Welcome to reception class

Routines

Children enter the classroom at 8.40a.m via our garden gate on the circular playground. We line up at the gate after break and lunch play.
The children leave at 3. 15p.m via this gate at the end of the day and are handed over to a recognised adult. Please inform us of any changes.
Once school has started the children are independent in putting away their belongings (water bottle, book bag, hanging up their coat).
Register and phonics follow. In foundation Stage we have child initiated, adult initiated and adult led activities throughout the day.
The children will attend a library session, ICT session, indoor PE and outdoor PE once a week.
Maths groups and phonics groups are daily. Your child is heard read once a week.

All children are required to wear our school uniform; this must all be clearly named.
As we are outside a lot of the day, welly boots, raincoats, warm winter coats, winter and summer hats, gloves and scarves are a must – all named clearly.
A named water bottle (sports cap) is required to be bought in every day. It can be thirsty work in Foundation Stage.
The children do not need to bring in a backpack – we do not have the space for them. A book bag is sufficient.
We have high behavioural expectations of your children so we have rewards and sanctions in place. The children are able to climb the ladder of success – this requires them to move their named peg up a chart for following our school rules. This is also our sanction, they can move down the chart for not complying with the rules, which could end up in a time out. The children always have the opportunity to move back up the chart throughout the day. Stickers are also given as an extra incentive.

We read stories every day as a class; the children have access to story books throughout the day.
We visit the school library once a week for children to take a book home to share with their families.
Children have a book to read at home and in school once a week on a 1:1 basis. This book gets changed twice a week. It is important for children not only to be able to read the words, but understand what they have read, talk about the pictures; ask questions to see if they can predict what might happen.
There are sound cards and word cards given out for children to practise at home as well as in school.

We have daily phonic groups, where we follow Letters and Sounds.
Children are encouraged to recognise and write their own name regularly.
Independent writing is encouraged in all areas of the classroom and outside.
Teacher lead writing activities to encourage correct formation and sentence structure.

We have daily maths groups where the children are split into four groups.
We use a range of resources and games to help teach the children maths.
We encourage the children to use maths in their play, asking them to count, find one more, subtract, estimate or solve problems involving sharing.
Maths is learnt both indoors and outdoors.

The children have two sessions of PE each week, one indoor and one outdoor.
Children need their PE kit in school at all times. We will send it home each half term so that it can be washed or replaced if too small.
All PE kit should be named.
The children are encouraged to change independently for PE and to look after their belongings.

Please read with your child every day. Let your child read their school book to you or read a story to your child. Talk about the story, what is happening? What is their favourite part? How do you think the characters are feeling?
Help your child practice the letter sounds, key words and numbers we send home.
Sing songs, nursery rhymes and counting songs.
Encourage your child to be as independent as possible, for example, with dressing and undressing, eating and putting on their coat.
Talk with your child, have conversations that last 10 or 15 minutes. Give your child ‘thinking time’ in response to questions.
Play games which encourage turn taking and sharing.
Give them time to run, jump, climb and play outdoors. Encourage activities such as building, drawing, threading beads and playdough.
Point out numbers and shapes you can see in the environment.
Counting, adding and subtracting anything and everything – socks, cars, shopping, cutlery, food and drink.
Talk with your child about the places they go and things they see in the world around them.
Let your child help you with everyday activities – washing up, cooking, shopping, and helping in the garden.

The children have lots of opportunities to write, draw and paint and bring these into their imaginative play. For example, taking orders in the café, writing shopping lists, making police badges.
We encourage the children to explore, investigate and learn about other cultures or places and develop a respect for differences. We talk about things that happened in the past and we learn about living things.
The children have a wide variety of construction toys to play with.
We have computers and I pads in the setting and visit the ICT suite once a week.
We visit the local church and attend assemblies in the school.
In the summer term we will go on a day trip to Gulliver’s Land.