Reception

Welcome

Welcome to the start of the school year. It has been lovely to welcome your children to our school, and we are all looking forward to a fabulous term of learning. As you know, Reception is a very important year, as it is the start of your child’s school journey.

This term, our theme is ‘Marvellous Me’. Children will be discovering what makes each family special, as well as exploring the similarities and unique qualities that we all share. We’ll celebrate our differences through a range of high-quality, diverse key texts – these stories will spark thoughtful discussions and help deepen the children’s understanding and comprehension skills. As part of our learning journey, the children will also begin to develop their word reading and writing skills by learning new phonics sounds, and they’ll start to blend simple words aloud using the Read Write Inc. phonics programme.

Reception Team

• Miss Odell – Teacher
• Ms. Ardiana – Teaching Assistant
• Miss Hollee – Teacher Assistant
• Miss Birben – Teacher Assistant

What We Will Be Learning This Term

Literacy

This term our theme is ‘Marvellous Me’- children will be exploring families, what makes them similar and unique, and celebrating difference. This will be done through high-quality and diverse key texts, which will also help to develop comprehension. Children will also develop word reading and writing skills as they begin to learn phonics sounds and start to orally blend simple words using the Read Write Inc. phonics programme.

Communication and Language

Through our theme and our EYFS curriculum, children will be developing their listening, attention and understanding and well as their speaking and use of vocabulary.

Maths

This term and throughout the year the children will be exploring number through the overarching themes of:

• Number and Numerical Patterns
• Cardinality, ordinality and counting
• Composition
• Comparison

Children will also be sorting and matching, exploring pattern and comparing the size, mass, and capacity of objects.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Sharing interests and hobbies, identifying feelings (own and others’) and the importance of exercise on our bodies and mind.

Understanding the World

Human change over time, identifying body parts, exploring the 5 senses, seasons, Black History and Mary Seacole.

Expressive Arts and Design

Music: Exploring sounds (vocal, body, instrumental, environmental and nature).

Art and Design: Colour mixing, joining methods and developing drawing skills.

Physical Development

Children will know how to hop, skip, and jump, as well as developing their fine motor skills and pencil grip to support writing.

Home Learning

Reading is so important! It helps improve writing and vocabulary, so please make sure you read with your child every day.

On Fridays, your child will bring home an independently chosen picture book from our library to enjoy. This book is for your child to share with an adult. Please make sure books are returned to school on the following Friday to be changed.

Once we begin phonics, we will send home reading sheets for your child to read to you, using their phonic knowledge. Once your child has become more familiar with the phonics sounds, we will send home phonics reading books, suited to their current reading level. These books are for the children to read to you independently using their phonic knowledge! Please make sure they are returned every week, as new books will not be given until the old books are returned. Please speak to the teacher if you have any questions.

We are spending a lot of time practising our pencil control to help us with our writing. It is important to keep this going at home by encouraging children to regularly write and by providing opportunities to develop their fine motor skills.

PE Day: Reception PE lessons are on Wednesdays. Children need to come to school wearing their PE Kit, including suitable footwear on this day.

PE Kit: White t-shirt with blue or black shorts or tracksuit bottoms and black plimsolls or trainers. Please ensure that all items of clothing have your child’s name on them.