3-D shape in terms of its component shapes

• Composing Shapes

  Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, quarter-circles) to create composite shapes, and compose new shapes from the composite shape

  • Combine two triangles to form a rectangle or larger triangle
  • Put together half-circles and quarter-circles to form circles or new shapes
  • Decompose a composite shape and describe which simpler shapes make it up

• Flat vs Solid Shapes

  Distinguish two-dimensional (flat) shapes from three-dimensional (solid) shapes

  • Sort shapes into 'flat' and 'solid' groups
  • Explain that a circle is flat but a sphere is solid
  • Identify whether a given shape is 2-D or 3-D

• 2-D faces on 3-D shapes

  Identify 2-D shapes on the surface of 3-D shapes (e.g. a circle on a cylinder, a triangle on a pyramid)

  • Point out a circular face on a cylinder or cone
  • Identify triangular faces on a pyramid
  • Recognise that the faces of 3-D shapes are 2-D shapes

• Patterns & Sequences

  Order and arrange combinations of mathematical objects in patterns and sequences

  • Continue a repeating pattern of shapes or colours
  • Describe the rule for a given sequence of objects
  • Create own patterns and sequences using mathematical objects

Math · Mathematical Thinking

Your child is developing mathematical reasoning skills — learning to plan approaches to problems, explain their thinking clearly, spot patterns, and connect real-world situations to mathematical solutions.

• Explaining Mathematical Reasoning

  With teacher prompting, explain and justify mathematical reasoning using drawings, number sentences, or words

  • Explain a solution strategy using a drawing or number sentence (e.g. 'I made ten first, then added the rest')
  • Justify why an answer is correct by showing an alternative method that gives the same result
  • Identify and explain an error in a worked example or a peer's solution

• Showing Your Working

  Show and tell how a mathematical answer was found using objects, drawings, and spoken words

  • Use objects or drawings to demonstrate how an addition or subtraction was solved
  • Respond to 'how do you know?' by pointing to objects or a drawing and describing what was done
  • Listen to a peer's explanation and say whether they agree or disagree

• Guided Multi-Step Problem Solving

  With teacher guidance, make sense of multi-step and more complex problems by planning a pathway to the solution, identifying relevant information, and choosing appropriate operations

  • When given a word problem within 20 or 100, identify the known information and what needs to be found
  • Try a strategy (drawing, number line, known fact) and switch approach if the first attempt stalls
  • Check the reasonableness of an answer using estimation or a different method

• Making Sense of Problems

  Make sense of a problem by identifying what is being asked, choosing concrete objects or pictures to represent the situation, and explaining a pathway to the solution

  • When given a word problem within 10, explain what the problem is asking before attempting to solve
  • Choose objects, fingers, or drawings to represent a problem situation
  • After finding an answer, check it makes sense (e.g. re-count objects to verify a total)

• Connecting maths to real life

  Represent real-world problems with number sentences, bar models, or diagrams, and interpret the mathematical result back in context

  • Choose and write an appropriate number sentence for a measurement or money word problem
  • Draw a bar model or diagram to represent a two-step or comparison problem
  • Interpret the numerical answer in context (e.g. '15 cm means the ribbon is 15 centimetres long')

• Numbers on a number line

  Select and use appropriate tools and representations (number lines, hundred squares, rulers, part-whole models) to support problem-solving

  • Choose a number line or hundred square to support adding or subtracting two-digit numbers
  • Select a ruler when a problem requires measuring length
  • Explain why one representation (e.g. a number line vs cubes) is more helpful for a particular problem

• Generalising Patterns

  Recognise and use repeated reasoning to generalise: spot calculation patterns, describe rules for sequences, and predict results using known mathematical facts

  • Use a known doubles fact to derive a near-doubles answer (e.g. 6 + 7 = 6 + 6 + 1 = 13)
  • Notice that subtracting 10 from any two-digit number always reduces the tens digit by 1
  • Describe a rule for a pattern and use it to extend or predict (e.g. 'each time we add 5, the ones digit alternates between 0 and 5')

• Precise Maths Communication

  Communicate with mathematical precision: use correct vocabulary, specify units, and use symbols accurately

  • Use the = sign correctly to mean 'is the same as' rather than 'the answer is'
  • Include units when giving a measurement answer (e.g. '12 cm' not just '12')
  • Use precise terms such as 'edge', 'vertex', 'face' when describing 3-D shapes, and 'greater than', 'less than' when comparing numbers

• Connecting Representations

  Move between real-world situations, drawings, and number sentences, explaining how each representation connects to the others (quantitative reasoning)

  • Write a number sentence (e.g. 14 + 5 = 19) to match a word problem and explain the connection
  • Draw a bar model or part-whole diagram to represent a problem, then solve using the diagram
  • Translate between a concrete model and a symbolic equation, describing what each number represents

• Shape patterns

  Look for and use mathematical structure: apply properties of operations, place-value patterns, and relationships between shapes to solve problems efficiently

  • Use the commutative property deliberately (e.g. reorder 3 + 9 as 9 + 3 to count on from the larger number)
  • Use place-value structure to add or subtract tens (e.g. 47 + 10 = 57 because only the tens digit changes)
  • Recognise structural similarities between shapes (e.g. rectangles and squares both have 4 sides and 4 right angles)

• Using objects to model real problems

  Use objects, drawings, or simple number sentences to represent a real-world situation (early mathematical modelling)

  • Draw a picture or use objects to represent a simple real-world situation involving counting or comparing
  • Write or dictate a number sentence to describe a real-world situation (e.g. 'I had 5 apples and ate 2')
  • Use the model to answer a question about the situation

• Spotting mathematical patterns

  Notice simple patterns and structures: spot that changing order doesn't change the total, and recognise how numbers relate to each other

  • Notice that 3 + 2 gives the same answer as 2 + 3 (early commutativity)
  • Recognise that teen numbers are 'ten and some more' (e.g. 14 is 10 and 4)
  • Spot a pattern in a sequence of objects or numbers and predict what comes next

• Early Maths Vocabulary

  Use mathematical words carefully when counting, comparing, and describing shapes and positions

  • Use 'more than', 'fewer than', and 'the same as' correctly when comparing groups
  • Name shapes correctly and describe their features using words like 'sides' and 'corners'
  • Use positional words (above, below, next to) precisely to describe where objects are

• Real-World to Maths Connections

  Move between a real-world situation and a mathematical representation using concrete objects, drawings, diagrams, tables, number sentences, or bar models

  • Given a story about combining groups, represent it with counters or cubes and find the total
  • Given a set of objects, tell a simple addition or subtraction story to match
  • Connect a physical action (putting together, taking away) to the matching operation

• Finding efficient methods

  Notice when a calculation or pattern repeats and use this to count more efficiently or predict results

  • Notice that skip counting by 2s follows a repeating odd/even pattern
  • Recognise that adding 1 to any number always gives the next counting number
  • Use a repeated pattern (e.g. +10 on a hundred chart always moves down one row) to predict answers

• Hands-On Problem Solving

  Select and use familiar tools (concrete objects, fingers, ten frames) to help solve a mathematical problem

  • Choose cubes, counters, or fingers to help solve an addition or subtraction problem
  • Use a ten frame to organise objects for counting or comparing
  • Explain why a particular tool (e.g. cubes rather than fingers) was chosen for a given problem

Math · Number Representation & Place Value

Your child is learning how numbers work by understanding place value — discovering that in two-digit numbers, each digit has a different value depending on whether it represents tens or ones.

• Reading and writing numbers to 20

  Read and write numerals from 0 to 20

  • Read any numeral 0–20 when shown it
  • Write numerals 0–20 legibly from dictation
  • Represent a number of objects with the correct written numeral

• The teen numbers

  Understand that the teen numbers (11–19) are composed of ten ones and some further ones (early place value)

  • Compose 14 as a group of ten and four ones using objects
  • Decompose 17 into 10 + 7 and record as an equation
  • Explain that 13 is 'one ten and three ones'

• A Ten Is Ten Ones

  Understand that 10 can be thought of as a bundle of ten ones — called a 'ten'

  • Group 10 single cubes into one rod of 10 and explains why
  • Explain that 10 ones is the same as 1 ten
  • Exchange 10 ones for a single tens block

• The two digits of a two-digit number

  Understand that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens and ones

  • Explain that in 47, the 4 represents 4 tens (40) and the 7 represents 7 ones
  • Use base-ten blocks to show a two-digit number as tens and ones
  • Identify the tens digit and ones digit in any two-digit number

• Comparing and ordering numbers

  Compare and order two-digit numbers using the symbols >, =, and <, based on place value understanding

  • Correctly place > or < between 34 and 43
  • Order a set of two-digit numbers from smallest to largest
  • Explain a comparison by referring to the tens digit first, then ones

• Representing Numbers

  Identify, represent, and estimate numbers using different representations including the number line

  • Place a two-digit number on a 0–100 number line in approximately the right position
  • Estimate 'about how many' objects are in a set of 30–50 without counting
  • Represent the same number using base-ten blocks, a number line, and a drawing

• 10 More or 10 Less

  Mentally find 10 more or 10 less than a given two-digit number without counting

  • Given 56, quickly say 66 is 10 more and 46 is 10 less
  • Explain that adding 10 increases the tens digit by 1
  • Answer '10 more than 73' without using fingers or counting on

• Number Words to 100

  Read and write numbers to at least 100 in words

  • Read 'fifty-seven' and write the numeral 57
  • Write 'eighty-three' when shown the numeral 83
  • Read and write all decade words (twenty, thirty … ninety) correctly

• Number Words to Twenty

  Read and write number words from one to twenty

  • Read the word 'twelve' and identify it as 12
  • Write the word form of a given number 1–20
  • Match numeral cards to number word cards

• Place value understanding and number facts

  Use place value understanding and number facts to solve problems

  • Use knowledge that 34 = 30 + 4 to help add 34 + 20 = 54
  • Solve 'I think of a number, add 10, and get 45. What was my number?'
  • Apply partitioning to solve a problem in an unfamiliar context

• The multiples of 10

  Understand that the multiples of 10 (10, 20, 30 … 90) represent one to nine tens and 0 ones

  • Explain that 30 means 3 tens and 0 ones
  • Represent 50 using 5 tens rods and no unit cubes
  • Match decade numbers to their tens representation

• Reading and writing numbers to 100

  Read and write numerals from 0 to 100

  • Read two-digit numerals up to 100 correctly
  • Write any number 0–100 as a numeral from dictation

• Reading and writing numbers to 120

  Count to 120 starting at any number less than 120; read and write numerals to 120

  • Count from 47 to 120 without errors
  • Read the numeral 108 correctly
  • Write the numeral for one hundred and fifteen

Math · Counting & Cardinality

Your child is building counting confidence — learning to skip count by 3s and count forwards and backwards in tens from any starting number.

• One-to-one counting

  One-to-one correspondence when counting objects: each object is paired with exactly one number name

  • Point to or touch each object exactly once while saying number names
  • Do not skip objects or double-count when counting a set
  • Recognise an error when someone counts an object twice

• How Many in Total?

  Cardinality principle: the last number said when counting a set tells how many objects are in the set, regardless of arrangement or order counted

  • After counting a set, answer 'how many?' with the last number stated
  • Understand that rearranging objects does not change the count
  • Understand that counting in a different order gives the same total

• Rote counting to 100

  Rote count forwards and backwards from 0 to 100, beginning from 0, 1, or any given number, by ones

  • Recite the number sequence 1–100 without skipping or repeating
  • Count backward from 20 to 0
  • Count forward starting from a number other than 1 (e.g. 'start at 23')

• Counting in 2s

  Count in multiples of 2, 5, and 10 (skip counting)

  • Count 2, 4, 6, 8 … up to at least 20
  • Count 5, 10, 15, 20 … up to at least 50
  • Count 10, 20, 30 … up to 100

• Counting objects to 20

  Count a set of objects to answer 'how many?' for sets up to 20 (arranged in lines, arrays, circles, or scattered)

  • Accurately count up to 20 objects in a line
  • Count up to 10 scattered objects without losing track
  • Given a number 1–20, count out that many objects from a larger set

• Comparing groups: more or fewer

  Compare two groups of objects to determine which has more, fewer, or whether they are equal, using matching and counting strategies

  • Use one-to-one matching to compare two groups
  • State which group has more/fewer after counting both
  • Use the language 'equal to', 'more than', 'less than', 'fewer', 'most', 'least'

• Two written numerals between 1 and 10

  Compare two written numerals between 1 and 10 to determine which is greater or less

  • Given two written numerals (e.g. 4 and 7), identify which is greater
  • Correctly use > and < or 'greater than' / 'less than' to compare single-digit numerals

• Representing numbers with objects

  Represent numbers using objects, pictorial representations, and the number line

  • Show a given number using counters, cubes, or fingers
  • Draw a pictorial representation of a quantity (e.g. tally marks, dots)
  • Locate a number on a number line

• One More Each Time

  Each successive counting number represents a quantity that is one larger than the previous number

  • Given a set of 5, know that adding one object makes 6
  • Explain that 8 is one more than 7
  • Given a number, identify one more and one less

• Counting forwards and backwards (age 6+)

  Count forwards and backwards in tens from any number (not just multiples of 10)

  • Count 7, 17, 27, 37 … from a non-multiple starting point
  • Count backwards in tens from 83
  • Explain the pattern of adding/subtracting 10

• Counting forwards and backwards

  Count forwards and backwards in steps of 3 from 0

  • Count 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 … up to at least 30
  • Count backwards in 3s from 30
  • Identify the next number in a sequence of multiples of 3

Math · Multiplication & Division

Your child is building the foundations of multiplication and division — learning their 2, 5, and 10 times tables, understanding what these operations mean, and solving problems using arrays and repeated addition.

• Division as equal sharing

  Understand division as sharing equally into groups or as grouping (how many groups of a given size can be made)

  • Share 10 counters equally between 2 plates
  • Group 12 objects into sets of 3 and count 4 groups
  • Use concrete objects to solve 'How many groups of 2 in 8?'

• Multiplication as repeated addition

  Understand multiplication as repeated addition and grouping equal sets

  • Explain that 3 groups of 2 is the same as 2 + 2 + 2
  • Use objects to make equal groups and count the total
  • Recognise an array as showing equal rows

• Times tables

  Recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 2, 5, and 10 multiplication tables

  • Quickly answer 5 × 3 = 15 from memory
  • Quickly answer 20 ÷ 5 = 4 from memory
  • Recite the 2, 5, and 10 times tables fluently

• Arrays for multiplication

  Use arrays to represent multiplication and division situations

  • Build an array of 3 rows of 4 objects to show 3 × 4
  • Read an array and state the total
  • Use an array to solve a simple division problem (e.g. 12 objects in rows of 4 → 3 rows)

• Reading ×, ÷, and = Symbols

  Read, write, and interpret the symbols ×, ÷, and = in multiplication and division number sentences

  • Read 3 × 4 = 12 aloud as 'three times four equals twelve'
  • Write a multiplication sentence to match an array
  • Read 12 ÷ 3 = 4 aloud correctly

• Commutative Multiplication

  Understand and apply the commutative property of multiplication and recognise that division is not commutative

  • Explain that 3 × 5 = 5 × 3 and show this with an array rotated
  • Use commutativity to choose the easier calculation
  • Demonstrate that 12 ÷ 3 ≠ 3 ÷ 12

• Multiplication as repeated addition (age 6+)

  Solve problems involving multiplication and division using arrays, repeated addition, mental methods, and known facts

  • Solve 'There are 5 bags with 2 apples in each. How many apples?' using repeated addition or known fact
  • Solve 'Share 15 sweets equally among 3 children' using grouping
  • Draw an array to solve a multiplication problem in context

• Odd and even numbers

  Recognise odd and even numbers

  • Identify whether a given number is odd or even
  • Explain that even numbers can be divided into 2 equal groups
  • Spot the pattern: even numbers end in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8

Math · Fractions

Your child is beginning to understand fractions by dividing shapes and objects into equal parts, learning to recognize and write simple fractions like halves, quarters, and thirds.

• What Is a Half?

  Recognise, find, and name a half as one of two equal parts of an object, shape, or quantity

  • Fold a shape into two equal parts and identify each as 'a half'
  • Find half of 8 objects by sharing into 2 equal groups
  • Identify whether a shape has been divided into halves or not (equal vs unequal parts)

• Finding halves and quarters (age 5+)

  Recognise, find, and name a quarter as one of four equal parts of an object, shape, or quantity

  • Fold a shape into four equal parts and identify each as 'a quarter'
  • Find a quarter of 12 objects by sharing into 4 equal groups
  • Identify whether a shape has been divided into quarters (four equal parts)

• Fractions of amounts

  Recognise, find, name, and write fractions 1/3, 1/4, 2/4, and 3/4 of a length, shape, set of objects, or quantity

  • Find 1/3 of 12 objects by sharing into 3 equal groups
  • Shade 3/4 of a rectangle that has been divided into 4 equal parts
  • Identify 1/4 of a length on a number line or ruler

• Fraction Notation

  Read, write, and use fraction notation correctly — fraction, numerator, denominator, unit fraction, non-unit fraction, proper fraction, improper fraction, mixed number, equivalent fraction, simplest form — and understand what each term describes, including the roles of the numerator and denominator in expressing parts of a whole

  • Point to and name the numerator and denominator in any given fraction and explain what each tells you
  • Correctly classify fractions as unit, proper, improper, or mixed number with an example of each
  • Explain in own words why 2/4 and 1/2 are equivalent fractions

• Decomposing a shape into more equal shares

  Understand that decomposing a shape into more equal shares creates smaller shares

  • Explain that a quarter of a pizza is smaller than a half of the same pizza
  • Demonstrate that fourths are smaller pieces than halves
  • Compare the size of halves and quarters of the same shape

• Halves & Quarters of Shapes

  Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares and describe them using the words halves, fourths, and quarters

  • Divide a circle into two equal halves
  • Divide a rectangle into four equal quarters
  • Describe the whole as 'two halves' or 'four quarters'

• Understanding fractions

  Write simple fractions (e.g. 1/2 of 6 = 3) and recognise the equivalence of 2/4 and 1/2

  • Write 1/2 of 10 = 5
  • Explain that 2/4 is the same as 1/2 using a diagram
  • Calculate simple unit fractions of quantities and write the result

Math · Data & Statistics

Your child is learning to work with data — creating and reading simple charts, graphs, and tables to organise information and answer questions about what the data shows.

• Sorting into categories

  Classify objects into given categories, count the number in each category, and sort the categories by count

  • Sort a set of shapes by colour and count how many in each group
  • Sort objects by size (big/small) and state how many in each category
  • Identify which category has the most/fewest after sorting and counting

• Sorting Data into Categories

  Organise and represent data with up to three categories by counting objects in each category and sorting categories by quantity

  • Sort a set of objects into 2-3 given categories and count each group
  • Create a simple table or list showing category names and counts
  • Order categories from most to fewest or fewest to most

• Pictograms and tally charts (age 6+)

  Read, write, and use the vocabulary of data collection and display — data, tally, tally chart, frequency, frequency table, survey, pictogram, bar chart, axis/axes, scale, label, category, discrete data, continuous data, line graph, pie chart — and apply these terms when collecting, organising, and presenting data

  • Correctly label the axes of a bar chart including a title, axis labels, and scale
  • Distinguish between discrete data (counted) and continuous data (measured) with an example of each
  • Use 'tally', 'frequency', and 'pictogram' correctly when describing how to record and display data

• Pictograms and tally charts

  Interpret and construct simple pictograms, tally charts, block diagrams, and simple tables

  • Read a pictogram where each symbol represents one item
  • Construct a tally chart from collected data
  • Draw a block diagram to represent data from a survey

• Sorting into categories (age 6+)

  Interpret categorical data by asking and answering questions about totals, how many in each category, and how many more or less one category has than another

  • Answer 'how many?' for each category in a data set
  • Calculate the total number of data points across all categories
  • Compare two categories using 'how many more/fewer' language

English · Phonics & Word Reading

Your child is learning to read more complex words by recognizing different letter patterns for the same sounds and breaking longer words into syllables, while also developing fluency and expression when reading aloud.

• Understanding print

  Demonstrate understanding that print carries meaning, follows left-to-right top-to-bottom directionality, and is organised page by page in books

  • Track words with a finger moving left to right across the page
  • Turn pages in the correct sequence when handling a book
  • Point to where reading starts on a page

• Knowing all letters

  Recognise and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet; name the letters in order and use letter names to distinguish between alternative spellings

  • Name all 26 letters in both cases when shown in random order
  • Recite the alphabet from A to Z
  • Use letter names to explain spelling choices (e.g. 'Is it c or k in cat?')

• Single Letter Sounds

  Know the primary sound for each consonant and the short and long sounds for the five major vowels; respond speedily to single-letter graphemes

  • Say the most common sound for each consonant when shown the letter
  • Distinguish short vowel sounds in CVC words (e.g. /a/ in 'cat' vs /e/ in 'bed')
  • Associate long and short vowel sounds with common single-letter spellings

• Onsets & Rimes

  Blend and segment onsets and rimes in single-syllable words; isolate and pronounce individual phonemes (initial, medial, final) in CVC words; add or substitute phonemes to make new words

  • Blend onset and rime to say a word (e.g. /c/ + /at/ → 'cat')
  • Identify the first, middle, or last sound in a CVC word
  • Change one sound to make a new word (e.g. change /c/ in 'cat' to /b/ → 'bat')

• Rhyming words

  Recognise and produce rhyming words; join in with predictable phrases and rhymes in stories and poems; learn to appreciate and recite poems by heart

  • Identify which words rhyme from a set (e.g. cat, bat, dog)
  • Generate a word that rhymes with a given target
  • Join in with repeated refrains and rhyming patterns during shared reading

• Syllables

  Count, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words; divide written words into syllables as an aid to reading and spelling

  • Clap out syllables in spoken words (e.g. 'butterfly' = 3 claps)
  • Blend syllables to form words (e.g. 'rain' + 'bow' → 'rainbow')
  • Segment a word into its syllable parts orally

• Blending Sounds to Read Words

  Apply phonic knowledge to blend sounds in unfamiliar words containing taught grapheme-phoneme correspondences; respond speedily to graphemes for all 40+ phonemes

  • Sound out and blend unfamiliar phonically regular words (e.g. /sh/-/o/-/p/ → 'shop')
  • Read words containing taught GPCs without excessive sounding out
  • Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying differing letter sounds (e.g. 'big' vs 'bag')

• Alternative Spellings for Known Sounds

  Recognise alternative grapheme-phoneme correspondences for known phonemes (e.g., /dʒ/ as ge/dge/g, /s/ as c, /n/ as kn/gn, /r/ as wr, /ʒ/ as s), reading words with less common spellings for familiar sounds

  • Read words with less common spellings for familiar sounds: 'badge', 'giraffe', 'city', 'knock', 'gnaw', 'write', 'treasure'
  • Identify that the same phoneme can be represented by different graphemes (e.g., /dʒ/ spelled g, ge, dge)
  • Select the correct alternative GPC to decode an unfamiliar word in context

• Vowel Digraphs

  Read and spell words containing common vowel digraphs (ai, ay, ee, ea, oa, oe, oo, oi, oy) including where a digraph can represent more than one sound

  • Read words with vowel digraphs (e.g. 'tree', 'boat', 'rain', 'coin')
  • Distinguish between different sounds for the same digraph (e.g. 'oo' in 'book' vs 'moon')
  • Spell words using common vowel digraph patterns

• Consonant Digraphs

  Read and spell words containing consonant digraphs and less common consonant spellings (ch, sh, th, ck, tch, ng, ph, wh, k for /k/)

  • Read words with consonant digraphs (e.g. 'shop', 'chip', 'that')
  • Identify the sound made by ph (/f/) and wh (/w/) in words
  • Spell words ending in -ck (e.g. 'duck') and -tch (e.g. 'match')

• Reading High-Frequency Words by Sight

  Read common high-frequency and exception words automatically by sight, including words with irregular spelling patterns

  • Read common exception words instantly without sounding out (e.g. 'the', 'said', 'was', 'you')
  • Note unusual correspondences between spelling and sound in exception words
  • Recognise at least 20-30 high-frequency words in connected text

• Reading fluently

  Read aloud books matched to phonic ability accurately and with growing fluency; reread familiar texts to build confidence, speed, and expression

  • Read a phonically appropriate text with 90%+ accuracy
  • Reread familiar texts with improved pace and expression
  • Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding

• Reading with Expression and Accuracy

  Read aloud with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression (prosody), re-reading familiar texts to build fluency and confidence, and using context to self-correct

  • Read a grade-level passage aloud with expression and appropriate pacing
  • Self-correct miscues during oral reading by re-reading or using context cues
  • Re-read a familiar book demonstrating increased fluency and confidence

• Reading Contractions

  Read and understand contractions with apostrophes, knowing the apostrophe represents omitted letters

  • Read common contractions in text (e.g. 'I'm', 'we'll', 'don't')
  • Match contractions to their expanded forms (e.g. 'I'm' = 'I am')
  • Explain that the apostrophe shows where letters are missing

• Syllables (age 6+)

  Decode words of two or more syllables by breaking them into syllable chunks, applying knowledge that every syllable must contain a vowel sound, and blending the parts together

  • Read 'rabbit', 'thunder', 'fantastic' by breaking into syllable chunks and blending
  • Clap or tap syllables in a multi-syllable word, then read each chunk before blending
  • Identify that every syllable must contain a vowel sound

• Compound Words

  Recognise and spell compound words by identifying the two component words that combine to form a single word

  • Identify the two words in a compound (e.g. 'sunshine' = 'sun' + 'shine')
  • Spell compound words by combining known words
  • Create compound words from given word pairs

• Reading Inflectional Endings

  Read words containing taught GPCs with common inflectional endings (-s, -es, -ing, -ed, -er, -est) and the prefix un-; read multi-syllable words with taught patterns

  • Read suffixed words fluently (e.g. 'jumping', 'wanted', 'faster')
  • Identify the root word when a suffix is added
  • Read words with prefix un- (e.g. 'unhappy', 'undo')

• Trigraphs

  Read and spell words containing trigraphs — three-letter graphemes representing a single sound (igh, air, ear, are)

  • Read words with trigraphs (e.g. 'night', 'chair', 'near')
  • Distinguish between different sounds for 'ear' (e.g. 'hear' vs 'bear')
  • Identify the single phoneme represented by three letters in a word

• Diphthongs and complex vowels

  Read and spell words containing diphthongs and complex vowel patterns (ow, ou, ew, ue, ie, aw, au) and words ending in -y as a vowel sound

  • Read words with variable vowel sounds (e.g. 'ow' in 'cow' vs 'snow')
  • Decode words with diphthongs (e.g. 'cloud', 'blue', 'pie')
  • Read words ending in -y pronounced as /ee/ or /igh/ (e.g. 'happy', 'my')

• Split Digraphs and Magic E

  Read and spell words containing split digraphs (a-e, e-e, i-e, o-e, u-e) where a final 'e' makes the preceding vowel long

  • Read words with split digraphs (e.g. 'cake', 'bike', 'home', 'cube')
  • Compare minimal pairs showing the effect of the split digraph (e.g. 'cap' vs 'cape')
  • Spell words with split digraphs correctly

• R-Controlled Vowel Sounds

  Read and spell words containing r-controlled vowels (ar, er, ir, ur, or, ore) and vowel-r patterns where 'r' modifies the vowel sound

  • Read words with r-controlled vowels (e.g. 'car', 'bird', 'fork', 'her')
  • Recognise that 'r' changes the vowel sound (e.g. 'cat' vs 'cart')
  • Spell words with common r-controlled patterns

English · Grammar & Punctuation

Your child is learning important grammar skills — understanding how to build more complex sentences, use punctuation correctly, and choose the right words to make their writing clearer and more interesting.

• Building sentences

  Understand that words combine to make sentences — a sentence expresses a complete thought; produce and expand complete sentences in speech and writing

  • Distinguish between complete sentences and fragments
  • Compose a complete sentence with a subject and verb
  • Expand a simple sentence by adding detail

• Past, Present and Progressive Tense

  Use verbs to convey past and present tense correctly and consistently, including the progressive form (e.g., she is drumming, he was shouting), understanding how tense indicates time

  • Write a passage consistently in past tense without switching to present
  • Use progressive forms correctly: 'was running', 'is jumping' to show ongoing actions
  • Identify verbs in a sentence and change them from past to present tense or vice versa

• Starting and Ending Sentences

  Begin sentences with a capital letter and end them with the appropriate mark (full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark); recognise and name end punctuation

  • Write sentences beginning with a capital letter
  • Choose and use the correct end punctuation for statements, questions, and exclamations
  • Identify and name full stops, question marks, and exclamation marks when reading

• Basic Nouns & Verbs

  Use frequently occurring nouns (people, places, things) and verbs (action words) appropriately in speech and writing

  • Use common nouns accurately in sentences (e.g. 'dog', 'school', 'book')
  • Use action verbs appropriately (e.g. 'run', 'eat', 'play')
  • Identify nouns and verbs in simple sentences when prompted

• Four Types of Sentences

  Understand and use the four sentence types — statement, question, exclamation, and command — recognising how grammatical patterns indicate sentence function

  • Write or identify a statement, question, exclamation, and command from a set of sentences
  • Match each sentence type to its correct end punctuation mark
  • Transform a statement into a question or command on request

• Question Words

  Understand and use question words (who, what, where, when, why, how) to form and answer questions

  • Ask questions using appropriate question words
  • Answer who, what, where, when questions about familiar topics
  • Recognise that question words signal a question is being asked

• Commas in lists

  Use commas to separate items in a list within a sentence (e.g., 'I bought apples, bananas, and oranges')

  • Write a sentence containing a list of 3+ items separated by commas: 'I bought apples, bananas, and oranges'
  • Identify where commas should go in an unpunctuated list sentence
  • Explain that commas separate items in a list so the reader knows each item

• Grammar Terms: Nouns, Verbs and Tense

  Use and understand Year 2 grammatical terminology in discussion: noun, noun phrase, statement, question, exclamation, command, compound, suffix, adjective, adverb, verb, tense (past/present), apostrophe, comma

  • Use the term 'noun phrase' when discussing expanded noun phrases in own writing
  • Identify adjectives, adverbs, and verbs in sentences using correct terminology
  • Explain what 'tense' means and give an example of past and present tense

• Subordinate clauses

  Use subordination (when, if, that, because) and co-ordination (or, and, but) to join clauses and create compound and complex sentences

  • Write 'I stayed inside because it was raining' using a subordinating conjunction
  • Use 'but' and 'or' to join ideas: 'I wanted to play but it was raining'
  • Use 'when' and 'if' clauses in writing: 'If it stops raining, we can go outside'

• Joining Words with 'And'

  Join words and clauses using the conjunction 'and' to create longer sentences

  • Combine two simple sentences using 'and' (e.g. 'I like cats and dogs')
  • Join two related clauses with 'and' (e.g. 'We went to the park and we played')
  • Use 'and' in lists of items within a sentence

• Apostrophes: Contraction and Possession

  Use apostrophes in writing for both contraction (marking omitted letters) and singular possession, distinguishing the two uses

  • Use apostrophes correctly in both 'don't' and 'Sam's bag' within the same piece of writing
  • Explain the difference between apostrophe for contraction and apostrophe for possession
  • Correct misplaced or missing apostrophes in a set of sentences

• Expanded noun phrases

  Use expanded noun phrases to describe and specify, adding adjectives and other modifiers before a noun (e.g., 'the blue butterfly', 'the old, creaky door')

  • Expand 'the cat' into 'the fluffy black cat' by adding adjectives
  • Use noun phrases with two or more modifiers in independent writing
  • Choose precise adjectives to make a noun phrase more vivid: e.g., 'a tiny, shivering kitten'

• Regular Plural Nouns

  Form and use regular plural nouns orally and in writing by adding -s or -es; understand that plural means more than one

  • Say and write correct plural forms (e.g. 'one cat, two cats'; 'one wish, two wishes')
  • Choose -s or -es correctly based on the ending sound
  • Explain that plural nouns name more than one

• Prepositions

  Understand and use the most frequently occurring prepositions of location and direction (e.g. to, from, in, out, on, off, for, by, with)

  • Use prepositions correctly in sentences (e.g. 'on the table', 'under the bed')
  • Follow instructions involving prepositions (e.g. 'Put the book on the shelf')
  • Describe positions using prepositional phrases

• Grammar words: letter, word, sentence

  Use basic grammatical terminology when discussing reading and writing: letter, capital letter, word, singular, plural, sentence, punctuation, full stop, question mark, exclamation mark

  • Name punctuation marks correctly when pointed out in text
  • Use terms like 'capital letter' and 'full stop' when editing writing
  • Explain what a 'sentence' is using the correct term

• Pronouns

  Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns correctly (e.g., I/me/my, they/them/their, anyone/everything), replacing nouns to avoid repetition

  • Replace a repeated noun with a pronoun: 'The dog was happy. He wagged his tail.'
  • Use I/me correctly in subject and object position in a sentence
  • Choose the correct possessive pronoun (my/his/her/their) to match the noun it replaces

• Subject-verb agreement

  Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in sentences, maintaining subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'He hops' vs 'We hop')

  • Write 'The dog runs' (singular) and 'The dogs run' (plural) with correct verb agreement
  • Correct subject-verb agreement errors in sentences: fix 'The children plays' to 'The children play'
  • Choose the correct verb form to match a singular or plural subject in a gap-fill exercise

• Spaces Between Words

  Separate words with spaces in writing; understand that spaces mark word boundaries in print

  • Leave clear finger-spaces between words when writing
  • Count the number of words in a written sentence by identifying spaces
  • Correct writing that has missing spaces between words

• Capitals for Names, Days and I

  Use capital letters for proper nouns (names of people, places) the days of the week, and the personal pronoun 'I'

  • Capitalise names of people and places consistently in writing
  • Write the pronoun 'I' as a capital letter
  • Capitalise days of the week (e.g. 'Monday')

• Determiners and articles

  Use determiners (articles a/an/the and demonstratives this/that/these/those) correctly before nouns

  • Use 'a' before consonant sounds and 'an' before vowel sounds correctly: 'a ball', 'an apple'
  • Distinguish 'this/these' (near) from 'that/those' (far) when pointing to objects
  • Select the correct article (a/an/the) to complete a sentence

English · Reading Comprehension

Your child is developing deeper reading skills — understanding how stories are structured, identifying main ideas in informational texts, comparing characters' perspectives, and recognising how different text features help organise information.

