Hello and Welcome to Reception Class.

Our class teachers are Mrs Maries and Mrs Shepherd and our Teaching Assistant is Mrs Hargreaves.

Autumn

We want your child’s first experience of full-time school to be an enjoyable and rewarding one and the first half term is vitally important in achieving this aim. We spend time ensuring all children settle in to school and are happy and comfortable in their new surroundings.

Our first topic to start off their year will be ‘Super Me’ (with a mini topic on Autumn) and ‘Celebrations and Winter’. Amongst other things, the children will be drawing self-portraits, learning about their senses, looking at the changes Autumn brings, exploring colour and texture and a variety of celebrations. Towards the end of the year we will look at the Christmas story and you will be welcomed in to school to watch our Nativity.

Spring

During the Spring term we will be reading and comparing a variety of Traditional Tales and exploring the characters from the stories. We will be writing some Wanted posters for the Big Bad Wolf, making gingerbread biscuits and lots more! We will be using the Traditional Tales to retell stories and to support our writing. Through these activities we will be continuing to develop our segmenting and blending skills when reading and writing.

In the second half of the Spring term we will be investigating different types of animals from all over the world  We will find out about baby animals and what we have to do to look after animals. We will be writing instructions and fact finding about different animals, including Jungle animals. We will continue to look at the seasons and changes that occur outside in our natural world.

Summer

In the Summer term of Reception  we will be learning about plants, what they need to grow and how to care for them. We will be planting our own fruit and vegetables and the importance of eating a healthy diet.

In the final half term we will be focusing on ‘Splish, Splash, Splosh!’ where we will be exploring various texts and themes involving water and the sea. This topic will look at pirates, the seaside and ice cream!

We begin learning to read and write from day one in school, learning new sounds in Phonics each day, following the DfE approved Twinkl scheme. We will be sending home books for you to share with your child at home and for them to begin to read to you over the first half term.

In Reception, like the rest of the school, we follow the Rainbow Rules. We will be encouraging the development of these rules daily through all our activities helping your child become a well-rounded, confident individual who is able to work well with peers, in small groups and as part of a team. To celebrate your child’s successes in school, they can earn ‘Dojo Points’. Information on how to sign up to our school apps will be sent home in your welcome pack.

I’m sure you will have many questions to ask and so many things to think about, your child’s first day at school is a big step! Closer to the time when your child starts school, we will invite them in to school to spend some time in the classroom, getting to know their friends and the staff that will be working with them. We will also invite you in to school for an information evening to meet the teachers, find out more about life in Reception and answer any questions you may have.

• Reception Termly Newsletters