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Blog
Part of ‘The Power of the Prime Areas: Ensuring a Smooth Transition into Year 1’ blog series.
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by Exchange Research School at Don Valley Academy
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Louise Stanton is the passionate and dedicated Headteacher of Waverley Academy, with a career in Early Years and Primary Education spanning over 19 years. She is committed to ensuring quality first teaching for all pupils, underpinned by research-informed practice and a relentless focus on equity and excellence.
Nicky Turner has worked in the early years sector for over 25 years in a variety of roles including Senior Local Authority Advisor, Children’s Centre Teacher, Early Years Leader, SLE and currently Early Years Primary Lead for Astrea Academy Trust. Nicky has extensive experience and expertise in the mobilisation of evidence based research projects to raise outcomes for children living in socio economically challenged areas.
As children transition from Reception into Year 1, it is essential to continue prioritising their physical development — specifically locomotor, stability, and manipulation skills — through both direct teaching and continuous provision. The EEF emphasizes that “the development of motor skills is also needed for mark-making and letter formation,” highlighting the direct link between physical development and writing skills. Handwriting is not an innate skill; it is a complex physical task that requires strength, control, and coordination, all of which must be deliberately taught and nurtured. Central to this is the development of a child’s “power pack” — the shoulder and pelvic girdle — which provides the core strength and stability necessary for controlled fine motor tasks like writing.
At Waverley Academy, in Early Years and continuing into Year 1, children are explicitly taught how to engage and strengthen their core through purposeful movement and posture prompts such as “sit like a bear,” where they balance in a seated position using core and shoulder strength, or “stand like a penguin,” which promotes upright posture and balance. These playful, embodied strategies are essential in helping children develop control, stamina, and stability — foundations for tasks such as mark-making and writing.
We believe that continuous provision in Year 1 must reflect these physical priorities. These might include:
- Purposefully planned spaces, like a standing art easel, provide opportunities for vertical surface work, which strengthens shoulder and wrist stability and mirrors the physical positioning needed for writing.
- A well-resourced design and technology (DT) area, linked to the Year 1 curriculum, allows children to build, cut, join, and create — supporting both curriculum content and the fine motor development rooted in the Early Years Framework.
These areas maintain the developmental focus of EYFS while extending it into more formal learning contexts, ensuring physical development remains an integrated and vital part of Year 1 provision.
Furthermore, the EEF’s Early Years Evidence Store notes that “physical development approaches may also benefit children’s cognitive development,” underscoring the broader impact of physical readiness on learning. Therefore, embedding regular physical development opportunities is not just beneficial but essential for children’s academic success.
Reflective Questions:
- How does your provision support children’s physical development?
- Do you build opportunities into the daily routine to exercise physical skills in a playful way?
References:
Education Endowment Foundation Early Years Evidence Store | EEF
Education Endowment Foundation EEF | Physical Development
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