What your child learns in Grade 1

Age typically 6 to 7 years old

First grade turns early skills into fluency. Children add and subtract within 20, read short books more independently, and start writing in sentences. Most curricula expect them to move from counting on their fingers to knowing simple facts by memory.

US grade: Grade 1. This year is usually called Year 1 in Australia and Year 2 in the UK. Curriculum expectations vary by country, state and school, so use the milestones below as a typical guide rather than a fixed standard.

Maths through the year

Start of the year

Count, read and write numbers to 100.
Add and subtract within 10 quickly.
Understand a two-digit number as tens and ones (place value beginning).
Recognise and continue number and shape patterns.

Mid-year

Add and subtract within 20 using number bonds and counting on.
Compare two-digit numbers using greater than, less than and equal to.
Skip count by 2s, 5s and 10s.
Tell time to the hour and half hour on an analog clock.

End of the year

Know addition and subtraction facts within 20 by memory or fast strategies.
Solve simple one-step word problems.
Measure length by comparing and using informal units.
Recognise and count coins and small amounts of money.

English and literacy through the year

Start of the year

Blend and read most CVC words (simple consonant-vowel-consonant words like hat, pen and mud) confidently.
Read a growing bank of common sight words on sight.
Write simple sentences with capital letters and full stops.
Retell the main events of a story in order.

Mid-year

Read words with common digraphs such as sh, ch, th and ng.
Use finger spaces and mostly correct letter formation when writing.
Spell many high-frequency words correctly.
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

End of the year

Read short books at their level with growing fluency.
Write a few connected sentences on a topic.
Use phonics to attempt unfamiliar words in reading and spelling.
Recognise the difference between fiction and non-fiction.

Signs your child is ahead

Reads chapter books and retells them in detail.
Recalls addition and subtraction facts to 20 instantly.
Writes several sentences with varied words and correct punctuation.

Signs your child may need support

Still sounds out every word slowly and loses the meaning.
Relies on fingers for every addition within 10.
Reverses many letters or numbers well into the year.

Every child develops at their own pace. A single sign is rarely a worry on its own. If several apply and persist, a quick chat with your child's teacher is the best next step.