Lowndes Way, Winslow, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 3EN

Welcome to Reception class

Welcome to Reception!

We have two classes in Reception who work closely together, Sky class and Sunshine class. Staff provide an enabling and exciting environment to aid the children in their first steps in school, and develop their skills, knowledge and confidence.

Our Reception Team

Routines

In Reception learning is varied, fun and engaging

Our Curriculum

Stories and reading are an important part of our curriculum.
Our children enjoy working as a team and being creative.

In Reception the children follow the Early Years Framework which focusses on 7 areas of learning:

The Prime Areas:

Communication and language
Physical development
Personal, social and emotional development.
The Specific Areas:

Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the world
Expressive arts and design

We follow the non – statutory guidance for Reception age children in Development Matters 2021. The team teaching and supporting your child will make sure that the activities and experiences planned are suited to your child’s unique needs. Our curriculum is flexible so that staff can follow the children’s needs and interests. Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside.

The characteristics of effective learning are viewed as an integral part of all areas of learning and are reflected in our observations and assessments of children. In Reception we use Little Wandle planning and resources for teaching phonics. We use Mastering Number 2021/2022 from NCETM for planning and resources to teach Maths. We use Little Wandle planning and Big Cat books to teach reading.

Our Curriculum overview shows what our children learn each half term.

Taking our learning and creativity into the woodland.
It is so much fun climbing in the woodland in our weekly outdoor learning session.
We encourage our children to try new things and challenge themselves.
Problem solving as a team is so much fun.

Teaching of phonics, maths and reading:

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum. The children are read to for at least 20 minutes daily. Our cosy reading corner invites children in to share books with each other and adults. Children are taught reading through daily phonics and twice weekly guided reading sessions. Our Reception reading spine is a combination of high quality fiction texts and non-fiction texts. The Reception class have a timetabled library slot to visit, browse and change their books. We have extensive selections of books, including library books, within our classrooms to ensure our classrooms are rich in language and books.

Our vibrant and engaging library is visited each week by our children.

Mathematical skills are taught in daily whole class adult led sessions and through activities in our continuous provision. We ensure that skills are embedded in lessons through revisiting and reviewing prior learning.

Learning Environment :

The Reception classroom has carefully planned continuous provision indoors and outdoors. The classroom and outddor areas have clearly defined spaces. In each defined space children have easily accessible resources that they can select from and access independently. We ensure that the resources are organised so that the children can see what is available to them and can independently select to express their own ideas. The Reception children have freeflow access to the indoor and outdoor learning environments. Our children also benefit from a large woodland area and lots of open outdoor spaces.

Small world areas to stimulate talk and play.
In our indoor and outdoor provision.
Working together collaboratively.
Playing together cooperatively.

Reception Baseline Assessment

All Reception children take part in the Reception Baseline Assesment. This takes place on a 1-1 during the first six weeks of the Autumn Term. Please see parent leaflet below for more information.

Communication with Parents:

Teachers work hard to establish relationships with parents before children start school. Staff greet children and parents at the door at the beginning of the day and are always available to talk at the beginning and end of day. Communication with parents occurs also on Class Dojo.  Examples of good work, rewards and outdoor learning are shared on the children’s individual portfolios as well as wider celebration on class story. Our curricus are shared on the school website. We have two parents evenings each year and an interim and end of year report.

Uniform and Equipment

PE

Outdoor Learning Days

Each week Reception children have a woodland afternoon. Sky Class have Welly Wednesday and Sunshine class have Forest Friday. On woodland days it is important that children wear trousers that cover their legs, so that there is less chance of them becoming scratched. You may chose for your child to wear black/dark blue tracksuit bottoms or leggings. They should wear a dark coloured, plain sweatshirt or jumper on their top half. The children will then wear their welly boots with a waterproof or wetsuit depending on the weather.

Work to do to support your child with learning at home.

Phonics Resources

How parents can help