Welcome to Reception Class at Isleham C of E Primary School!
We are thrilled to welcome your child to our Reception Class, where their exciting journey of learning and discovery begins. Our dedicated team is here to ensure that every child feels supported, engaged, and inspired as they take their first steps in school.
Meet Our Team:
- Miss Stanley is the Reception Class Teacher.
- Mrs. Dray and Mrs. Norbury are our wonderful Teaching Assistants.
- Mrs. Grove will be covering PPA (Planning, Preparation, and Assessment) time, bringing her own experience and creativity to the classroom to ensure continuity in learning.
We look forward to welcoming all our new Reception children on their first day of school, Friday, 6th September. It's going to be a day filled with excitement, new friendships, and plenty of fun as we embark on this learning adventure together.
Autumn 1
Our First Topic: "Marvellous Me"
Our first topic in Reception Class is called "Marvellous Me," and it’s all about celebrating what makes each child unique and special. This engaging and personal theme is designed to help children build confidence, develop self-awareness, and begin forming positive relationships with their classmates and the adults working with them around school.
During this topic, the children will:
- Explore Their Identity: We’ll talk about names, families, likes and dislikes, and what makes each of us who we are. Through activities like self-portraits and "Chatterbags", children will have the opportunity to express themselves creatively.
- Celebrate Diversity: As part of our focus on inclusivity, we’ll explore the different cultures, traditions, and backgrounds that make our classroom community so vibrant and diverse.
- Build Friendships: Through group activities and play, children will start to form friendships and learn the importance of kindness, cooperation, and empathy.
"Marvellous Me" also lays the foundation for a strong sense of self and community, which are essential for successful learning and growth.
We’re excited to see each child shine as we discover what makes them marvellous!
Communication and Language
In the initial half term of Reception, we will focus on developing your child’s Communication and Language skills in a variety of ways.
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Listening and Attention: We will engage children in a variety of activities that encourage listening carefully, such as storytime, songs, and interactive games. These activities are designed to enhance their ability to focus and follow instructions.
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Understanding: Children will participate in conversations and discussions that help them understand and use new vocabulary. We’ll explore different topics and themes to expand their understanding of language and concepts.
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Speaking: We’ll provide plenty of opportunities for children to express themselves verbally, whether through sharing their thoughts, retelling stories, or participating in role-play. This helps build their confidence in speaking and using language effectively.
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Building Vocabulary: Through stories, songs, and everyday interactions, we’ll introduce new words and phrases, helping children develop a richer vocabulary and the ability to use words in context.
We aim to create a supportive environment where children feel confident to use and explore language as they begin their school journey.
Personal, Social, and Emotional Development
In the first half-term of Reception, we’ll focus on 'Myself and My Relationships,' helping children understand their own identity and build positive relationships with others. We’ll explore two key areas:
Beginning and Belonging:
- How Am I Special? We’ll help children recognise what makes them unique and celebrate the special qualities of their classmates.
- Learning and Growth: Children will reflect on what they’ve learned so far and think about what they’d like to learn next.
- Asking for Help: We’ll discuss who they can turn to for help and how to ask for assistance when needed.
- Welcoming New Friends: We’ll talk about how to make new classmates feel welcome and included in the group.
- Understanding Feelings: Children will explore how different behaviours affect how others feel and learn ways to show respect.
- Respect and Cooperation: We’ll focus on how to show respect in the classroom and play and work well with others.
My Family and Friends:
- Special People: Children will talk about who is special to them and why, helping them understand the importance of their relationships.
- Family Care: We’ll explore who makes up their family and how we care for each other in a family setting.
- Friendship Skills: We’ll discuss what makes a good friend and how to be a good friend, as well as how to make new friends.
- Resolving Conflicts: We’ll guide children on how to resolve disagreements with friends and what to do if someone is unkind to them.
These activities are designed to help children develop self-awareness, build strong relationships, and learn how to navigate social situations with empathy and respect, laying the foundation for positive social interactions throughout their school experience.
In our first PE unit, 'Introduction to PE,' children will explore physical activity and movement through the fun theme of 'Fantasy and Adventure.' They will learn key PE basics, like finding space, stopping when asked, sharing equipment, and working on their own, with a partner, or in a group.
The activities will help develop important movement skills such as running, jumping, and skipping. During the unit, children will work on:
- Balancing during different movements.
- Making their own choices during activities.
- Moving safely around others while being aware of space.
- Following instructions that involve more than one action.
- Playing together nicely and taking turns.
- Improving coordination and balance with each new skill.
Alongside our PE activities, we will also focus on important fine motor skills. Children will practice using various tools safely and confidently, including:
- Pencils
- Paintbrushes
- Scissors
- Knives, forks, and spoons
These activities are designed to help children build the fine motor skills needed for everyday tasks and ensure they can use these tools effectively.
