Parents, carers and Year 1 learners
What Your Child Learns in Year 1: A Parent Guide
Year 1 (ages 5 to 6) is the first year of Key Stage 1 in England. It builds on the Early Years Foundation Stage while children develop more sustained reading, writing and Maths habits. Daily phonics, number work and learning to record ideas are common features, but schools vary in how quickly routines become more formal.
For eligible Year 1 pupils in state-funded schools in England, the national phonics screening check normally takes place in June. It is a short, one-to-one check in which children read 40 words: 20 real words and 20 pseudo-words designed to show whether they can decode an unfamiliar word. Use this guide as a map, not a fixed weekly timetable.
Year 1 at a glance
Year 1 joins familiar play, talk and practical activity with growing independence. Children learn to listen for longer, follow a short sequence of instructions, form letters and numbers, and explain what they notice.
- Phonics remains central: children connect sounds with graphemes, blend sounds to read unfamiliar words and apply the same knowledge when spelling.
- In Maths, children count, read and write numbers to 100 while the main addition and subtraction work is within 20.
- Writing usually develops more slowly than reading because children are combining ideas, spelling, handwriting and punctuation at the same time.
| Area | Typical focus | What progress can look like |
|---|---|---|
| Maths | Counting, number bonds, calculation, shape, measures and time | Using objects or drawings to explain a simple calculation |
| English | Phonics, listening, reading, sentence writing and handwriting | Blending an unfamiliar word and rereading a short sentence for sense |
| Science | Materials, plants, animals, the body, seasons and simple questions | Describing an observation and comparing what changed |
Maths in Year 1
Children count forwards and backwards to and across 100, read and write numbers to 100 in numerals, and count in 2s, 5s and 10s. They identify one more and one less, use number bonds within 20, and add or subtract one-digit and two-digit numbers to 20 using objects, pictures and number lines.
| Strand | Typical learning |
|---|---|
| Number | Count to 100; read and write numerals to 100; write number words to 20; find one more and one less |
| Calculation | Use +, − and =; build number bonds; add and subtract within 20; solve one-step problems |
| Shape and measure | Recognise common 2-D and 3-D shapes; find halves and quarters; compare measures; use money and time language |
Browse all Year 1 Maths topics or start with counting to 100, adding and subtracting to 20, number bonds to 20, halves and quarters and telling the time.
English in Year 1
Children apply phonics as the main route to decoding unfamiliar words. They continue learning grapheme-phoneme correspondences, blend sounds, read common exception words, listen to and discuss books, and begin to make simple inferences from what a character says or does.
In writing, children learn to leave spaces between words, join ideas with 'and', use basic punctuation, apply taught sound-spelling patterns and reread their work to check that it makes sense. Early spelling may be phonically plausible while accurate spelling and handwriting are still developing.
Browse all Year 1 English topics, including grapheme awareness, phonological awareness, listening to and discussing texts, making inferences, spaces between words and checking writing for sense.
Science in Year 1
Year 1 Science develops careful noticing and simple comparison. Children name common plants and animals, identify basic parts of the body, compare everyday materials, observe seasonal change and ask questions that can be explored through observation or a simple test.
| Unit | Typical learning |
|---|---|
| Everyday materials | Name materials, compare simple properties and consider which material suits a purpose |
| Plants | Identify common plants and trees and name basic plant structures |
| Animals and humans | Recognise common animal groups and name basic parts of the human body |
| Seasonal change | Observe weather, daylight and changes across the four seasons |
| Working scientifically | Ask simple questions, observe closely, compare, group and record findings |
Browse all Year 1 Science topics, including everyday materials, common plants and trees, parts of the human body, the four seasons and asking simple questions.
The Year 1 phonics screening check
Eligible Year 1 pupils in state-funded schools in England normally take the statutory phonics screening check in June. A teacher or another familiar adult asks the child to read 20 real words and 20 pseudo-words. The pseudo-words check decoding rather than memory.
The check helps schools identify children who need more phonics support. It is not a measure of every part of reading: vocabulary, comprehension, fluency and enjoyment of books continue to matter. Pupils who do not meet the expected standard normally take the check again in Year 2 after further teaching.
The best preparation is the school's normal systematic phonics teaching plus brief, calm reading practice. Avoid teaching a child to memorise old check words; the words change each year. The Year 1 phonics screening topic collects relevant learning support.
How to help at home without adding pressure
A small, repeatable routine is usually more manageable than a long worksheet. Read together for around ten minutes when your child is receptive, talk about sounds inside everyday words, count real objects and let handwriting remain slow while letter formation develops.
- Let your child read a decodable sentence, then read a richer story aloud to them so vocabulary and enjoyment keep growing too.
- Use stairs, socks, toys or coins for counting, one more, one less and simple number bonds.
- When a child writes, praise the idea first, then choose one small feature to check together.
- If work repeatedly causes distress or the same difficulty persists, share a precise example with the class teacher or special educational needs coordinator.
TheLearnDen links to independent providers. Availability and access conditions vary, and some resources may require the provider's own account or subscription.
Using Year 1 resources for home education
The statutory phonics screening check is administered through schools, so children educated entirely at home are not ordinarily entered for it. Families can still use published phonics materials to understand the type of decoding involved without making the check a compulsory home-education target.
Use the three Year 1 subject hubs as a flexible coverage map rather than a school timetable. Practical observation, conversation, shared reading, play and short recorded tasks can all provide meaningful evidence of progress. The printable subject checklists can help families notice breadth over time.
Official curriculum sources
Checked against official guidance for England on 21 August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What age is a child in Year 1?
Most children in Year 1 are aged 5 to 6. Year 1 is the first year of Key Stage 1 in England, although individual circumstances and school arrangements can vary.
What is the Year 1 phonics screening check?
It is a short one-to-one check normally taken in June by eligible Year 1 pupils in state-funded schools in England. A child reads 20 real words and 20 pseudo-words, helping the school identify whether further phonics teaching is needed.
Should Year 1 homework take a long time?
Usually the most useful support is brief and regular: shared reading, sound practice, counting real objects and a small amount of writing. Follow the school's instructions and ask the teacher if the workload is consistently unmanageable.
What if my child still prefers Reception-style learning?
Year 1 should build on the Early Years Foundation Stage, and schools vary in how they organise the transition. Practical activity, talk and play can still support reading, Maths and Science while attention and recording skills develop.
Can home-educated children use these Year 1 resources?
Yes. The subject hubs and checklists can support a flexible plan. They are a map of available learning support, not a compulsory timetable or a requirement to recreate school at home.
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