Keystage 1
Year One
By the time children reach Year One, they are ready to ‘go up a gear’ as they build on the excellent foundations laid in Reception. The teaching and learning gather pace and significant progress is made in all areas of the curriculum, especially reading, writing and maths.
The Year One day is full – literacy and numeracy every morning, games, PE, music, ICT, art and RE are all spread throughout the week during the afternoons, together with geography, history and science, which are taught through exciting topics.
From the start of Year One, the children learn to join their handwriting during daily formal handwriting lessons. They are very proud of their success!
Once a term, each class takes responsibility for the Chapel Assembly in the Prep Department. Although a potentially daunting task,
every child always rises to the challenge and performs brilliantly in front of the large congregation of older pupils and parents.
Independence is encouraged, confidence is built and the children are nurtured through positive reinforcement and praise. Year One at Hordle Walhampton is a fun and rewarding place to be!
Year Two
In Year Two the children are proud of their academic achievements and enjoy sharing their work with their families and peers. Numeracy forms an important role in each school day and children of all abilities use practical sessions to extend their understanding and make learning fun. In literacy the lessons focus on a wide variety of genre, including engaging with and responding to different children’s authors, local poets and drama, which all act as springboard for creative thinking and writing.
The science curriculum puts emphasis on an investigative approach where the children can develop their skills using equipment and apparatus for predicting results and experimenting.
History and Geography are taught as independent subjects culminating in a lively topic on Lymington and Hordle Walhampton School. The children enjoy visits to places of historical interest, like St. Barbes Museum and Palace House, where role play and the handling of artefacts help to bring history to life.
Games is also high on the list of popular lessons with the children being able to participate in tag rugby, football, netball, hockey, cricket, tennis, swimming, gymnastics and dance. This gives the children at all levels of ability the chance to benefit from team and group activities.
As the children develop their many talents their confidence grows, greatly helped by regular ‘performances’ in front of an audience. Whether it is taking a leading role in the Nativity play at Christmas, performing a musical instrument they learn in front of their peers or taking an important part in our regular Junior Chapel assemblies.
Ties with the Prep School are of great importance and the transition to Year 3 begins in the Autumn Term. The children take weekly lessons with Prep school staff in design technology, art and craft, ICT and games. In the Summer Term the children have an opportunity to spend time with the Year Three teachers including a taster session of the Saturday activities programme; sport, art and cookery being firm favourites!
