Junior Kindergarten

Two sounds a week, 40 in all, then word families.

• September to March: two new sounds a week, with a review after each set of six
• Reading simple three-letter words by mid-October
• Reading one-on-one with a teacher from January
• March to June: word families, building more than ten new words a day

Daily practice with careful letter formation.

• Printing practised every day, with attention to letter formation
• By spring, three new words a day printed from dictation

Size, shape, counting, early addition and measuring.

• Size, shapes, opposites, left and right
• One-to-one correspondence and more or less
• Ordinal numbers, counting and early addition
• Measuring with non-standard units
• A daily calendar exercise and a graphing unit in the second half of the year

Theme-based modules and cause-and-effect experiments.

• Theme modules such as polar animals and space
• Cause-and-effect activities like science in a bottle
• Planting seeds in the spring

A wide range of books and poems, read daily.

• Theme-related books and poems every day
• An emphasis on comprehension and the enjoyment of books
• Social stories that help children understand their own behaviour

A welcome routine, movement songs and instruments.

• Each day starts with a welcome routine
• Movement songs throughout the day
• Beanbags, shakers and action recordings

A planned activity daily, often tied to phonics.

• A planned art activity every day, focused on creativity, language and fine motor skills
• Art that often reinforces the week's phonics
• Free painting, gluing, cutting and markers

Social skills learned across a range of centres.

• A wide range of centres and equipment
• Social skills taught through play