St James CofE Primary School
Reception
Welcome to our Reception class. Reception is the start of a child’s school journey. It is where the foundations for future learning are laid. We aim to spark curiosity and expand the imagination so the possibilities of learning are endless. Through play, children begin to explore the world around them, make connections and forge significant relationships. Every child deserves the best start in life and by creating a nurturing, positive and enriching environment, we provide the opportunity for each child to reach their full potential and become lifelong learners.
Staff In Reception Class
Reception Class Teacher - Ms Victor and Miss Arnison
Reception Teaching Assistants - Mrs P and Mr Brandford
Learning In Reception
Click here to view the Reception Curriculum Map.
Click to here view the Reception Timetable.
Click to here view the Reception Topic Web for Autumn 1.
Click to here view the Reception Topic Web for Autumn 2.
Click to here view the Reception Topic Web for Spring 1.
Click to here view the Reception Topic Web for Spring 2.
Click to here view the Reception Topic Web for Summer 1.
Click to here view the Reception Topic Web for Summer 2.
Reception Class Blog
Summer 1
Summer 1 was an absolutely thrilling term packed with hands-on exploratory learning and endless opportunities for purposeful play! Our theme, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” invited the children to step into the enchanting world of traditional tales. By adventuring into the bears’ cottage, they delved into size comparisons through imaginative role-playing with bowls and chairs, even whipping up some delicious porridge! In Maths, the fun continued as they jumped into the world of doubling numbers and solidified their understanding of numbers 11-20. It was a hands-on experience, ensuring they grasped these concepts while having a blast! Literacy brought about a wave of creativity, with the children crafting heartfelt letters of apology from Goldilocks to the Three Bears. They even came up with alternative endings to the story, sparking their imaginative minds.
A fascinating journey through history unfolded as they explored VE Day, discovering what life was like during this significant time. The students learned key facts and dates and created charming crafts for our special VE Day picnic in the garden, bringing history to life! In PSHE, we continued our discussions on kindness, respect, and sharing—the essential elements of a community. It was heartwarming to see how the children embraced these values in their daily interactions.
But the highlight of the term was undoubtedly STEAM WEEK! Bursting with excitement, the children engaged in a variety of innovative lessons that ignited their curiosity and imagination. They experimented with concepts of floating and sinking, creating tin foil boats and challenging themselves to see how many small characters they could fit! Next, they became tech-savvy engineers, programming a Beebot to move in different directions. The mini architects in them emerged as they designed buildings through imaginative junk modelling. In art, they crafted a stunning London skyline by sticking shapes onto a beautiful chalk pastel background. To top it all off, they tackled a series of fun math challenges that kept their brains buzzing! STEAM WEEK was truly a whirlwind of fun and learning that everyone enjoyed!
Spring 2
Reception has had a brilliant half term packed with fun and incredible learning adventures! The children were keen to learn about plants, uncovering what they need to grow, exploring the parts of a flower, and discovering the wonders of life cycles. They planted seeds and made delicious cress sandwiches and learned about ecosystems, leading to the creation of their very own worm gardens!
In mathematics, the excitement continued as the children took part in fun addition and subtraction challenges, played with measurement using non-standard units, and delved into the magic of repeating patterns and capacity. Their literacy journey saw them engaging in various tasks such as writing about their weekend adventures, writing worm facts, and creating eye-catching invitations. They worked hard to master new sounds and had a wonderful World Book Day where they dressed up in their favourite book characters and shared stories with each other.
Circle time was another highlight, where the children engaged in meaningful discussions about The Zones of Regulation, sharing their feelings, and exploring the importance of friendship by using kind hands and words. They had visits from the dentist and firefighters and found out the importance of both occupations.
In the Role Play area, they transformed into imaginative florists and café/bakery staff, having fun while also enhancing their vocabulary and social skills. Their outdoor learning experiences have been filled with joy and adventure, from collaborating in the construction area to cooking in the mud kitchen, exploring melting ice, and concocting magic potions.
The standout event of the term was undoubtedly International Week! The children set off on a fantastic adventure to France, where they learned all about its flag, Paris Fashion Week, and traditional French foods. They even strutted down a catwalk after designing their own fabulous outfits! The creativity continued as they created collages inspired by the French artist Henri Matisse and expanded their vocabulary with exciting new French words. Overall, Reception class has had a whirlwind of a time, enjoying hands-on, exploratory learning while having an absolute blast!
Spring 1
What a fantastic half term we've had in Reception! It has been a pleasure getting to know the children, work closely with them and discover their interests. They have embraced their imagination by taking on roles as veterinarians and police officers while engaging in the Imaginative Play Area. Their creativity has shone through in activities such as crafting wooden stick puppets, painting various pictures for our class display, and refining their observational drawing skills with step-by-step guidance.
In mathematics, the children have expanded their understanding of numbers up to ten, explored simple addition, and written number sentences. They have also learned a variety of new sounds in Phonics and enhanced their literacy skills by constructing sentences about Emergency Helpers and sharing their aspirations for the future.
Their awareness of the world around them has broadened through lessons on Lunar New Year and the various occupations of people who help us. Furthermore, they have developed their communication and language skills by sharing their opinions in discussions about kindness, friendship, and teamwork.
A highlight was the wonderful Reception Reading Breakfast, where the children loved reading with their adults. It was such a lovely morning and the children loved talking all about the books they read.
It has been an absolute joy to work with the children alongside my colleagues, and I eagerly anticipate our next half term, which promises to be filled with fun, learning, and happiness.
Autumn 2
Reception had a fantastic half term, and one of the highlights for me was witnessing their performance at the Singing Assembly. Every child truly gave their best, and the entire performance was a joy to behold.
I also had the opportunity to engage in Christmas crafts with the children, and their enthusiasm and creativity were remarkable. They have been diligently working on their phonics, math, and handwriting, all while learning about the importance of being kind friends and supporting one another. I look forward to discussing these values with the children, ensuring we have a joyful half term filled with meaningful learning and a commitment to treating each other with kindness and respect.
Autumn 1
What a fantastic first term it has been in Reception Class at St. James Primary School! The children have settled in wonderfully, embracing daily routines, building friendships, and connecting with staff. They have jumped into phonics, handwriting, and maths with great enthusiasm and shown amazing creativity in music and art activities.
For Black History Month, we took an exciting journey to Ghana, learning all about the country and creating our own storybook version of Anansi and the Pot of Wisdom. It has been a joy to watch them explore, learn, and try new things with such excitement and confidence. We are incredibly proud of each child’s growth and cannot wait to see what they achieve next!
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