Key Stage One

Key Stage One (Years 1 & 2) is an exciting point in children's learning as they begin classroom lessons full-time.

Building on the foundations laid in EYFS, lessons continue to be practical and engaging, and to foster a love for learning. 

We don’t call our children the Explorers for no reason. Chapter House pupils study their world through a variety of themes across science, humanities, art, and design technology.

In Key Stage One, our Explorers investigate their home through nine exciting topics: Marvellous Me, The Magical Toy Maker, Come With Me to Africa, Seaside Rescue, Castles, Polar Regions, Scientists at Work.

Movement For Learning

Children in Key Stage One engage in a range of daily activities designed to hone their motor skills and develop a greater sense of control over their bodies. Loughborough University collaborated with Chapter House to pilot and refine the “Movement for Learning” programme to improve children’s academic learning and behaviour. Our Occupational Therapist, Joanne Duston, helped to support the project and runs the daily activities.

Key Stage One pupils at Chapter House, Queen Ethelburga's

Lessons are practical and engaging, and foster a love for learning.
Roles Of Responsibility

Key Stage One brings new experiences and opportunities for greater responsibility and teamwork within the school community.

Children can volunteer as Playground Buddies to develop their sense of responsibility, social skills and to create a positive and inclusive playground atmosphere.

We also have a Student Voice Committee encouraging children to make decisions and be involved in shaping the school environment.

Overview of the Curriculum

Literacy and Numeracy lessons every day and three PE sessions (including a dedicated swimming session) each week. Computing, Mandarin and Spanish, Topic (Science, Humanities, Art and DT), Music lessons are taught on rotation.

Year 1
  • Marvellous Me – Learning about themselves and their local environment
  • The Magical Toymaker – Old and new toys
  • Come With Me to Africa – Classifying animals, geography of Africa and traditional African art
  • Seaside Rescue – History of the lifeboat, Grace Darling’s seaside rescue & science lessons linked to floating, sinking and waterproof materials
Year 2
  • Castles – Castles, weapons, the Battle of Hastings and designing a 3D castle.
  • Polar Regions – Geography and animals of Antarctica and Ernest Shackleton’s Expedition
  • Scientists at Work – Charles Darwin and the geography and science of the Galapagos Islands