In Reception, our aim is to help children develop a love of learning through play and exploration. We focus on building strong foundations in reading, writing, maths and RE in a way that feels fun and engaging. Children grow in confidence as they learn to work and play with others, developing important social skills along the way. Most of all, we want every child to feel good about themselves and enjoy coming to school each day.

Meet the Team!

   Reception Class Teacher

              Miss E Smail

 

      Teaching Assistants

           Mrs L Goddard     

                           

              Mrs C Kearns

 

Welcome to Our Classroom!

Our indoor classroom is a dynamic and engaging space that changes every few weeks to reflect our current topics. It’s filled with hands-on areas that support learning in maths, phonics, reading, writing, and social development.

 

Our Outdoor Classroom!

 Our recently refurbished outdoor area plays a vital role in each child's daily learning experience. We regularly offer 'free flow' sessions, allowing children to choose whether they play and learn indoors or outdoors. 

 

Outside Role-Plays:

Our outdoor role-play area is updated and adapted every half-term to coincide with our current topics. It supports children in developing social skills, encourages speech and language growth, and offers a variety of hands-on learning opportunities through play. Role-play also helps children build confidence, connect with their peers, and explore different aspects of learning in a fun and meaningful way.

Ice-Cream Parlour!

Gardening Centre

           

Smoothie and Salad Bar!

Religious Education Activities:

Religious Education makes up 20% of our curriculum and plays a central role in each child’s learning journey. From the earliest stages, children are introduced to prayers, hymns, and Bible stories, with their understanding growing throughout the year. RE lessons help pupils develop a wide range of skills, including reflection, empathy, and critical thinking.

Our Visit to SFX Church:

 

Feeding the 5,000 - Making Bread

 

Learning about God's Creation

  

Welly World:

 Welly World is a special outdoor area just for our Reception children, and it's one of their favourite parts of the week. It offers space for truly creative play in a natural setting, helping children connect with the world around them while enjoying plenty of fresh air. Welly World brings out a different side of the children, encouraging curiosity, imagination, and a love of nature. 

Our Class Trip to Queenswood:

We run two exciting trips each year, which the children always look forward to. At Christmas, we visit Madley Environmental Centre, where the children take part in festive outdoor activities like an elf hunt, helping animals by clearing litter, and of course, meeting Father Christmas! In the summer term, we head to Queenswood for the 'Surviving in the Wild' workshop, where the children enjoy hands-on, adventurous activities such as toasting marshmallows on skinned twigs, building dens, and learning how to safely make a fire.

Some Special Visitors:

Over the course of the year, the children meet a range of special visitors linked to our 'People Who Help Us' topic. They have the opportunity to meet a police officer, a paramedic, a dental nurse, a local beekeeper, and the owners of a guide dog. During each visit, the children can ask questions, dress up, and share their own experiences of meeting or hearing about these key workers. These memorable and enriching experiences often become highlights of the year, which the children continue to talk about and refer back to in their learning.

 

Art Activities:

We have a dedicated art lesson each week, which the children always look forward to. Each session links to our current topic and includes activities that develop creativity, fine motor skills, cutting, sticking, and pencil control. The children take great pride in seeing their artwork displayed in the classroom, and it’s a lovely way to celebrate their effort and imagination.

 

Celebrating Different Cultures:

At SFX School, we are proud to have a rich mix of cultures and ethnicities. As part of our Culture Day in the summer term, we celebrated diversity from around the world, with each class focusing on a different country. Our class explored England — the children made crowns, re-designed flags, learned about the Royal Family, and even enjoyed a virtual tour of Buckingham Palace in our immersive learning room.

 

Cookery Lessons:

Every child loves a cookery lesson! We place an emphasis on healthy eating and sampling foods from around the world. Through these sessions, children develop valuable skills in food preparation and gain confidence in tasting new foods.

Healthy Smoothies!

                 

Rainbow Salads!

                                        

Diwali Sweets:

                                                             

Honey Tasting:

      

The Chicks!

Each spring term, the children have the exciting opportunity to care for and watch baby chicks hatch and grow. This hands-on experience teaches them about life cycles, responsibility, and nurturing. The children love observing the chicks’ progress and enjoy learning about animals in a fun and memorable way.

 

Resources for Home Learning:

Phonics:

Create a free account with Oxford Owl to access Read Write Inc. resources: Parent guide to Read Write Inc. Phonics - Oxford Owl

Please see below some useful links to further support your child's phonics learning at home:

- Why read to your child?

- Understanding how phonics works for parents

- How Read Write Inc. phonics works - a parent/carer’s guide

- How to help your child learn the Read Write Inc. phonics sounds

- Read Write Inc. sound blending tutorial using phonics flashcards

 

Alphablocks: 

Have fun learning letters and sounds with Alphablocks: Alphablocks - CBeebies - BBC

 

PhonicsPlay:

Another fun, interactive way for your children to learn their sounds: PhonicsPlay - Resources

 

Teach your Monster to Read:

A fun, game-based approach to practising sounds and blending: Teach Your Monster: Free Phonics, Reading and Mathematics Games

 

Maths

• Whiterose Maths Home Learning
  Weekly practical activities linked to stories

• Home Learning NCTEM Maths
  Video clips KS1 to help with counting in 2's,5's and 10's

• Fun interactive games for counting, ordering numbers, shapes, and more: Learn to Count with fun Counting Games for KS1 Children

• Short videos teaching number concepts in an engaging way: Numberblocks - CBeebies - BBC