Literacy
Our literacy learning in Reception is all about making reading and writing fun and engaging, while following the EYFS Framework and Development Matters guidance.
We’ll play games, sing songs, make rhymes, and listen to sounds in our environment to build early listening and speaking skills. This helps lay the groundwork for our phonics journey using the Little Wandle Phonics scheme. Children will start learning their first sounds and begin blending simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, which is an exciting step toward early reading.
We’ll also explore books and retell stories together using puppets, role-play, and small-world toys. These activities help develop speaking and listening skills, as well as a love for stories.
In writing, we’ll start by recognising and writing our names. Through mark-making and copying letters, we’ll support children’s fine motor skills and build confidence with early writing. Our focus on phonics and early literacy is designed to make sure every child feels supported and excited about learning!
Maths
Our Maths focus will center around the Numberblocks characters! We will be bringing numbers to life through engaging stories and activities. We will follow a structured approach based on the NCTEM (National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics).
- Counting and Ordering: We will practice counting objects and ordering numbers with the help of the Numberblocks.
- One-to-One Correspondence: Children will develop their understanding of one-to-one correspondence by matching each number with a single item, reinforcing the concept of quantity.
- Number Bonds within Five: We will explore how numbers combine and split within the range of five, using practical activities to solidify understanding.
- Finding One More and One Less: Children will learn to identify one more and one less than a given number, supporting their number sense and sequencing skills.
- Exploring 2D Shapes: We will begin to recognise and describe 2D shapes through picture-based activities and shape hunts, integrating shape knowledge into our daily Maths practice.
This term is designed to build a solid foundation in number recognition, counting, and basic shape understanding, all while keeping learning interactive and enjoyable through the adventures of the Numberblocks.
Understanding the World
In Reception, our Understanding the World curriculum will introduce children to various aspects of the world around them.
We will also include a focus on religious education through the resource 'Understanding Christianity'. This term, we will explore key themes related to creation and incarnation.
- God/Creation: We’ll begin by using the word 'wonderful' to describe the amazing things God has created, helping children appreciate the beauty of the world. They will learn about the sequence of creation, discovering what God made each day and understanding the significance of these creations. We’ll also discuss how Christians believe that God holds the world in His hands, which influences their actions and attitudes. Children will learn about Harvest Festival, exploring how Christians celebrate and show appreciation for creation. Additionally, we will look at how different cultures and religions celebrate harvest, broadening their understanding of global traditions. Finally, we’ll discuss how we can work together with our community to care for the environment, encouraging children to think about their role in protecting our planet.
- Incarnation: In this unit, we’ll focus on what makes each person special and unique, helping children understand their own value and the special qualities they bring to the world. We’ll discuss how to treat others with kindness and respect, following Jesus’ teachings. Additionally, we’ll talk about how God’s love supports us in understanding and managing our emotions, providing comfort during different feelings.
The Church and Local Community: Children will learn what a church is and why our local church is important to our school community. They will have the opportunity to visit the church as part of our Harvest Festival celebrations.
The Natural World (Science): We’ll introduce the concepts of ‘same’ and ‘different’ to help children describe and compare the world around them, enhancing their observational skills.
People, Culture, and Communities: Children will discuss members of their family and community, naming and describing familiar people. They will also learn about special places within their community, helping them appreciate the significance of various locations and traditions.
These activities aim to broaden children’s understanding of their world, celebrate diversity, and connect them with their local community while providing a foundation for exploring science and social studies.
Expressive Arts and Design
In Reception, our Expressive Arts and Design curriculum will foster creativity and imagination through a variety of engaging activities.
Our music sessions, taught through the Kapow scheme, will focus on the unit 'Exploring Sound'. Children will:
- Understand the Importance of Listening: We’ll teach children how to listen carefully and explain why listening is an important skill in music and everyday life.
- Engage with Stories: By listening to and talking about stories, children will build familiarity and understanding of different sounds and musical elements, which supports their listening and communication skills.
Creating with Materials In the first half-term, we will focus on developing children’s creativity and fine motor skills through various activities using different materials. Key skills include:
- Using Tools and Materials: Children will learn to use a range of tools and materials competently, safely, and confidently. This might include using scissors for cutting, pencils for drawing, and paintbrushes for painting.
- Exploring Textures and Shapes: Children will experiment with different textures and shapes, such as fabric, paper, and clay, to understand how these materials can be manipulated and combined to create new forms.
- Developing Imagination and Creativity: Activities will encourage children to use their imagination to create artworks, such as collages, models, and drawings. This helps them express their ideas and emotions through various forms of art, fostering creativity.
- Following Instructions and Making Choices: Children will learn to follow instructions in creating their projects and make independent choices about materials and techniques, enhancing their decision-making skills and confidence.