Key Stage 1

Children aged 5-7 in years 1 and 2. Each class is named after a pollinating insect.

Ms Julia Watkins leads teachers, teaching assistants and ninety children in Key Stage 1. Children are taught over three classes of up to 30 children grouped by age. Summer born children in Year 2 will experience being the older pupils in their class alongside the oldest year 1 pupils. Children work in mixed groups with some grouping by current attainment for phonics and guided reading.

Towards the end of year 1 pupils have a statutory phonics screening check. This is to assess how well pupils have learned phonic skills taught as these are essential for most pupils in learning to read and write with fluency.

Towards the end of year 2 pupils are assessed against the National Expectation in Reading, Writing and Mathematics. This is teachers' assessment of children's academic performance against detailed assessment criteria. The criteria for 'age-related expectation' must be achieved in full (i.e.a secure and not best fit). Teachers moderate standards within school and with local schools and the Local Authority. They use some DfE test materials (reading, spelling and grammar and mathematics) to help quality assure their judgments.

Class teachers in KS1

Butterflies

Younger children in year 1

Sarah Harrison

BSocSci (Hons) Sociology, PGCE Primary

Mrs Peacock has worked across all of the key stages. She has just moved from EYFS to join the KS1 team,job-shares her teaching role in class with Sophie Green as well as leading on Modern Foreign Languages. Sarah co-led the Global Learning Programme where the school was a designated expert centre. Her two daughters, both attended Kingsmead.

Abi Newbury

BSc [Hons] Psychology, PGCE

An experienced primary school teacher, Mrs Newbury joined us in 2021. She has experience teaching from Y1 - Y6 and currently teaches across Y1 - Y3. She lives in Hartford with her two young children. Mrs Newbury gained a 1st class degree in Psychology from the University of Stirling. This was followed by a PGCE from the University of Reading, where she completed a placement in a SEN school. Mrs Newbury leads Design Technology (DT) across the school with Mrs Fielden.

Bees

Oldest pupils in year 1 with younger ones from year 2

Julia Watkins

BEd (Hons) with Environmental Science, MaST

Ms Watkins is the phase leader in KS1 and class teacher for the mixed Year 1/2 class. As well as being a class teacher who has taught in UKS2, LKS2 and KS1, and has trained as a Mathematics Specialist Teacher (MaST) and with Miss Tweedie leads Mathematics through school. Julia joined us in 2007 from a large primary school in Enfield, North London where she experienced teaching in a large multicultural school.

Dragonflies

Older children in year 2

Sian Woods

BA (Hons) Primary Education,

Mrs Woods joined the team in September 2022 as an ECT (early career teacher) having done the schools direct PGCE with Chester University. She has since taught in KS1 and supported our teaching assistant team. Sian is a qualified Trauma Informed Lead for Cheshire West and Chester, providing support on the best strategies to meet the needs of children who present with a trauma presentation.

Teaching Support in KS1

Wendy Bodger

BA (Hons) Applied Social Science, TESOL, NCFE Supporting Teaching & Learning in schools (level 3)

Wendy began working with us as a mid-day assistant and since 2017 has worked as a teaching assistant in KS1. From September 2020, Wendy has taken on the role of supervisor for our before and after school care, enhancing before and after school care for the children of working parents. She supports learning in Bees.

Laura Gauld

BA (Hons)

Mrs Gauld joined us in 2020 as a Midday Assistant. She then extended her role in 2021, becoming a Teaching Assistant, whilst completing her Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification. She has since provided 1:1 support to children with Special Educational Needs, initially in KS2 and now she has moved to KS1.

Alison Granville

BEd (Hons) Primary Education

Mrs Granville began her working life as a primary school teacher in London. After moving to Cheshire in 2003, she continued her career as a teaching assistant, joining Kingsmead from its opening in 2004. Alison has led the development of our cursive handwriting throughout the school and leads Guided Handwriting in Year 1. She also provides targeted support in the teaching of Year 1 phonics and supports other learning in Butterflies.

Jen Jones

BA (Hons) Ancient History, PGCE Primary, PGCert. Language and Communication Impairment in Children, TEFL

Mrs Jones has taught in Y1 to Y6 classes in Cheshire East before coming to work with team Kingsmead in 2012. Jen supports teaching and learning in the Dragonflies. She is also employed as a teacher to provide additional tuition in Literacy and Maths and leads provision for pupils with English as an Additional Language.