• Listening to Texts Read Aloud

  Listen to and discuss poems, stories, and non-fiction at a level beyond independent reading; confirm understanding of texts read aloud by asking and answering questions about key details

  • Answer questions about a story or non-fiction text read aloud by the teacher
  • Discuss events, characters, or ideas from chapter books read to the class
  • Ask for clarification when something in a read-aloud is not understood

• Characters, settings, and events

  Identify characters, settings, and major events in stories; become familiar with key stories, fairy tales, and traditional tales and retell them with key details in sequence

  • Name the main characters in a story
  • Describe where and when a story takes place
  • Retell a familiar story including beginning, middle, and end events

• Main Topic of Informational Texts

  Identify the main topic and retell key details of informational texts; describe connections between individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information

  • State what a non-fiction text is mostly about in one sentence
  • List two or three important facts learned from an informational text
  • Explain how two events or ideas in a text are connected

• Reading between the lines

  Ask and answer questions about key details in literary and informational texts; make simple inferences based on what characters say and do

  • Answer 'who', 'what', 'where' questions about a text using evidence
  • Infer a character's feelings from their actions (e.g. 'She's sad because she's crying')
  • Make logical guesses about unstated information using text clues

• Self-Correcting While Reading

  Check that text makes sense while reading and self-correct inaccurate reading by re-reading or using context

  • Notice when reading does not make sense and stop to re-read
  • Self-correct errors mid-sentence (e.g. 'Wait, that doesn't sound right')
  • Use meaning, sentence structure, and visual cues together to monitor reading

• Story Sequence and Central Message

  Discuss the sequence of events in narrative texts and how items of information are related in non-fiction, retelling stories including key details and demonstrating understanding of central message or lesson

  • Retell a story in correct sequence with beginning, middle, and end
  • Identify the central message or lesson of a story
  • Explain how two pieces of information in a non-fiction text are connected

• Book Features and Author's Reasons

  Identify front cover, back cover, and title page of a book; identify the reasons an author gives to support points in informational text

  • Point to and name parts of a book (front cover, back cover, title page)
  • Use the title page to find the title, author, and illustrator
  • Identify a reason the author gives for a claim in a simple non-fiction text

• Non-Fiction Text Features

  Recognise different non-fiction text structures and features (headings, contents, glossary, index), understanding how texts are organised to present information

  • Use a contents page to find information on a specific topic in a non-fiction book
  • Identify the purpose of headings, glossary, and index in an information text
  • Recognise that non-fiction books can be structured as lists, time order, or question-and-answer

• Predicting what happens next

  Predict what might happen next in a story based on what has been read so far; discuss the significance of titles and events

  • Make a prediction before turning the page and explain reasoning
  • Discuss why a title fits or hints at the story content
  • Revise predictions as new information is encountered in the text

• Characters' Viewpoints and Responses

  Identify and compare characters' points of view, recognise who is narrating a story, describe how characters respond to events and challenges, and compare characters' experiences across different stories or versions of the same story

  • Identify who is telling a story and explain how you know (e.g. 'The wolf is telling the story because he says I')
  • Describe how a character responds to a problem or challenge using evidence from the text (e.g. 'When the bridge broke, she decided to swim across')
  • Compare how two characters from different stories react to a similar situation (e.g. how two heroes show bravery in different ways)

• Retelling Stories with Structure

  Retell stories including key details in sequence, describe characters, settings, and major events using evidence from the text, and describe the overall structure of a story (beginning, middle, ending)

  • Retell a familiar story in order, including at least three key details from beginning, middle, and end
  • Describe a character's appearance, actions, or personality using details from the text
  • Explain how the beginning of a story introduces the characters and setting, and how the ending concludes the action

• Expressive and Sensory Language

  Recognise recurring literary language in stories and poetry, identify words and phrases that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses, and discuss favourite words and phrases

  • Spot recurring story language such as 'Once upon a time' and 'happily ever after'
  • Identify sensory words and phrases in a poem: 'the icy wind howled'
  • Share a favourite word or phrase from a story and explain why it appeals

• Comparing Characters Across Stories

  Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories; identify similarities and differences between two texts on the same topic

  • Identify what two stories have in common (e.g. 'Both have a bear character')
  • Compare information from two books about the same topic
  • Discuss how characters' experiences are similar or different across stories

• Main Topic & Key Details

  Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph informational text, determine the focus of specific paragraphs, and explain how key details support the main idea

  • Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph informational text and state the focus of individual paragraphs
  • Describe how specific details and facts in the text support the main idea
  • Explain how events, ideas, or steps in a text are connected (e.g. cause-effect, sequence, comparison)

• Connecting reading to experience

  Link what is read or heard to own experiences; draw on background knowledge and vocabulary to support understanding of texts

  • Make text-to-self connections (e.g. 'This reminds me of when I...')
  • Use personal experience to understand a character's feelings
  • Relate events in a story to own life to deepen comprehension

• Discussing Texts as a Group

  Participate in discussions about what is read, taking turns and listening to others; explain understanding clearly; actively engage in group reading activities

  • Share ideas about a book in a group discussion
  • Listen to and respond to others' opinions about a text
  • Take turns speaking and build on what classmates have said about a book

• Different Types of Texts

  Recognise common types of texts (storybooks, poems, non-fiction); name the author and illustrator and define the role of each in telling or presenting a text

  • Distinguish between a story, a poem, and a non-fiction book
  • Point to and name the author and illustrator on the cover
  • Explain that the author writes the words and the illustrator makes the pictures

• Pictures and Text Working Together

  Describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear; use pictures to support and extend comprehension

  • Use pictures to predict or confirm story events
  • Describe what is happening in an illustration and how it relates to the text
  • Explain how an illustration adds information not stated in words

English · Writing Composition

Your child is learning to write for different purposes beyond stories — including opinions, explanations, and poetry — while developing planning skills, building writing stamina, and learning to revise and proofread their work.

• Saying Sentences Before Writing Them

  Say out loud what is going to be written; compose sentences orally before writing them down as preparation for independent writing

  • Say a complete sentence aloud before attempting to write it
  • Rehearse a sentence orally more than once to hold it in memory
  • Practise sentences with a partner before writing independently

• Writing Process Vocabulary

  Know and use the vocabulary of the writing process — compose, plan, draft, revise, edit, proofread, genre, audience, purpose, narrative, recount, instruction, paragraph, sequence, and detail — and understand that these words describe distinct steps and decisions that all writers make, not just tasks to tick off

  • Use 'compose', 'revise', and 'edit' correctly when describing the stages of writing
  • Explain who the 'audience' is for a piece of writing and how that changes what they write
  • Describe the purpose of a piece of writing (to persuade, inform, entertain, or instruct) and match their language to it

• Simple Stories with Beginning and Ending

  Write simple narratives by sequencing sentences to describe events in order; narrate a single event or linked events with a beginning, middle, and ending or reaction

  • Write a short story with at least three sequenced sentences
  • Use time words like 'first', 'then', 'next' to order events
  • Include a reaction or ending to a narrative (e.g. 'I felt happy')

• Revising and editing

  Proof-read own writing to check for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation; evaluate and revise writing with teacher/peer support, re-reading to ensure meaning is clear and tense is consistent

  • Re-read own writing and spot a missing full stop or capital letter
  • Identify and correct a tense inconsistency in a piece of writing
  • Discuss improvements with a partner and make at least one revision to strengthen the writing

• Building Writing Stamina

  Write about real events and for different purposes, developing stamina for sustained writing across genres beyond narrative (e.g., recounts, letters, instructions)

  • Write a recount of a school trip using temporal connectives (first, then, after that)
  • Write a simple set of instructions with numbered steps
  • Sustain writing for an extended period across a full page without stopping

• Responding to Writing Feedback

  With teacher guidance, re-read own writing aloud to check it sounds right; listen and respond to questions and suggestions from teacher or peers to add detail, clarify meaning, and strengthen writing — this is the scaffolded beginning of writing self-evaluation, not an independent skill

  • Reread own writing and spot a missing word or unclear sentence
  • Add a detail in response to a question (e.g. 'Can you tell me more about...?')
  • Make at least one improvement to a piece based on feedback

• Writing to inform

  Compose informative or explanatory texts using drawing, dictating, or writing that name a topic and supply some information about it

  • Write or dictate two or three facts about a familiar topic
  • Label diagrams or drawings with informative details
  • Name a topic and provide relevant details about it

• Planning Ideas Before Writing

  Plan before writing by saying aloud or noting down what will be written, writing down ideas and key words, and encapsulating ideas sentence by sentence before composing

  • Verbally rehearse sentences before writing them down
  • Jot key words or ideas in a planning format (e.g., story map) before drafting
  • Write a simple plan with beginning, middle, and end for a story

• Writing Poetry

  Write poetry, exploring patterns of language, rhyme and rhythm, and learning poems by heart for recitation with appropriate intonation

  • Write a simple poem using rhyming couplets or a repeated pattern
  • Recite a poem from memory with expression and appropriate intonation
  • Identify rhyme and rhythm patterns in poems read aloud

• Writing opinions

  Compose opinion pieces using drawing, dictating, or writing that name a topic or book and state a preference or opinion about it

  • State an opinion clearly (e.g. 'My favourite animal is a dog because...')
  • Give at least one reason for an opinion
  • Draw, dictate, or write to express a preference about a book or topic

• Basic Informational Writing

  Compose informative or explanatory texts that introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section

  • Write an informative text that introduces a topic clearly and groups related information together
  • Use facts, definitions, and concrete details to develop and explain points about the topic
  • Provide a concluding statement or section that wraps up the information presented

• Shared Research Projects

  Participate in shared research and writing projects; recall information from experiences or gather information from sources to answer a question

  • Contribute ideas and information to a class writing project
  • Draw or write facts learned from personal experience about a topic
  • Help gather information from books or adults for a group research task

• Structured Opinion Writing

  Compose opinion pieces that introduce a topic, state a clear point of view, provide organised reasons linked with connecting words, and include a concluding statement or section

  • Write an opinion piece that introduces the topic, states a clear opinion, and provides at least two reasons
  • Use linking words (because, and, also, for example) to connect the opinion to supporting reasons
  • End an opinion piece with a concluding statement that restates or reinforces the opinion

• Sharing and Publishing Your Writing

  Read own writing aloud clearly enough to be heard by peers and the teacher; use digital tools to produce and publish writing

  • Read own sentences aloud with clear voice and appropriate expression
  • Share a piece of writing by reading it to the class
  • Type simple words or sentences using a computer or tablet

English · Spelling & Word Study

Your child is learning more advanced spelling rules, including how to add suffixes that change the root word, use apostrophes correctly in contractions and possessives, and spell words with alternative letter patterns for familiar sounds.

• Segmenting words into sounds

  Segment spoken words into phonemes and spell CVC and simple phonetically regular words by writing a letter or letters for each sound

  • Write CVC words from dictation (e.g. 'cat', 'bed', 'hot')
  • Segment words into individual sounds before choosing letters to write
  • Spell simple words phonetically drawing on sound-letter knowledge

• Phonics Vocabulary

  Know and use the vocabulary of phonics and word structure — phoneme, grapheme, GPC (grapheme-phoneme correspondence), blend, segment, digraph, CVC, vowel, consonant, syllable, root word, suffix, prefix, and homophone — and understand that these words describe the building blocks that phonics instruction is built on

  • Say the sounds for common graphemes (e.g. 'sh', 'ch', 'th', 'ee', 'igh') and use 'phoneme' and 'grapheme' correctly when explaining
  • Blend sounds together to read an unfamiliar word and explain what they are doing using the word 'blend'
  • Segment a word into its individual sounds for spelling and use the term 'segment' to describe the process

• Apostrophes for possession

  Use the possessive apostrophe with singular nouns to show ownership (e.g., the girl's book, the dog's bone)

  • Write 'the cat's tail' to show the tail belongs to the cat
  • Distinguish plural -s ('the cats ran') from possessive 's ('the cat's bed') in writing
  • Add a possessive apostrophe to a singular noun in a dictated sentence

• Spelling Contracted Forms

  Spell contracted forms correctly by placing the apostrophe where letters are omitted (can't, didn't, I'll, it's, etc.)

  • Write 'can't' for 'cannot', 'didn't' for 'did not' with apostrophe correctly placed
  • Distinguish 'it's' (it is) from 'its' (possessive) in a sentence
  • Expand a contraction back to its full form and explain which letters are missing

• Alternative Spellings for Sounds

  Spell words using alternative grapheme choices for known phonemes, learning new spellings for sounds already encountered (e.g., /ɔ:/ as 'a' before ll, /ʌ/ as 'o', words ending -tion), including distinguishing common homophones

  • Spell 'ball', 'call', 'walk' using alternative grapheme /ɔ:/ as 'a' before ll
  • Distinguish homophones in writing: 'there/their/they’re', 'here/hear', 'quite/quiet'
  • Spell words ending in -tion correctly: 'station', 'fiction', 'motion'

• Spelling Verb Endings

  Spell words with common suffixes (-s/-es for plurals and third person verbs, -ing, -ed, -er, -est) where no change to the root word is needed

  • Add -s or -es correctly to make plurals (e.g. 'cats', 'boxes')
  • Spell words with -ing and -ed endings (e.g. 'jumping', 'helped')
  • Add -er and -est to adjectives (e.g. 'quicker', 'quickest')

• Suffixes

  Apply suffix spelling rules that require changes to the root word: dropping final -e before vowel suffixes, changing -y to -i, doubling final consonants in short-vowel words; use suffixes -ment, -ness, -ful, -less, -ly

  • Spell 'hoping' (drop e), 'cried' (y to i), 'running' (double consonant) applying the correct rule
  • Add -ful, -less, -ness, -ly correctly: 'careful', 'hopeless', 'sadness', 'slowly'
  • Identify which suffix rule to apply to a given root word and explain why

• The Prefix un-

  Spell words using the prefix un- to change meaning; understand that un- creates opposites or reverses actions

  • Spell words with un- prefix correctly (e.g. 'unhappy', 'unfair', 'undo')
  • Explain how un- changes the meaning of a word
  • Create new words by adding un- to known words

• Tricky words

  Spell common exception words from memory that do not follow regular phonic patterns, including the days of the week

  • Correctly spell high-frequency irregular words (e.g. 'said', 'the', 'was')
  • Write all seven days of the week correctly
  • Recall and write exception words in dictated sentences

• Spelling from Dictation

  Write simple sentences from memory when dictated by the teacher, applying taught GPCs, spelling rules, and common exception words

  • Write a dictated sentence using phonically plausible spellings
  • Include correct spelling of taught exception words in dictation
  • Apply sentence punctuation in dictated writing

English · Speaking & Listening

Your child is building confidence in speaking aloud — memorising and performing poems with expression, and learning to speak clearly in complete sentences when presenting to others.

