Reception Class

Is your child "in-between"?

Reception Curriculum

• Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
• Communication, Language & Literacy
• Creative Development
• Personal, Social & Emotional Development
• Physical Development
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Reception Class

The following outlines are to provide parents with brief details of the Early Years curriculum in the two reception classes. The planning is based on the six areas of learning set out in the Early Years curriculum / Foundation Stage document, published by the DfES. We would expect the majority of our Reception children to exceed the targets (Early Learning Goals) established in Government curriculum materials. As our Reception groups are differentiated to allow children to work at levels appropriate to their ability, your child may be set work that differs from some of general outlines below. The following provides you with general information of the curriculum covered through the six areas of learning, which are incorporated through a wide range of exciting, stimulating and challenging themes and topics.

Problem Solving, Reasoning And Numeracy

• Recognise numerals 0-20.
• Count reliably up to 10 everyday objects.
• Talk about, recognise and recreate patterns.
• Use language, such as circle or bigger to describe the shape and size of solids and flat shapes.
• Say and use the number names, in order, in familiar contexts.
• Use non-standard measures.
• Use language of time - 'o' clocks.
• Experience practical capacity.
• Find one more or one less than a number from 0-20.
• Counting and ordering numbers to twenty.
• In practical activities and discussion begin to use the vocabulary involved in adding and subtracting.
• Show an awareness of money.
• Use language such as more or less, greater or smaller, heavier or lighter to compare two numbers or quantities.
• Consolidate all areas covered in previous terms.
• Begin to relate addition to combining two groups of objects and subtracting to 'taking away'.
• Read, write and order numbers from 0 to 20.
• Use everyday words to describe position.
• Use developing mathematical ideas and methods to solve problems.
• Counting in 2s, 5s and 10s.

Communication, Language And Literacy

• Have an emerging self-confidence to speak, and listen to others about wants, needs and interests.
• Children will develop a comfortable and efficient pencil grip.
• Extend their vocabulary to explore the meanings and sounds of new words.
• Recognise letters sounds and introduce blends.
• Children will learn to form lower case letters correctly and to recognise upper case letters. Write own name.
• Recognise initial sounds and letters in word and writing.
• Show an interest in illustrations and print in books.
• Non-fiction: look at simple non-fiction texts, including recounts.
• Learn to recognise high-frequency and familiar words.
• Listen to and join in stories and poems one to one and also in small groups.
• Children will continue to consolidate work from the previous term.
• Children will continue to practise handwriting, learning correct letter formation.
• Children will become aware of the need to use punctuation.
• Show an interest in illustrations and print in books.
• Begin to be aware of how stories are structured and make predictions in their stories.
• Write labels captions and simple sentences.
• Identify sound blends in words.
• To continue and consolidate work from previous terms.
• Show an understanding of the elements of stories such as main characters, sequence of events and openings.
• Use writing as a means of recording and communicating.
• Retell narratives with increasing detail. Retell stories giving main points in sequence.
• Know initial, medial and final sounds in common C.V.C. words. Identify sound blends in words.
• Children will write captions for their work.
• Children will write stories based on their personal experiences.
• Children will write simple lists.

Creative Development

• Tap out simple repeated rhythms.
• Through a variety of practical apparatus and activities the children will explore and learn how sounds can be changed.
• Children will be given opportunities to experiment with construction kits, collages, paintings and drawings.
• Children will learn to move with dance and expression.
• Experiment with materials to create different textures.
• Work creatively on a large or small scale.
• Imitate and create movement and respond to musical stimulus.
• Perform Nativity-Drama and songs.
• Sew with threads to create initials.
• Opportunities for children to express their thoughts, ideas and feelings in a variety of ways such as, role-play, painting and responding to music.
• Appropriate materials and media will be used to extend the children's thinking through involvement.
• Children will learn to find solutions to problems.
• Children will learn to recognise that we feel through our senses.

