Welcome to Reception

We are looking forward to working with you and your children this year to ensure they achieve their full potential in their first year at school.

Every day the children have Phonics, Literacy and Maths lessons. These will sometimes be followed by group activities linked to the learning. Throughout the week the children will also have Jigsaw, RE, PE, Music, Creative and Understanding the world lessons. PE days will be shared via newsletters and text messages and children should come to school in their PE kits.

In Reception we cover a range of themes across the year. These are Marvellous me, Celebrations, Wild Animals, Teddy Bears, Julia Donaldson and Sport. During these themes there are also opportunities for children to initiate their own learning within the provision.

A large part of Reception involves the children initiating their own learning during ‘continuous provision’. Here the children may choose to partake in activities in the home corner, construction area, sand or water trays, creative area, reading area, outdoor area, writing area or maths area. These activities may be child-initiated or they may be enhanced and planned by the adults.

In Reception we know how important it is for you to share in your child’s learning and support them at home. We use Tapestry as a form of communication. Here we will share any ‘wow moments’ and provide support with learning at home. We also love to see what the children have been doing at home so please feel free to share your own photos. If you would like to contact us directly you can email any Reception member of staff at reception@pennineway.cumbria.sch.uk.

Children will be sent home with reading books and reading records. These should be read daily – children should read the same book more than once to develop their fluency. Children will also be sent home flashcards to practice at home. This is essential in supporting their phonic development.

At the end of Reception children will be assessed on whether they have reached a ‘Good Level of Development’. To meet this, children must be secure in all of the following areas:

Communication and language (listening, attention and understanding, speaking)
Physical development (gross motor skills and fine motor skills)
Personal, social and emotional development (self-regulation, managing self and building relationships)

Literacy (comprehension, word reading and writing)
Mathematics (number and numerical patterns)

This assessment is based on teachers’ judgement and knowledge of the children and can be supported further by children engaging with learning at home.

We thank you for your continued support and please do not hesitate to speak to any member of the Reception team and we will be more than happy to help.

Miss Martin, Mrs Viney, Mrs Hetherington, Mrs Hutchinson and Miss Taylor