• Listening and responding

  Listen and respond appropriately to adults and peers; follow agreed-upon rules for discussion such as listening to others and taking turns speaking

  • Demonstrate attentive listening by making eye contact and responding relevantly
  • Follow classroom discussion rules (e.g. raise hand, wait for turn)
  • Show understanding of what was said by paraphrasing or responding appropriately

• Exploring Ideas Through Talk

  Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining, and exploring ideas; use strategies to build vocabulary through talk

  • Wonder aloud about possibilities (e.g. 'What if...' or 'I think it might be because...')
  • Try out new vocabulary in conversation after hearing it in a story or lesson
  • Explore ideas through talk before committing them to writing

• Group discussions

  Participate actively in collaborative conversations staying on topic; continue a conversation through multiple exchanges; maintain attention in discussions

  • Stay on topic during a conversation for multiple turns
  • Build on what another speaker has said (e.g. 'I agree because...')
  • Maintain focus and contribute meaningfully in group discussions

• Describing Aloud

  Describe familiar people, places, things, and events with detail; speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly; give well-structured descriptions and explanations

  • Describe a familiar person or place using several details
  • Speak clearly and loudly enough for the whole group to hear
  • Organise ideas logically when sharing information or telling about an event

• Expressing & Justifying Opinions

  Articulate and justify answers, arguments, and opinions; participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, and debates

  • State an opinion and give a reason (e.g. 'I think ... because ...')
  • Participate in a class presentation or performance with confidence
  • Explain thinking when answering a question rather than just giving a one-word answer

• Asking Questions

  Ask relevant questions to extend understanding; ask and answer questions to seek help, get information, or clarify something not understood

  • Ask a question when something is unclear or more information is needed
  • Answer questions with relevant and specific information
  • Request clarification politely (e.g. 'Can you explain that again?')

• Reciting Poetry

  Learn poems by heart and recite with appropriate intonation, adding visual displays to descriptions when appropriate, and producing complete sentences in spoken presentations

  • Recite a poem from memory with expression and clear enunciation
  • Add a drawing or visual display to support an oral description or presentation
  • Present information to the class using complete sentences and audible voice

English · Vocabulary

Your child is learning how words are built and connected — discovering how root words change with different endings (like look/looks/looked) and learning to define words by describing what category they belong to and their key features.

• Discussing and Questioning New Words

  Ask and answer questions about unknown words in texts; discuss word meanings and link new vocabulary to words already known

  • Ask 'What does ___ mean?' when meeting unfamiliar words during reading
  • Use context and pictures to work out what a new word might mean
  • Explain a new word by connecting it to a known word (e.g. 'enormous means really really big')

• Sorting & Categorising Words

  Sort common objects and words into categories to understand how concepts relate; demonstrate understanding of opposites (antonyms) for common verbs and adjectives

  • Group words or objects by category (e.g. animals, foods, colours)
  • Identify and produce opposite pairs (e.g. 'big/small', 'hot/cold', 'go/stop')
  • Explain why items belong together in a category

• Defining Words

  Define words by category and by one or more key attributes (e.g., 'a duck is a bird that swims'), making real-life connections between words and their use

  • Define 'tiger' as 'a large cat with stripes' — naming category and key attribute
  • Connect the word 'cozy' to real-life examples: places at home that feel cozy
  • Sort words into categories and explain why each word belongs

• Shades of Meaning

  Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs describing similar actions and among adjectives differing in intensity; make real-life connections between words and their use

  • Compare similar verbs by acting them out (e.g. 'walk', 'march', 'strut', 'prance')
  • Order adjectives by intensity (e.g. big, huge, gigantic)
  • Connect vocabulary to personal experiences (e.g. note things at school that are 'colourful')

• Using New Vocabulary

  Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, being read to, and responding to texts in own speech and writing

  • Incorporate new vocabulary from read-alouds into conversations
  • Attempt to use interesting or topic-specific words in own writing
  • Use newly learned words appropriately in different contexts

• Root Words & Inflections

  Identify frequently occurring root words and their inflectional forms (e.g., look/looks/looked/looking), using affixes as clues to word meaning and understanding how suffixes create nouns and adjectives

  • Identify 'play' as the root in 'played', 'playing', 'player'
  • Explain that '-ful' in 'careful' means 'full of care'
  • Use '-ness' and '-er' to form nouns from root words: 'sad → sadness', 'teach → teacher'

• Word Parts as Clues

  Use knowledge of common inflections and affixes (-ed, -s, un-, -er) as clues to the meaning of unknown words; understand how the prefix un- changes meaning

  • Recognise that -ed signals past tense (e.g. 'jumped' = already happened)
  • Explain how un- makes a word mean the opposite (e.g. 'unhappy' = not happy)
  • Use word parts to figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word

English · Handwriting & Transcription

Your child is learning to join letters together when writing, developing smooth handwriting by connecting letters with diagonal and horizontal strokes while keeping letters the right size.

• Sitting and holding a pencil

  Sit correctly at a table holding a pencil comfortably and correctly; form lower-case letters in the correct direction starting and finishing in the right place

  • Hold a pencil with a comfortable tripod or near-tripod grip
  • Write all 26 lowercase letters with correct starting points and direction
  • Maintain consistent letter size on lined paper

• Writing digits 0-9

  Form digits 0-9 correctly and legibly

  • Write all digits 0-9 clearly with correct starting points
  • Form digits the appropriate size relative to letter height
  • Write numbers legibly so they can be read by others

• Forming Capital Letters

  Form capital letters correctly; print many upper- and lowercase letters legibly

  • Write all 26 capital letters with correct formation
  • Distinguish between uppercase and lowercase forms in own writing
  • Use appropriate sizing so capitals are taller than lowercase letters

• Joining Letters

  Begin to join letters using diagonal and horizontal strokes, understanding which letter pairs are best left unjoined, forming letters of correct size relative to one another

  • Join 'in', 'un', 'it' with a diagonal stroke connecting the letters
  • Leave letters like 'b' unjoined when followed by certain letters, explaining why
  • Write with consistent letter sizing on lined paper, ascenders and descenders in proportion

• Letter Formation Families

  Understand which letters belong to which handwriting families based on similar formation patterns and practise letters in groups

  • Group letters by similar strokes (e.g. c, a, d, g, o family — all start with a curve)
  • Explain why certain letters are practised together
  • Form letters within the same family consistently using the shared movement pattern

English · English Thinking

• Reading for Meaning

  Understand that reading is about making meaning, not just saying words correctly — a text that can be decoded but not understood has not been read

  • Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer)
  • reading comprehension research on comprehension-decoding separation

• Monitoring Comprehension

  Notice the difference between decoding words and actually understanding them — recognise when you've read the words but not grasped the meaning, and do something about it

  • comprehension monitoring research
  • Metacognitive Monitoring in Reading Comprehension (MDPI 2024)

Science · Organisms & Life Processes

Your child is discovering how living things grow — observing how seeds become plants, understanding what plants need to thrive, and exploring how animals develop from babies to adults.

• Naming Common Animals

  Identify and name common animals from major groups: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals

  • Name at least two animals from each group: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals
  • Sort a set of animal pictures into the five groups
  • Explain one feature of each group (e.g. 'birds have feathers', 'fish have gills')

• Common Plants & Trees

  Identify and name common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees

  • Name at least five common wild or garden plants from direct observation
  • Sort trees into deciduous (loses leaves) and evergreen (keeps leaves) with examples
  • Match a plant to its name when shown a picture or real specimen

• Living Things Vocabulary

  Name and use vocabulary for what makes something living — alive, dead, never been alive, movement, nutrition, growth, reproduction, sensitivity, excretion — and apply these terms when classifying objects and explaining why plants and animals count as living things

  • Correctly classify objects as living, dead, or never been alive and give a reason using one of the life process terms
  • Name at least five life processes using the correct vocabulary
  • Explain why a plant is alive using at least two life process words

• What Living Things Need

  Understand what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive: water, food, air, and suitable conditions

  • List the basic needs of animals: water, food, air, shelter
  • List the basic needs of plants: water, light, air, suitable temperature
  • Explain what happens if one basic need is missing (e.g. 'the plant wilts without water')

• Herbivores, Carnivores & Omnivores

  Classify common animals as carnivores (eat meat), herbivores (eat plants), or omnivores (eat both)

  • Define carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore in own words
  • Sort at least six common animals into the three diet groups
  • Give a reason for each sorting decision based on what the animal eats

• Parts of a Plant

  Identify and describe the basic structure of common flowering plants (roots, stem, leaves, flowers) and trees (roots, trunk, branches, leaves)

  • Label roots, stem, leaves, and flowers on a diagram of a flowering plant
  • Name the main parts of a tree: roots, trunk, branches, leaves
  • Explain that roots take in water and leaves catch sunlight

• Animal Body Groups

  Describe and compare the external body structure of common animals across groups (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals)

  • Describe key structural features of at least three animal groups (e.g. scales, feathers, fur)
  • Compare two animals from different groups, noting at least two differences
  • Use words like 'wings', 'fins', 'legs', 'tail' correctly when describing an animal

• Animal Life Stages

  Recognise that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults, and describe basic animal life stages

  • Describe the basic life stages of a human: baby, child, teenager, adult
  • Give examples of other animals and their young (e.g. kitten → cat, chick → hen)
  • Explain that offspring grow and change as they develop into adults

• Seeds & Plant Growth

  Observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants through stages of germination and growth

  • Describe the stages: seed absorbs water → root appears → shoot pushes up → leaves open
  • Compare how a bulb and a seed start growing differently
  • Record observations of a growing plant over several days using drawings or a simple diary

• Body Parts & Senses

  Identify, name, and locate basic parts of the human body and associate each body part with its sense

  • Label eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin on a body outline
  • Match each sense organ to its sense: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch
  • Describe a simple scenario for each sense (e.g. 'I use my nose to smell cookies baking')

• What Plants Need to Grow

  Understand that plants need water, light, and a suitable temperature to grow and stay healthy

  • Name three things plants need to grow: water, light, suitable temperature
  • Predict what happens to a plant kept in the dark, with no water, or in freezing cold
  • Describe the results of a simple test comparing plants grown in different conditions

• Offspring resemble parents

  Observe that young plants and animals resemble their parents but are not identical, recognising inherited similarities and individual differences

  • Describe at least three features that offspring inherit from parents (e.g. eye colour, petal colour, fur type)
  • Explain that offspring are similar to parents but not identical copies
  • Give examples from both plants and animals showing resemblance with variation

Science · Rainforests

• What Is a Rainforest?

  Know that a rainforest is a thick, tall forest found in hot, wet places near the Equator where it rains almost every day, creating a warm, damp environment where plants and animals thrive

  • Describe a rainforest as a forest that is hot and wet, located near the Equator
  • Explain that it rains very often in a rainforest, which is why the plants grow so tall and thick
  • Point to the Equator on a globe and say that rainforests are found in the hot belt near it

• Rainforest Layers

  Know that a rainforest has four layers from ground to sky — the forest floor (dark, damp, full of decomposing leaves), the understory (small trees and shrubs in the shade), the canopy (a thick roof of treetops where most animals live), and the emergent layer (the tallest trees poking above the canopy into bright sunlight)

  • Name the four rainforest layers in order from ground to sky: forest floor, understory, canopy, emergent
  • Describe one key feature of each layer, such as the canopy being a thick roof of leaves or the forest floor being dark and damp
  • Explain that most rainforest animals live in the canopy because that is where there is food and light

• Rainforest Animals

  Name and recognise iconic rainforest animals — jaguars, toucans, sloths, poison dart frogs, howler monkeys, macaws, and butterflies — and know which layer of the rainforest each lives in

  • Name at least five iconic rainforest animals such as jaguars, toucans, sloths, poison dart frogs, and howler monkeys
  • Match at least three animals to the rainforest layer where they live (e.g. monkeys in the canopy, jaguars on the forest floor)
  • Describe one distinctive feature of each named animal

• Rainforest Plants

  Know that rainforests contain an enormous variety of plants — towering kapok and Brazil nut trees, climbing vines called lianas, colourful orchids that grow on tree branches, giant water lilies, and huge leaves that funnel rainwater

  • Name at least three types of rainforest plant, such as kapok trees, lianas (climbing vines), and orchids
  • Explain that rainforest plants grow very tall because they compete for sunlight
  • Describe one unusual feature, such as orchids growing on tree branches or lianas climbing up trunks

• Where Rainforests Are

  Know that rainforests are found in a belt around the middle of the Earth — in South America (the Amazon), Central Africa (the Congo), and Southeast Asia — and that they appear on every continent except Antarctica and Europe

  • Point to the Amazon, Congo, and Southeast Asian rainforest regions on a world map
  • Explain that rainforests grow near the Equator where it is hot and wet all year
  • Name at least two continents that have large rainforests

• Indigenous Rainforest Peoples

  Know that indigenous peoples such as the Yanomami have lived in rainforests for thousands of years, building homes from forest materials, finding food by hunting, fishing, and gathering, and knowing the forest and its plants and animals deeply

  • Explain that indigenous peoples like the Yanomami have lived in rainforests for thousands of years
  • Describe how they use the forest for shelter, food, and medicine
  • Show respect for indigenous knowledge by explaining that these communities understand the forest very deeply

• Rainforest Insects

  Know that rainforests are home to millions of insects — leaf-cutter ants that farm fungus, giant beetles, jewel-coloured butterflies, enormous spiders, and stick insects — and that insects are the most numerous animals in the rainforest

  • Name at least three types of insect or minibeast found in the rainforest, such as leaf-cutter ants, morpho butterflies, and giant beetles
  • Explain that insects are the most numerous animals in the rainforest
  • Describe one interesting behaviour, such as leaf-cutter ants carrying leaf pieces back to grow fungus

• Everyday Foods from Rainforests

  Know that many everyday foods come from rainforests — chocolate is made from cacao beans, bananas grow in tropical forests, coffee berries ripen in forest shade, and Brazil nuts fall from giant trees — connecting our daily lives to faraway forests

  • Name at least three foods that come from rainforests, such as chocolate (cacao), bananas, and Brazil nuts
  • Explain that cacao beans grow on trees in the rainforest and are made into chocolate
  • Connect their own food choices to rainforest origins by identifying a product they eat that comes from the forest

• Inside a Rainforest

  Describe what it feels like inside a rainforest — hot and sticky (humid), dark on the ground because the treetops block the light, loud with animal calls and insect buzzing, and dripping with water from rain and condensation

  • Describe the air inside a rainforest as hot and sticky (humid)
  • Explain that the forest floor is dark because tall trees block most of the sunlight
  • Name at least two sounds you would hear in a rainforest, such as bird calls, insect buzzing, or rain dripping

Science · Polar Regions

• Where Are the Poles?

