Reception Summer Term
We hope the information below gives you a good understanding of what experiences your child will have over the coming term.
Over the year we have been assessing each individual child’s progress. The teachers record their findings by observing the children as they work and play and by examining their work. We also look at their learning styles and their Characteristics of Effective Learning.
A full report on your child’s progress will be sent home to you in July.
Summer Term
During this term we will be looking at Space, Different ways of Travelling and Exploring Different Animal Environments including Farms and the Local Environment.
We will also be preparing your child for next year and will run a series of transition activities to introduce your child to their new teacher in Year 1. More information will follow.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Now that the children are nearing the end of their first school year, we want them to continue to develop confidence, independence and self-esteem. In class we are encouraging them to maintain attention, concentrate, to 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.
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 ‘taking turns’ in conversation. We want them to organise and clarify their own ideas and thoughts before they speak, using full sentences and extending their vocabulary.
Much of our ‘Learning through Play’ is linked to our Topic and Literacy work. The children will engage in imaginary play, purposeful communication and use their design skills to build rockets, dens and boats for their play.
Literacy
Literacy is divided into three areas; Comprehension, Word Reading and Writing. We follow the Essential Letters and Sounds phonic programme.
Phonics
Now that the children have become familiar with letter sounds we are now learning letter names. We will continue using letter sounds to develop their phonic work. We are now revising all Phase 3 & 4 sounds including digraphs and trigraphs such as; ai, ee, igh, oa, oo, ow, ur, ar, or, oi, air, ear, er and ure and practising reading words containing adjacent consonants (nk, sk, mp, fr, sp, fl, gl etc). We will then move onto Phase 5 sounds ay, ou, ie. ea, oy, ir, ue, aw, wh, ph, ew, oe, au, ey, a-e, e-e, i-e, o-e, u-e and c in the last half term. Please go through your child’s reading record and practice all the lists and words sent home. Once your child becomes familiar reading these words try helping your child write and spell them independently.
Useful websites are: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zcqqtfr
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/games/#/lb/alphablocks/alphablocksgames
https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/ - try Picnic on Pluto or Buried Treasure.
Reading
We are encouraging the children, both at home and in school, to show an understanding of the elements of stories, e.g. the main characters, sequence of events, and to use awareness of the grammar of a sentence to predict words.
We are finding out how information can be found in non-fiction texts to answer questions about; where, who, why and how.
Please keep learning new word/sounds lists that we send home and read with your child both the school reading scheme books and your child’s own story books. Don’t forget to sign the reading record three times per week as your child reads. Thank you.
Writing
Now that the children can write their own names and simple words, we are teaching them to form sentences. We encourage them to think about, organise and discuss what they intend to write before writing it down. We encourage them to write independently, writing Hard to Read and Spell words correctly and using their phonic knowledge to ‘sound out’ other words. We are also teaching them to use full stops and capital letters correctly.
They will continue to practise letter formation so that they can form all letters correctly. They love this skywriter activity – click on the link below.
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/r.aspx?sid=5413
Mathematics
There are two areas of Maths: Number and Numerical Patterns. Running through these strands, the children are encouraged to use and apply the skills they have learned when engaging in problem solving activities. Homework is sent home on a Friday and should be returned on a Tuesday.
This term the children in Reception will enjoy measuring, addition and subtraction, sequencing and number writing. They will continue to consolidate their knowledge of numbers up to 20 and beyond. They need to be able to recognise and order numbers up to 20 as well as odd and even numbers. We are learning to count in 2s, 5s and 10s and learning the number bonds to 10 by heart.
The new framework encourages children to develop their understanding of how numbers are made up – knowing different ways of ‘making’ each number using addition and subtraction facts. This is something we will continue to focus on this term.
The children will also learn how to double and halve numbers up to 20. The children will be comparing quantities using language such as ‘more’, ‘less’, ‘longer’, ‘shorter’, heavier’ and ‘lighter’. They will use the vocabulary of time, by sequencing events and will begin to read the ‘o’clock’ time. Work will be a mix of practical, guided and independent activities. As the weather continues to improve, more activities will be taken outside to develop problem solving skills.
Useful websites are:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/numberblocks
www.topmarks.co.uk – click on Spring Maths
Physical Development
Physical activities will continue weekly with our coach on a Thursday. During this term the children will be developing their athletic skills such as running, throwing and jumping. They will also have daily access to small equipment such as skipping ropes, stilts, bats and balls and bean bags.
Please could you ensure that your child’s kit is named and that they do not wear earrings on PE days.
We are continuing to learn about the importance of keeping healthy (sleep, diet, hygiene and exercise) and recognise some of the changes that happen to our bodies when we exercise.
Understanding the World
This term we are exploring different homes and environments for both humans and animals. We will look at oceans, farms and jungles as well as small world environments such as ponds and rock gardens as we learn to care for our own mini-beasts. We are encouraging the children to talk about their immediate environment and the features they like and dislike. We will look at alternative places such as Africa to look at similarities and differences. We will explore maps to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the world.
We are also focusing on how transport has developed over the years from the canals and early steam trains to space travel, as we look at our solar system.
The children will continue to be given a taste of the different cultures within our society. The children will be using computers and the interactive whiteboards in the class to support their learning.
Expressive Arts and Design
We want the children to respond and offer their opinion about what they see, hear, smell, touch and feel through creative development. We link much of our Design and Technology and Craft Activities to our topics and encourage children to use different media and materials. This term we will continue to engage in dance, singing and music making.
