Reception

Within Maths, we will be building a foundation for the children to build on throughout their time in school. They will develop a strong knowledge of the numbers to 10, and be able to count beyond 20. They will use resources such as bead-strings and tens frames to help them organise their counting. We will also be creating opportunities for children to develop their knowledge of shape, space and measure throughout the year. 

Some websites for the children to explore are:

In RE, our branch for Autumn Term 1 is called ‘Creation and Covenant’. We will learn about how God made our beautiful world and created us . We will also focus on how God created us in love and how he loves everyone. The children will spend time considering the awe and wonder of themselves and the world around us. We also have daily Prayer & Liturgy where the class comes together for a moment of calm, to pray together, and to listen to music and a piece of scripture.

Autumn Term 2 will focus on the branch known as “Prophecy and Promise.” Children will discover and explore The Christmas Story, beginning with Mary having a baby and moving towards the birth of Jesus Christ. From then, we will focus on the traditions and messages surrounding the birth of Jesus and why it is important to Christians and other cultures, around the world, to celebrate Christmas.

Throughout the autumn term, we will continue to ask questions and recognise how we show positive qualities, such as kindness, love and care, in our daily lives.

During Autumn Term, we will be exploring the “Past and Present,” People and Communities” and the “Natural World.” This term we will focus on retelling stories, considering familiar people and their lives and we will also explore why I (the children) are precious, through artwork, music and by exploring traditional celebrations.

Throughout the unit, “Who Am I?”, we will be learning about how we are special and unique. We will think about our families and our relationships with our peers. We will explore this theme through stories, both fiction and non-fiction, practical application, like taking turns, how to be a good friend and using our manners.

Our ‘Who am I’ topic will be closely interwoven with our PHSE lessons. We will be working hard to establish routines in class, developing confidence to try new things and understanding that it is ok to make mistakes, with adult support. 

These themes will be explored using short inputs, enhancements placed throughout continuous provision (indoor and outdoor) and using adult-led and child-led activities to enhance learning.

The PSED curriculum map is formed through using resources from Journey In Love, Ten Ten, No Outsiders and also naturally evolves from any PSED needs identified within the cohort. The children will explore themes such as seeing themselves as valuable individuals, they will be encouraged to set goals for themselves and show resilience and perseverance in achieving those goals.

Children will also learn about identifying their name, their emotions and the emotions of others. They will do this through practical activities, relating to this, that will be offered throughout the year. Children will complete a cooking activity on a Thursday, which allows them to consider and practice turn taking, applying their manners, and using their communication skills to talk about what they need and what they are doing. It also provides opportunities for students to practice important life long skills such as cutting vegetables, rolling dough and using kitchen equipment safely.

Teachers and Teaching Assistants will continuously be monitoring children’s progress throughout their lessons and helping to scaffold the children’s learning as and when necessary. At the beginning of their time with us in Reception, the children complete a Baseline Assessment in Maths and Literacy. At the end of the Reception year, the EYFS Profile will be completed for every child. Each child’s level of development will be assessed against the Early Learning Goals and will provide a well-rounded picture of a child’s knowledge, abilities, and readiness for Year 1. During the Summer Term, the children’s assessment against the EYFS goals will be finalised and the results will be shared with parents and the local authority.

Children will have updates to their profile on Class Dojo to showcase their abilities and achievements during the week.

During Autumn Term, Reception will explore following instructions, understanding rules and how to play cooperatively with a PE specialist. They will practice movement, balance and they will be honing their co-ordination skills during this term. These activities and games will give the children a great base to build these new skills upon and this will support and extend their development during the forthcoming units.

PE takes place on Friday mornings, however, this can be subject to change and parents will be notified accordingly. Children should please wear a plain white t-shirt, plain joggers, leggings, or shorts (red, white, or black), and trainers to school on this day. They are also able to wear their usual school jumper or cardigan.

Please encourage your child to read every night for around 5-10 minutes and the reading diary should be filled in by an adult. 

Phonics practice sheets, maths activities and reading books are given out every Friday. Please complete their reading record each time with a brief comment, and ensure your child’s book bag and completed homework are returned every Wednesday.