  Know that Earth has a North Pole and a South Pole — the two coldest places on the planet — and be able to find them on a globe, understanding that they are at the very top and very bottom of the Earth, as far from the Equator as possible

  • Point to the North Pole and South Pole on a globe or world map
  • Explain that the poles are the coldest places on Earth because they are farthest from the Equator
  • State that the North Pole is at the top and the South Pole is at the bottom of the Earth

• Arctic vs Antarctic

  Know that the Arctic (North Pole) and Antarctic (South Pole) are very different — the Arctic is a frozen ocean surrounded by land where people and polar bears live, while the Antarctic is a huge ice-covered continent surrounded by ocean where penguins live but no people live permanently

  • State that the Arctic is a frozen ocean surrounded by land, while the Antarctic is a continent covered in ice surrounded by ocean
  • Explain that polar bears live in the Arctic and penguins live in the Antarctic, not the other way around
  • Know that people (like the Inuit) live in the Arctic but nobody lives permanently in Antarctica

• Polar Animals

  Know about other polar animals besides penguins and polar bears — seals that swim under ice, walruses with long tusks, Arctic foxes that turn white in winter, snowy owls, narwhals with their unicorn-like tusk, and whales that migrate to polar waters to feed — and that all these animals have special features to survive extreme cold

  • Name at least four polar animals beyond penguins and polar bears, such as seals, walruses, Arctic foxes, snowy owls, or narwhals
  • Describe one way each named animal survives the cold (e.g. walrus blubber, Arctic fox white winter coat)
  • State that narwhals have a long spiral tusk and live in Arctic waters

• Penguins

  Know key facts about penguins — they live in the Antarctic and Southern Hemisphere, they cannot fly but are excellent swimmers, Emperor penguins are the largest and huddle together in winter to keep warm, and penguin parents take turns keeping their egg warm on their feet in freezing temperatures

  • State at least three facts about penguins: they can't fly, they're excellent swimmers, and Emperor penguins are the biggest
  • Describe how Emperor penguins huddle together in winter to keep warm
  • Explain that penguin parents take turns keeping their egg warm on their feet in freezing temperatures

• Polar Bears

  Know key facts about polar bears — they live only in the Arctic (not the Antarctic), they have thick white fur and a layer of fat (blubber) to keep warm, they are excellent swimmers, and they hunt seals by waiting at holes in the sea ice

  • State that polar bears live in the Arctic, not the Antarctic
  • Describe at least two ways polar bears stay warm: thick white fur and a layer of blubber (fat)
  • Explain how polar bears hunt seals by waiting at breathing holes in the sea ice

• Ice & Snow

  Know that water can be solid (ice and snow) or liquid, that snow is made of tiny frozen ice crystals, that icebergs are huge chunks of ice floating in the ocean with most of their bulk hidden underwater, and that ice floats because it is lighter than liquid water

  • Explain that ice and snow are frozen water (solid) and that water can change between solid and liquid
  • Describe an iceberg as a huge piece of ice floating in the ocean with most of it hidden below the surface
  • State that ice floats because frozen water is lighter than liquid water

• Brave Polar Explorers

  Know simple stories of brave polar explorers — Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen who raced to the South Pole, and Ernest Shackleton whose ship Endurance was crushed by ice but who brought all his men home safely — and understand that polar exploration required incredible courage and endurance

  • Name at least two polar explorers: Scott, Amundsen, or Shackleton
  • Tell the basic story of Scott and Amundsen's race to the South Pole in simple terms
  • Describe what happened to Shackleton's ship Endurance and how he brought his crew home safely

• Midnight Sun & Polar Night

  Know that at the poles, daylight and darkness are extreme — in summer the Sun never fully sets (midnight sun) and in winter the Sun never rises (polar night lasting months) — and that this is very different from what we experience at home, where every day has both daylight and darkness

  • Describe midnight sun: in polar summer, the Sun stays above the horizon all day and night
  • Describe polar night: in polar winter, the Sun stays below the horizon for weeks or months
  • Compare this to normal day-night patterns at home, noting the dramatic difference

Science · Scientific Inquiry

Your child is learning to be a young scientist — asking questions, making careful observations, recording what they see in simple charts and drawings, and testing ideas to find answers.

• Asking scientific questions

  Ask simple scientific questions and recognise that they can be answered in different ways including observation, testing, and research

  • Ask at least three 'how' or 'why' questions about the natural world
  • Suggest different ways to answer a question: observing, testing, asking an expert, reading a book
  • Choose an appropriate method to investigate a specific question

• Observation vs Interpretation

  Notice the difference between what you observed and what you think it means — 'the ice melted' is an observation; 'the ice melted because of the heat' is an interpretation

  • observation vs interpretation in primary science
  • BERA: children's observation skills in nature

• Observing with simple equipment

  Observe closely using simple equipment such as hand lenses, and use observations to describe, compare, and identify things

  • Use a hand lens or other simple equipment to make detailed observations
  • Describe observations using specific vocabulary (colour, shape, size, texture, pattern)
  • Compare two objects based on careful observation, noting similarities and differences

• Simple tests and experiments

  Perform simple tests and use observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions

  • Carry out a simple test with one thing changing at a time
  • Observe what happens and describe the result
  • Use the result to suggest an answer to the original question

• Recording Data

  Gather and record data using simple methods such as tables, tally charts, and drawings to help answer questions

  • Record observations and measurements in a simple table or tally chart
  • Use drawings or labelled diagrams to record what was observed
  • Explain how the recorded data helps answer the original question

• Changing Your Mind with Evidence

  Be willing to change your mind when evidence doesn't support your prediction — a result that surprises you is more valuable than one that confirms what you already thought

  • belief revision in children research (PMC 2020)
  • hypothesis testing and argumentation from evidence in young children

• Comparing Design Solutions

  Analyse data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of each design

  • Test two designs that address the same problem and collect data on their performance
  • Compare the results, identifying strengths and weaknesses of each design
  • Use data as evidence to recommend which design works better and suggest improvements

• Modelling with Sketches

  Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem

  • Create a sketch, drawing, or physical model of a design solution
  • Explain how the shape or structure of the design helps solve the problem
  • Relate the model to the real-world problem it addresses

Science · Weather & Climate

Your child is discovering how weather works — learning about different types of weather, how to stay safe during storms, and understanding how weather patterns change with the seasons.

• Types of Weather

  Identify and describe different types of weather — sunny, rainy, windy, snowy, cloudy, foggy, stormy — and describe what the weather is like today using simple vocabulary

  • Name at least five types of weather
  • Describe today's weather accurately using appropriate vocabulary
  • Match weather types to simple pictures or symbols

• Seasons & Weather Patterns

  Know that weather changes with the seasons — spring brings rain and new growth, summer is warmest with long days, autumn brings cooling and falling leaves, winter is coldest with short days — and that this pattern repeats every year

  • Name the four seasons and describe typical weather for each
  • Explain that days are longer in summer and shorter in winter
  • State that the seasonal pattern repeats every year

• Rain & Puddles

  Know that rain falls from clouds in the sky, that puddles disappear because water goes back into the air, and that this is part of how water moves around — up into the sky and back down again

  • State that rain falls from clouds
  • Explain that puddles disappear because the water goes into the air
  • Describe the basic idea that water goes up and comes back down in a repeating process

• Temperature & Thermometers

  Understand temperature as how hot or cold something is, that a thermometer measures temperature, and use words like hot, warm, cool, and cold to describe how the air feels on different days

  • Explain that temperature describes how hot or cold something is
  • Identify a thermometer as the tool used to measure temperature
  • Use words like hot, warm, cool, and cold appropriately to describe air temperature

• What Is Wind?

  Know that wind is moving air, that it can be gentle (a breeze) or very strong (a gale), and that wind can move things like leaves, kites, flags, and even push people

  • Define wind as air that is moving
  • Describe the difference between a gentle breeze and a strong wind
  • Give examples of things that wind can move or affect

• Weather Forecasting & Safety

  Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting and how people prepare for and respond to severe weather

  • Explain that weather forecasts help people plan and stay safe
  • Describe how people prepare for at least two types of severe weather (storm, flood, heat wave, blizzard)
  • Ask relevant questions about weather hazards and find answers from appropriate sources

• Storm Safety

  Know basic storm safety: during thunder and lightning, go indoors or into a car, stay away from trees and water; understand that storms can be frightening but there are ways to stay safe

  • State at least two safety rules for thunderstorms
  • Explain why going indoors is the safest option during lightning
  • Describe that storms are natural events and there are ways to stay safe

• Dressing for the Weather

  Choose appropriate clothing and equipment for different weather conditions — coat and umbrella for rain, sun hat and sunscreen for hot sun, warm layers for cold — understanding that weather affects what we do and how we prepare each day

  • Select appropriate clothing for at least three different weather conditions
  • Explain why certain clothes or equipment are needed for specific weather
  • Describe how weather affects daily activities like playtime, walking to school, or outdoor events

Science · Animals of the World

Your child is discovering the amazing diversity of animals around the world — learning how they have babies, find shelter, use camouflage, and adapt to different environments from deserts to polar regions.

• Animals Everywhere

  Know that animals live all over the world — on land, in water, and in the air — and that every continent, even icy Antarctica, is home to animals, each suited to the conditions where they live

  • Names at least 3 animals from different environments (e.g., forest, ocean, desert)
  • States that animals live on land, in water, and some can fly
  • Recognises that animals live on every continent

• Animal Homes

  Know that animals make or find many different kinds of homes — birds build nests, rabbits dig burrows, bees live in hives, hermit crabs use empty shells, spiders spin webs — and that these shelters protect them and their young

  • Names at least 4 different types of animal homes (nest, burrow, hive, web, shell, den, lodge)
  • Explains that animals need homes for shelter and to keep their babies safe
  • Matches common animals to their homes

• How Animals Have Babies

  Know that different animals have their babies in different ways — some lay eggs (birds, reptiles, fish, insects), some give birth to live young (most mammals) — and that babies may look like miniature adults or look very different from their parents

  • Gives examples of animals that lay eggs and animals that give birth to live young
  • Describes at least one example of a baby that looks different from its parent (e.g., tadpole/frog, caterpillar/butterfly)
  • Shows curiosity about how different animals have their babies

• Wild, Farm & Pet Animals

  Understand the difference between wild animals, farm animals, and pets — wild animals find their own food and shelter in nature; farm animals are kept by people for food, wool, or eggs; pets are animals people keep for companionship — and know that wild animals should be observed from a distance

  • Sorts animals into wild, farm, and pet categories with examples
  • Explains one key difference between each category
  • Understands that wild animals should be observed, not approached

• Nocturnal Animals

  Know that some animals are nocturnal — active at night and sleeping during the day — and that nocturnal animals often have special features like big eyes (owls, tarsiers), large ears (bats, fennec foxes), or sensitive whiskers to help them find food in the dark

  • Explains what 'nocturnal' means
  • Names at least 3 nocturnal animals (e.g., owl, bat, fox, hedgehog, moth)
  • Describes one feature that helps a nocturnal animal (e.g., big eyes, echolocation, whiskers)

• Animal Camouflage

  Know that many animals use camouflage — colours and patterns that help them blend into their surroundings — to hide from predators or to sneak up on prey, like a leaf insect that looks like a leaf or an Arctic hare that turns white in winter

  • Explains that camouflage means blending in with surroundings
  • Gives at least 3 examples of camouflaged animals
  • Explains that camouflage helps animals hide from predators or sneak up on food

• Animal Record-Holders

  Know some of the world's animal record-holders — the blue whale is the largest animal ever, the cheetah is the fastest land animal, the bee hummingbird is the smallest bird, the giraffe is the tallest — and compare their sizes to familiar objects

  • Names at least 4 animal record-holders with their record (fastest, biggest, tallest, smallest, etc.)
  • Compares an animal's size or ability to a familiar reference
  • Shows enthusiasm for superlative animal facts

Science · Ecosystems & Habitats

Your child is exploring how living things interact with their environment — learning about different habitats, simple food chains, and the difference between living, dead, and never-alive things.

• Living, Dead & Never Alive

  Explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive

  • Sort a collection of objects into three groups: living, dead (was once alive), never alive
  • Give reasons for each sorting decision (e.g. 'the leaf was on a tree so it was alive once')
  • List characteristics of living things such as growing, breathing, reproducing, and moving

• Habitats & Basic Needs

  Identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how habitats provide for basic needs and how organisms depend on each other

  • Define a habitat as a place where an organism lives that provides what it needs
  • Give examples of how specific habitats meet organisms' needs (e.g. pond provides water and food for frogs)
  • Describe at least one way organisms in a habitat depend on each other (e.g. bees pollinate flowers, flowers feed bees)

• Simple Food Chains

  Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify different sources of food

  • Draw a simple food chain with at least three organisms using arrows to show energy flow
  • Explain that food chains always start with a plant (producer) that makes its own food
  • Use the terms 'producer' and 'consumer' correctly when describing a food chain

• Habitat Vocabulary

  Name and use vocabulary for where living things are found — habitat, environment, microhabitat, conditions, woodland, ocean, desert, rainforest, pond — and use terms to describe what animals need to survive: food, water, shelter, space, and suitable conditions

  • Match animals to their habitats and explain the match using 'adapted to', 'conditions', or 'shelter'
  • Correctly use 'habitat' and 'microhabitat' to describe different scales of environment with examples
  • Name at least three contrasting habitats and describe what makes each distinctive

• Local Plants & Animals

  Identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including microhabitats such as under a log or in a pond

  • Name at least three animals and plants found in a specific local habitat
  • Explain what a microhabitat is (a very small habitat within a larger one)
  • Describe conditions in a microhabitat (e.g. 'under a stone is damp and dark, woodlice like that')

• Plants and animals in their habitats

  Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals and the places they live, connecting organism needs to habitat features

  • Use a simple model (drawing, diagram) to show how a habitat provides what an organism needs
  • Match at least three organisms to their habitats and explain why each needs that specific place
  • Describe what would happen if an organism were placed in a habitat that doesn't meet its needs

• Reducing Human Impact

  Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and other living things in the local environment

  • Identify at least three ways humans negatively impact the local environment (litter, pollution, habitat destruction)
  • Propose at least three solutions to reduce human impact (recycling, reducing waste, conserving water, planting trees)
  • Explain how each solution helps protect land, water, air, or living things

Science · Insects & Minibeasts

• What is a minibeast?

  What is a minibeast? Small creatures without backbones, found in gardens, parks, and woodland. Bug hunts — searching under logs, stones, and leaves using magnifying glasses to observe minibeasts up close.

  • Explain that minibeasts are small animals without a backbone found in gardens and parks
  • Find at least three different minibeasts during a garden bug hunt under logs, stones, or leaves
  • Use a magnifying glass to observe and describe one minibeast's appearance in detail

• Common minibeasts: naming and recognising

  Recognising and naming common minibeasts: ladybird, ant, bee, butterfly, spider, snail, worm, woodlouse, caterpillar, beetle. Building positive attitudes toward all minibeasts, not just the 'pretty' ones.

  • Name and identify at least six common minibeasts from pictures or real encounters
  • Describe one visible feature that helps tell a ladybird from a beetle or a spider from an ant
  • Show interest or curiosity toward less popular minibeasts like woodlice, worms, or spiders rather than only butterflies

• Minibeast Habitats

  Where minibeasts live: micro-habitats. Different minibeasts prefer different conditions — under logs (damp, dark), in soil (underground), on leaves (sunny), in pond water (wet). The idea that you find different creatures in different places.

  • Name at least two micro-habitats where minibeasts live such as under logs, in soil, or on leaves
  • Predict what type of minibeast might be found in a damp dark place versus a sunny leaf
  • Explain that different minibeasts prefer different conditions like wet, dry, dark, or light

• Minibeasts in the food chain

  Minibeasts in the food chain: simple garden food chains. A caterpillar eats a leaf, a bird eats the caterpillar. The idea that minibeasts are food for other animals, and that minibeasts eat things too.

  • Describe a simple food chain such as leaf → caterpillar → bird
  • Explain that minibeasts eat plants or other tiny creatures and are eaten by bigger animals
  • Give an example of what a specific minibeast eats, such as caterpillars eating leaves or ladybirds eating aphids

• How minibeasts move

  How minibeasts move: crawling (ants, beetles), flying (butterflies, bees), slithering (worms, slugs), jumping (grasshoppers, fleas), burrowing (earthworms). Counting legs as a first step toward grouping creatures.

  • Describe at least three different ways minibeasts move such as crawling, flying, and slithering
  • Match a minibeast to its way of moving, for example grasshoppers jump and worms slither
  • Count legs on a minibeast and notice that ants have six while spiders have eight

• Caterpillar to butterfly

  Caterpillar to butterfly: the life cycle of a butterfly as an observable transformation. Egg → caterpillar → chrysalis → butterfly. The idea that one creature can change its whole form. Classroom butterfly kits, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

  • Describe the four stages of a butterfly's life in order: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly
  • Explain that the caterpillar and the butterfly are the same creature at different stages of life
  • Retell or draw the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly after reading a story or watching it happen

• Caring for minibeasts

  Caring for minibeasts: observing minibeasts gently, handling them carefully, putting them back where you found them. Why minibeasts matter — they help gardens grow, break down dead leaves, and feed other animals.