Summer Term

• Activities will be designed to build children's confidence and self-esteem.
• Language will be introduced that enables children to talk about their experiences in greater depth and detail.
• Children will continue to extend their experience and imagination through pictures, paintings, poems and stories, music and dance.
• Children will be encouraged to share their ideas and to discuss and appreciate the beauty around them in nature and the environment.

Personal, Social And Emotional Development

• Children will be encouraged to tackle their own challenges.
• Children will be taught to operate independently within the environment and show confidence in linking up with others for support and guidance.
• Children will be expected to dress and undress independently and manage their own personal hygiene.
• Experience circle time and share experiences and feelings.
• Experience an awareness of cultures and religion.
• Pupils will be asked to interact with other children and teachers will allow them to learn from their experiences, including their mistakes.
• Manipulative materials will be accessed and used independently.
• Activities will be provided which enable children to ask questions, seek answers, make decisions and solve problems.
• To provide experiences, activities and materials which are challenging but achievable.
• Provide activities and familiar experiences to allow children to share knowledge from different parts of their life experiences.
• To show an awareness of other cultural and religious differences.
• To allow opportunities for the children to become curious enthusiastic and busy resulting in confident, independent learners.

Physical Development

• The development of movement individually and as part of a group.
• Children will be encouraged to respond to action songs.
• In movement words such as gallop, slither, follow, lead will be used.
• In drama children will be encouraged to move at more than one speed and use a wide range of body parts.
• Activities will be devised to allow the children to exercise increasing control over an object i.e. throwing catching, pushing.
• To initiate new combinations of movement and gesture in order to allow children to express and respond to feelings, ideas and experiences.
• Safety on landing will be taught in gymnastics.
• The creation of space, time and safe surfaces for children to plan their own routes indoors and out.
• Role-play experiences will be encouraged.
• The introduction of words such as between, through and above will encourage movement development.
• Questions will be set which can lead children towards estimating and recording.
• To provide the opportunity for children to develop and refine existing skills.
• Children will continue at all times to use a wide range of small and large apparatus both indoors and out.
• Swimming lessons will take place throughout the Summer Term.

Knowledge And Understanding Of The World

• Myself: Food and Health Children will learn about the importance of food, water, and exercise for humans to stay healthy and alive. Children will look at the differences between themselves and others: treating others sensitively.
• Myself: My Environment and My School/Home In studying their environment children will learn to ask questions about where they live and the natural world. They will take notice of features in the local environment. They will use appropriate vocabulary to reinforce observations. e.g. town, park, village, city.
• Myself: Body Parts and the Senses Children will learn about their bodies and investigate the five senses.
• Myself: Families Children will look at their families and family trees.
• Bears: Habitats and Climates.
• Autumn: Seasons.
• Christmas: The First Christmas.
• People who help us We will look at people who help us at home and school. Children will learn about the Emergency services and keeping safe.
• New Year and Winter We will look at seasonal changes and traditions and customs. Children will learn about animals living in Winter.
• Easter We will learn about the Easter story and new life.
• Dinosaurs We will explore the history of Dinosaurs and fossils.
• Transport We will learn about a variety of transport systems, looking at the history of transport and air, land and sea transport.
• Summer We will investigate outside - minibeasts, weather in summer, plants and flowers and understand that plants need light and water to grow.

Music

• Ongoing Skills

Focus on the development of the singing voice and other essential musical skills (listening skills, aural memory and physical skills)

• Most children will:

sing simple songs from memory with enjoyment, some expression and a sense of the shape of the melody; use their voices confidently in a variety of ways; listen carefully and recall short rhythmic and melodic patterns; show physical control when playing musical instruments and responding to music

• Some children will not have made so much progress and will:

recognise that their voices can be used in different ways, and begin to find their singing voices; clap short rhythmic patterns, but will need help when recalling longer phrases or talking about pieces of music; respond physically to music

• Some children will have progressed further and will:

sing simple songs accurately at a given pitch and with clear diction and expression; identify subtle changes in sounds and recall complete phrases; show considerable physical control of instruments and of their bodies when performing and responding to music