Reception
July 2020
Reception - As you are about to move up to 'big' school and year 1, Miss Turner and I just wanted to congratulate you on being amazing. 
This has been a year like no other but it has been fantastic to see some of you and to know that you have been trying really hard with your learning (through picking up the hard copy of the Summer workpack, coming to school, accessing these class pages and using Bug Club). You, your Mummy, your Daddy and your Carer should be very proud of your family's hard work.
When you come back to school in September we will be waiting and very happy to see you.
To prepare for the big adventure of Year 1 there are some things you can do at home to help -
1. Use Bug Club - this really is a fantastic resource. There are different resources available for you to use.
They are as follows:-
- Bug Club - reading stories and answering questions about the books online
- Maths Factor - interactive maths learning that guides you through basic solid maths foundations
-Spelling and Grammar Bug - The foundations of writing
Completing the different elements of Bug Club with a little and often approach throughout the Summer will prepare you for a well - rounded start to learning when you come back.
2. Use your local library - as the libraries begin to reopen you can go and get a selection of childrens books (which you can leave out for 3+ days to minimise the risk), you can then use these to read to your child and discuss (words and pictures).
3. Carry on using the learning tools available from the BBC and other websites (see below for previous links)
As always, please contact us via the school office if you have any questions or queries you would like answered.
Kind regards, best wishes and stay safe,
Miss Lockyer and Miss Turner
Useful Websites QR Codes for Mobile Phones
23rd June 2020: Black Lives Matter - A Parent's Guide: This handbook has been uploaded to the parents section of the school website. This is a useful tool which parents and carers can use to help children understand the current campaign.
June 2020 - A new pack of Reception schoolwork linked to Summer 2 will be available for collection from the office after half term - please call prior to collection to check the times and availability. (Soft copies of the resources are below alongside a parent/carer letter).
Many thanks and stay safe,
Miss Lockyer and Miss Turner
May 2020! Good news Reception!
As of the middle of May we have completed the most reading through Bug Club of any year group at Leys! Well done. Let's keep it up Reception - Keep reading those bug club books.
Thinking of you all,
Miss Lockyer and Miss Turner
8th June 2020 A new home learning pack has become available which you can use with your children to help with thinking equal. We are using the school version in school over the rest of the summer term. Please see the PHSE links below for the pack section:
Summer 2 Workpack
Summer 1 - Dear Parents and Carers,
Caterpillar update! scroll down to RL's rainbow icon and see our caterpillars turn into butterflies!
I have also included a list of some additional websites, packs and homelearning resources that might be useful to you at this time. Please do not feel pressured into completing all activities. Remember - in Early Years the most important thing that you can do with your child is read stories (to them and with them) and talk about their world with them (bug club has updated to include phonics as well as books and you should have access to these resources).
Hungry Little Minds: The government has signposted a number of resources for 0-5 year olds which will aid children at this time. (As well as children in Reception some of the resources are useful for parents of younger children and babies too!) : https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/
Oak Academy Trust: Signposted by the government - Reception (and other years) have daily online lessons linked to the curriculum and taught in order. I have had a look at week 1, day 1 Reception) - If you are looking for a bit more structure for your child then this website may provide it - . If you wish to engage, I suggest that you dip in and use as and when you wish (https://www.thenational.academy/online-classroom/reception/#schedule)
Or (https://www.thenational.academy/online-classroom/reception#subjects)
I am also aware that as of the 20th April the BBC have launched a home learning resource (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/dailylessons). It does not yet link to any Reception year resources but you may wish to look at some of the activities in the 5-6 year section to see what children will be learning next year.
Please remember a more comprehensive list of websites and activities is below this update.
If during this time, you have any queries then please direct them to the school office who will pass them on.
Thinking of you and kindest regards,
Miss Lockyer and Miss Turner
Ruth Miskin Phonics Sessions (I would recommend set 1 and set 2) and story sessions are starting 20th April
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo7fbLgY2oA_cFCIg9GdxtQ
Phonics Activity Pack (helpful for children learning to read and write)
NRich Maths (ideas for Early Years)
https://nrich.maths.org/early-years
Children's guide to Coronavirus (useful powerpoint to help explain and help children to understand) https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cco-childrens-guide-to-coronavirus.pdf
Childhood Bereavement Network (Advice and Support during this difficult time) http://www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/help-around-a-death/covid-19.aspx
Older children might benefit from this digital book illustrated by Axel Scheffler about the Coronavirus. https://nosycrowcoronavirus.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Coronavirus_ABookForChildren.pdf
Easter and Summer Resources (Additional Activity Packs will be available for the school office after the Easter Holidays)
Spring 20 - Dear Parent/Carer,
This is a brief note to remind you of some of the activities you can do at home to help your child during this time:
- Excellent Home Learning Hub Timetable (inc. links) from Twinkl (3-5, 5-7 and 7-11 ages) includes link to Joe Wicks (P.E. with Joe) daily PE lesson: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/home-learning-hub
- Basic Knowledge Plastic Wallet: This wallet contains number cards and high frequency words that will help your child’s learning. Your child can practice these for 5 minutes a day so that they can apply them to their maths, reading and writing play and learning.
