Welcome to Elloughton Primary School Reception
Inspired to learn through play, discovery and exploration
Our Early Years Vision:
'To empower our children to be independent, well rounded individuals who have a love of learning and seek challenge in everything they do.’
Our Reception class is a warm and welcoming environment where children begin their school journey at Elloughton Primary School with confidence and excitement. We celebrate curiosity, encourage imagination and support every child as they settle, grow and learn.
Through play, exploration and hands-on experiences, children build strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics while developing independence, confidence and social skills.
Our outdoor area further enriches learning, offering additional opportunities for creativity and discovery.
With caring, experienced staff and a nurturing environment, Reception is a place filled with joy, curiosity and learning, helping children to flourish and feel ready for the adventures ahead.
Building strong relationships and a sense of belonging is central to our Reception provision. Our classroom is a language-rich environment where conversation, storytelling and imaginative play help children develop vocabulary and confidence in communication.
'To empower our children to be independent, well rounded individuals who have a love of learning and seek challenge in everything they do.’
Our Reception class is a warm and welcoming environment where children begin their school journey at Elloughton Primary School with confidence and excitement. We celebrate curiosity, encourage imagination and support every child as they settle, grow and learn.
Through play, exploration and hands-on experiences, children build strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics while developing independence, confidence and social skills.
Our outdoor area further enriches learning, offering additional opportunities for creativity and discovery.
With caring, experienced staff and a nurturing environment, Reception is a place filled with joy, curiosity and learning, helping children to flourish and feel ready for the adventures ahead.
Building strong relationships and a sense of belonging is central to our Reception provision. Our classroom is a language-rich environment where conversation, storytelling and imaginative play help children develop vocabulary and confidence in communication.
"“Through thoughtful provocations and stimulating environments, children get lost in the imaginary world, mesmerized and excited by the thought of fantasy and make believe."
"We create enchanted pockets of learning that have a visually appealing manner which highlight the magic, wonder and possibility of the resources on offer."
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Our Early Years Curriculum Our Reception curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and supports children across the seven areas of learning: • Communication and Language • Physical Development • Personal, Social and Emotional Development • Literacy • Mathematics • Understanding the World • Expressive Arts and Design Learning is carefully planned so that children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for a successful transition into Year 1. Developing communication and language skills is central to our provision. Through storytelling, discussion, imaginative play and meaningful interactions with adults, children develop vocabulary, confidence and the ability to express their ideas clearly. Early Years Curriculum Goals How Children Learn in Reception
Children learn through the Characteristics of Effective Learning, which are central to the Early Years Foundation Stage. Playing and Exploring Children investigate, discover and try new things. Active Learning Children concentrate, persevere and enjoy their achievements. Creating and Thinking Critically Children develop ideas, make connections and solve problems. Staff carefully observe children's interests and use these observations to plan learning opportunities that extend thinking and deepen understanding. Through sustained shared thinking, adults and children explore ideas together, building confidence, curiosity and independence as learners. Practitioners continually observe children’s learning and use these observations to plan next steps that build on children’s interests and experiences. Phonics and Early Reading
Phonics is a high priority in Reception, with daily lessons that give every child the best start in learning to read. We are committed to a keep up, not catch up approach. We teach phonics using the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme. This structured, research-based approach helps children learn letter sounds, blend them to read words, and recognise tricky words that do not follow regular patterns. Children practise their phonics skills using carefully matched decodable books, allowing them to read with confidence and success. We greatly value parental support with reading at home and encourage children to read at least four times a week. Sharing books regularly, talking about stories, and celebrating children’s efforts all help to build confidence, fluency, and a positive attitude towards reading. Guidance and resources linked to the Little Wandle programme are also shared with families to support learning beyond the classroom. Daily interventions provide extra support where needed, while videos and phonics packs offer parents practical tools to engage with learning at home. Together, this consistent approach ensures our children develop strong early reading skills that will support them throughout their school journey. “Reading is the gateway to learning and the key to unlocking a child’s potential.” Provision and Learning Through Play Our Reception classroom is carefully designed to support learning through play and exploration. Children enjoy a wide variety of indoor provision areas that encourage imagination and creativity including construction, crafts, role play and fine motor activities which support early writing development. Skilful adult interaction supports children’s thinking and extends learning through questioning, modelling and shared exploration. We also have dedicated spaces that support wellbeing and emotional regulation such as our Zen Den and Calm Space where children can relax and reflect. Daily activities such as book voting encourage children to make choices and develop communication skills. Our class guinea pig provides opportunities for children to learn about caring for animals, encouraging responsibility and empathy. Our Learning Environment Our Reception environment is carefully designed to support children’s curiosity, independence and love of learning. Each area of the classroom and outdoor space is thoughtfully organised to encourage exploration, creativity and problem-solving. Children are provided with a wide range of open-ended resources and meaningful learning opportunities that allow them to investigate ideas, develop skills and follow their interests. Carefully planned provocations spark curiosity and encourage children to ask questions, explore possibilities and deepen their understanding of the world around them. Both the indoor and outdoor environments are seen as equally important learning spaces, ensuring every child has opportunities to explore, discover and thrive. Personal Care and Independence We support children to develop independence in their personal care. Staff respond sensitively to any toileting needs and work closely with parents to ensure children feel comfortable, confident and secure. |
