Welcome to Reception Meet the Reception Team In

Welcome to Reception

Meet the Reception Team In Reception we have three classes: • Les Papillons Bleus- Miss Marie Compton (EYFS Phase Leader) • Les Papillons Verts- Miss Michelle Butcher • Les Papillons Rouges- Miss Jessica Smart

What can you expect? This year you can expect your child to: • • make new friends, develop their independence enjoy new Reception experiences and learn vital skills for reading, writing and early maths.

A Day in Reception • Doors open at 8: 40 am when the children come in and settle at a morning activity • Register on the carpet – please chat with your child about their lunch choice before school. • Whole class ‘carpet time’ usually phonics in the morning. • Independent learning time inside and outside • Mid morning snack time and Maths ‘carpet time’ • Phonics listening games with Fred the frog • Lunchtime • Register and ‘carpet time’ • Independent learning time inside and outside • Story time or assembly • Home time at 3: 00 pm.

What does your child need to bring to school? • • • Daily- Book bag and school diary A pencil case with their name on Named water bottle (water only please) Packed lunch (if needed) Spare clothes in a bag In Reception we love to learn outdoors so please send your child to school with a waterproof coat and wellies. Please name everything!

PE Kit In Reception we have PE on a Wednesday. We will start PE after the October half term. From then on please send your child to school wearing their PE kit every Wednesday. This is what our PE kit looks like: Purple polo shirt Black jogging bottoms, leggings or shorts Trainers or plimsolls If you would like to purchase via our school provider ‘Birds of Dereham’ please visit their website https: //www. birdsofdereham. com/shop/category/schoolsqueens-hill-primary-nursery-school-47/ or visit the store.

The Early Years Foundation Stage • The Foundation Stage begins in Nursery and continues through to Reception. • We help the children to learn through playing, exploring and being active. This means children will take part in a range of fun, practical activities; some of which are adult led, some guided by adults and some will be child-initiated. • We follow the EYFS Framework which explains how and what your child will be learning. It is very flexible so it can be adapted to the children’s needs and interests.

There are currently 7 Areas of Learning Prime Areas Physical Development nal o i t o m E d n ial a c o S , l a n o s Per t Developmen Communication and Language

7 Areas of Learning Specific Areas Expre ssive A rts and De sign y Literac Maths ding n a t s r e Und ld the Wor

• In Reception we have daily whole class ‘carpet time’ for Maths and Phonics and weekly ‘carpet time’ for other focus areas of learning. • The children will also have weekly Music & PE sessions. • We ask reception children to complete one adult led activity every week to support them in achieving their ELG’s at the end of Reception. • We will also record child-initiated learning that takes place. • The children will complete daily writing activities in their phonics books from week 3 in school.

Phonics • We follow the phonics scheme Read, Write, Inc. which teaches children to use letter sounds to support their reading and writing. • In Reception we have daily phonics sessions to learn to read and write letters. Lessons will initially take place as a whole class and after half term the children will move into smaller groups. • We will also have daily ‘Fred Time’ to support the children’s oral blending of sounds. For more information about Read, Write Inc visit their website: https: //www. ruthmiskin. com/en/find-out-more/parents/

• • • It is important that children learn to form each letter correctly from the start. Therefore, each letter sound has a rhyme to support the children’s letter formation. We will be sending the children home with a copy of these. Each week we will complete fine motor activities to support your child using the correct pencil grip After October half term, your child will begin to bring reading books or phonics activities home. In the meantime sharing stories and recognising letters and sounds will support their literacy development.

Reading books we send home will be specifically matched to your child’s exact reading level and support their next steps in phonics. Every week your child will bring home a new library book for you to share together. Please record the reading you do in their school diary so that they can achieve lots of ‘Read for a Star’ certificates! We will check diaries every Monday and the children who have read at home 4 times that week will achieve a stamp. Certificates will be given out for reaching 10, 20 and 30 stamps and a prize if they reach 40!

Power Maths This year in reception we will be using Power Maths. Power maths is a mastery programme designed to spark curiosity and excitement and develop children’s confidence in maths. It supports a growth mindset approach to learning which as a school we have embedded. The approach allows children to build a deeper understanding of maths concepts. Each week we will include a home learning activity on our learning letter related to the content we have cover in Maths that week.

We will also send home our end of year Maths expectations so you can see all of the things we are going to cover this year!

Keeping you up to date • You should now have received an email to activate your child’s Tapestry account. Once you have done this you will be able to see what they have been learning at school since they started with us. • If you haven’t yet completed the Tapestry consent form please fill in the online consent form so we can set this up. • For more information on Tapestry please click the Tapestry logo below.

Learning with us • • Keep up to date with what we are learning about via the school’s website http: //www. queenshill. norfolk. sch. uk/classes/earlyy ears Every week we will upload our learning letter to Tapestry, so you can see what we have been learning in school and the home learning suggestions. You will receive a paper copy of our half-termly newsletter. This will have key dates and information about what learning is coming up. You can also keep up to date via the school’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Explorers Café Every half term we have an ‘Explorer Cafe’ for you to learn alongside your child. Currently these need to take place remotely and you will be sent a link to access from home after school. These are the planned dates for the year: Thursday 1 st October- All about Harvest Friday 6 th November-We’re Going on a Colour Hunt Wednesday 20 th January- Healthy Me Tuesday 9 th March- Healthy Planet Friday 30 th April- The Big Bug Hunt Wednesday 23 rd June- Volcano Eruption!

Ready, Respectful, Safe • Last year we developed our Queen’s Hill school rules. The three rules we have are Ready, Respectful and Safe. Each class will look at these rules and decide as a class what they look like. • We encourage the children to be part of this process and have ownership over the rules. • We use a recognition system for behaviour and reward children who show behaviours related to our Growth Mindset crowns to help children develop a can-do, positive attitude. All of the Growth Mindsets are related to a character, which you will find out about on our learning letters.

School Houses • Your child will be allocated into a house team to work with during ‘curriculum days’ and sports day. Currently the children will stay with their own class during curriculum days. We will let you know when we are able to enjoy these activities in house teams again.

Top tips • Read our weekly learning letter on Tapestry to find out what we have been learning in class and complete some of the suggested home learning ideas. • Please make sure that everything is named! We can help your child become more independent if their clothing, wellies, water bottles, bags and lunch boxes are named. • Log on to Tapestry to find out what your child has been learning at school. • Please call or email the office if you would like help, advice or have any questions.

Any questions? • If you have any questions about the Reception year please contact the school office via email or telephone and direct it to Miss Compton EYFS Phase Leader. Email- office@queenshill. norfolk. sch. uk Telephone- 01603 746857