1. Welcome to Reception Class
July 2016

2. Staff Mrs Anita Griffiths- class teacher
Miss Lana, Mrs Pillman- classroom assistants

3. Our Learning Journey.
Our Learning Journey records our children’s achievements.
It will consist of photographic and written evidence. This evidence will be contributed by teachers, teaching assistants and yourselves as parents.

4. Area of Learning and Development
Prime Areas
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Making relationships
Self-confidence and self-awareness
Managing feelings and behaviour
Physical Development - Moving and handling
Health and self-care
Communication and Language -Listening and attention
Understanding
Speaking
Specific areas
Literacy
Reading
Writing
Mathematics –
Numbers
Shape, space and measure
Understanding the World –
People and communities
The world
Technology
Expressive Arts and Design –
Exploring and using media and materials
Being imaginative

5. Daily Organisation
Children line up in our small playground, ready for the bell at 8.50am. Initially, the door will be open at 8.40am so you can come into class and complete some ‘learning alongside’ activities with your child.
The children may cry initially, but this soon stops (honestly!!).
When the children enter the class they will be greeted by the teaching assistant and reminded where their belongings go in preparation for registration, lunch orders and our daily assembly at 9.05am.

6. Phonics
Jolly Phonics and Letters and Sounds, a combination of stories, pictures and actions for each sound.
Sounds rather than letter names.
3 per week.
Sheets for each letter brought home to reinforce learning.
I will give out letter formation and sound sheets for children to practise at home.
Sound fans.

7. Reading
Emphasis on learning through range of strategies with strong emphasis on phonics.
We use Letters and Sounds with the reinforcement of Jolly Phonics.
We will be learning to recognise a series of High Frequency Words, many of which cannot are not phonetically decodable.
We encourage children to look at the context and other clues to assist in understanding text.

8. Literacy Covers communication through reading and writing.
Provide opportunities to imagine and recreate experiences through activities (exploring language as they do so) which will be modelled by adults.
To have access to, and share a wide range of rhymes, stories, poems, songs and non-fiction books.
More importantly, real, rich experiences that develop language.

9. Reading
Begin by looking at books without text, telling own stories from pictures- this encourages prediction skills.
We have a book banded system which gives a clear progression, but they work through them at their own pace.
Books will be changed when they are completed.

10. Reading at home Children will bring home book band books each day.
Please share these with your child, reading on a regular basis has such an impact when developing and consolidating skills.
Repetition is the key!
Will also send home words to learn, these are the HF words mentioned earlier.

11. What you can do to help!
Look at phonics sheets and practise actions for each.
Read bedtime stories!
Visits to the library.
Look at and talk about printed language in their environment, on food packets, road signs, labels and leaflets.

12. Writing Children begin with “wiggles and squiggles”.
They begin to ascribe meaning to these marks.
Increasingly use phonic knowledge and letter formation in their writing
Write simple “CVC” words as knowledge increases.

13. What you can do to help! Encourage children to draw, paint etc
Show children your writing, shopping lists, things to do, birthday cards.
Make scrap books, write postcards, party invitations.
Develop fine motor skills by cutting, sewing, dot-to-dots etc.

14. Mathematics.
Covers counting, sorting, matching, patterns and connections
Children work with numbers, shape, space and measures.
Children learn through stories, songs, games and imaginative play.
We encourage children to use as many manipulatives and models and images to support their learning.

15. What you can do to help!
Point out numbers around you, on houses, cars, television channels, cookers and microwaves,
Say number names in order as you climb the stairs, count teddies on a bed, plates on the table.
Compare quantities, who has the most sweets, which shopping bag is heavier?.

16. In the Class
Children will work in groups based on ability rather than age.
Will have opportunity through day for teacher and child led activities,
Ensure indoor and outdoor activities
Our outdoor area is used to develop learning and all activities are planned with learning in mind.

17. Practical Details
Please ensure all uniform is labelled with your child’s name, especially PE equipment
Children need to have a coat in school
Packed lunches in named lunch box
We provide healthy foods for our snack time.
Children have “accidents”. If these are regular, please can you provide a set of spare clothes.

18. Practical Details
If, for some reason, someone different is picking your child up, please let me know.
Children will be very tired initially, school is hard work especially when you have just turned 4, but they very quickly adapt, but please be aware they may be grouchy for the first few weeks.
Attendance is very important.

19. Medical Matters
Any sickness, diarrhoea, must be followed by 48 hour absence.
Head lice are common! Please check regularly and treat as recommended.
Any absence requires a telephone call before 9.30am explaining why.
Any medicines can only be administered by prior arrangement with the head teacher/school secretary.