1. at St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School
Welcome to Reception
at St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School

2. Settling In
The children are settling very well and are getting used to our daily routines.
Our Reception team is Mrs Airey and Mrs Billington (HLTA). We also have Mrs McPartland helping in the mornings, and a student “Miss K” two days per week.

3. Home/school link
Children learn best when there is a strong school/home relationship.
If you need to communicate with us either speak to me on the gate in the morning, or write a note in their reading diary and I will respond as soon as possible.
We encourage you to let us know of anything that your child does at home which is evidence of your child’s continuing development e.g learning to ride a bike without stabilisers, helping with the washing up, putting on their coat independently.
We have “wow” certificates which can be sent into school which will form a part of their learning journey.

4. Focus on Independence...
In Reception we encourage the children to be as independent as possible and are focusing at the moment on the following:
Putting on our own coats.
Putting our jumpers on our pegs.
Getting ready for PE on our own.
PE is on a Wednesday morning.

5. Labelling all of your children’s clothes.
Focus on Independence
Please help us at home by:
Encouraging your child to put on their own coats, jumpers at home etc.
Labelling all of your children’s clothes.

6. EYFS Curriculum
Children continue to follow Development Matters curriculum as at nursery.
There are 7 areas of learning.
Prime areas
1. Communication and language
2. Physical development
3. Personal, social and emotional development.
Specific areas
4. Literacy (reading & writing)
5. Mathematics (Number & Shape, space & measure)
6. Understanding the world
7. Expressive arts and design.

7. How do we teach?
Children are taught through a mixture of whole class sessions, small group work, guided reading groups and if needed one to one activities.
They are also “learning through their play” in the areas of continuous provision. The areas are enhanced to give resources and activities to embed their knowledge.

8. Early Learning Goals
The children will be assessed as to whether they have reached the Early Learning Goals across all the areas.
Emerging, Expected, Exceeding
If they achieve the ELG in Prime Areas, Literacy & Maths, they are said to have achieved a Good Level of Development.

9. Speaking and Listening
This is fundamentally important to children’s learning and self confidence.
We will encourage them in class through:
Specific guided speaking and listening activities.
Encouraging them to tell us about what they are doing in their “play”.
Each week we will have show and tell with a group of children.
Each child is in a group – St George’s, St David’s, St Andrew’s, St Patrick’s
House groups will take it in turns to show on a Thursday afternoon.
This week will be St George’s

10. Reading
Children have already started Phonics work, and will bring a book home each week.
Please support your child’s learning by spending some time sharing this book.
Discuss what is happening in the pages.
Ask your child questions about the story such as what the characters are doing.
Most children will begin by bringing home books without words.
Learning to use the pictures to describe what is happening.
Learning how to use books
Children will also begin to bring sight words home – words that need to be learnt and can’t be read phonetically.

11. Reading
Please write in the reading record book if you have read with your child and make a comment about how they have done.
BOOKS WILL NOT BE CHANGED IF THE READING DIARY IS NOT SIGNED.
The children have a chart in their book and when they have read a book at home will get a stamp.
Once the chart is complete they will receive a prize in assembly.
Library books – chosen by the children
Return the book so that children can change it each week.

12. Support for Reading & Maths
There will be session in Reception about Phonics on Wednesday 17th October at 3.15pm.
There will be a Maths session on Tuesday 27th November at 3.15pm.
Useful websites: Phonicsplay, ICTgames

13. Toast Each week on a Friday we will make toast.
FMS and Maths (children pretend to pay different amounts each week)
Cost of toast is £1 for the full term.

14. Behaviour Award We have a very positive approach to behaviour.
Whole school policy for behaviour
We will not start the diddy dot system until at least after half term, depending on the maturity of the children.
We will probably do a diddy dot per morning/afternoon session.
On a daily basis one child will get Melvin to take home.
Star of the week gets Melvin for the whole weekend!

15. Holidays
Polite reminder – please try to avoid taking holidays during term time.
Disrupts children’s learning – they do miss out!!
There is a fine for taking more than four days.

16. Bring a teddy into school
Please send a teddy or soft toy into school on Friday – 21st Sept.
They will be kept safe, and wont go out during breaks etc.
Don’t send in their favourite!!

17. Any questions?