Welcome to Year R.

Our year group is made up of three classes:

Penguin Class

Katharine Feehan

Turtle Class

Aoife Owens

Seahorse Class

Gillian Coombes & Clair Jardella

We spend some time together each day in our classrooms but also have lots of opportunities to mix across the year group in our indoor active learning zone (ALZ) and wonderful outdoor classroom.

A typical day in reception starts with the children putting their photographs on the chart to show that they are here.

This is then followed by a short maths session where we practise counting and recognising our numbers together. We also learn about different ways of measuring and the names and properties of simple shapes and patterns. As the year progresses we develop our skills in addition and subtraction too.

After our numeracy session we split into groups going to the different areas of the setting. Sometimes we choose our own activities, sometimes we work alone, and sometimes we work as part of a small group with our friends or in a team led by an adult.

The emphasis throughout the year is on learning through play based activities.

• We provide a wide range of rich activities and play experiences

• Stimulating and accessible resources that foster open-ended play

• Flexible indoor and outdoor space and resources

• A calm and orderly environment

• Each day the children will feel like they are just playing and enjoying themselves … the emphasis in our curriculum is on learning through play.
• Young children learn from everything around them: people, environment, atmosphere, routine and experiences
• Children learn by having the opportunity to do things for themselves and with others: by exploring, investigating, watching, listening, talking, discussing, creating, communicating … in other words – playing!

Children are supported on their journey to become lifelong learners through developing the characteristics of effective learning.

 

When we have finished an activity we try hard to tidy up carefully putting away the things we have used. If we are being really kind we help our friends tidy their things away too.

We always try to follow the ‘Golden Rules’ and spend lots of time talking about these particularly when we first start school.

• We are Kind
• We listen
• We are honest
• We look after property
• We work hard

We all join together at the end of the morning session to wash our hands and have a healthy fruit snack with milk or water to drink. We really enjoy listening to stories and sharing our work during this time.

After break we spend time practising our phonics. We call this ‘Read Write Inc’ time. We learn lots of different sounds and how to build them into words for reading and writing.

At lunchtime we sit together with our friends at a table. Our teachers stay with us at first to help us but as the year goes on we can collect our own food and cut it all up ourselves. We can choose to add extra salad or fruit to our main meal and desert.

In the afternoon we begin by practising our handwriting and letter formation or other skills which will help with our pencil control such as dough gym and climbing on the monkey bars.

Then we continue with our choice of activity as we do in the morning. At the end of the day we all gather together again for a story or to sing together before collecting our bags and putting on our coats for home.

Working together helping your child to learn

Children learn from everything around them: people, environment, atmosphere, routine and experiences

• Talk with your child
• Read to your child
• Sing with your child
• Make things together
• Play simple games
• Get plenty of exercise
• Words and numbers in the environment
• Building and construction materials
• Imaginative and ‘small world’ toys
• Trips!

Always send us in a note or ’Magic Moment’ when your child demonstrates new skills and knowledge at home. We like to share them with the class and add them to your child’s learning journal.

Please use this website to look at the weekly letters from the year R team which will tell you what we have been doing each week and suggest some activities you could try at home.