The Nursery and Reception classes come under a heading called “The Early Years Foundation Stage”. This means that there are strong links between the Reception class and Nursery and should enable the move from Nursery into Reception to be as smooth and problem-free as possible.
The Reception Class is the last phase of the Early Years Foundation Stage and follows the EYFS Statutory guidance, assessing the children against the ‘Early Learning Goals’. They teach the following seven areas of learning:
Three Prime Areas:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Communication and Language
Four Specific Areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
Class Routines
- Reception doors open at 8.20 ready for school to start at 8.30am
- English, phonics and Maths lessons in the morning
- Snack time – milk/water and fruit
- Lunch time is 11.30 – 12.30
- Afternoon activities –Child initiated play (indoors and out) as well as activities in small groups with an adult
- School finishes at 3.00pm, please collect on time as we often have meetings or training straight after school
Phonics
Phonics sessions will happen daily, in the morning and after lunch.
We use the ‘Floppy Phonics’ scheme to teach letter sounds and focus on using them to make words and blend sounds as soon as possible. The reading books are also linked to the sounds they have learnt so far.
Lunch Time Provision
- The Reception Children eat lunch in the dining room and hall and have their own seating area
- The children are supervised by members of staff who are solely there to look after the Reception Class
- School lunches can be ordered via SchoolGrid or home pack lunches can be sent in.
- We have a separate area for the children to play in until they are confident to mix with KS1 later in the year
- If your child has allergies you must take a ‘Special Diets’ form. (Not for Halal or preferences) – see Mrs Hills in the Office for more information
Forest School
The children will attend our Forest School sessions and you will receive a letter telling you the dates that the class are due to attend.
The letter will inform you of suitable clothing items that your child will need. Please ensure they are provided on the days they will be attending.
Things We Ask Of You!
- Please ensure your child has the correct uniform and equipment at all times, especially on the first day of every term (e.g. P.E. kits)
- Please check your child’s book bag every single day and empty where necessary
- Read all letters that are sent home and respond where appropriate
- Read with your child regularly
- Be available to talk to the teachers as well as your child at pick up time, no mobile phones or head phones please!
- Name, name name everything!
Attendance
- All attendance and lateness is monitored. Patterns are monitored and the attendance officer is informed where necessary
- First response – you must email or ring the school each day your child is off
- When they return please supply a letter or the absence will be unauthorised
- If your child is off for a medical appointment in school time, we must have a letter or appointment card as proof or it will be recorded as unauthorised
Uniform
- Available online or from the supermarket!
- ALL uniform must be named, or we cannot guarantee that we will be able to return lost items to you. We have 45 identical items!
- Choose polo shirts instead of button shirts
- Please clearly name book bags
- Bring a coat every day –just in case! We go out in all weather
- Shoes need to be suitable for climbing etc and should be ‘proper’ school shoes, or trainers, not fashion shoes. Children need to be able to take these on and off independently
- PE kit is black shorts and white T-shirt, all named please in a drawstring bag
We encourage independence!
Children in Reception are encouraged to:
- Get dressed for PE with minimum support
- Change their own shoes (no laces please!)
- Use the toilet independently
- Take their own coat on and off and hang it up. So please provide items your child can do independently!
Hometime!
- Hometime is 3.00 from the door on the KS2 playground
- We do not let children go home with anyone other than you or another parent/grandparent etc whom we recognise
- If someone else comes to collect your child and you haven’t informed us then they will need to give us a password (which you will set in September)
Start of Term
We stagger the children over 2 days. Children in Ash will start on the first day of term (Monday 4th) 8.30 – 11.30. Then they will not attend on the second day (Tuesday 5th).
Elm will attend on the second day of term (5th), but not the first.
All children will attend on Wednesday 6th and for the rest of the week, 8-30 – 11.30.
This first week will be half days only, no lunch. From the second week the children will stay until 12.30 and have lunch. In the third week all children will attend all day.
Breakfast Club
- Breakfast club starts at 7.30am
- Cost is £3.50 a day for the first child (£3.00 for each sibling thereafter)
- You can register and pay through the Arbor App
- No after school clubs available at the moment for Reception age children (possibly later in the year) – Game On
Curriculum Expectations
The Government set outcomes for the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Here are some of the age related expectations for children leaving Nursery and starting in Reception Class.
Maths
- Recites numbers in order to 10
- Recognises numerals 1 to 5
- Begins to use names for shapes
- Uses positional language e.g. in front of, behind
Literacy
- Recognises own name
- Listens and joins in with stories
- Talk to an adult about a story they have read
- Hears an initial sound in words
Physical Development
- Make snips with scissors
- Holds pencil near point between two first fingers and thumb
- Dresses with help eg pulls up own trousers, pulls up own zipper once fastened at the bottom, puts arms into shirt, put on own coat
Homework
- Reading book
- ‘Helpful’ words
- Number/letter formation
- Topic Work (half term)
Whole School
- House Points
- Buddy Groups –activities based on different themes throughout the year
Tapestry
Tapestry is our online learning journal. You will receive an email asking you to set a password for your child’s Tapestry account.
We will then be able to put photos and observations of your child’s progress for you to see. You will automatically be alerted by email to say you have had an observation added. You will have approximately one of these every week. You can also put your own observations on for us to see.
Have a look at the app ‘50 Things to do before you are 5’, for activities to do with your child that you can upload to tapestry.