Welcome to the Reception Staff Team

Hello and welcome!

We are so excited to be teaching in Reception and to be sharing our wonderful new playground with Reception and Nursery pupils. We believe this is such an important year for your child as it is right at the start of their learning journey in Primary School. Our aim is to ensure that all pupils feel happy, supported and challenged.  

In Reception, the children learn from a play-based curriculum with some focus carpet sessions when they are ready. The play-based curriculum, which we call ‘Busy Learning,’ supports our children to develop at their own rate and explore their interests across all 7 areas of the Early Years Framework. Our curriculum changes according to what we feel is going to excite them the most and links to a key text.

From the very beginning, we aim to empower children with resilience; giving everything a go and knowing that our ‘marvellous mistakes’ help us learn. Children learn how to read using our chosen Phonics scheme; Read, Write Inc. It is a pleasure to be part of the children’s growth and seeing their development. Alongside teaching Phonics, we also teach Maths using the Mastery approach. This supports the children’s learning at the rate that they need. Throughout the day we include regular story times to develop their love for books and reading, and circle times to support their Personal, Social and Emotional Development.  

By the end of Reception, we are confident your child will have had an enriching experience, developed their characteristics of learning and started their journey in becoming a lifelong learner.  

Below is further information that we think parents may find useful but please don’t hesitate to speak to us directly if you would like further details on anything.

Timetable:

• For Reception pupils, PE is on a Wednesday afternoon. Children must wear their school PE kit and remember to take earrings out and tie any long hair back.  

Home Learning:

On Tapestry, our secure online Learning Journal to record photos, observations and comments, we send home a weekly memo to parents / carers. Our memo outlines what the children are learning for the upcoming week, and any home learning you can do to support this. For reading, Reception children will receive a weekly Phonics book, levelled book and reading for pleasure book. We expect all children to read daily.

Trips: 

In Reception, we are hoping to book the following experiences over the year. Information about these will be provided to parents once bookings are confirmed. Parent confirmations and payments must be made via Arbor.

• Spring: Firestation & chicks 
• Summer: Spinney & Farm visit

Key Dates:

• Class assemblies: 
  • Rosen: 13th June 2025 
  • Donaldson: 20th June 2025 

• Parent Evenings:
  • 9th and 10th Oct
  • 21st and 22nd Jan

• Events:
  • 24th Oct: Black Culture Celebration Evening
  • 3rd April: Eid Celebration Evening
  • 4th - 5th June: Music Extravaganza
  • July (TBC exact date): Sports Days

Parent Support: 

We value the offer of support from parents in any way. Parents have supported the school by hearing children read, volunteering in the classroom & for school trips, helping at whole school events, managing the library and many other fantastic ways. Additionally, parents have offered their time and specialised skills such as decorating corridors with engaging art displays or building structures for plants in the playground.

If you would like to support the school by purchasing equipment and resources, you are able to access year group wish lists and make orders directly to class teacher here:

Please note, this is not an expectation of parents / carers to do.