Class Blog for Reception

Welcome to Reception

Welcome to the Reception page where you will find out about the great things taking place in our classes.

This web page will be updated throughout the year with our fortnightly weekly news, termly curriculum maps and other useful information, so please do watch this space! Please also regularly check SeeSaw to see the exciting learning we have been doing in school.

Learning in Reception
As you know, children in Reception are on the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum (EYFS). This curriculum is predominantly play-based and celebrates the whole child’s learning and development in a holistic approach. Our planning comes from the children - through careful observations and assessments of their play, noting the gaps in their knowledge and primarily from their interests in an overarching ‘topic’.

In school, we typically have a daily 30-minute phonics lesson, a 30-minute maths lesson and a short topic taught session. In addition to this, we have 10 minutes reading a day. We support the children’s writing development with weekly small group guided writing sessions. This is where the children can apply their skills and knowledge of letters and sounds from their daily phonics lessons. The rest of the day is child-initiated play in the learning environments inside and outside. We call this COOL time (Choosing Our Own Learning)! This allows children the time for totally uninterrupted play; they can apply their learning from the taught sessions in a range of different activities and contexts. This ensures the learning is meaningful to them and that it becomes embedded. We try to ensure that the children have a minimum of 1.5 hours in the morning and the same again in the afternoon.

In line with our school values, we promote the Characteristics of Effective Learning through our learning characters; use of the following learning skills; Ideas Iguana (Creativity), Have a Go Hippo (Enthusiasm) and Keep Going Koala (Determination).

Morning routines
Each morning, we ask that the children are dropped off at the green gate into the Reception area between 08:30 and 08:45. The children will then independently enter their classroom to organise their belongings and get ready for an exciting day of learning. This time of day is a busy time for teachers so we ask that any messages are passed on via the teacher on duty who will then pass the information on to the class teacher. If you have any further concerns or questions then an appointment can be made via the office.

End of day routines
At the end of the day, please come to the same green gate at 15:10, so that we can dismiss your child to you and pass over any messages about the day. If you are ever unable to collect your child, please either phone the office or pass it on to the teacher on the gate in the morning. We will not send any child home with anyone different unless we have had a message to do so and the adult has your collection password.

Things to bring to school
Full school uniform, a waterproof coat, pair of wellington boots, book bag with reading record and book, and a water bottle. In the summer months, please bring a hat and sun-cream. We also kindly ask you to leave a spare pair of clothes on their pegs just in case they are need to change or have an accident. Please ensure that every item is clearly named – including water bottles and packed lunch boxes.

Reading books - changed on a Monday and Thursday / library books on a Monday
Throughout the school, we emphasise developing a love of reading and books. From Reception to Year 6, reading should take place daily. Your child will soon receive a reading packet and a reading record. It is really important that these are brought into school every day in their book bags. We will change your child’s reading book every Monday and Thursday. By practising re-reading the same book over a few days, it will help your child to become more confident with the text and fluent. The children will visit our wonderful school library on a Monday morning, where they will get to choose their very own book to take home! They will need to return their library back to school every Monday morning, in order to change it for a new one. We kindly ask you support your child with taking good care of our reading and library books at home, so that we can keep them in a nice condition for everyone to enjoy.

PE - Every Monday and Wednesday
As independent changing for PE is part of the of the Early Years curriculum, we will be supporting and encouraging children to get changed for PE at school. Please leave your child’s P.E kit on their peg. We will send home the kits for regular washing.

Snacks
Free fruit will be provided for all of the children in Reception. However, if your child would like to bring their own fruit then they are more than welcome to. We kindly ask you to bring in a snack for the afternoons. In order to promote healthy eating, we do ask that children only bring fruit to school.

Lunch
The children are entitled to receive a free school lunch each day. Please ensure you order your child’s lunch via ParentPay. Alternatively, your child is welcome to bring their own packed lunch.

SeeSaw
We know that the children often get up to some amazing things out of school too. If you have visited somewhere interesting or achieved an award (swimming, karate etc.) then please let us know and upload onto SeeSaw. We love to celebrate all types of learning and achievements. We share WOW moments and whole class special events, as well as key milestones of learning and development on the individual child on SeeSaw. We look forward to letting you know more about Reception soon and sharing pictures and learning with you.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Best wishes,

The Reception Team

Image Gallery

Documents

Reception Meet the Teacher 2024-25.pdf

Reception Knowledge Mat Autumn 1.pdf

Reception Knowledge Mat Autumn 2.pdf

Reception - 22nd November 2024.pdf

Reception - 6th December 2024.pdf

Reception - 20th December 2024 .pdf

Year R Curriculum map SPRING 1 PDF.pdf

Reception - 17th January 2025 .pdf

Reception - 31st January 2025.pdf

Autumn 1 – Weeks 6 and 7 – Apples, apples and more apples.

