Guest Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Hi everyone I am looking to make changes in the year 1 classes in my school as at the moment it is a little too formal. I was just wondering what year 1 looks like in your settings? How much CI is there and what sort of things do they do? How is their day structured / timetabled? The staff are very excited about hearing what others are doing!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LornaW Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 punto there has been a lot of discussion about this on another thread - have a look at this thread http://www.foundation-stage.info/forums/in...showtopic=22595 Very interesting! Lorna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlettangel Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 For a couple of years now our Year One classes have been a nightmare. They have included children who when in nursery or reception were fine, but they hit year one and POW!! Downhill from there. The FS practitioners said over and over again that the move from reception to year one (and its very formal structure) was TOO much. They also had a job share going on in there with 2 very different personalities so I felt the children didn't know if they were coming or going!!!! This year a former reception teacher in our school took over. No job share. The children now have role play area, outdoor area and the class organisation is much more similar to reception. The children are thriving. The behaviour good...................... The year 2 teacher feels that it is TOO informal and that come SATS next year, they will not manage the leap. My thought? Scrap the SATS then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The children are happy, and surely the concern of the year one teacher is not how they will be next year but how they are NOW! There was a discussion on here last week re being 5 and being in year one, but some children need the FS practice because they are 5 for most of their year one year. Surely a combination of experiences that suit the children and their needs is appropriate? I hope to see one day (!!) more hands on practical type of learning in year one and further up the school............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LornaW Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 There was a document published in 2005 called 'Continuing the learning journey' with an emphasis on the fact that Y1 needs to build on YR. The Rose review has now meant that a new curricukum is coming into being in 2011 and KS1 & KS2 teachers will need to make learning more connected so it is a wonderful time for that Y1 class to carry on in Y2. As for SATs at KS1 it is now all teacher assessment even though the tests have to be administered and these can be administered at any time after january so I used to give the tests in Feb and we could then see where the gaps in learning were and make sure we had planned next steps for these gaps. The SATs should not be a reason to teach the way children learn best! So keep up the good work Scarlettangel! Lorna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Hi our year 1 teacher is supper! she delivers through topic e.g traditional stories and she has lots of areas of provisions, and uses our rec outdoor provision, she also assess from the fsp for those who need it and just basically encorporates the ethos of the EYFS x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 We have been researching this and have been having a big push on making Year 1 the same as Reception. We looked at what could be learned through play and peer teaching and put out activities that would challenge and engage the children. We then made our teaching and AF sessions around the aspects that couldn't be taught through play - mainly phonics, handwriting, calculating etc. The classes were basically run exactly the same as Year 1, the children were much happier and although we initially started this because we felt the Summer born children were being failed in a formal Year 1 class it actually was most beneficial for the more able children who could just extend their learning as far as they could. There is a book of our research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Hi Sunbeam, Has the book of your research been published or is it possible to get hold of a copy of it? Would be really useful to read as we have made our year1 class far more like Reception this year but could do with some further background info to put into an evaluation which the Headteacher wants soon Nicky Sussex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Thanks for everyones replies. I too would love to get my hands on you case study sunbeam. XXX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Im interested too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KST Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 me too! x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 The book should be available from Oxfordshire County Council, it was written by Julie Fisher who did the research. I believe she is also writing it up into a 'proper' book for OUP but that isn't out yet - April I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LornaW Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Would this be the book to be published in April 2010 http://www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/html/0335238467.html Looks like a good read and very useful. also saw a good conferecne re the creative curriculum advertised in the TES today at the Insitiute of Education on 1 March. Lorna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tinkerbell Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 I teach a mixed r/yr1 class.Year1 is the only cohort we have to split in school because our classrooms are small.I can see the benefits of working in a play based way for my 5 year 1 children and they are 'blossoming'. I have always taught starting with the child and their needs and it does work. However when I see the other 10 year1 in class2 withthe 15 year2 children they have lost some of their 'sparkle' they had when they were in reception and also there independence. This isn't a criticism of the class 2 teacher,the rooms are tiny,theyhave no acess to the outdoors and the NQT is getting all her 'evidence' for the KS1 assessments etc.As her mentor I have spent my management time team teaching and demonstrating carousel style hands on investigative science sesssions where the children have been encouraged to think for themselves etc I have also suggested more play based activities which the children were used to and could work well at. I do feel frustrated and have asked the HT to let me teach the yr1/2 mixed class next year.The Ht has already signed me up to train a student in EYFS so it won't happen. I shall be buying the book Sunbeam,it sounds like a really useful study,thank you for pointing us in its direction! Tinkerbell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Thanks sunbeam and thanks Lorna. Looks like a very useful resource and you can preorder from Book Depositery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Hi everyone I am looking to make changes in the year 1 classes in my school as at the moment it is a little too formal. I was just wondering what year 1 looks like in your settings? How much CI is there and what sort of things do they do? How is their day structured / timetabled? The staff are very excited about hearing what others are doing!!! Hi We worked on our year one provision last year and have created a reception year one learning center where the foundation curriculum and style of learning continues through year one. This means that they chilren choose their curriculum and have a classroom layout like a reception classroom. The only discreet lessons are numeracy and phonics lessons but the philosophy of EYFS continues through all aspects of their learning. Its great to hear other people thinking about the year one curriculum, good luck with your planning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tinkerbell Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Thanks for the idea of the pre order Susan ,I hadn't known about the Book depositery I have just browsed and spent £50 on 3 books that look excellent!! Tinkerbell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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