Reception Spring Term
We hope the information below gives you a good understanding of what experiences your child will have over the coming term. This term we encourage your child to start using the knowledge they have learned to work with increasing independence. However, if you need to come in and discuss any issues please do come in and chat to us. We also regularly send out News Letters informing you of new topics and events.
Spring Term
Each term we explore different topics. This term we will be looking at ‘It’s Cold Out There’, ‘Happily Ever After’ (Traditional stories), and ‘What’s it made of?’ (Materials; man made or natural) We also look at ‘What’s New?’ (Spring and Chinese New Year). We will be listening to different types of music as well as making and using musical instruments to create our own compositions. We will explore these topics through all seven areas of learning in a variety of ways.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
This term we want your child to develop their confidence, independence and self-esteem. In class we are encouraging them to maintain attention, concentrate and sit quietly when appropriate and to respond to questions. Assemblies, Circle time and Religious Education all contribute to the children’s development in this area.
By making and keeping friends we want the children to understand that friends/people have different views, cultures and beliefs that need to be treated with respect. We encourage all the children to become sensitive to the needs of others and to form polite and respectful relationships with adults and children alike.
We will also continue to explore the ways to stay healthy with a particular focus on Healthy Eating and Exercise.
Communication and Language
The children will be listening to and responding to stories, songs and poems around our topics. We will be encouraging the children to speak clearly and audibly with confidence, we want them to show an awareness of the listener by using strategies such as polite greetings, looking at the person who is speaking to them and not interrupting. We want them to organise and clarify their own ideas and thoughts before they speak. We use our role play areas to encourage children to engage in imaginary play with opportunities to mark make and write.
Literacy
We follow the Essential Letters and Sound programme to teach the children phonics. We use Project X, Oxford Literacy Web and Oxford Reading Tree books during Guided Reading sessions.
Reading
We will continue using the School Reading Scheme and children will be bringing home each week new letter sounds, new word lists and books to share with you. We change books on a Friday. Please encourage your child to discuss the pictures not just read the sentences. Asking questions about the story encourages your child to read for meaning. Encourage them to express opinions about the story and explain their ideas. Reading should be a fun time together and please continue to read your child’s own story books together. Please write a short comment on your child’s progress as this helps us enormously in planning their next stage of development. If you do not sign the reading record we will be unable to send a new book home.
Writing
This term children are learning to write simple phonetic and tricky words and progressing onto captions and short sentences. They will be learning how to hold a pencil correctly and use correct letter formation. Colouring, cutting and list making at home all help develop their confidence, as well as developing their fine motor skills.
Sounds and Letters
We will be introducing the children to new phonic sounds every week. Most children are confident in all the sounds of the alphabet and are starting to write them independently. The children will use these sounds to read and spell simple CVC words such as ‘cat’ ‘run’ and ‘red’, and have started reading words such as ‘shop’ ‘chips’ and ‘bath’ We are moving on to Phase 3 sounds. These include sounds such as revisiting ck, sh, th and ch as well as introducing ai, ee, igh, oa and oo.
Maths
We will continue to explore the composition of numbers to 10 and learn number facts. The children are encouraged to use and apply the skills they have learned when engaging in problem solving activities.
This term the children in Reception will enjoy number rhymes, number recognition and counting games, measuring, sequencing and number writing. They will continue to consolidate their knowledge of numbers up to 20 and beyond. The children will be comparing quantities using language such as ‘more than’, ‘less than’, ‘fewer’ ‘longer’, ‘shorter’, heavier’ and ‘lighter’. They will use the vocabulary of time, by sequencing events and learning days of the week, months of the year and seasonal changes. Work will be a mix of practical, guided and independent activities. Keep practicing learning 2D and 3D shape names and looking for them in the environment.
Understanding the World
This term we are exploring how we use our senses to find out about the world. The children will be finding out about different cultures, within our society, by exploring different festivals that occur at this time of year. We will study seasonal changes to encourage your child to be aware of their environment and appreciate the passing of time.
The children will be using computers and the interactive whiteboards in the class to support their learning in all areas on a daily basis.
Expressive Arts and Design
We want the children to respond and offer their opinion on what they see, hear, smell, touch and feel through creative development. We link many of our Design and Technology and craft activities to our topics. This term we will be engaged in dance, singing and music making.
The children will be given the opportunity to experiment with various media and explore the various textures, shapes and effects they achieve using paint and collage. The children will be developing their fine motor skills by engaging in many cutting and sticking projects. They will try observational drawing of objects in their environment.
We develop imagination through role play, dance and small world activities. We encourage children to use the arts skills we have taught them to develop their creativity in many forms.
Physical Development
Physical activities are weekly and our PE slot is Friday. Please could you ensure that your child’s kit is named and that they do not wear earrings on PE days. We will continue to wear PE kits all day Friday until we are advised otherwise. Thank you.
We are learning about the importance of keeping healthy (sleep, diet, hygiene and exercise) and recognise some of the changes that happen to their bodies.
During this term the children will be developing their physical skills such as climbing, balancing and moving safely. They will be learning gymnastic skills, yoga balances or joining in dance sessions. They will be learning to control their bodies to respond to a variety of music. They have daily access to small equipment such as skipping ropes, balls, hoops, bikes, stilts and bean bags. Weather permitting, we try and get out every day. Having appropriate clothes is very important.
Assessment, progress and parental feedback
Over the year we will be assessing each individual child’s progress. The children will not know that they are being assessed, as the teachers record their findings by observing the children as they work and play and by examining their work. We also make a Learning Journey of your child’s year in Reception which is sent to you electronically.
After half term there will be a parent evening (remotely if necessary) where you will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress. Further information will be sent out nearer the time, explaining how you book a slot. A written report on your child’s progress will be sent home to you in July which will have teacher’s comments and a final update of your child’s achievements in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile.
We hope this information has been useful and if you wish to discuss anything further please telephone for a chat.
Thank you
Miss Robinson and Mrs Cavanagh