We have been making the most of harvest time by collecting and learning with apples. We learnt about the life cycle of an apple tree, we painted with apples, we dissected apples and looked at them under magnifying glasses. We even cooked delicious apple crumble and got to taste it during our Friday morning snack time!

Literacy
Now that we are few weeks into our phonics programme, we kindly ask you to practise their sounds lots and lots at home. By practising saying the sounds and doing the actions daily or a few times a week, the children will become more familiar and confident with them. This helps them to build up their quick recognition of the sounds. Every week, a letter formation sheet is stuck into your child’s Home Learning Phonics Book and an information sheet on every sound will be sent home. Again, by practising forming these letters at home, the children will become more fluent and confident.

Maths
Last week, we were learning to count carefully with both objects and then pictures. The children have been learning to put their objects in a neat line to help them count carefully and accurately without getting in a muddle. When counting pictures that cannot be moved, the children have been using their pointy finger to help them to count. We have been using the apples at the maths table to help facilitate object counting. See if they can show you their awesome, careful counting at home. This week, we have been learning all about the numbers: 1, 2 and 3! We have been learning to recognise these numbers using a range of concrete and pictorial resources. We have also been subitising these numbers.

For the last week of this half term, we will be learning all about pumpkins! We’re so proud of how well the children have settled into school throughout their first half term. It’s been a long one full of lots of learning! We look forward to seeing many of you next week at the parent teacher consultations.

Have a great weekend,

The Reception Team

Autumn 1 - Week 4 and 5 - Awesome Autumn Learning

The children have continued to impress us with their enthusiasm and curiosity towards learning. During the first few weeks in school, we noticed that many children showed an interest in learning more about animals. So, last week, we read ‘Owl Babies’ and learned some facts about owls. The children were able to use vocabulary to describe owls such as nocturnal, talons and owlets. This week, we have been learning about animals that hibernate and have enjoyed the story ‘Don’t Hog the Hedge’.

Literacy
We have now learned 8 sounds in our phonics lessons and the children have been keen to learn more sounds and actions. We have been practising our ‘robot talking’ to blend short words. It’s been lovely to see them choosing to practise their letter formation in COOL time. In their writing books, the children have applied their understanding by identifying and writing the initial sounds of words.

Maths
Last week, we focused on matching objects. The children showed real confidence in matching objects, whether that be matching based on shape, colour, size or pattern. This week, we have been thinking about the different way we can group objects.

Next week, we are learning all about apples! We will be exploring the life cycle of an apple, developing our vocabulary linked to apples, investigating what we find on the inside of apples, using our observational skills to create apple paintings, using apples to explore printing and creating repeating patterns with paints and much, much more. If anyone knows of any local apple trees or if you find yourself going out and about this weekend where apples trees are, we would really appreciate lots of apples being brought into school on Monday morning for our wonderful activities!

We hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Best wishes,
The Reception Team

Autumn 1 - Week 1, 2 and 3 -A Super Start!

We are so proud of how well the children have settled into school life. It’s been a busy first few weeks learning new routines and discussing our school rules: Be Safe, Be Ready, Be Respectful. It has been lovely getting to know the children and watching them play and interact with new friends.

They have had a go at writing their own names, experienced their first PE lesson in the hall and we have begun to learn about our over-arching topic: What’s awesome about Autumn? Lots of children knew that the leaves on trees change colour and fall to the ground. In Maths, the children have been learning to recognise and create patterns using peg boards, interlocking cubes and pens.

Next week, we will begin our Phonics lessons. Every Friday, your child will come home with a worksheet stuck in their Home Learning Book and an information sheet all about this week’s sounds for you to practise at home. Thank you in advance for your support with this.

Reminders
Please label absolutely everything your child brings into school so that nothing is lost. We are a nut free school so please do not send your child into school with foods containing nuts - thank you.

We hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Best wishes,
The Reception Team