Reception Department
In the Reception Department, we focus on the Early Years Foundation Stage, helping children to develop their personal and social skills alongside developing their confidence and communication skills. The children have access to a wide range of learning experiences across the day to support their learning in Literacy (Reading and Writing) and Maths (Number and Shape, Space and Measure). Our topic work enables us to focus on different aspects of Understanding of the World, helping the children to develop a fascination for the world in which they live.
Below is a list of this term's Favourite Five book titles;
The Scarecrows Wedding
The Runaway Pea
Mr. Big
Astro Girl
The Elves and the Shoemaker
Share these stories together at home.
Physical Development:
The children have free access to the large outdoor area. They are able to explore the climbing apparatus to develop their climbing skills and confidence. There is a wide range of small equipment such as bats and balls which help to develop throwing and catching skills. Staff encourage the children to try out new activities to enable them to develop their confidence whilst supporting their physical development.
We have 'Funky Fingers' sessions to help develop fine and gross motor skills. This helps the children with their pencil control and early writing skills.
The children will have PE with a Sports specialist once a week. Please ensure their PE kit is in school at all times.
Communication, Language and Literacy:
This half term we will be looking at stories based on our theme 'All Around the World'. We will be reading My world your world, Blue penguin, Whatever Next!, Handa's surprise and Stick Man. We will be looking at maps and learning about countries around the world and their similarities and differences.
There are daily opportunities to talk about books and stories, enabling children to improve their comprehension whilst also developing a love of books and reading.
Activities will include describing different characters, sequencing main events and writing lists and instructions.
We have a 'Never Heard the Word' focus every week where we introduce the children to exciting new vocabulary and language.
Phonics
The children have a daily phonics session to help them to learn their letter sounds and how to write letters, words and sentences using Ruth Miskin's 'Read, Write , Inc' programme . The children will be learning Set 1 sounds alongside blending sounds to read 'green' words and learning to recognise and read 'red' words alongside reading new words in their home reading books and class books.
Children are encouraged to write all the time, practising using 'Fred Fingers' and 'Fred Talk' to help them use their phonics throughout the department. All children are keen to have a go, displaying their drawings and writing wherever they can.
Maths:
We will be looking at number, accurate counting and ordering, recognising numerals and representing amounts in different ways. We will also look at shape, sorting, number bonds to 5 and 10. We will be measuring and using positional and directional language.
Numbots
All Reception pupils have access to Numbots at home. Ensure your child is logging on and using Numbots for ten minutes each day.
https://play.numbots.com/#/intro
Below is s short video showing you how to get onto Numbots.
Understanding of the World:
This half term our topic is 'Let's Get Growing'. We will be learning about how plants and humans grow and change, and noticing and talking about the seasonal changes as we move through winter into spring.
Expressive Arts and Design:
The children will be developing their imagination and role play with different role play areas including 'the garden centre'.
In our creative sessions and throughout the Department, the children will have the opportunity to explore activities such as junk modelling, exploring using different collage materials, printing, mixing colours and exploring sound.
All of these activities help the children to develop their practical skills as well as their creativity and imagination.
Homework and School Closure Work
To access the weekly homework or school closure work you will need to log in to your Google Classroom account using the email address in your Blue Reading Journal. You will find messages from all of the teachers in Reception and some useful links.
Remember to support your child in their daily use of the Ruth Miskin phonics on YouTube (Set 1 sounds) and with their Numbots account. The details for this is also in your child's Blue Reading Journal.
Happy learning!
From the Reception Teachers