Curriculum Overview
Year 1 builds on the strong foundations developed in Prep, supporting students to become more independent, confident and capable learners. The Year 1 curriculum is aligned to the Australian Curriculum Version 9 in Health and Physical Education, English, Mathematics and Science. It focuses on strengthening essential literacy and numeracy skills, while also developing curiosity, resilience and positive learning behaviours.
English and Mathematics (daily learning)
English and Mathematics are a daily focus in Year 1, with clear learning intentions and increasing expectations for independence, stamina and responsibility.
English (LEM Phonics): English learning includes a strong focus on reading, writing, speaking and listening. Students continue to build decoding and spelling skills through LEM Phonics, a systematic and explicit phonics program aligned to the Australian Curriculum. Through daily phonics, shared and guided reading, fluency practice and structured writing experiences, students develop confidence in reading words, sentences and texts. They expand vocabulary, strengthen comprehension, and learn to write longer and more detailed texts using appropriate spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Mathematics (PR1ME Maths): Mathematics is taught using PR1ME Maths, a structured and evidence-based program aligned to the Australian Curriculum. Students deepen their understanding of number and place value, addition and subtraction, measurement, geometry and patterns. Learning progresses from hands-on materials to visual models and written representations, with students explaining their thinking and applying mathematical strategies to real-world problems.
Learning across all areas
Across the year, students also learn through:
Science – exploring living things, materials and the physical world
HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) – learning about family, community, history and places
Health and Physical Education – developing movement skills, health knowledge and respectful relationships
The Arts – creating and responding through visual arts, music, drama and dance
Technologies – designing, creating and problem-solving using materials and digital tools
Learning experiences become increasingly structured and purposeful, supporting students to apply skills across different learning areas.
Wellbeing, independence and learning behaviours
Year 1 continues to prioritise wellbeing and belonging, while supporting students to develop independence and responsibility. Students learn to follow routines, work collaboratively, persist with learning challenges and reflect on their progress. Teachers provide clear expectations, explicit instruction and regular feedback to support growth.
Our approach in Year 1
Learning in Year 1 includes:
explicit teaching of literacy and numeracy skills
systematic phonics and structured literacy routines
clear learning goals and success criteria
opportunities for discussion, collaboration and problem-solving
increasing independence and confidence
This approach supports students to consolidate foundational skills while developing the habits and confidence needed for continued success in school.
Term Overviews
For more information about Year 1: