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Reception

Reception Class 2025-26

Welcome to Reception

Helpful Reminders: 

Staffing 

Reception is taught by Mrs Dhariwal. Mrs Foster teaches in the Reception on Thursday mornings. The class is supported by Mrs Bhatti, Miss Gilbert, Mrs Evans and Miss Sinclair.  

Belongings

Please send your child to Reception each day with a named water bottle, lunch box (if they are having a packed lunch) and a small bag containing a change of clothes, which they can leave on their peg. It would be useful to have a spare pair of named wellington boots which can be left at school. During the colder months, please ensure your child has a warm coat with them every day. 

Please ensure they bring their book bag with their red reading diary and reading book into school everyday.  

Food and drink

Children are provided with a piece of fresh fruit each morning, so there is no need to send in a snack. A carton of milk is also provided in the afternoon. Please let me know of any allergies/ intolerances if you have not done so already.

For those children staying for lunch, you have the option of sending in a lunch box or ordering a school meal.  Please can you tell the children what they will be having! This avoids the unknown and helps them with the whole lunchtime experience.  

Please can you ensure that lunch boxes are nut free and any small items which may cause a choking risk, such as grapes, or cocktail sausages, are cut in half lengthwise. Juice or squash is fine in lunch boxes, but we do ask for water only to be in the bottle the children access throughout the day.

P.E

We have an outdoor learning session on Monday mornings and a PE session on Thursday mornings. On both days, children are asked to come into school wearing their PE Kit  with long hair tied back and earrings removed.

Library 

We will visit the library every Monday.  Please ensure your child had their book in their bag on that day so that they are able to swap it for a new book of choice each week.  

Tapestry

We use Tapestry, which is an online learning journey of your child’s progress. We will record any ‘Wow’ moments in school and ask you to add anything exciting you have been doing at home; whether it is a trip to the park, family day out or other special occasion. We give the children an opportunity to share these updates with their class, which helps to develop communication skills and self-confidence.  

The EYFS curriculum is broken down into the seven areas of learning:

Our topics in Spring Term 2 are:

  • Traditional Tales 

The EYFS curriculum is broken down into seven areas of learning:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

  • Talk about story characters and what they are known for (e.g. the Big Bad Wolf – scary, sharp teeth).

  • Discuss characters’ choices and feelings.

  • Encourage children to share ideas when retelling stories.

  • Build confidence through role play and storytelling.

  • Most importantly – have fun together!

Communication and Language

  • Share popular traditional tales and discuss how different versions of the same story can change.

  • Read alternative tales such as ‘The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig’.

  • Encourage children to re-tell stories using puppets or toys.

  • Ask open-ended questions about stories and characters.

Literacy

  • Read traditional tales regularly and revisit favourites.

  • Encourage writing for all purposes: mark making, labels, captions and simple sentences.

  • Write about stories, drawings, visits and everyday experiences.

  • Sequence events from stories using pictures or toys.

We are also sharing the text Little Red by Lynn Roberts

We will share a traditional tale with a twist, where Little Red convinces the wolf to drink the delicious ginger beer (for which the children write an advert) instead of eating humans, before the inn in class changes ownership and becomes ‘The Pop Inn’.

For more information on the text please click here 

Mathematics

  • Count, order and recognise numbers to 5, 10 and 20.

  • Count characters, animals or objects from stories.

  • Talk about shapes and discuss their features (sides, corners, size).

  • Compare size and quantity using story settings such as houses or castles.

White Rose curriculum in Maths and the Reception topic overview can be found on the Maths Curriculum page.

For a more detailed curriculum coverage for the year please click here_

Physical Development

  • Act out traditional tales using movement and actions.

  • Make story props and objects using craft materials.

  • Practise fine motor skills through drawing, cutting and model making.

  • Support independence with everyday tasks.

Expressive Arts and Design

  • Make objects from stories such as houses, crowns or castles.

  • Explore craft ideas linked to traditional tales using online inspiration.

  • Sing traditional songs including Old MacDonald, There Was a Princess Long Ago and Five Little Ducks.

  • Encourage imaginative role play using toys and dressing up.

Understanding the World

  • Learn about pigs, wolves, princesses and castles using non-fiction books.

  • Visit local castles such as Windsor Castle and talk about life in the past.

  • Talk about farms and animals, perhaps visit a farm.  

  • Plant a seed, watch it grow and keep a simple diary of changes.

Special Event

  • Easter Bonnet Parade – Friday 27th March 2026 at 9:10am

Contact information

For general things e.g. lost jumper, wearing trainers because shoes are too small etc. please contact the class teacher using the messaging function on Tapestry.  

For more significant concerns or worries, please email secretary@nshprimary.co.uk

with FAO Mrs Dhariwal in the subject.

Any changes to school pick up should go through the school office.

EYFS Topic Map and Progression of skills 2025

Maths Pathways to learning:

Literacy Pathways to learning:

General links: 

  • Oxford Owl Packed with free eBooks and activities to help you support your child's reading and maths at home.