  • Demonstrate careful handling of a minibeast such as letting a woodlouse walk onto a hand rather than grabbing it
  • Explain one reason why minibeasts are important, such as bees helping flowers grow or worms helping soil
  • State that minibeasts should be returned to where they were found after observing them

Science · Matter & Materials

Your child is exploring how materials behave — investigating how solid objects can be changed by bending, twisting, or stretching, and learning why different materials are chosen for different jobs.

• States of Matter Vocabulary

  Name and distinguish the three states of matter — solid, liquid, and gas — using properties vocabulary: hard, rigid, runny, flows, keeps its shape, fills its container; use 'change of state' to describe what happens when materials are heated or cooled

  • Correctly sort a set of everyday materials as solid, liquid, or gas and give a reason for each
  • Use the terms solid, liquid, and gas accurately when describing everyday substances
  • Use 'change of state' to describe what happens when ice melts or water boils

• Describing Material Properties

  Describe simple physical properties of everyday materials such as hard/soft, stretchy/stiff, shiny/dull, rough/smooth, waterproof/absorbent, transparent/opaque

  • Use at least five property words correctly: hard, soft, stretchy, shiny, rough, smooth, transparent, waterproof
  • Describe the properties of three different materials using at least two property words each
  • Explain why a property matters (e.g. 'waterproof means water doesn't soak through')

• Objects vs Materials

  Distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made, understanding that objects can be made from different materials

  • Explain the difference between an object (e.g. a chair) and the material it is made from (e.g. wood)
  • Give examples of the same object made from different materials (e.g. plastic cup, glass cup)
  • Identify what material a given object is made from by looking at and touching it

• Naming Everyday Materials

  Identify and name a variety of everyday materials including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock

  • Name at least six everyday materials: wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, rock
  • Identify the material of at least ten different objects around the home or classroom
  • Recognise that some objects are made from more than one material

• Grouping Materials

  Compare and group everyday materials based on their simple physical properties

  • Sort a set of materials into groups based on a chosen property (e.g. transparent vs opaque)
  • Compare two materials and state which properties they share and which differ
  • Explain the reasoning behind a grouping decision using property vocabulary

• Changing Shapes of Solids

  Investigate how the shapes of solid objects can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting, and stretching

  • Demonstrate four ways to change the shape of a solid: squashing, bending, twisting, stretching
  • Compare how different materials respond to these forces (e.g. clay squashes easily, wood does not)
  • Explain that the material itself stays the same even when the shape changes

• Choosing the Right Material

  Identify and compare the suitability of everyday materials for particular uses, explaining why specific materials are chosen for specific purposes

  • Explain why a specific material is chosen for a purpose based on its properties (e.g. glass for windows because it's transparent)
  • Compare two materials and decide which is more suitable for a given use with reasoning
  • Suggest an alternative material for an object and explain why it would or wouldn't work

Science · Ocean Life

Your child is discovering ocean life — learning about the amazing variety of sea creatures, how they depend on each other for food, and exploring special ocean habitats like rock pools and coral reefs.

• What Is the Ocean?

  Know that oceans are huge bodies of salt water that cover most of Earth's surface, and that the ocean is home to an enormous number of living things

  • State that oceans cover more of Earth than land does
  • Explain that ocean water is salty, unlike the fresh water in rivers and lakes
  • Describe the ocean as home to a huge variety of living things

• What Ocean Animals Need

  Understand that ocean animals need food, shelter, and the right conditions to survive — just like land animals — and that different parts of the ocean provide for different animals' needs

  • List basic needs of ocean animals: food, shelter, suitable water conditions
  • Give an example of how a specific ocean animal meets its needs
  • Compare an ocean animal's needs to a familiar land animal's needs

• Ocean Animal Variety

  Recognise that the ocean is home to an amazing variety of animals — from tiny seahorses and colourful clownfish to enormous whales and sharks — and that ocean animals come in many shapes and sizes

  • Name at least five different ocean animals
  • Describe differences in size between small and large ocean creatures
  • Express curiosity or wonder about the variety of life in the ocean

• Ocean Food Chains

  Describe a simple ocean food chain: tiny plants (phytoplankton) are eaten by small animals, which are eaten by bigger fish, which are eaten by top predators like sharks — showing that all ocean life depends on others for food

  • Describe a food chain with at least three levels
  • Identify that ocean food chains start with tiny plants or algae
  • Explain that bigger animals eat smaller ones in a chain of dependence

• Whales & Dolphins Are Mammals

  Know that whales and dolphins are mammals, not fish — they breathe air, are warm-blooded, and feed their babies milk — even though they live in the ocean

  • State that whales and dolphins are mammals, not fish
  • Give at least two reasons why: they breathe air and feed babies milk
  • Explain that living in water does not make an animal a fish

• Coasts & Beaches

  Know what a coast or beach is — the place where land meets the ocean — and that different coasts can be sandy, rocky, or muddy, each with different plants and animals

  • Define a coast as where land meets the ocean
  • Describe at least two types of coast: sandy, rocky, or muddy
  • Name an animal likely found at each type of coast

• Rock Pool Habitats

  Explore rock pools (tide pools) as small ocean habitats where crabs, anemones, starfish, and small fish can be found, and understand that these creatures are adapted to survive crashing waves and changing water levels

  • Name at least three creatures found in rock pools
  • Describe a rock pool as a small ocean habitat on the shore
  • Explain one way rock pool animals cope with waves or changing water levels

Science · Dinosaurs & Paleontology

Your child is exploring the fascinating world of dinosaurs — learning about different species, understanding what fossils tell us about these ancient creatures, and discovering how scientists study life from long ago.

• Dinosaurs Were Real

  Understand that dinosaurs were real animals that lived on Earth a very long time ago and are now extinct — none are alive today

  • State that dinosaurs were real animals, not made up
  • Explain that 'extinct' means no living ones are left anywhere
  • Distinguish between 'a long time ago' and recent events like last year

• Fossils & Palaeontologists

  Understand that fossils are the remains of ancient living things preserved in rock, and that scientists called palaeontologists study fossils to learn about dinosaurs

  • Describe a fossil as the remains of a living thing preserved in rock
  • Name the job of a palaeontologist as someone who studies fossils
  • Identify examples of fossils: bones, teeth, footprints in rock

• Famous Dinosaur Species

  Recognise and name common well-known dinosaur species: Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, and Brachiosaurus/Diplodocus, describing a basic feature of each

  • Name at least four common dinosaur species from pictures or models
  • Describe one visible feature of each (e.g. T. rex has tiny arms, Triceratops has three horns)
  • Match a dinosaur name to a picture or model without help

• Plant-Eaters vs Meat-Eaters

  Sort dinosaurs into plant-eaters (herbivores) and meat-eaters (carnivores) by looking at clues like tooth shape — flat teeth for plants, sharp teeth for meat

  • Sort a set of dinosaur pictures or models into herbivore and carnivore groups
  • Explain that sharp pointed teeth are for tearing meat and flat teeth are for grinding plants
  • Give an example of one herbivore and one carnivore dinosaur

• Dinosaur Sizes

  Compare dinosaur sizes to familiar things — some dinosaurs were as tall as a house, others were as small as a chicken — and understand that dinosaurs came in a huge range of sizes

  • Compare the size of a large dinosaur to a familiar object like a bus or house
  • Name a very large dinosaur (e.g. Brachiosaurus) and a small one (e.g. Compsognathus)
  • Use words like 'taller than', 'longer than', 'heavier than' when comparing

• Real Dinosaurs vs Fiction

  Distinguish real dinosaurs from fictional or commonly confused creatures — pterosaurs (flying reptiles) and plesiosaurs (marine reptiles) were not dinosaurs, and movie dinosaurs are not always accurate

  • State that pterosaurs could fly but were not dinosaurs
  • State that plesiosaurs lived in the sea but were not dinosaurs
  • Identify at least one way a movie or cartoon dinosaur differs from the real animal

Science · The Human Body

Your child is discovering how their amazing body works — learning about the heart, lungs, brain, skeleton, and five senses, plus understanding what their body needs to stay healthy and strong.

• How Breathing Works

  Know that we breathe air into our lungs through the nose and mouth, that our lungs take in oxygen from the air which our body needs to stay alive, and that we breathe out carbon dioxide as waste

  • Trace the path of air: nose/mouth → windpipe → lungs
  • State that lungs take oxygen from the air, which the body needs
  • State that we breathe out carbon dioxide, which the body doesn't need

• The Heart & Blood

  Understand that the heart is a muscle that pumps blood around the body through tubes called blood vessels, and that we can feel our heartbeat by placing a hand on our chest or fingers on our wrist

  • Locate their own heartbeat by touch (chest or pulse point)
  • State that the heart pumps blood through the body continuously
  • Describe blood vessels as tubes that carry blood to every part of the body

• The Brain Controls the Body

  Understand that the brain is the body’s control centre: it receives messages from the senses, thinks and makes decisions, and sends messages through nerves to tell muscles what to do

  • State that the brain is inside the skull and controls the whole body
  • Describe the basic loop: senses send information to the brain, the brain decides what to do, and sends messages to muscles
  • Give an example (e.g. eyes see a ball coming, brain decides to catch it, nerves tell hands to move)

• Basic Body Needs

  Know that the body needs food for energy, water to stay hydrated, sleep to rest and grow, and exercise to keep muscles and the heart strong — and that these are basic needs every human body has

  • List the four basic needs: food (energy), water (hydration), sleep (rest and growth), exercise (strength)
  • Explain that food gives the body energy to move, think, and grow
  • Describe what happens if one need isn't met (e.g. feeling tired without sleep, thirsty without water)

• Bones & Muscles

  Know that the body has a skeleton made of bones inside it that gives the body its shape and protects important organs like the brain (skull) and heart (ribcage), and that muscles attached to bones allow the body to move

  • State that bones give the body shape, support, and protection
  • Name at least three bones or bone groups (e.g. skull, ribcage, spine, leg bones)
  • Explain that muscles pull on bones to make the body move

• The Five Senses

  Explore the five senses in detail: sight uses eyes to detect light, hearing uses ears to detect sound, touch uses skin to feel pressure and temperature, taste uses the tongue to detect flavours, and smell uses the nose to detect odours

  • Name all five senses and match each to the correct body part
  • Describe what each sense detects (e.g. eyes detect light, ears detect sound waves)
  • Give an example of using each sense in everyday life (e.g. smelling food cooking, feeling hot water)

Science · Volcanoes & Earthquakes

Your child is learning about powerful forces that shape our Earth — understanding what volcanoes and earthquakes are, how they change the landscape, and important safety rules to follow during earthquakes.

• What Is a Volcano

  Know what a volcano is: an opening in Earth's surface where hot melted rock (lava) comes out

  • Describe a volcano as a place where hot material comes out of the Earth
  • Explain that lava is rock so hot it has melted
  • Point to a volcano in a picture and describe what is happening

• What Is an Earthquake

  Know what an earthquake is: a sudden shaking of the ground that can be strong or weak

  • Describe an earthquake as the ground shaking suddenly
  • Explain that earthquakes vary in strength from barely noticeable to very strong
  • Describe what it might feel like during an earthquake

• Earth Is Made of Rock

  Understand that Earth is made of rock and other solid materials

  • State that the ground beneath us is made of rock
  • Identify rocks and stones as pieces of the Earth
  • Explain that Earth is solid and made of natural materials

• Fast & Slow Earth Changes

  Understand that Earth's surface changes: some changes are quick (eruptions, earthquakes) and some are slow (wind, water wearing away rock)

  • Give an example of a quick change to Earth's surface like a volcanic eruption
  • Give an example of a slow change to Earth's surface like erosion by wind or water
  • Compare quick and slow changes and explain the difference

• Power of Eruptions

  Appreciate that volcanic eruptions are powerful events that can change the landscape

  • Describe an eruption as a powerful, dramatic event
  • Give examples of how an eruption changes the area around a volcano
  • Compare the landscape before and after an eruption using pictures

• Earthquake Safety

  Know basic earthquake safety: drop, cover, and hold on; move away from windows; tell a trusted adult

  • Demonstrate the drop, cover, and hold on procedure
  • Explain why to move away from windows and shelves during shaking
  • Name a trusted adult to tell if they feel an earthquake

Science · Space Exploration

Your child is beginning their journey into space science — learning about astronauts and the Moon's phases, identifying objects in the sky, and discovering that we live in a solar system with other planets.

• Sun, Moon & Stars

  Identify the Sun, Moon, and stars as objects in the sky and describe basic differences: the Sun gives light and heat during the day, stars are tiny points of light at night, and the Moon can appear in both the day and night sky

  • Name the Sun, Moon, and stars as objects in the sky
  • State that the Sun appears during the day and gives us light and heat
  • State that stars appear at night and the Moon can sometimes be seen during the day too

• Our Solar System

  Know that there are other planets besides Earth and that our group of planets orbiting the Sun is called the solar system — and that space is the vast area beyond Earth's sky

  • State that Earth is a planet and there are other planets too
  • Use the term 'solar system' to describe the Sun and the planets that orbit it
  • Explain that space is the area beyond the Earth's sky, where the planets and stars are

• What Astronauts Do

  Know that astronauts are people who travel to space in rockets, that humans have walked on the Moon (Apollo missions), and that astronauts today live and work on the International Space Station

  • Define an astronaut as a person who travels to space
  • State that humans landed on the Moon during the Apollo missions
  • Describe the International Space Station as a place where astronauts live and work in orbit around Earth

• Moon Phases

  Observe and describe the Moon's changing shape over about a month, recognising that it goes through a repeating cycle of phases from new moon (invisible) to full moon (complete circle) and back again

  • Describe that the Moon appears to change shape over about a month
  • Name or draw at least three phases: new moon (dark), half moon, and full moon
  • State that the pattern repeats — the Moon goes through the same shapes again and again

• Spotting Constellations

  Recognise a few star patterns (constellations) in the night sky, starting with the Big Dipper (the Plough), and understand that the North Star (Polaris) can be found using the Big Dipper

  • Identify or draw the Big Dipper (the Plough) as a pattern of seven stars
  • Explain that the two end stars of the Big Dipper's bowl point towards the North Star
  • State that constellations are patterns of stars that people have named

Science · Waves, Light & Sound

Your child is investigating light and sound — discovering how we see objects, experimenting with transparent and opaque materials, and learning how vibrations create sound.

• Light & Seeing in the Dark

  Observe that objects in darkness can be seen only when illuminated by a light source

  • Explain that we need light to see objects — without any light source, it is completely dark
  • Describe an observation showing objects become visible only when light reaches them
  • Distinguish between light sources (sun, torch, lamp) and objects that just reflect light

• Light & Sound Vocabulary

  Name and use vocabulary for how light and sound behave — light source, transparent, translucent, opaque, shadow, reflect, vibration, pitch, volume — and apply these terms correctly when describing observations about how light travels and how sounds are made and changed

  • Correctly classify a set of materials as transparent, translucent, or opaque and explain each term
  • Explain what causes a shadow using the words 'opaque' and 'light source' correctly
  • Describe what changes the pitch or volume of a sound using vibration vocabulary

• Communication with Light & Sound

  Design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance

  • Design a device that uses light or sound to communicate over a distance (e.g. string telephone, torch signals)
  • Build and test the device, identifying what works and what could be improved
  • Explain how the device uses properties of light or sound to transmit information

• Vibrations & Sound

  Understand that vibrating materials can make sound, and that sound can make materials vibrate

  • Describe that sounds are made when objects vibrate (move back and forth quickly)
  • Give at least three examples of vibrating objects making sound (drum skin, guitar string, voice box)
  • Demonstrate that sound can cause objects to vibrate (e.g. rice on a drum jumps when you shout near it)

• Transparent, Translucent & Opaque

  Investigate the effect of placing objects made of different materials in the path of a beam of light, discovering transparent, translucent, and opaque materials

  • Test at least six materials and classify them as transparent, translucent, or opaque
  • Define transparent (light passes through clearly), translucent (some light passes, blurry), opaque (no light passes)
  • Predict whether a given material will let light through based on its appearance

Science · Earth's Systems

Your child is learning to observe and describe weather patterns and seasons, while exploring how plants and animals change their environment to meet their needs.

