Reception
Age 4-5 years
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How we Learn
How we Learn
Children in reception are guided to build strong foundations through a balance of adult led learning opportunities, direct teaching and rich opportunities for independent play.
The reception curriculum supports children in making connections between their learning, as effective learning characteristics are developed. Communication and language development, reading, writing and maths are essential areas of learning. Underpinning these subjects is a strong focus on children's personal, social and emotional development, their physical development and life long learning behaviours. Creative approaches to learning promote independent thinking, a desire to enquire, experiment, ask questions and find out the answers.
We have high expectations for all children to rapidly developing effective learning behaviours and a capacity to learn, remember, enquire and be inspired.
We value the role parents and carers play in children's development and place high regard on working together. We use an online journal which enables parents and carers to join in with sharing achievements between school and home.
Together we can make a difference.
Learning Environments
Learning Environments
We have spacious indoor classrooms with a wide range of challenge in areas of provision. Our resource rich environments encourage children to explore for themselves, apply their growing knowledge and further develop their skills across the curriculum.
Daily lessons take place throughout the day, in the reception classrooms and outdoors. A bank of computer tablets for children to use every day, book corners, science investigation and arts areas and spaces for building, performing and role play are essential components of our everyday provision.
We also utilise other learning spaces around school:
school hall computer suite school library
We have extensive grounds with inspiring places to explore and be taught in:
wildlife pond wildlife garden kitchen garden orchard outdoor amphitheatre
large playing field & multi-use, all weather games area
adventure playground
The Reception Curriculum
The Reception Curriculum
Our curriculum includes ambitious plans for children based on our knowledge of what they need to know and experience, in order to be ready for Year 1. We also follow national guidance provided in the Early Years Framework. Developing essential skills and effective learning behaviours, supports children in developing a love of learning and achieving success. Our long term plans detail our themes for learning and we provide a strong focus on learning key knowledge and skills in phonics and early reading, writing and maths.
We encourage children to share their ideas for learning and to talk about their interests. This also informs our planning in responsive ways and ensures the children engage well in their learning.
Awe and wonder are essential feelings and an entitlement for every child to experience. Our balance of carefully planned learning and responsive experiences enable this to happen in abundance.
Learning creatively is a key theme throughout our curriculum. This not only supports independent thinking, the development of communication and language through expression and discussion but also resilience, perseverance, reflection, an ability to review and develop a sense of pride.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Our curriculum values learning from opportunities and experiences in our local community. Small group visits enable children to learn together, with a rich focus on talking about their experiences in the moment, before and after.
As part of the 'Owlcotes Elements' entitlement for children in each year group, we also plan opportunities we feel children should experience. Children learn about the world, themselves and others through shared experiences which enrich learning in school.
The reception Owlcotes Elements entitlements are detailed below:
Learning environments inside and outdoors are well organised, resource rich and have plenty of space to move around safely and creatively. Children learn in class groups, in small groups and individually with direct teaching, bespoke support one to one and with lots of encouragement, modelling, praise and the right level of challenge as they explore, practice and experiment for themselves!
Visit the reception class pages to find out more about learning in reception class.
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