Welcome to the Summer term in Reception!

Reception Class Teacher - Mrs Brotherton and Miss Mullins  Learning Support Officer - Mr Alec Levy

Reception Class Teacher - Mrs Griffiths and Miss Reffell  Learning Support Officer - Mrs Strachan

Our whole school overarching theme is Making Connections and our year group unit title this term is Toys Through Time.  Reception's unit of work will introduce the topic of toys and their purpose, enabling pupils to explore the history of toys in an age-appropriate way. Pupils will develop basic chronological awareness and foster a curiosity about materials and how toys are made.  Pupils will be encouraged to follow instructions, promoting positive interaction and play. 

• May - Co-operation and being a good citizen within society

• June - Showing Gratitude, Care and Generosity

• July - Taking and managing risks

This term, Reception are embarking on an exciting new chapter in their reading journey. We will be deepening our focus on sound knowledge and mastering the art of blending to tackle more complex words using the Read Write Inc. scheme. It has been wonderful to see the children growing in confidence as they begin to recognise and use new sounds.

Beyond decoding words, the children will also be developing their comprehension skills to ensure they truly understand and enjoy the stories they read. Alongside this, we will be encouraging independent writing, giving the children opportunities to apply the skills they have learned in our Read Write Inc. sessions. We will also be practising the spelling of ‘red words’ (high frequency words) in fun and engaging ways, such as word hunts, bingo, and using plasticine to physically 'build' the words.

You can support your child at home by practising “Fred Talk” (when you break up words) during everyday tasks—for example, ask them to put on their “c-oa-t” (coat) or find their “b-a-g” (bag). Please also take a look at SeeSaw and watch the blending sounds video if you would like further guidance. We also encourage you to read regularly with your child and record this in their yellow reading book. 

This term the children will be covering a range of mathematical concepts, some of which will be building on their experiences from previous terms. 

Children will be counting to 50, and matching amounts to numerals. Children will explore different ways to make the same number, e.g. 4 + 4 = 8, 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8. We will provide the children with various objects to explore, making different sets. We will continue to use tens frames and use our eyes to subitise.  Subitising is the ability to recognise the number of objects or images without counting them 

Children will use their addition and subtraction skills to add to and take away from a given number. They will be able to identify which numbers are larger and which are smaller, using the vocabulary of fewer, smaller, larger, greater, etc.

Children will be exploring weight and capacity, using relevant vocabulary and be able to order 3 objects by weight. 

We will begin counting in 2s and 10s and provide practical situations to practise these skills.

Reception's PE day is Monday and Enrichment Sessions will be on a Friday. Children should attend school in the agreed P.E. kit on these days. 

Children will take part in circle times in class to help support them with their emotional and social development.  We will continue to make use of our garden area to develop outdoor experiences. The children will continue to incorporate the school token reward system into their daily routines. 

School values over the term are co-operation and showing gratitude, care and generosity, and taking and managing risks All of these values will be covered throughout lessons, with a whole school focus during school assemblies. 

During Enrichment Reception will continue taking part in Forest School activities. The children will develop a range of important skills and knowledge through hands-on outdoor activities. We will be developing observation and questioning skills through exploring nature.  We will continue to explore our concept of 'Toys Through Time' by using our imagination to play games and create toys using natural resources. Through our Forest School sessions, we will also use natural resources to foster basic survival skills, such as building shelters and crafting household decorations from the woodland floor.

In addition, we will continue to use simple tools safely and appropriately, working cooperatively with others and taking turns to cook simple food over an open fire. The children will begin to understand fire safety, follow instructions, and gain an understanding of early cooking skills, such as mixing, spreading, and heating food. By following instructions and routines in an outdoor setting, children will build confidence, independence, and resilience, all while enjoying learning through play in nature.

Our new concept of learning, Toys Through Time, invites children to explore how toys have changed over the years, sparking curiosity about history, materials, and the joy of play across generations.

This term, the children will be introduced to the fascinating world of toys and their purpose. They will explore the history of toys in an age-appropriate way, helping them begin to understand the difference between "old toys" and "new toys" and develop basic chronological awareness. We will revisit timelines to see what they show us about how different toys were received over time.  We are also lucky enough to have a school trip planned to gain first-hand experience of "old toys" to help us make comparisons between now and then.

Through hands-on activities, the children will be encouraged to ask questions about the materials toys are made from and how they are constructed. We will discuss different types of materials, such as wood, plastic, or metal, and talk about how they feel and why they might be used.

The children will also have the opportunity to follow instructions to create their own simple toys, promoting creativity and fine motor skills. Most importantly, this concept will support positive interaction and play, helping to build social skills and cooperation.

Each child will have a designated reading day. Please ensure reading books are bought in on these days.  On Friday the children will continue to take part in Library sessions, please bring in their book bags on this day.

Please ensure children come to school with a clearly labelled water bottle. 

Please remember weather-appropriate clothing; we aim to go outside each day; therefore coats are essential if forecasted wet weather. 

Please ensure all clothing is clearly labelled, including sun hats. Now the weather is getting warmer, please ensure your child has suncream applied before arriving to school. Children may also bring in clearly labelled suncream in their bags if they wish to re-apply later in the day. 

We do have some children in school with a nut allergy, we aim to be a nut free school so please do not send in sandwiches or snacks that contain peanut products. 

Don't forget to download our School App via the Play or App stores - The School App will provide you with up to date information about activities and events at Oldcastle Primary School.  

Please look out for our weekly newsletter issued via The School App and available on our website on a Friday afternoon.  The newsletter contains all forthcoming diary dates for the school.