Key Stage 1 includes children from the ages of 5 to 7 and corresponds to Years 1 and 2 in the British system and Kinder II and First Grade in the United States.
The National Curriculum subjects include the following:
In Key Stage 1 special emphasis is placed on developing the children’s ability to listen carefully and respectfully when others are presenting their news or sharing with the class and when instructions and explanations are being given. The children develop their ability to speak confidently not only by expressing themselves in class but also by taking part in presentations to the whole school. Our assemblies are an important part of learning to speak before an audience. Our young students excel at this.
One of our main objectives is to motivate the children to become enthusiastic readers who enjoy a variety of texts. They read stories, plays, poems, information texts and discuss the main points of these.
In writing the children develop their ability to write and communicate meaning through a variety of texts. They experiment with narrative and non-fiction writing such as poems, lists, stories, messages, etc. They use language to explore their own experiences and imaginary worlds. They are taught to use the appropriate punctuation and to reread and correct their own work. Clear, joined handwriting is developed and a variety of spelling techniques learned.
The children develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematics through practical activity, exploration and discussion. They learn to count, read, write and order numbers to 100 and beyond. Special emphasis is placed on developing a range of mental strategies and to explain orally how they use these to solve problems. They learn about shape and space through practical activities which build on their understanding of their immediate environment. They begin to grasp mathematical language, using it to talk about their methods and explain their reasoning when solving problems.
Students learn to observe, explore and ask questions about living things, materials and phenomena. They begin to work together to collect evidence to help them answer questions and to link this to simple scientific ideas. They evaluate evidence and consider whether tests or comparisons are fair. They use reference materials to find out more about scientific ideas. They share their ideas and communicate them using scientific language, drawings, charts and tables. The children apply their knowledge in our annual Science Fair through class or group projects.
Special emphasis is placed on learning about healthy living. The children identify the foods necessary to have healthy muscles, strong bones and energy to study and learn and to be healthy. They are encouraged to bring healthy food for snacks and lunch and to recognize that an adequate diet, exercise, a sufficient amount of sleep and correct posture are necessary for them to grow and develop properly.
Students explore IT and learn to use it confidently and with purpose to achieve specific outcomes. They start to use IT to develop their ideas and record their creative work. They become familiar with hardware and software. They begin to use a word processor and to develop their math skills with interactive games.
Our students learn about people’s lives and lifestyles. They find out about significant men, women, children and events from the recent and more distant past, including those from both Britain and the wider world. They listen and respond to stories and use sources of information to help them ask and answer questions. They learn how the past is different from the present.
The children investigate their local area and a contrasting area in the United Kingdom, Chile or abroad, finding out about the environment in both areas and the people who live there. They also begin to learn about the wider world. They carry out geographical enquiry inside and outside the classroom. In doing this they ask geographical questions about people, places and environments and use geographical skills and resources such as maps and photographs.
Our Key Stage 1 students develop their creativity and imagination by exploring the visual, tactile and sensory qualities of materials and processes. They learn about the role of arts, crafts, and design in their environment. They begin to understand colour, shape, space, and pattern and texture, using these features to represent their ideas and feelings.
The children further develop their music skills by listening carefully and responding to a wide range of music. They play musical instruments and sing a variety of songs, adding accompaniments and creating short compositions, with increasing confidence, imagination and control. They explore and enjoy how sounds and silence can create different moods and effects.
In Key Stage 1 the children concentrate on developing their oral ability in Spanish. They also learn about the history and culture of Chile for our celebration of the 18th of September, Chilean Independence Day.
Key stage 1 students build on their natural enthusiasm for movement, using it to explore and learn about their world. They develop their skills in movement and coordination and enjoy expressing and testing themselves in a variety of situations.