Welcome to Reception

We hope you have all had a fabulous summer and are as excited as we are about starting this new Autumn Term. We are thrilled to see so many familiar faces and we extend a very warm welcome to those parents and children joining us for the first time this September.

One of our main aims is for children to settle in quickly and happily, to develop their personal and social skills encouraging independence and responsibility.

Throughout the school year we will cover a broad spectrum of topics, incorporating all areas of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage, to provide a cultural capital and help the children on the journey of acquiring skills that they will need throughout their life. All topics involve discovering about themselves and the environment in which they live.

Phonics

In EYFS, as with throughout the school, the children learn phonics through ‘Sounds Write.’ They are introduced to different letters of the alphabet daily and they are encouraged to learn the letter sound and name which they then begin to blend together. Once children have a good understanding of letters and their use, we then provide opportunities to practice the formation and orientation of specific letters. At St Andrew’s we learn to write in many fun ways;

• We finger paint
• We chalk on the floor outside
• We write in sand
• We make letters out of play dough
• We draw letters in the air.

Finally, once we have acquired the appropriate fine motor control and are able to hold a pencil correctly we learn how to write on paper.

Reading

From the very first day the children will be encouraged to read daily. They will start the year with a picture book to help them to discuss and use story language. They will then bring home books to reinforce letter sounds, vocabulary and an understanding of books. Any reading will be recorded in a reading diary. This diary reinforces home/school relationships, as parents are encouraged to write their personal comments in this book, regarding the child’s reading. There is an expectation that the children will read 5 times a week alongside daily practise of their phonic sounds.

Maths

We start the year with ‘Number Sense’ - an understanding of number. Young children frequently learn to count by rote but do not really understand the meaning behind what they are doing. In EYFS we look at groups of items, to develop an understanding of how a number is made up: for example, seven dots could be a set of three dots and a set of four dots, or a set of six dots and one dot. This understanding of part-part-whole relationships helps children to separate and combine numbers and accelerates understanding of addition and subtraction. ‘Power Maths’ is used within our maths sessions and then applied to everyday life in the class.

Daily Life

A major aspect of EYFS curriculum is the emphasis on outdoor play. We do this in ALL weathers! We all go outside on a daily basis even if it is raining, snowing, windy, sunny etc. Please always ensure your child brings appropriate clothing into school (this may include wellingtons, waterproofs or sun hats in the summer). 

We strive to keep all children as clean as possible but there will be circumstances where your child will get dirty (this is the fun part of being a child!)

PE

PE takes place on a Friday. Please ensure your child has their PE kit in school, this will be kept on their peg for the term. It is essential that all clothes are named as you can imagine how easy it is for the children to mix their belongings up. Please also ensure that earrings are removed or covered up for PE.

Class Dojo

This year we are going to trial using class dojo as a way to communicate any achievements during the day or activities we have been doing. This is also a way for you to show us what you have been doing at home and to share photos of experiences over the weekend. Please check this daily as we may also set homework tasks or send notices home. You should have all been sent login details to access class dojo, but please ask us if you have any questions.

We have an open door policy so please come and see us if you have any questions or concerns.