- Guided Reading Book and Reading Journal: Read with your child each day and keep a note of books read. You can read a selection of books from home as well as accessing Bug Club (see below). Another resource available is at the following website (a useful reading tool) https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/
- Bug Club: Children have an additional resource that the school buys into called bug club, which is for use at home. Bug club is an online reading library geared to the level of book your child is currently reading at. Questions are linked to each book that children answer as they read (click on the bugs in the book). The children need to log in at home at; www.activelearnprimary.co.uk with their user name and password and the school code t6j3. Each child’s user name and log in are at the front of their reading journals.
- An additional Easter /Summer homework pack for your child to complete during this time will soon be available from the school office. Some of the resources are available below
We have included below a number of useful websites to support you at his time. Remember the content of these websites is not under school control.
Reception Learning:
Bug club: https://www.activelearnprimary.co.uk/login?e=-1&c=0#pupils
Reading resource: https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/
Twinkl (resources to print at home – search for EYFS – early years foundation stage): https://www.twinkl.co.uk/search?term=
Cbeebies – search for numberblocks and alphablocks: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies
BBC Teach (broken down into 5-7 and 7 - 11 year olds upwards). Videos and interactive lessons mapped to curriculum areas - useful for childrens individual interests and helping to see where Reception children are aiming: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach
Literacy and numeracy games:
http://www.letters-and-sounds.com/
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/Early-Years.html
Non-screen activities from Pobble: https://medium.com/pobble/simple-and-fun-non-screen-activities-that-children-can-do-at-home-115543cb3b9c
Home learning booklet from TTS: http://www.tts-group.co.uk/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-TTSSharedLibrary/default/vaea75f5663a038b8658d258fd198e57ce70b35d6/images/homepage/Early_Years_Home_Learning_Collection.pdf?version=1,584,037,589,000
As always, thank you for your understanding and help. If you have any queries then please come and see us.
Kindest regards,
Miss Lockyer and Miss Turner
Reception is an exciting and enjoyable place to learn. Your child will take part in a range of activities across seven areas of learning. This will allow them to explore new concepts through play, as well as through more structured activities.
Our Current Learning.
This half term, we will be focussing on Minibeasts. and exploring stories, poems and information books like The Bad Tempered Ladybird, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Mad about Minibeasts and I Love Bugs. We will explore how to make friends, World Book Day, writing sorry letters, creating our own minibeasts, Shrove Tuesday and investigate the life cycle of butterflies. We will also be going on our first 'big' school trip (a visit to the Gruffalo Park) to explore the outside and our imagination.
We continue our embedding of numbers (0-10. 11-20 and number-bonds to 5/10) alongside accumulating the understanding of our High Frequency Words - which is also helping us with a guided reading. We are continuing our learning of letters names and sounds with a focus on reinforcing sounds we have learnt and moving onto learning sounds made up of 2 letters. Children are continuing to apply letter sound knowledge to writing as well as continuing to focus writing their names, including their second name (using accurate letter formation)
Our Previuos Learning
During Spring 1 we were learning all about Superheroes and their special powers - with an additional focus on Chinese New Year.
We explored recycling, positional language, road safety, problem solving escaping from ice, helping our character friends solve reading clues to save our friends and doubling through exploring superhero stories such as Jim Swims, Superworm, X-Ray Rex and Supertato. We explored time, ordinal numbers, sequencing and food exploration through Chinese New Year.
During Autumn Term One, our topic was: ‘All About Me!’
We learnt and explored about ourselves and our families; how to look after each other and how to stay healthy. Some of our activities includede; making fruit faces, drawing our families, writing how old we are and ordering house numbers.
We also practiced recognising and ordering our numbers to 10 and beyond. We began learning to recognise and write our first name and began our Phonic journey – learning the letter names and sounds of the alphabet.
During Autumn Term 2 our topic was all about the changing seasons and Winter - with a focus on celebrations and festivals.
We explored Diwali and Bonfire Night as well as looking at the changes we saw in our environment as the leaves fell and the weather became chillier and the days darker. Activities included - making a diva lamp, creating a giant firework display, exploring ice and preparing for the Reception Christmas performance. We went on our first school trip (a local visit to a shop) to buy ingredients for a secret surprise for Parents and Carers at the end of the term.
Helping at Home.
Your child has been given;
Basic Knowledge Wallet: which will contain numbercards and (over time) words to read and spell. Please practice at home daily and put in their book bag daily – as we practice in school too! A home achievement slip will be provided in the wallet so that you can let us know what fantastic things your child does at home as well.
Home Reading Journal and Book: This book will be read in school once per week and should be read at home too – please write any reading that you do in their reading journal and sign it so we know that it has been read. Your reading journal will also have your child’s bug club username and password, which will allow your child to access the brilliant online reading resource used by school – it provides books levelled to your child’s current reading level and asks them questions related to the book.
Keep checking the school website and Reception class pages for photos of the children learning.
Lastly, please feel free to come and chat to Miss Lockyer or Miss Turner about your child and their learning. Our door is always open!