In Reception, we follow a child-led approach to planning which ensures individual interests are fostered and nurtured. Children plan their learning journey with their teachers so that each week, activities ignite their interest and heighten engagement. Children in Reception also participate in weekly specialist French, music and P.E. lessons which broaden their curriculum and experiences.
The Reception children enjoy learning from a broad curriculum, both inside and outside of the classroom, and are actively encouraged to develop their independence and question their discoveries. Our small class sizes and high staff to pupil ratios ensure that every individual’s talents are recognised and encouraged, enabling all children to reach their full potential.
The Early Years’ team teach children by ensuring challenging, playful opportunities across all areas of learning and development. During their year in Reception, children will move through the seven areas of learning and begin to work from the Key Stage 1 syllabus. Each child is helped to progress through the following areas:
Prime Areas
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Making relationships, Self-confidence and self-awareness, Managing feelings and behaviours
- Physical Development: Moving and handling, Health and self-care
- Communication and Language: Listening and Attention, Understanding, Speaking
Specific Areas
- Literacy: Reading and 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
In addition to phonics, literacy, mathematics and their specialist lessons, technology plays an important role across the curriculum and is integrated into lessons.
Children in Year 6 often visit their buddy in Reception to read or play outside with them, helping the children create strong relationships across year groups. In addition, our Reception classes are housed in the same building as our Pre-Reception classes so from a young age, the children in Reception start to share their knowledge with younger children and understand responsibility.
Throughout Reception, the children have many opportunities to visit places in their local community and welcome visitors into the classroom. This encourages the children to make connections between their experiences at school and the world in which they live.