What we are learning.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development learning focus: Valuable Individuals

Understanding the World theme: All Creatures Great and Small

'Drop everything and read' and Read aloud at home:

We dedicate time for reading by 'dropping everything and reading' during the final session of each day in school. This shared time for stories is one of the ways we support children in developing a love for stories and a thirst for knowledge and imaginative experiences through stories. These stories are in addition to those we use to enhance learning linked to the key themes identified in our long term plan.  Children's interests, experiences and stories from home are often linked to our 'drop everything and read' stories; seasonal changes also influence the stories chosen. 

Read Aloud stories are sent home each half term.  We hope that our families enjoy this opportunity to share a story together which children can then talk about together in school.

The read aloud story for this half term is: Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Literacy:

Developing children's confidence and competence in communicating effectively with others is a key focus in reception.  Supporting the development of children's vocabulary and understanding of the English language provides a good foundation for learning across the curriculum.  Daily phonics lessons support children in distinguishing sounds and developing effective knowledge and skills for reading and writing.  Children in reception are first taught groups of letter sounds which we refer to as phase 2 and phase 3.  Some children might also work on phase 4 letter sounds. In the useful links section you can view the letter sounds (phonemes) in the different phases. Children are also taught the name for each letter once they have begun to develop a secure knowledge of letter sounds.

As children learn to read, supporting the development of their understanding of pictures and words is essential.  We place great emphasis on talking about events in stories.

We value all attempts at writing as children develop their knowledge, confidence and independence at drawing, writing letters and making words.  Making meaningful marks which may consist of drawings and letters, develops into whole words written from memory and words being written based on how they sound.  During daily phonics lessons children are taught to recognise whole words which are tricky to spell. We call these Buzz words, or tricky words.  A balance of writing some words from memory and writing words based on how they sound enables children to write words, lists, captions, simple sentences and stories during their learning journey in reception.  Drawings play an important role in the development of writing skills and the development of imaginative ideas. 

This half term we are focusing on: reading captions and simple sentences and using our knowledge of phonics to help us to write lists, captions and sentences.

Maths:

Maths in reception focuses on supporting the development of children's knowledge and understanding of number; we call this number sense,  Supporting the development of a deep understanding of number value, order, number patterns, the relationship between number values and what it means as we count out loud and say number names are key areas of focus.  Learning about non standard ways of measuring and the vocabulary and meaning of shape, size and proportion help children to make sense of shapes and patterns.  Solving problems in practical ways linked to number and shape, space and measures helps children to consolidate their knowledge and explore deeper.

Through daily maths sessions, children are taught essential skills alongside the knowledge they need to become competent and confident mathematicians.  

This half term we are focusing on: Addition by combining two groups.

Other Learning:

A significant area of learning in reception supports children's knowledge and skills linked to the world and creativity.  Learning in these areas of the curriculum links with science, geography, history, technology and the arts.  Resources and the organisation of areas of provision inside and learning opportunities outdoors support the development of children's knowledge, curiosity and learning behaviours.  The themes identified in the long term plan, routines planned for in class and expectations for challenges and open ended learning in areas of provision all support rich learning about the world.  A strong emphasis on science and the arts ensures children develop strong foundations to prepare them for learning in key stage one and beyond.

This half term we are focusing on: Finding out about where different animals and their habitats.

For further information about learning across the curriculum, please select the long term plan below which details the themes for learning across the early years curriculum.