• Seasonal changes

  Observe changes across the four seasons and describe weather associated with each season, including how day length varies

  • Name the four seasons and describe typical weather for each
  • Describe how day length changes through the year (longer in summer, shorter in winter)
  • Give examples of changes in the natural world associated with each season (e.g. leaves, flowers, animal behaviour)

• Local weather patterns

  Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time, recording temperature, rainfall, and other conditions

  • Observe and record daily weather conditions (temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, wind)
  • Identify patterns in weather data over days or weeks
  • Use observations to make simple predictions about upcoming weather

• How Organisms Shape Habitats

  Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals can change the environment to meet their needs

  • Give at least three examples of organisms changing their environment (beaver dams, bird nests, plant roots breaking rock)
  • Explain why organisms change their environment (to meet needs for shelter, food, water)
  • Construct an argument with evidence showing how a specific organism changes its environment

Science · Forces & Motion

Your child is learning about forces — understanding how pushes and pulls can make objects move faster, slower, or change direction, and testing different ways to affect motion.

• Pushes & Pulls

  Understand that pushes and pulls are forces that can change the speed or direction of an object's motion, and compare the effects of different strengths and directions

  • Describe a push and a pull as types of force that make objects move, speed up, slow down, or change direction
  • Compare the effects of a gentle push versus a strong push on the same object
  • Predict the direction an object will move based on the direction of the applied force

• Forces Vocabulary

  Name and describe forces using precise vocabulary — force, push, pull, twist, stretch, squash, contact force, non-contact force, gravity, weight, friction, air resistance, upthrust — and distinguish between forces that require physical contact and forces that act at a distance

  • Correctly name the force acting in at least five given scenarios (e.g. 'friction slows the sledge', 'gravity pulls the apple')
  • Distinguish between contact forces (friction, upthrust) and non-contact forces (gravity, magnetism) using the correct terms
  • Use 'weight' correctly as a force — distinct from 'mass' — in descriptions

• Testing Push & Pull Designs

  Analyse data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the speed or direction of an object with a push or pull

  • Test a simple design (e.g. ramp, launcher) and collect data on whether it meets the goal
  • Analyse results to determine if the design works as intended
  • Suggest modifications based on the data to improve the design's performance

Science · Space Systems & Earth's History

Your child is learning about predictable patterns in the sky — observing how the sun rises and sets daily, how the moon changes shape, and how stars appear at night.

• Why seasons change

  Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year, noticing longer days in summer and shorter days in winter

  • Describe the pattern: more daylight hours in summer, fewer in winter
  • Compare sunrise/sunset times at different points in the year
  • Relate amount of daylight to seasonal changes in weather and nature

• Naming the Planets

  Name the planets in our solar system in order from the Sun and use vocabulary for space — planet, star, sun, moon, satellite, orbit, solar system, galaxy, universe, asteroid, comet — applying these correctly when describing the structure of the solar system and objects we see in the sky

  • Name the eight planets in order from the Sun without prompting
  • Use 'orbit' correctly to describe the movement of planets around the Sun and moons around planets
  • Distinguish between a planet, a moon, a star, and an asteroid using the correct vocabulary

• Sun, Moon, and stars

  Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe predictable patterns such as the sun rising and setting, the moon changing shape, and stars appearing at night

  • Describe the daily pattern of sunrise and sunset
  • Describe the pattern of the moon's shape changing over about a month
  • Explain that stars are visible at night and describe any seasonal patterns observed

Science · Energy

Your child is beginning to understand energy — observing how sunlight warms objects and surfaces, and designing simple structures to create shade and reduce warming effects.

• Sunlight warms things up

  Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface, noticing that sunlight warms the ground, water, and objects

  • Observe that surfaces in sunlight feel warmer than those in shade
  • Describe that sunlight provides warmth (heat energy) to Earth's surface
  • Compare temperatures of surfaces in sun vs shade using touch or a thermometer

• Building shade from the sun

  Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area, such as a shade or shelter

  • Design a structure intended to reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area
  • Build the structure using available materials and test whether it reduces temperature
  • Compare the temperature in the shaded area vs an unshaded area as evidence of effectiveness

History · Ancient Egypt

Your child is exploring the fascinating world of ancient Egypt — discovering pyramids and pharaohs, learning about hieroglyphics and the River Nile, and understanding how archaeologists help us learn about the past.

• Egypt, the Nile, and the Desert

  Locate Egypt on a map of Africa and understand that it is a country in a very hot, dry desert, but the River Nile — the longest river in the world — flows through it, bringing water and rich soil that allowed people to grow food and build one of the earliest great civilisations

  • Point to Egypt on a map and identify the River Nile running through it
  • Explain why the Nile was so important to the ancient Egyptians (water, food, transport)
  • Describe how the desert and the river created two very different environments side by side

• Vocabulary: ancient egypt

  Know and use the key vocabulary of ancient Egypt — pharaoh, pyramid, tomb, mummy/mummification, hieroglyphs, papyrus, sarcophagus, canopic jar, natron, archaeologist, artefact, Nile, delta, irrigation, shaduf, scribe, vizier, obelisk, sphinx, cartouche — and apply these terms accurately when describing Egyptian society, religion, and material culture

  • Use 'pharaoh', 'pyramid', and 'hieroglyphs' correctly and naturally in a spoken or written account of ancient Egypt
  • Explain what mummification is and why the Egyptians did it, using 'sarcophagus', 'canopic jar', and 'natron'
  • Use 'archaeologist' and 'artefact' correctly when discussing how we know about ancient Egypt

• Pharaohs and Tutankhamun

  Know that ancient Egypt was ruled by powerful kings and queens called pharaohs, who lived in grand palaces and made the laws — and that one of the most famous pharaohs is Tutankhamun, a boy who became pharaoh as a child and whose golden tomb was discovered thousands of years later

  • Explain that a pharaoh was the ruler of ancient Egypt, like a king or queen
  • Name Tutankhamun as a famous pharaoh and describe at least one fact about him
  • Understand that pharaohs were very powerful and made important decisions for everyone in Egypt

• Pyramids and the Great Sphinx

  Know that the ancient Egyptians built enormous stone pyramids as tombs for the pharaohs, that the Great Pyramid at Giza was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and is still standing today, and that the Great Sphinx — a statue with a lion's body and a human head — guards the pyramids

  • Explain that pyramids were built as tombs to protect the pharaoh's body for the afterlife
  • Describe the Great Pyramid as very large, very old, and still standing at Giza
  • Describe the Sphinx as a stone statue with a lion's body and a human head

• Egyptian Gods and the Afterlife

  Understand that the ancient Egyptians believed in many gods and goddesses and believed that life continued after death in a wonderful afterlife — which is why they took great care to prepare bodies and fill tombs with food, jewellery, and precious objects for the dead person to use

  • Explain that ancient Egyptians worshipped many different gods and goddesses
  • Describe the basic belief that Egyptians thought life continued after death
  • Give a reason why tombs were filled with treasures and everyday objects

• Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt

  Describe what everyday life was like for ordinary people in ancient Egypt: farmers grew wheat and barley near the Nile, families lived in mud-brick houses, children played games and had pets, and people ate bread, fish, fruit, and vegetables

  • Describe at least two things ordinary Egyptian families did in their daily lives
  • Name foods that ancient Egyptians ate or crops they grew
  • Identify at least one similarity and one difference between life in ancient Egypt and life today

• Hieroglyphs and Papyrus

  Know that the ancient Egyptians used a special writing system called hieroglyphs — pictures and symbols that stood for sounds and words — and that they wrote on a paper-like material called papyrus, which was made from a plant that grew along the Nile

  • Describe hieroglyphs as a writing system that uses pictures and symbols
  • Explain that papyrus was a material like paper made from a river plant
  • Understand that only specially trained people called scribes could read and write hieroglyphs

• Discovering Tutankhamun's Tomb

  Understand that we know about ancient Egypt because archaeologists have dug up and studied objects buried in the sand for thousands of years — and that one of the most exciting discoveries ever was when Howard Carter found the hidden tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922, filled with golden treasures

  • Explain that archaeologists find and study old objects to learn about people who lived long ago
  • Retell the story of Howard Carter discovering Tutankhamun's tomb
  • Understand that discoveries like this help us learn about how ancient Egyptians lived and what they believed

History · Medieval Times

• What Is a Castle?

  What a castle is: a fortified building used as both a home and a defence; key parts including towers, moat, drawbridge, and thick walls; why castles were built

  • Name at least four parts of a castle (tower, moat, drawbridge, walls, gatehouse)
  • Explain that castles were both homes and defences
  • Describe why someone in medieval times would need a castle

• Village Life

  Daily life for ordinary people in a medieval village: thatched houses, farming, baking bread, fetching water; how different life was from today

  • Describe what a typical medieval village looked like (thatched cottages, fields, church)
  • Name at least three daily tasks a medieval villager would do
  • Give two differences between life in a medieval village and life today

• Kings & Queens

  What medieval kings and queens did: ruling the land, making laws, collecting taxes; the crown and throne as symbols of power; the Tower of London

  • Explain what a medieval king or queen did (ruled, made laws, led armies, collected taxes)
  • Describe at least one symbol of royal power (crown, throne, sceptre)
  • Name one famous medieval monarch or describe the Tower of London's role

• Knights & Armour

  What knights were: trained warriors who served a lord; armour, shields, swords, and lances; the code of chivalry as rules for how knights should behave

  • Describe what a knight wore and carried (armour, helmet, shield, sword, lance)
  • Explain that knights trained from a young age and served a lord
  • Name one rule of the code of chivalry (be brave, be honest, protect the weak)

• The Vikings

  Who the Vikings were: seafaring warriors and traders from Scandinavia; longships; Viking raids on Britain; that Vikings also settled and farmed

  • Describe who the Vikings were and where they came from
  • Explain what made longships special (fast, could sail in shallow water, dragon prows)
  • State that Vikings were not just raiders but also farmers, traders, and settlers

• Robin Hood & King Arthur

  The legends of Robin Hood (Sherwood Forest, stealing from the rich, Merry Men) and King Arthur (Round Table, Excalibur, Camelot); that these are stories, not proven history, but reflect medieval values

  • Retell the basic story of Robin Hood or King Arthur
  • Name at least two characters from one of these legends
  • Explain that these are legends (stories) rather than proven facts

• Medieval Clothing

  What people wore in medieval times: peasant clothes (wool, linen) vs noble clothes (silk, fur, bright colours); no zippers or buttons; how clothes showed your place in society

  • Describe what a medieval peasant would typically wear
  • Explain how noble clothing was different from peasant clothing
  • Give one way that what you wore showed your place in society

• Medieval Food & Feasts

  What people ate in medieval times: bread and pottage for ordinary people, grand feasts for the rich; no forks, eating with hands; the great hall as the centre of castle life

  • Describe what ordinary people ate most days (bread, pottage, vegetables, ale)
  • Explain how a feast in a great hall was different from everyday meals
  • Name one surprising table manner from medieval times (no forks, shared cups, food thrown on the floor)

History · Ancient Greece & Rome

• Ancient Greece and Rome on the Map

  Locate Greece and Italy on a map and know they are countries around the Mediterranean Sea where two great ancient civilisations — Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome — grew up thousands of years ago, long after the ancient Egyptians but long before our time

  • Point to Greece and Italy on a world map or globe
  • Say that Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome were around the Mediterranean Sea
  • Place Greece and Rome on a simple timeline after Ancient Egypt and before today

• Roman soldiers & builders

  Know that Roman soldiers marched across a huge empire building straight roads and strong walls, and that some Roman roads, walls, and buildings can still be seen today — showing that the Romans were powerful builders whose work has lasted thousands of years

  • Describe Roman soldiers as part of a powerful army that marched across an empire
  • Name something the Romans built that we can still see today such as roads or walls
  • Explain that Roman buildings and roads lasted because the Romans were skilled builders

• Romulus & Remus

  Know the Roman founding myth of Romulus and Remus — twin brothers abandoned as babies, raised by a she-wolf, who grew up to found the city of Rome — and understand that this is a legend the Romans told about how their city began

  • Retell the story of Romulus and Remus being raised by a wolf
  • Say that Romulus founded the city of Rome
  • Explain that this is a legend — a story people told, not necessarily true

• Greek gods & Mount Olympus

  Know that the ancient Greeks believed in many gods and goddesses who lived on Mount Olympus — including Zeus (king of the gods, thunder), Athena (wisdom), Poseidon (the sea), Hermes (messages), and Aphrodite (love) — and that each god had special powers and a role in the world

  • Name at least three Greek gods and say what each one was god of
  • Say that the Greek gods were believed to live on Mount Olympus
  • Explain that the ancient Greeks prayed to different gods for different things

• Ancient life vs today

  Compare how children in ancient Greece or Rome lived with how children live today — including differences in school (writing on wax tablets, learning to fight in Sparta), food (olives, bread, grapes), games, and clothing (tunics and sandals) — and understand these civilisations existed thousands of years ago

  • Name two ways a child's life in ancient Greece or Rome was different from today
  • Describe what ancient Greek or Roman children might have eaten or worn
  • Say that these civilisations existed thousands of years ago — long before grandparents were born

• Greek Myths and Heroes

  Retell at least one Greek myth involving a hero and a monster — such as Theseus and the Minotaur in the labyrinth, Heracles (Hercules) and the lion, or Perseus and Medusa — and understand that these were stories ancient Greeks told to explain the world and teach lessons

  • Retell a Greek myth naming the hero, the monster, and what happened
  • Explain that myths were stories the ancient Greeks told to make sense of the world
  • Describe what made a Greek hero brave or clever in the story

• The first Olympics

  Know that the Olympic Games began in ancient Greece at a place called Olympia as athletic competitions held in honour of Zeus, and that the modern Olympic Games we watch today were inspired by those ancient games

  • Say that the Olympic Games started in ancient Greece at Olympia
  • Name at least one sport or event from the ancient Olympics such as running or wrestling
  • Explain that today's Olympic Games got the idea from the ancient Greek ones

History · Historical Thinking

• Evidence from the Past

  Understand that everything we know about the past comes from evidence — objects, buildings, pictures, documents, and stories that have survived

  • Wineburg historical thinking framework
  • Historical Thinking in the Elementary Years (ERIC)

• Vocabulary: historical thinking

  Know and use the vocabulary of historical thinking — source, evidence, primary source, secondary source, artefact, chronology, chronological order, BC/BCE, AD/CE, century, decade, era, period, timeline, excavation, archaeologist, interpretation, corroborate, bias, perspective — and apply these terms when discussing how we know about the past and how reliable our knowledge is

  • Correctly use BC/BCE and AD/CE to place events in time and explain what the letters stand for
  • Distinguish between a primary source and a secondary source with an example of each
  • Use 'evidence', 'interpretation', and 'bias' correctly in a sentence about a historical source

• Different Accounts of the Same Event

  Recognise that different people can give different accounts of the same event — and that both can be genuine while still disagreeing

  • Wineburg corroboration heuristic
  • Initiating Historical Thinking in Elementary Schools

Personal & Social Development · Friendship & Cooperation

Your child is developing essential friendship skills — learning to ask for help when needed, understanding what makes a good friend, listening to others properly, and sharing and taking turns in group activities.

