Welcome to Spring Term in Reception
(2025-2026)

Welcome back to Reception after a busy first term!

We hope you had a lovely Christmas. Well done to all of the children for completing their first full term in Reception. They have all worked extremely hard, and it has been a pleasure to watch their progress both academically and personally.

We would like to say a huge thank you for the kind and generous cards, gifts and vouchers we have received. Mrs Warner and I are very grateful, and they are truly appreciated.

Phonics and Literacy

This half term, we will continue learning the Basics 3 sounds, alongside a strong focus on letter formation and early writing. Please practise these skills at home whenever possible and support your child in forming letters correctly when writing.

Our Read2Write book this half term is Juniper Jupiter by Lizzie Stewart. She is a real life superhero, it's no big deal. But something is missing - what is a superhero without a side-kick? It is a fun and feisty story about friendship. We will retell the story and write simple sentences.

Mathematics

This term in Maths we begin with numbers to 10. This unit focuses on children's ability to recognise, represent and manipulate numbers to 10. We will also cover the following concepts: comparing numbers within 10, addition to 10, measure, number bonds to 10, subtraction and exploring patterns.

PE

This term in PE we are doing gymnastics. The children explore creating shapes and balances, jumps and rolls. They will develop an awareness of space and how to use it safely. 

RE

In RE this half term our theme is Celebrations. Our enquiry is How do people celebrate?  We look at Celebrating New Year, Lunar New Year (2 weeks), Persian New Year (2 weeks) and Holi.

PSED

Our PSED theme is Dreams and Goals. We discuss Challenges, Never Giving Up, Setting a Goal, Having a positive Attitude (Obstacles and Support) and Helping Others to Achieve their Goals (Flight to the future).

Science

In science we explore different types of machines and mechanisms, learn how machines make jobs easier, discover different types of transport and explore forces.

For more information on our Spring term curriculum, please see our Spring Term Curriculum Newsletter.

Our Reception Team

Class Teacher: Mrs Van de Weg 

Support Staff:

Mrs Warner - Monday am/pm, Wednesday am, Wednesday pm PPA Cover, Thursday am/pm, Friday am/pm

Ms Wilson - Tuesday am, Wednesday pm

Ms Thomson - Tuesday pm

Additional Information

Please ensure your child has the following items in school every day:

A named water bottle for classroom use. This is additional to a lunchtime drink if your child is bringing a packed lunch from home.

A warm waterproof jacket as our learning environment includes being outside in all weathers.

A named warm hat or sun hat, as appropriate.

Wellie boots - please send in a pair of named wellie boots to be kept at school for outdoor use.

Puddle suit - please send in a puddle suit or waterproofs to keep in school. As the weather changes the playground becomes slippery and often stays wet for extended periods of time. Waterproof clothing prevents several changes of clothes during the school day and keeps their coat dry to go home in at the end of the school day.

Optional items

Long scarves can get caught up on playground equipment. Snoods are suitable.

Gloves may be worn if your child can put them on independently. Mittens are suitable.

Monday - Please return your child's library book.

Tuesday - PE day (Children come to school dressed in PE kit. Usual school jogging bottoms or shorts with their House T-shirt and trainers. No lace-ups please.)

Wednesday - Please return the reading book from our reading scheme along with your child's reading record.

Library day (Your child will come home with a new library book.)

Friday - Your child will come home with a new reading book from our reading scheme.

Curriculum

Children in our Early Years phase follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum, which consists of seven areas of learning:

3 Prime Areas - Communication and Language, Physical Development, Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED).

4 Specific Areas -  Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, Expressive Arts and Design.

We teach children by ensuring challenging, playful opportunities across both the prime and specific areas of learning. We recognise that all children develop and learn at different rates and so our EYFS curriculum is designed flexibly to mee the needs of all individuals. We support individual learning through our skilful interactions and observations which lead to detailed next step planning.

The Characteristics of Effective learning underpin our curriculum. The ways in which the children engage with others and their environment, playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically underpin learning and development across all areas and support children to remain effective and motivated learners.

At the end of Reception, children are assessed against the Early Learning Goals (ELGs), which describe the knowledge, skills and understanding expected at this stage.

Please see the pages below for further curriculum details such as the curriculum newsletter. 

Tapestry

Our school uses Tapestry, an online learning journal, to share your child's learning journey with you. Through Tapestry, we record special moments, progress and achievements, and we love being able to give you a window into your child's time in Reception. We also encourage you to get involved by uploading your own photos and videos from home, helping us to build a rich picture of your child's learning and experiences.