Transition to Year One

At Cuddington Primary School, we are incredibly proud of our Year 1 continuous provision offer.

Research and our own experience, show that young children learn best through play and exploration, which is why we have built carefully on the excellent practice established in Reception. By embedding continuous provision into the Year 1 curriculum, we ensure that the transition from the Early Years Foundation Stage into Key Stage 1 is engaging, supportive, and appropriately challenging. This approach has had a hugely positive impact: children’s social skills continue to flourish, well-being is high, and there is a genuine enthusiasm for learning across our classrooms. Our Year 1 environment is thoughtfully designed, well-resourced, and led by a dedicated team who truly value play as a powerful vehicle for learning.

Welcome to Busy Learners!

Year 1 is a vital bridge between play-based learning and the National Curriculum, and at Cuddington, our provision is carefully planned to reflect this.

National Curriculum objectives are broken down into clear knowledge, skills, and vocabulary, which are then mapped directly into purposeful provision areas. This means children explore key learning, such as early number, writing, reading, and scientific understanding, through hands-on, meaningful experiences. Challenge is built in through tiered activities, adult questioning, and rich interactions, ensuring all children are supported and stretched. Our teachers work with small groups, while experienced Teaching Assistants support focused learning groups, within the provision, allowing for high-quality feedback, modelling, and deeper learning conversations.

Led by Mrs Potter, Miss Campion, and Mrs Burrows, our Year 1 team works creatively and collaboratively to put children at the heart of everything we do.

Continuous provision gives us flexibility with our timetable and enables smaller group teaching, which research (including the Education Endowment Foundation) suggests can lead to increased progress over the year. Through ongoing assessment, responsive planning, and strong adult interactions, learning remains purposeful, visible, and joyful. Most importantly, our children are happy, confident, and thriving, secure in their environment and excited about their learning journey.

This is something we are truly proud to celebrate at Cuddington Primary School.