Reception Staffing Structure
EYFS Lead: Mrs Sara Deakin
Teacher: Mrs Sara Deakin (Reception)
Teaching Assistants: Mrs. Mandy Wallis, Mrs Ann Smith
(Mrs Wallis and Mrs Smith hold a current paediatric first aid certificate) 
Reception is the final phase of the Early Years Foundation stage. We focus on guiding children to become curious, confident, independent and resilient learners. In Reception, we believe that play is the foundation of development and learning for young children. We plan our topics throughout the year to ensure that children are provided with a wide range of high quality learning experiences. In our EYFS, we follow children’s interests where possible and planned topics are regularly adapted to take these into account. Your child will take part in many adult-led and child-initiated indoor and outdoor play activities that will help them to learn and have fun as they work towards the Early Learning Goals.
Our morning session concentrates on building Literacy (mainly phonics based) and Numeracy skills whilst the afternoon sessions are dedicated to the remainder of the curriculum, which is generally delivered using a termly topic from our creative curriculum and continuous provision.
There are regular opportunities for parents to meet with the EYFS staff to discuss their child’s development.
Teaching and Learning in Reception
Teaching and learning in the EYFS is informed by the ‘Early Years Framework’ published by the government. This is a new version of the framework which becomes statutory from September 2021
EYFS Reforms (Parent & Carer Information Sheet)
Our aim throughout the Reception year is to support and to teach children to achieve the Early Learning Goals, in preparation for Year 1. There are 17 Early Learning Goals which are described in the link below:
A parent’s guide to the EYFS curriculum can be found by following the link below. A guide to child development and advice for how to help your child can be found by following the link ‘What to expect when’. Please note that this guide refers to the previous Early Years framework.. The overriding principals however, remain the same.
What to Expect When – Parent’s Guide
Our Reception Curriculum Overviews
You can view or download our long-term plan and EYFS curriculum overview by clicking the link below:
EYFS Curriculum Overview
Long Term Plan – Reception
EYFS Book Links
PE Kit
Our P.E. sessions will vary initially but all children receive a minimum of two hours of PE weekly and there may be additional sessions when external coaches are in school and children will do additional activities e.g. Judo Taster session. Children are advised to bring in a P.E. kit and leave it in school for the half-term. The kit will then be returned home for cleaning. If you would prefer to wash it more regularly, then please inform staff, who will send the kit home as and when requested by parents.
Please note no jewellery is allowed to be worn during PE for safety reasons and will need to be removed during PE and sporting activities.
Reading
Our school uses Little Wandle Revised Letters and Sounds SSP to teach phonics. Children are taught to hear and recognise letter sounds which they then learn to blend together to read words and then sentences. More information about our phonics program can be found in the Reading and Phonics section (under Early Reading)
Homework
Once your child has settled in to Reception, Mrs Deakin will begin sending regular homework tasks home in children’s book bags. This homework will be linked to the learning your child is doing at school and will usually be a practical task.
Reading books are sent home and changed weekly. Initially children will receive phonics cards to allow them to practise the sounds they have learned each week as well as a reading book with words when they are able to read them. Your child will also bring home a weekly story time book for you to enjoy reading to them. We ask you to listen to your child read their phonics card and/or reading book at least 4 times per week so that they begin to familiarise themselves with frequently used words. Please send your child’s book to school every day as children read regularly with a member of staff.
Breakfast and Snack
In both Nursery and Reception, children are provided with toast or bagels for breakfast when they arrive at school. This provision is part of the Magic Breakfast program which funds a free breakfast for every child in the school. Children in Reception and Nursery have access to healthy snacks during the day. Children come to the snack table and serve themselves from a choice of fruit, and other healthy options and a choice of milk, water, or juice. At VLA we are committed to teaching children about healthy eating and lifestyles and would like to provide your child with a daily choice of healthy snacks. We also like to do cooking and baking activities with the children. We encourage them to learn about different types of healthy food and to try some more unusual fruits or vegetables that they may not have seen before. In order to provide this service, we ask for a small contribution of 50p per week to go towards buying the snack foods. The money also goes towards providing ingredients for cooking and different foods to taste during topics as well as purchasing ingredients to make play dough and other sensory resources.
Outdoor Learning
In the early years, we believe that ‘there is no bad weather, only bad clothing!’ Learning outdoors is not only fun but it is also proven to enhance children’s understanding of the world around them and their motivation to learn.
We hold weekly outdoor learning sessions in our school grounds and we will be outside in all weathers. Please make sure you send your child to school with clothing that is appropriate to the weather. For example, a warm coat, hat and gloves in the winter and a sun hat and sunscreen in the summer. We will provide waterproof clothing for wet weather but ask that you provide a pair of wellingtons that can stay in school.
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