Welcome to Reception!
Our Team
Mrs Taylor – Cygnet's Class Teacher & EYFS Lead
Mrs Grimson & Mrs Davenport – Puffling's Class Teachers
Mrs Blakemore – Teaching Assistant
Mrs Fogg– Teaching Assistant
Our Curriculum:
We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework which stipulates what we teach. The characteristics of effective learning, which include: playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically are woven through our curriculum. The curriculum also requires the children to access learning both indoors and outdoors.
The statutory framework includes seven areas of learning and development. The first three areas are important to allow the children to show curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, develop further self-esteem and form relationships that will allow them to thrive. These areas are called ‘Prime areas’. Prime areas are:
Communication and Language – Listening Attention and Understanding and Speaking;
Physical Development – Gross Motor skills and Fine motor skills;
Personal, Social and Emotional Development – Self regulation, Managing self and Building relationships
The other four areas of learning are referred to as ‘Specific areas’. These areas help to develop essential skills and knowledge for children to participate successfully in society. Specific areas are:
Literacy – Comprehension, Word reading and Writing;
Mathematics – Number and Numerical patterns;
Understanding the World – Past and Present, People, Culture and Communities and The Natural World;
Expressive Arts and Design – Creating with Materials and Being Imaginative and Expressive.
Each area of learning is implemented through carefully planned, purposeful play and teacher directed activities in which practitioners have considered the individual needs, interests and stages of development of each child.
For more information on our curriculum please visit our Early Years Curriculum page.
Autumn Term
Supporting your child’s learning at home:
Reading at home
Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their reading journey by continuing their practice at home. Children will bring home a well matched decodable book and a reading for pleasure book. We expect children to read at home at least 5 times a week and a parent/guardian comment should be recorded in their reading diary each time they read.
Decodable book - Your child’s decodable reading book will be changed by their phonics group teacher weekly. Reading/listening to the same book multiple times will allow children to develop fluency, allows children to pick up new information, dive deeper into the meaning of the book, and make connections.
Reading for pleasure - In order to encourage your child to become a lifelong reader, it is important that they learn to read for pleasure. The sharing book is a book they have chosen for you to enjoy together. Please remember that you shouldn’t expect your child to read this alone. Read it to or with them. Discuss the pictures, enjoy the story, predict what might happen next, use different voices for the characters, explore the facts in a non-fiction book. The main thing is that you have fun!
Phonics
We follow the Read Write Inc programme for Phonics. The new sounds and tricky words that we learn in Phonics will be put onto Tapestry which will include links to video clips to revisit the learning at home. Try to practise reading and writing these sounds at home.
More information on how we teach Phonics can be found here;
https://www.ruthmiskin.com/parents/
Weekly Home Challenges
On a Friday, we will set a challenge on Tapestry with a different focus. It may be linked to some of our learning from that week or the topic we are doing. The challenge can be completed any time that week. Please share pictures and/or videos on Tapestry when your child completes the challenge.
Most importantly, simply talk to them;
- Describe: Talk about what you’re doing, where you are or what you see.
- Ask: Ask open-ended questions (who, what, where, when, why), even if your child can’t respond with words.
- Respond: Be sure to listen and respond to your child. Emphasise the back and forth in everyday activities by reacting to what your child does or says.
- Repeat: Repeat words and/or echo what your child says and shows interest in.
Talk about weather, daytime, nigh time, road signs and street names. Talk about family - who is related to them. Talk about where they live - local places, buildings and landmarks, places you like to go together. Talk about likes and dislikes and why they have such likes or dislikes. Talk about things they see in the garden, pets, plants and natural things.
PE
Our PE lessons will take place on;
Tuesday - Pufflings
Wednesday - Cygnets
Please remember;
- To name all of your child's belongings.
- Send your child with a named water bottle in school every day filled with fresh water only.
- Reception children are offered free milk and fruit each day. If you wish to send in a snack for the morning, please ensure it is a healthy snack.
- The children have daily access to the provision in our Reception outdoor area. We therefore ask for a pair of wellies and a puddle suit to be kept in school.
- During hot weather, please send in a sun hat and apply a once a day/10 hour sun cream in the morning.
Useful links:
Read Write Inc Phonics Guide:
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/reading-schemes-oxford-levels/read-write-inc-phonics-guide/