Reception class information

 

Click here to read about what we are doing in Reception this Spring term and for links to useful websites to support your child’s learning.

School value 

These whole-school values are discussed and practised in class throughout the half term. In Spring 1 our focus is Community, in Spring 2 we will be focusing on Citizenship.

 

Topics in Reception

During Spring term 1 our topic is Hot and Cold. Spring 2′ s topic will be Where are we going? (journeys).

 

The Prime Areas 

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Now we are settled into school life we will continue to be able to manage our own needs including dressing and going to the toilet. We will be encouraged to show resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge whilst building multiple positive friendly relationships with other children and adults in our class.

In our No Outsiders lessons we will learn to make friends with someone different by using the story Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett.

We will also learn to understand that all families are different through the story The Family Book by Todd Parr.

Communication and Language

Throughout the Spring term we will continue to understand how to listen carefully and why listening is important. During our class story time we will listen to and talk about these stories to build familiarity and understanding.

Through our talking we will try to describe events in some detail and use talk to help work out problems and organise thinking and activities explain how things work and why they might happen.

To support your child in Communication and Language, have a look at this https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/help-for-families/   https://www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/childrens-slt-developing-communication  https://www.birminghamearlyyearsnetworks.org/nytb

Physical Development

During our weekly PE lessons we will begin to confidently and safely use a range of large and small apparatus indoors and outside. During our games lessons we will further develop a range of ball skills, including throwing, catching, kicking, passing, batting and aiming.

When we are playing we will develop our small/fine motor skills so that we can use a range of tools competently, safely and confidently and begin to form some lower-case and capital letters correctly.

 

The Specific Areas 

Literacy

We use the Little Wandle phonics programme in Reception to learn to read phase 2 and 3 letter sounds and begin to blend these in short words. Through our daily story time and during our group reading time we will learn to talk about the books that we share together in class and at home.

You can use the https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/ for information and how to support your child at home with their reading. In addition to this your child will be sent home weekly sounds to practise based on the sounds we have been learning during the week. It will be uploaded to Class Dojo and you will also receive a paper copy each week.

The library at Touchbase Pears is a great place to borrow books and is free to join and use. This online library is another great place to read.

For extra phonics games please check out https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z7tr96f

We enjoy using these games in class phonics play  phonics bloom

As our knowledge of letter sounds is increasing we will begin to write short words and sentences both in our daily phonics Little Wandle lessons and as part of our wider curriculum lessons.

Mathematics

In our Maths lessons we will be continuing to develop a deep understanding of the numbers up to 10. We will also begin to explore 3D shapes and measures such as mass and capacity.

We shall learn some songs in our Maths lessons too.

I can add doubles

count with me

Subitise

Understanding the World

Throughout the Spring term topic work we will begin to recognise some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries.
During our weekly Forest School lessons we will continue to explore the natural world around us and describe what we see, hear and feel whilst outside.

Expressive Arts and Design

As we learn about cold and hot places through our class story and topic times we will be developing storylines in our pretend play. During our Music lessons with Mrs Vaughn we will be singing in a group or on our own, increasingly matching the pitch and following the melody and engaging in music making whilst performing in groups.

Computing

During our time in Reception we will be exposed to various ICT experiences – cause and effect toys, programmable beebots and remote control toys. We will also use our large interactive whiteboard in the class to complete a simple program.

You can use the think you know website for great online safety resources here.