• Vocabulary: working with others

  Know and use the vocabulary of working with others — cooperate, share, take turns, team, listen, agree, disagree respectfully, and include — and understand that these words describe habits that friendships and group work depend on

  • Use 'cooperate' and 'compromise' correctly — e.g. 'We cooperated by taking turns choosing the game'
  • Explain what 'active listening' means and demonstrate it: facing the speaker, not interrupting, responding to what was said
  • Use 'share', 'take turns', and 'include' to describe how they work with others in a group activity

• Listening to Others

  Listen to others when they are speaking — looking at the speaker, waiting until they finish, and showing they have heard by responding to what was said rather than just talking about their own ideas

  • Face the speaker and maintain attention while someone else is talking
  • Wait until the other person has finished before responding
  • Respond to what was actually said rather than changing the subject to their own idea

• Makes someone a good friend

  Understand what makes someone a good friend — being kind, honest, reliable, and including others — and recognise behaviours that are not friendly, such as being bossy, leaving people out, or saying mean things

  • List at least four qualities of a good friend
  • Identify unfriendly behaviour in a story or real situation
  • Reflect on a time they were a good friend and explain what they did

• Taking Turns and Sharing

  Take turns, share materials, and play cooperatively with others — understanding that group activities work better when everyone gets a fair go and that waiting for your turn is part of being a good friend

  • Take turns in a game or group activity without needing adult reminders
  • Share materials willingly during a shared task or playtime
  • Explain why taking turns makes games and group work more fun for everyone

• Asking for Help

  Ask for help when they need it — from a friend, teacher, or family member — and understand that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness

  • Approach an appropriate person and ask for help clearly
  • Identify who to go to for different kinds of help (academic, emotional, practical)
  • Explain why asking for help is sensible rather than something to be embarrassed about

Personal & Social Development · Responsible Decision-Making

Your child is learning to make good choices — understanding right from wrong, keeping themselves safe, thinking about consequences, and following rules because they understand why they matter.

• Vocabulary: making decisions and keeping safe

  Know and use the vocabulary of making decisions and keeping safe — choice, consequence, rule, safe, fair, honest, trusted adult, and right and wrong — and understand that naming these ideas clearly helps make better choices

  • Explain what 'consequence' means and give an example of a positive and a negative consequence of a choice
  • Use 'responsible' and 'safe' correctly when talking about everyday decisions — e.g. 'The responsible choice is to tell an adult'
  • Define 'rule' and 'fairness' and explain why rules exist using their own examples from school or home

• Actions and Their Consequences

  Understand that actions have consequences — that what you choose to do affects both yourself and other people — and begin to think about what might happen before they act

  • Describe what happened as a consequence of a specific action they took
  • Predict what might happen if they choose a particular action before doing it
  • Explain that actions can have good or bad consequences for themselves and others

• Right and Wrong Choices

  Know the difference between right and wrong in familiar everyday situations — understanding basic rules about honesty, not hurting others, respecting others' property, and being fair — and choose to do the right thing even when it's harder

  • Identify the right and wrong choice in a simple moral scenario
  • Choose to be honest even when lying would avoid trouble
  • Explain why rules about not hurting others and being honest matter

• Rules and agreements exist

  Understand why rules and agreements exist — that they help keep people safe, make things fair, and help groups work well together — and follow agreed rules willingly rather than only when being watched

  • Explain the reason behind at least two rules at home or school
  • Follow a rule consistently without needing to be reminded or monitored
  • Describe what would happen if nobody followed the rules in a specific context

• Everyday Safety Awareness

  Keep themselves safe in everyday situations — knowing basic safety rules about roads, strangers, water, and the internet — and understanding who their trusted adults are and when to tell them something

  • State at least three basic safety rules and explain why each matters
  • Name their trusted adults and describe when they should tell them something
  • Demonstrate safe behaviour in a familiar everyday situation without being reminded

Personal & Social Development · Self-Regulation & Resilience

Your child is learning important life skills for managing emotions and challenges — using calming strategies when upset, practising patience, adapting to changes, and understanding that mistakes are a normal part of learning.

• Words for Big Feelings

  Know and use the key words for managing big feelings — calm, strategy, cope, settle, patience, overwhelmed, and breathe — and understand that having words for these ideas is the first step to using them

  • Use words like 'frustrated', 'anxious', 'overwhelmed', and 'disappointed' accurately to describe how they feel in difficult moments
  • Explain what 'calm down' strategies are in their own words and name at least two they have tried (e.g. deep breaths, counting, walking away)
  • Distinguish between similar feelings — e.g. explain the difference between being angry and being disappointed

• Simple Calming Strategies

  Use simple calming strategies when feeling upset or overwhelmed — such as taking deep breaths, counting to ten, or going to a quiet space — and understand that these help the body and mind settle down

  • Demonstrate at least two calming strategies when prompted
  • Choose to use a calming strategy independently during a real upset
  • Explain in simple terms why calming down helps them think better

• Learning from Mistakes

  Understand that making mistakes is a normal part of learning and that everyone — including adults — makes mistakes, and begin to see mistakes as opportunities to learn rather than reasons to give up

  • Describe a time they made a mistake and what they learned from it
  • Respond to a mistake by trying again rather than giving up
  • Explain why mistakes help people learn

• Coping with Life Changes

  Understand that change is a normal part of life — such as starting school, getting a new teacher, a new baby arriving, or moving house — and identify simple strategies that help them cope with changes

  • Name at least two changes they have experienced and how they felt
  • Identify a person they can talk to when a change feels hard
  • Describe one strategy that helps them cope with change, such as keeping a familiar routine

• Patience and Delayed Gratification

  Wait for things they want without becoming very distressed — practising patience and delayed gratification in everyday situations like waiting their turn, waiting for a treat, or waiting for help

  • Wait for their turn in a game or activity without constant complaints
  • Describe what they do to help themselves wait, such as thinking about something else
  • Explain why sometimes we have to wait and that it is a skill they can practise

Personal & Social Development · Emotional Literacy

Your child is learning about emotions — naming different feelings, understanding that everyone has emotions, expressing feelings with words instead of actions, and recognising what triggers their emotions.

• Naming Basic Emotions

  Name and recognise basic emotions — happy, sad, angry, scared, excited, and surprised — in themselves and in others by looking at facial expressions and body language

  • Label at least five basic emotions from pictures or real situations
  • Match facial expressions to emotion words in a sorting activity
  • Say 'I feel ___' using a correct emotion word when asked about their own day

• Feelings Change and Differ

  Understand that everyone has feelings, that feelings change throughout the day, and that the same event can make different people feel different things

  • Give an example of a time their feelings changed during a single day
  • Explain why two children might feel differently about the same event
  • Recognise that feelings are temporary and can change

• Triggers and Causes of Feelings

  Understand that feelings have causes — something happens (a trigger) and that makes us feel a certain way — and begin to identify what triggers their own emotions

  • Describe a trigger for at least three different emotions from their own experience
  • Complete 'I felt ___ because ___' sentences accurately
  • Identify what made a character in a story feel a particular way

• Expressing Feelings with Words

  Express their own feelings appropriately using words rather than actions — saying 'I feel angry because...' instead of hitting, shouting, or withdrawing

  • Use an 'I feel ___ when ___' statement during a disagreement
  • Choose to tell an adult how they feel instead of acting out physically
  • Describe their feelings about a difficult situation using at least two emotion words

Personal & Social Development · Empathy & Social Awareness

Your child is developing emotional intelligence and social skills — learning to show kindness to others, appreciating diversity in their community, and understanding that people have different thoughts and feelings.

• Vocabulary: understanding others

  Know and use the key vocabulary for understanding others — empathy, perspective, kind, fair, community, similar, different, and care — and understand that these words describe real habits of thinking and feeling

  • Use the word 'empathy' correctly and distinguish it from 'sympathy' — e.g. 'Empathy means I try to feel what they feel'
  • Explain what 'perspective' and 'point of view' mean and demonstrate by describing how two people might see the same event differently
  • Use words like 'community', 'belonging', and 'inclusion' accurately when talking about their school or neighbourhood

• Other People's Feelings and Thoughts

  Understand that other people have their own feelings and thoughts, and that these might be different from your own — a foundational awareness that not everyone sees or feels things the same way

  • State that other people can feel differently about the same thing
  • Give an example of a time someone felt differently from them about the same situation
  • Accept another child's feeling as valid even when it differs from their own

• Everyday Kindness and Care

  Show kindness and care towards others in simple everyday ways — comforting a friend who is upset, helping someone who has dropped their things, sharing without being asked, and saying kind words

  • Spontaneously offer comfort to someone who is visibly upset
  • Help another person with a practical task without being asked
  • Use kind words to encourage or cheer up someone who is struggling

• Similarities & Differences

  Notice and appreciate ways that people are similar to and different from each other — including appearance, family structures, languages spoken, foods eaten, and celebrations observed — and understand that differences make communities interesting

  • Name several ways people in their class or community are different from each other
  • Describe at least one thing they have learned from someone who is different from them
  • Express a positive attitude about differences rather than judging them

Personal & Social Development · Self-Awareness

• Naming Your Feelings

  Notice what you are feeling and put a name to it — being able to label an emotion is the first step to understanding and managing it

  • emotional literacy research
  • Fostering Emotional Literacy in Young Children (HeadStart.gov)
  • emotion vocabulary development 4-11 years (PMC)

• Feelings Versus Actions

  Understand that feelings and actions are separate — you can feel something strongly without having to act on it straight away

  • emotion regulation development research
  • Effects of Age and Gender in Emotion Regulation (PMC 2020)
  • expressive control to emotion regulation (PMC)

• Vocabulary: self

  Know and use the vocabulary of self-reflection — self-awareness, reflect, pattern, trigger, assumption, impact, perspective, and notice — and understand that having precise words for these inner experiences makes them easier to understand and talk about

  • Use words like 'reflect', 'pattern', and 'trigger' accurately when describing their own behaviour — e.g. 'I notice a pattern: I get frustrated when I rush'
  • Explain what 'self-awareness' means in their own words and give a personal example
  • Use the word 'perspective' correctly — e.g. 'From my perspective it felt unfair, but I can see theirs too'

Life Skills · Money & Finance

• What Money Is

  What money is and why we use it; that money is exchanged for goods and services; brief history from barter to coins to digital payments

  • Explain that people use money to pay for things they need or want
  • Give an example of how buying worked before money existed (swapping or bartering)
  • Name at least two forms money can take (coins, notes, card, phone payment)

• Coins & Notes

  Recognising common coins and notes, knowing their values, and understanding that different combinations can make the same amount

  • Sort a handful of mixed coins into groups by value
  • State the value of common coins and notes when shown them
  • Find two different ways to make the same amount using different coins

• Buying Things

  How buying and selling works: prices, paying for items, receiving change; the basic transaction process in shops and markets

  • Explain what happens when you buy something in a shop (choose, pay, get change)
  • Read a price label and say whether they have enough money to buy the item
  • Act out a simple buying scenario using real or play coins

• Needs & Wants

  The difference between things we need (food, shelter, clothing) and things we want (toys, treats); that we sometimes have to choose because money is limited

  • Sort a set of pictures into 'need' and 'want' categories and explain their choices
  • Give an example of something everyone needs and something that is a want
  • Explain why a family might choose to buy a need before a want

• Looking After Money

  Keeping money safe; not losing coins or notes; understanding that money has real value and should be treated carefully; basic money responsibility

  • Describe at least two ways to keep money safe (purse, wallet, money box, giving to a grown-up)
  • Explain why it matters if you lose money
  • Show that they treat real coins and notes carefully rather than leaving them lying around

• Saving Money

  Why people save money; piggy banks and saving jars; setting a savings goal; the idea that not spending now means having more later

  • Explain why someone might save money instead of spending it straight away
  • Describe a savings goal they could set and how they would work towards it
  • Tell you what delayed gratification means in their own words (waiting to get something better)

• Jobs People Do

  Different kinds of work people do; that people earn money by working; how jobs help the community; linking personal interests to possible jobs

  • Name at least five different jobs and describe what each person does
  • Explain that people get paid money for the work they do
  • Connect a personal interest to a job (e.g. 'I like animals so I could be a vet')

Life Skills · Entrepreneurship

• Making Something to Sell

  The experience of creating a product to sell — a craft, a drawing, baked goods; what makes something worth buying; pride in making something others want

  • Create a simple product (craft, drawing, baked item) that could be sold
  • Explain what makes their product good enough for someone to want to buy it
  • Suggest a fair price for their product and give a reason

• Who Is a Customer?

  Understanding that a customer is someone who buys what you make or do; thinking about what customers want and need; the idea that businesses serve people

  • Define what a customer is in their own words
  • Suggest what a customer might look for when deciding whether to buy something (quality, price, looks nice)
  • Explain why it matters to think about what the customer wants, not just what you want to make

• Buyers & Sellers

  When someone makes or has something, they can sell it; when someone wants something, they can buy it; introduction to the concept of exchange and transactions

  • Explain what a buyer does and what a seller does
  • Act out a simple buying and selling transaction with a partner
  • Describe a time they or a family member bought something from a person (market stall, car boot sale, bake sale)

• Goods & Services

  Some people make things (goods) and some people do things for others (services); recognising both in everyday life and understanding that both have value

  • Sort a set of pictures into goods (things you can touch) and services (things people do for you)
  • Give three examples of goods and three examples of services from their everyday life
  • Explain that both making things and helping people are valuable kinds of work

Computing · Artificial Intelligence

• Computers in Everyday Life

  Identifying computers in everyday life — not just laptops but phones, tablets, smart speakers, traffic lights, washing machines; what makes something a computer

  • Point out at least five everyday objects that contain computers
  • Explain what all computers have in common (they follow instructions and process information)
  • Sort a set of objects into 'contains a computer' and 'does not contain a computer'

• AI in Daily Life

  Spotting AI in daily life: face unlock on a phone, video recommendations, spelling auto-correct, automatic doors that detect people; technology that seems to 'know' things

  • Identify at least five examples of AI in their daily life
  • Explain that these technologies use patterns and data, not magic or real thinking
  • Describe one way AI makes their life easier and one time it might not work perfectly

• Voice Assistants and How They Work

  What happens when you talk to Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant; they listen, try to understand, look up answers; sometimes they get it wrong; they are tools, not alive

  • Describe the steps that happen when you ask a voice assistant a question (it listens, processes words, finds an answer, speaks back)
  • Give an example of a time a voice assistant might get something wrong
  • Explain that a voice assistant is a computer program, not a person — it doesn't understand or feel

• Smart Versus Not-Smart Devices

  Sorting objects into 'smart' (can sense and respond) and 'not smart' (just sits there); a toaster vs a smart speaker; introduction to the idea that some machines can sense and respond to the world

  • Sort a set of objects into 'smart' (responds to input) and 'not smart' (does the same thing every time)
  • Explain what makes a smart speaker different from a regular radio
  • Give an example of a machine that senses something and responds (automatic door, motion-sensor light)

• Step-by-Step Instructions

  Step-by-step instructions for everyday tasks (making a sandwich, brushing teeth); that if instructions are wrong or missing, things go wrong; computers follow instructions exactly

  • Write or describe step-by-step instructions for a simple everyday task
  • Predict what goes wrong if a step is missing or in the wrong order
  • Explain that a computer follows instructions exactly — it cannot guess what you meant

• Real-World Robots

  What a robot really is — not the sci-fi version; robots in factories, robot vacuum cleaners, robot arms in surgery; that robots follow instructions given by people

  • Describe what a robot is (a machine that follows instructions to do a task)
  • Name at least three real robots and what they do
  • Explain that robots are not alive and do not have feelings — they follow instructions people wrote

Learning to Learn · Learning to Learn

• Asking for Help

  Ask for help when you've had a go yourself and are still stuck — knowing when to ask is a skill in itself

  • Hattie visible learning
  • self-regulated learning research

• Feeling of not understanding

  Notice the feeling of not understanding — recognise when something is confusing rather than reading or listening past it

  • comprehension monitoring research
  • Flavell metacognitive monitoring

• Persisting When It's Hard

  Keep trying when something feels hard — making mistakes and trying again is how learning happens

  • Keep working on a difficult task for a sustained period without giving up or asking someone else to do it
  • After making a mistake, try again with a different approach rather than saying 'I can't do it'
  • Talk about difficulty positively — e.g. 'This is hard but I'm getting better' rather than 'I'm no good at this'

• Thinking Before Starting

  Before starting something new, stop and think: what do I already know about this topic?

  • prior knowledge activation research
  • Ausubel meaningful learning

• Checking Your Own Work

  After finishing a task, look back at what you did and ask yourself: does this seem right?

  • After finishing a piece of work, re-read or review it without being asked to
  • Spot and correct at least one error in their own work by checking back through it
  • Describe what they checked for — e.g. 'I re-read each line to make sure my answers matched the question'

• Planning a Task

  Make a simple plan before starting a task: what do I need to do, and what should I do first?

  • Before starting a task, describe what they need to do and what order to do it in
  • Break a larger task into smaller steps without being prompted — e.g. 'First I'll read the question, then I'll draw a diagram'
  • Gather the materials or information they need before beginning, rather than starting and then stopping to find things