🌸 Spring 1 Overview – Year 1
Theme: Significant People
This half term, Year 1 will be learning about Significant People from the past and how their achievements have made a difference to the world. We will focus on Mary Seacole and Neil Armstrong, exploring their lives through stories, timelines, discussion, and creative activities.
Children will learn that Mary Seacole was a nurse and healer who lived over 200 years ago. She was born in Jamaica and became famous for helping sick and injured soldiers. We will talk about why she is remembered today and why her work was so important.
Pupils will create a simple timeline to help them understand the order of events in Mary Seacole’s life, including:
Her childhood in Jamaica
Travelling to different countries
Her journey to help soldiers
Her later life and legacy
This will help children develop their understanding of the past and how events happen in sequence.
In an age-appropriate way, children will learn that Mary Seacole faced unfair treatment because of the colour of her skin. We will discuss fairness, kindness, and standing up for others, helping children understand the importance of treating everyone equally.
Children will learn that Mary Seacole helped soldiers during the Crimean War by caring for them when they were ill or injured. We will explore what life was like for soldiers and how Mary Seacole supported them far from home.
We will reflect on why Mary Seacole is still remembered today. Children will celebrate her achievements through art, writing, and discussion, recognising her bravery, determination, and kindness.
Children will learn about Neil Armstrong’s childhood and his interest in flying from a young age. We will explore how his hard work and determination helped him become an astronaut.
Pupils will discover that Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon. We will learn about the Apollo 11 mission, what astronauts need to travel into space, and what the Moon is like.
Children will talk about why Neil Armstrong is remembered and how his achievements helped us learn more about space. We will discuss how people’s actions can inspire others and change what we believe is possible.
Throughout this half term, children will be learning to:
Know who Mary Seacole and Neil Armstrong were and why they are important
Understand key events in their lives
Use simple timelines to place events in order
Talk about the past and how it is different from today
Recognise that people in the past faced challenges and showed determination and bravery
As part of our learning, children will develop:
Historical skills – asking questions, understanding chronology, and talking about the past
Communication skills – speaking clearly, listening to others, and sharing ideas
Reading and writing skills – through stories, simple sentences, labels, and captions
Creative skills – through art, role play, and imaginative activities
Personal and social skills – learning about fairness, respect, perseverance, and kindness
You can help your child by:
Talking about Mary Seacole and Neil Armstrong and why they are remembered
Reading books or watching child-friendly videos about nurses, doctors, astronauts, or space
Helping your child create a simple timeline of their own life (e.g. baby, starting school, now)
Discussing the importance of fairness and treating everyone kindly
Encouraging curiosity by asking questions such as “What do you think it was like?” or “How did they help others?”
Thank you for supporting your child’s learning at home. Together, we can help them develop a love of history and an understanding of how people can make a difference.