Netherfield CE Primary School

Reception Topic: All About Me

Our littlest learners will begin their school journey by sharing all about themselves and getting to know their new friends. Through play, talk and exploration, they will build confidence, settle into school life and begin to understand what makes each of us special.

Children will learn about daily school routines, helping them feel secure and ready for the day. They will also talk about the people who help us around school, discovering how everyone works together to keep our classroom and school community happy, safe and caring.

Year 1 topic: Dinosaur Detectives

This year, our Dinosaur Detectives topic will take children on an exciting journey into the prehistoric world as they explore the question: How do we know that dinosaurs existed? Through hands-on learning, they will discover how palaeontologists use fossils and evidence to uncover the secrets of the past.

Pupils will learn about the remarkable life and work of Mary Anning and the lasting impact she had on our understanding of dinosaurs and fossils. They will also investigate local dinosaur discoveries in Bexhill, helping them to make meaningful connections between history and their own area.

As part of the topic, children will use their creativity and imagination to design and make their own clay dinosaur sculptures, bringing their learning to life in a practical and memorable way.

Whole class topic: All around the world

In our All Around the World topic, children will explore the question: What do I need to know to explore the world? Through this geography-based unit, Year 1 will develop their knowledge of the world around them by learning the countries and capitals of the UK, the names of the continents and oceans, and how to use compass directions. Reception will continue to use play to explore vehicles that may take us around the world, roleplaying a journey in an aeroplane. 

Children will also broaden their understanding of global cultures by cooking food from around the world and discussing where our food comes from. All children will explore different artefacts from diferent cultures and see what clues they may give about that country's culture and lifestyle. As part of their creative learning, they will look at the work of Picasso and use his style as inspiration to create their own expressive self-portraits.

Whole class topic: Coastlines

In our Coastlines topic, children will investigate the enquiry question: What would you find on the coast? Year 1 will explore and compare the local Hastings coastline with a coastline in Brazil, learning about the similarities and differences between places around the world. Throughout the unit, pupils will study human and physical features, as well as the climate and population of each location, developing their geographical understanding of coastal environments.

All children will also learn about the fascinating life of pirates and how they once dominated coastlines in the past. They will learn sea shanties and explore floating and sinking with their own ships created in DT. 

To finish the topic, children will enjoy an exciting trip to the beach, bringing their learning to life through first-hand observation and exploration.