Reception is a significant and exciting stage in a child’s education, where strong foundations are built for future learning.
We provide a nurturing, ambitious and stimulating environment where children are supported to become confident, curious and independent learners from the very start of their school journey.
Our curriculum is carefully designed to combine high-quality teaching, purposeful play and rich first-hand experiences. Through engaging themes, stories, exploration and outdoor learning, children develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to thrive across all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Meet the team
- Miss Begum – Cooke Class Teacher
- Miss Heath – Waddell Class Teacher
- Miss Ozzy – Higher Level Teaching Assistant
- Miss Tasnim – Teaching Assistant
Our team works closely with children and families to ensure that every child feels happy, secure and successful as they begin their school journey.
What we learn
Our Reception curriculum is structured around carefully planned themes that inspire curiosity and support progression throughout the year:
- Autumn 1 – All About Me
- Autumn 2 – Celebrating Differences
- Spring 1 – Adventurous Journeys
- Spring 2 – The Circle of Life
- Summer 1 – Looking After Our World
- Summer 2 – Tales and Wonders
Children develop knowledge and skills across all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage:
- Communication and Language
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
A love of reading underpins the curriculum, while early STEM opportunities encourage children to investigate, explore and solve problems through hands-on learning.
A day in Reception
Children experience a carefully balanced day that combines focused teaching, adult-led learning, and high-quality continuous provision both indoors and outdoors.
A typical day includes:
- English and Mathematics learning sessions
- Daily Read Write Inc. phonics
- Assembly
- Adult-led group activities
- Continuous provision indoors and outdoors
- Topic-based learning linked to curriculum themes
- Story time
- Opportunities for exploration, investigation and creative play
Through carefully planned provision, children are supported to apply their learning independently, while staff extend thinking through purposeful interactions, modelling and questioning.
Reading and Phonics
Reading is central to everything we do in Reception.
Children take part in daily Read Write Inc. phonics sessions, where they systematically learn sounds, words and early reading skills needed to become confident readers and writers.
Alongside phonics, children are immersed in high-quality stories, rhymes, poems and daily story time sessions designed to build vocabulary, language development and a love of reading. We aim to ensure that every child develops a strong foundation in reading and a genuine enjoyment of books.
Children are encouraged to read regularly at home and take part in our reading challenge, celebrating progress and effort throughout the year.
Home learning and partnership with parents
We believe that children make the strongest progress when home and school work in close partnership.
Parents are encouraged to:
- Read regularly with their child
- Practise phonics sounds and tricky words
- Talk and share stories together
- Support learning through everyday experiences
We use Tapestry to share children’s learning, progress and achievements throughout the year. This provides families with insight into school life and helps us build a shared understanding of each child’s development. Parents are also encouraged to contribute observations from home, ensuring that learning is recognised and celebrated in all contexts.
Trips, visits and memorable experiences
Learning in Reception is enriched through a range of carefully planned experiences that bring the curriculum to life and create lasting memories.
Children may take part in visits such as:
- Fire Brigade visit
- St Paul’s Cathedral Christmas Journey
- Reading Discovery Centre
- Greenwich Planetarium
- Mudchute Farm
- Buckingham Palace
Alongside these, children enjoy a wide range of “wow moments” that enhance learning and spark curiosity, including cooking experiences, seasonal celebrations, animal life cycles, planting projects, theatre experiences and storytelling events.
These opportunities are designed to deepen understanding, broaden experiences and support children’s personal development.
