Reception

Welcome to Reception. We are split into two classes – Class 3 and Class 4.  

Our teachers are Mr Binks (Class 3) and Miss Joyce-Gibbons (Class 4). Our HLTA is Miss Threadkell and our Teaching Assistant is Miss Harper. 

Curriculum

In Reception we learn differently to some of the other year groups in our school. The majority of our learning and development is progressed through effective play. We aim to provide a creative and child-initiated curriculum where every pupil can thrive and become an expert in their own way. Through our teaching, relationships with children and our learning environment, children will learn through our holistic curriculum, which enables them to develop and explore their own interests. Day in, day out, our children will follow their interests through open-ended resources and effective adult interactions within the continuous provision. We will then notice the fascinations our children have, so we can respond and create opportunities to follow these fascinations and learn more about them. Some interests that children often have are planned for in our curriculum planning, however this planning can be adapted in order for our children to follow their own fascinations. Each child will form a foundation of phonic knowledge, early reading, writing and mathematics. These are either taught in discrete sessions, streamed groups, or while the children are engrossed in their play (depending on the appropriateness). Also, discrete lessons of PE, RE, Topic based content and PSHE (Taught as PSED via the Jigsaw scheme) are all taught to the children at least once per week. Our topics are based on typical language progression through our children’s reception year. It begins to build on children’s knowledge and understanding of themselves before exploring the wider world and eventually the past. 

Our ethos of “permission to be spontaneous”, will enable our children to engage in and continue their life- long learning journey where they have a thrive for knowledge and answers through their opportunity to follow their fascinations. Additionally, we will promote independence, resilience, compassion and determination throughout our Reception setting, underpinned by introducing and using the GEM powers (diamond power, emerald power, ruby power and sapphire power). 

We believe that our curriculum forms a powerful foundation for life-long learning at Wingate Primary School. It allows our children’s Reception year in school to be an exciting, enjoyable and unique time in their lives which will help them to continue to be the most important people in the world!

Class Information and Homework

Phonics

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." — Dr. Seuss 

In Reception we aim to extend your child’s reading journey by teaching them to read and write using our chosen phonics scheme called Bug Club Phonics. Our children are taught phonics every day using this scheme and it supports and extends their reading and writing development. Your child will be set homework each week which relates to the phonics lessons they have been taught that week.  

This scheme offers a variety of both online and physical resources that you can use at home. Our children are given reading books to take home every Friday which need to be read at home each night and returned on Wednesday. Our children also have access to Bug Club Online, which is accessed using a login card which is sent home. On here there are a variety of different games and books you can look at with your child. Also, there are different parts of our phonics lessons you can look at and explore at your own leisure.  

Reading

At Wingate Primary School, we aim to foster a love of reading and to increase exposure to different types of texts. Through regular reading, we aim to practise the new sounds which are taught daily in phonics, and to apply this to their reading.  

There are also 'real' books for children to explore in different areas of the classroom and we re-read our core collection over and over so that we can become confident story-tellers! 

PE Lessons

We have 2 PE sessions each week, one on Tuesday and the other on Wednesday.  Our children take part in these sessions wearing their school PE kit. Footwear is not required until the Spring term when the children will be taking part in our Ball Games topic. 

To support your child’s learning and development, please help your child to practise getting changed by themselves. This is a very important skill that supports your child to gain autonomy and independence.  

The PE lessons themselves will develop many different movement and listening skills. Our PE topics are; Introduction to PE (Following basic instructions and moving freely in a variety of ways), Fundamental skills (balancing, running, hopping, jumping, travelling and changing direction), Ball Skills, Football, Gymnastics and Games.  We encourage our children to continue these skills at home with their families. 

Maths

Homework

Every week children will receive homework to complete with parents and carers. The whole point of our home learning activities are to consolidate and extend their learning alongside their families. If you have any questions about our homework, please speak to your child’s class teacher.