Key Stage 1 (Years 1 - 2)

A very warm welcome to Key Stage 1; an inclusive, warm and bright environment where, the children love to learn. 

KS1 at DESS consists of both Year 1 and Year 2. As a phase, we work together to ensure consistency and progression across the key stage.

Our creative and child led curriculum is based on the National Curriculum for England. We use current and cultural concepts linked to ‘The UN Global Goals’ to enrich and engage our children in different ways. The curriculum comes alive through thoughtful planning that engages our learners. 

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding. Children and pupils, including those with SEND, make outstanding progress as the school staff turn the DESS aim of creating ‘Irresistible Learning’ into exciting, dynamic and highly successful lessons. - BSO 2019/2020 report

We make the learning purposeful through ‘Continuous Provision’ (Year 1) and ‘Project Based Learning’ (Year 2). This gives children opportunities to challenge themselves through purposeful learning experiences. One day the children may be creating a museum of artefacts linked to a concept, and the next they might be sewing a costume for a soldier in need.

In Key Stage 1 we teach our children to become confident, collaborative and critical-thinking leaders of their own learning. We allow them to thrive in the child-centred environment that we provide for them, by enabling them to select where and how they learn best. We encourage children to learn about the culture they live in as well as their own. Our children are taught to be leaders of their own learning, and to support others in theirs.