Useful Information

Welcome to Reception!

 I am delighted to be your child’s teacher this year. We provide a caring and nurturing environment which enables every child to flourish and to 'let their light shine'. Our team is committed to your child's learning, wellbeing and happiness.

 Mrs Dormand - Reception Teacher

Miss Quinn is our classroom assistant who will support your children in all aspects of their learning. Miss Quinn is closely involved with the planning of activities and is an integral part of the team.

Our staff

Class Teacher- Mrs Dormand

Teaching Assistant - Miss Quinn

Headteacher & SENDCO – Mrs Bradford

Care and Guidance Lead - Mrs Bell

Inclusion Manager - Mrs Brown

Timing of the school day

School begins at:

Morning session – doors open from 8.40 – 8.55am

Lunchtime is 11.50 – 1.00pm

Afternoon session – 1.00pm – 3.10pm

At drop off, please say goodbye to your child at the classroom door. We ask this so that we can make sure that all children are safe and to encourage the children’s independence. Miss Quinn and I will support your child in taking off their coats and settling in. There is an opportunity to meet each morning for a few words; however, if you need to see us for a longer period, please let us know and we will arrange a suitable time.

Clothing

We do have a school uniform:

● grey skirt/trousers

● white polo shirt/white blouse/white shirt

● navy blue cardigan, jumper or sweatshirt with or without the school logo

● sensible black school shoes- no trainers

● blue-check summer dresses

School Uniforms can be purchased from Emblematic, which is in Benton (Near Asda). It is essential that all items of clothing are clearly marked with your child’s name.

Useful information:

Toys & Teddies must be left at home!  Please bring a water bottle to school every day. School milk is available. If your child would like milk, please register at www.coolmilk.com. Milk is free until your child reaches the age of 5.

We go outside in almost all weathers. Please ensure that your child has a pair of wellies and appropriate clothing for all weathers. All children require a spare set of clothing and underwear in a bag. Bags can be kept on your child’s pegs and can be left at school.

Forest School is a Friday afternoon. Please dress your child in warm, comfy clothing e.g their PE kit. Nursery, Reception and Year 1 children merge to provide a range of activities including Campfire, Art and obstacle course challenges. The children will have the opportunity to visit each activity across the half term!

Our School Newsletter is posted weekly on Facebook and the School Website. This is useful to keep up to date with events & key dates for the diary.

Early experiences

We recognise that the first steps in education are important for every child, and we feel honoured to be a part of your child's journey. We will work with parents to ensure that this transition is as smooth as possible. If you have concerns about your child separating from you or difficulty settling, please let us know. We will support and put a plan in place.

In the first few weeks, the children will begin to learn some of the school rules and routines. They also begin to learn about how the classroom is organised and the main classroom areas.

Our curriculum

The Foundation Stage Curriculum is organised into 7 areas of learning:

●      Personal, Social and Emotional Development

●      Communication and Language

●      Literacy

●      Maths

●      Understanding the World

●      Expressive Arts and Design

●      Physical Development 

This provides a framework for which to plan the curriculum throughout the Reception year. The Foundation Stage provides wonderful opportunities to teach the curriculum in creative ways; tailoring activities to the needs and abilities of each individual child, offering suitable amounts of support and challenge to help all the children make the maximum amount of progress.

Our curriculum is child-centred where learning is personalised to the needs and interests of the children. We provide meaningful experiences which engage children and support them to be creative, curious and to develop a love of learning. We love learning through purposeful play and exploring ideas together. 

In Reception, we place a big emphasis on early literacy and numeracy skills. Everyday your child will participate in phonics sessions where they will learn letters and sounds and early reading skills. When your child is ready, they will be given a reading book, some tricky words to learn and a book to read for pleasure from our class library. On our school website, we have a class page where there will be an overview of what we are learning each half term and our curriculum goals.

School Meals

Your child will have the choice to stay for a school dinner or bring a packed lunch. Menus can be found on our school website. All Reception children are entitled to a Free School Meal. If your child has special dietary needs, please let the office know.

Illness

If your child is unwell, please telephone and let us know. Please do not send them back until they are completely recovered as infections and bugs spread very quickly.  

Safeguarding                                                                                                                                      

If you arrive late to school, please report to the school office. We have many policies and procedures to ensure the school operates efficiently and effectively. These are available to view on our website.

We hope this booklet has given you some insight into the way we approach the early education of your child. These first few years in school are vitally important in helping your child establish a positive attitude to school. We look forward to working with you to provide the best education possible for your child. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0191 2570323 (School office telephone number).

Thank you for your support

The Reception Team