KS1 Teacher Application Guide
What KS1 teacher panels look for — phonics, early reading, formative assessment, safeguarding — with worked evidence.
**TL;DR.** KS1 teaching (Years 1–2) requires fluency in early reading and phonics (Read Write Inc., Little Wandle, Floppy's Phonics, or equivalent), formative assessment, differentiation for wide ability range, and KS1 SATs awareness for Year 2.
What panels look for
- Systematic synthetic phonics scheme named
- Early reading and comprehension approach
- Formative assessment and AFL routines
- Differentiation and inclusion for wide KS1 ability range
- Year 2 SATs awareness (phonics screening at Y1, SATs at Y2)
Worked paragraph (KS1 teacher, 180 words)
*Early reading (essential).* My school adopted Little Wandle Letters and Sounds in 2024 and I led the Year 1 roll-out including daily phonics sessions grouped by phase, decodable reading books matched to phonics progression, and half-termly assessment. I redesigned the reading intervention group for children below the expected phase — three children received additional daily 10-minute sessions with a TA using the Little Wandle catch-up materials. By the end of Year 1 all three passed the phonics screening check, and two of the three moved into the main reading groups for Year 2. I now run CPD on Little Wandle for the KS1 team.
Try SpecMatch — free.
Skip the manual work — let SpecMatch do it for you
Everything in this guide is built into SpecMatch. Import your CV, paste the job, and get a tailored application in minutes.
Try it free — no credit card neededNot ready to sign up? Get free tips instead.
One email a week with application advice that actually works — criteria coverage, STAR examples, and what panels look for. Written for NHS, Civil Service, and local government applicants.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked questions
What phonics schemes do KS1 teachers need to know?
Systematic synthetic phonics schemes approved by the DfE — Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, Read Write Inc., Floppy's Phonics, Twinkl Phonics, and others. Name the specific scheme your previous school used; schools assume teachers can adapt to their chosen scheme.