Year 1 at Mead Vale Community Primary School

At Mead Vale, children in year 1 learn through a well-planned and varied curriculum of continuous provision, enhanced provision and directed teaching.   Research from Alistair Bryce Clegg has found that children who learn through play have higher attainment and engagement in their learning. Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) creates a specific right for all children to engage in play appropriate to their age. This is a world-wide approach that enriches learning, develops key skills, has opportunity for inquiry, expression, experiment and teamwork. Every day children have the opportunity to be artists, writers, mathematicians, dancers, illustrators, scientists, geographers and much more!

Directed Activities: We plan adult led directed activities where children can work in small groups to and be support by a teacher.

Enhanced Provision: We enhance our indoor and outdoor environments to link with our curriculum and provide bespoke learning opportunities through resources, displays and experiences, that match our learners needs.

Continuous Provision: We have well-resourced and carefully planned indoor and outdoor environment that allow children to learn through play. We have carefully picked resources to ensure that children are engaging in play that is appropriate to their age. We allow children ownership over their learning encouraging independence and engagement.

The impact of this:

• The transition from EYFS to year 1 seamless.
• Children are engaged throughout the day in purposeful, meaningful tasks.
• Children have the opportunity to revisit, rehearse and refine their learning.
• Children are independent and more resilient as they have the opportunity for trial and error.
• Children work well together.
• Better outcomes for all children
• Improved learning behaviours
• Foundations for life long learners.
• Learning is fun!
• Improved oracy

“We are never more full alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything that when we are playing.” – Charles Schaefer