Reception Class
Reception is the first year of school and children usually join in the September after their fourth birthday. Reception children enjoy a wide range of learning opportunities based on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum and teaching continues to be topic based where possible.
We are fortunate to be able to provide relatively small class sizes, with a teacher and a teaching assistant in each. Teaching can therefore be tailored to the children’s needs and staff quickly gain a clear understanding of each child, including areas where they need challenge or support and have a clear picture of the next steps in their learning.
As well as cross-curricular activities the children participate in each day, the children will also be taught Literacy and Mathematics daily, as well as having opportunity to explore their learning independently through play. We provide a stimulating learning environment, where the children are actively encouraged to learn independently by selecting activities and resources that interest them. The children also read to staff four times each week and they take their book home to read. They visit the Library once a week and they take a book home to share with their parents.
Reception children have some lessons taught by specialist teachers. These include Dance, French, Games and Music. The children always are excited to join in with these lessons and it extends their skills and knowledge in preparation for future learning.
The EYFS requires every child to have a Key Person to whom their parent can turn to for information, reassurance and to share concerns. In Reception, this is the class teacher. Each Key Person is responsible for collating assessment information about their children. Assessment is on-going through written observations of the children’s play and learning and may be recorded in the form of photographs, discussion with other staff and examples of their work.
At St Hilary’s, we work in close partnership with parents and value free lines of communication. Staff are available to talk to parents at the beginning and end of each day, sharing information about the children’s learning and development. We hold parents’ meetings in the Autumn and Spring Term and send written reports in the Spring and Summer Term. Our staff are well qualified, experienced and dedicated to a child-centred approach to learning.
All staff have high expectations of the boys and girls and use this information to identify individual targets and next steps for learning, so that each child can be challenged and supported to reach their potential and progress can be monitored.