Welcome to Reception!

 

What God has created, we nurture and celebrate in His love

 

 

Miss Rawlings, Mrs Sumner and Ms Tyrell offer you and your child a very warm welcome to St Philips and look forward to a wonderful year.

 

The aim of Reception is to create a safe and stimulating environment that promotes children’s progress in all areas of learning. We at St Philip’s believe that by giving children independence and challenge, they will develop into responsible and thoughtful young people.

 

Such examples of this environment can be seen in our ‘Philosophy for Children’ sessions. We ask thought provoking questions which allow children to develop their critical and reasoning skills.  This session also seeks to develop children's communication and language skills as we model and encourage speaking in full sentences.  

 

From time to time, children are picked to complete a challenge. The activity is based on their individual need and next steps to achieve their targets. When completed they will bring home a celebratory card for you to share. These completed challenges will be displayed in your child's learning Journey.

 

The Curriculum

 

The reception class curriculum is the revised 2012 Early Years Foundation Stage Framework, wherein it is advised that children learn successfully through the following characteristics:

 

• Play and exploring- children investigate and experience things, and 'have a go';

 

• Active learning,- children are encouraged to concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter any difficulties and enjoy achievements;

 

• Creating and thinking critically- children have the opportunity to develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things.

 

There are Seven Areas of Learning and Development, which will include Three Prime Areas and Four Specific Areas. Here the children will develop their skills, build upon their knowledge and apply it in different contexts.

 

Children in Reception learn through exploration, play and guided tasks, which takes place both indoors and outside in our spacious and well-resourced environment. We focus first on the three prime areas:

 

Personal, social and emotional development:

 

PSED helps the children to develop their self confidence in a range of situations such as speaking in a group discussion and sharing their own ideas as well as help the children form positive relationships through cooperative play. This focus will also promote children’s management of their own and other children’s feelings and behaviour.

 

Communication and language:

 

C&L will give the children the opportunities to express themselves, whilst being able to concentrate and listen carefully to other speakers. This area will also focus on developing children’s understanding about their experiences and their response to stories and events, whilst encouraging the use of new and interesting vocabulary.

 

Physical development:

 

PD involves providing opportunities for the children to develop and improve their moving and handling of space and tools with good control and coordination, including using pencils for writing. Each time your child brings fruit or vegetables to school, they can celebrate this by placing their picture on our ‘what did you eat for lunch today?’ display. They are so excited to share with me their healthy eating habits. Children also partake in PE as well as looking after their own personal needs such as dressing and using the toilet independently.

 

These prime areas are crucial for the children's development and future education. The prime areas will then support them in developing skills in the Four Specific Areas.

 

Literacy:

 

Literacy includes the learning sounds to letters and their links that enable children to begin reading and writing. Phonic sessions are taught daily and the new graphemes that are taught will be sent home for parents and children to rehearse. Reading books will also be given out each week along with the appropriate key words. Please refer to your helpful literacy pack for ideas and support.

 

Mathematics:

 

Mathematics gives the children opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting; recognising and using numbers and then calculating simple addition and subtraction problems through the use of Numicon and other practical equipment and games. Mathematics will also focus on the language of time, shape, space and measure which will enable children to understand solve problems in different contexts. Please refer to your helpful mathematic pack for ideas and support. 

 

Understanding the World:

 

Understanding the World sessions guide the children to make sense of the world around them. They will talk about their own experiences and discuss the differences between themselves, the community and the world. Children will have the opportunity to look at different technology and use computers and bee bots in school. With your help, we will also document your child’s changes in their ‘This is me!’ book.

 

Expressive Arts and Design:

 

Expressive Arts and Design gives children the opportunity to experiment with music, song and dance, and allow them to express themselves creatively and imaginatively. Children are encouraged to present their thoughts and ideas through art, design and technology, role play and stories.

 

Parents

 

We thoroughly welcome and encourage parent support and involvement in school and we encourage all to share your child’s progress and success through our ‘WOW’ card system. Simply complete the card and return to school. This will add greatly to their development and be a lovely addition to their Learning Journeys. When your child has displayed good attitude, effort or behaviour, we will send home a ‘Teacher’s note’ so that you can celebrate your child’s success together. Each week you will also receive a Reception newsletter which will detail the types of activities we have been learning, and tips on how to support your child further at home.  Other important information such as Stay and Play sessions, reminders of school trip, workshops and P4C homework will form the other content, so please do ensure that you read the newsletter each week.

 

Reading should be an active and exciting experience for children, both at home and in school. To enhance home school reading, each week two children, on a rota basis, will be picked to take home a wonderful story sack to use with the whole family. These sacks contain a number of colourfully visual resources such as puppets, backgrounds and games. We ask that you use this with your child/ family and take photographs as you enjoy the resources. Then your child can draw their favourite part of the story and even write about it!

 

 

 

Other information

 

PE will take place on Thursday with Ms Murphy, so please ensure that full kit is in school in fully labelled with your child’s name.

 

The children will learn outdoors in all-weather so please provide a named pair of wellington boots and a hooded coat.

 

Please provide a labelled water bottle for classroom use that is separate to your child’s lunch drink.