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Writing in Reception
In Reception, we develop early writing through a carefully planned approach that builds strong foundations for future learning. Our aim is for children to see themselves as confident writers while developing the essential skills they need. Writing begins with the foundational skills. Children learn how writing works through speaking, listening, drawing, and mark making. We focus on building strong oral language, developing vocabulary, and helping children understand that writing is a way to communicate ideas. A key part of our daily routine is handwriting practice. Children learn how to form letters correctly, beginning with the movements needed to write them confidently. We teach children to hold their pencil using a correct pencil grip, supporting them to develop control, comfort, and stamina when writing. Our writing is closely linked to our phonics learning. As children learn new sounds, they begin to apply this knowledge in their writing. Children practise writing dictated sentences that match the phonics code they know, allowing them to use their developing phonics knowledge independently. This helps the children to understand the relationship between sounds and letters and builds confidence in spelling. Throughout the year, children have many opportunities to write for a range of purposes through play, storytelling, and structured writing activities. We celebrate all stages of writing development—from early marks and labels to simple sentences—helping every child feel proud of their progress as a writer. We use these high quality texts as a stimulus for our writing. Reception Key Texts Mathematics in Reception
In Reception, we continue to build strong foundations in number, shape, and pattern through playful, practical experiences. Following the White Rose Maths approach, children explore early addition, subtraction, and problem-solving in meaningful contexts – from playing shop and using real money, to measuring ingredients when baking. Our environment is set up to encourage children to use maths in real-life situations, developing independence and confidence. Through songs, stories, games, and hands-on activities, children deepen their understanding of numbers to 20 and begin to use key resources such as Numicon, ten frames, and counters. From the spring term, children are introduced to Doodlemaths, a fun personalised app that supports their learning at home and builds confidence through short, regular practice. We expect all children to complete this at least 4 times a week to build fluency and confidence. Useful links https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/numberblocks ICT Games includes games linked to Early Years, KS1 and KS2 curriculums. |
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Reception Maths Curriculum Map
Outdoor Provision
Outdoor learning is an important part of life in Reception and children access the outdoor environment daily.
Children explore activities that support physical development, teamwork and creativity including:
• climbing and balancing
• imaginative play
• loose parts construction
• digging areas
• a large sandpit
• our mud kitchen
Outdoor learning allows children to take safe risks, explore their ideas and develop resilience and confidence.
Additional Experiences
Learning in Reception extends beyond the classroom.
Children take part in a range of experiences including:
• Forest School sessions
• weekly PE
• baking activities
• caring for our class guinea pig
We also welcome visitors from the fire service, police service and other professions who help children learn about keeping safe and understanding the roles people play in the community.
Throughout the year children enjoy trips and special events including a summer visit to the seaside and a Christmas theatre trip.
Children also experience magical moments such as watching caterpillars transform into butterflies or chicks hatching in the classroom.
Forest School
We are fortunate to have our own forest within the school grounds where children take part in regular Forest School activities.
These sessions help children build confidence, independence and resilience while learning to care for themselves, others and the natural environment.
Activities may include den building, cooking around the campfire, map reading and exploring nature.
Parent Partnership
We value the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers.
Families are invited into school throughout the year for special sessions such as Come and See, Stay and Cook and Fun and Fire.
Parents are also welcomed to share their professions and experiences with the children, helping to provide meaningful real-life learning opportunities.
Preparing for Year 1
One of our key aims in Reception is to ensure children are ready for the next stage of their learning.
School readiness means supporting children to develop independence, confidence and the key skills needed for success in school.
Children develop:
• independence in managing routines
• confidence in communicating ideas
• resilience when faced with challenges
• positive relationships with others
• strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics
By the end of Reception our children leave as confident, curious and independent learners who are ready for the next stage of their education.
Online Safety
Children are regularly taught about the importance of staying safe online. Each year we take part in Safer Internet Day which helps children understand how to use technology safely and responsibly. Further information can be found on the Internet Safety page of our website.
Meet The Teachers
Mrs Brammall
Miss Shaw
Mrs Callaghan
Mrs Wilkinson
Mrs Thompson
Outdoor learning is an important part of life in Reception and children access the outdoor environment daily.
Children explore activities that support physical development, teamwork and creativity including:
• climbing and balancing
• imaginative play
• loose parts construction
• digging areas
• a large sandpit
• our mud kitchen
Outdoor learning allows children to take safe risks, explore their ideas and develop resilience and confidence.
Additional Experiences
Learning in Reception extends beyond the classroom.
Children take part in a range of experiences including:
• Forest School sessions
• weekly PE
• baking activities
• caring for our class guinea pig
We also welcome visitors from the fire service, police service and other professions who help children learn about keeping safe and understanding the roles people play in the community.
Throughout the year children enjoy trips and special events including a summer visit to the seaside and a Christmas theatre trip.
Children also experience magical moments such as watching caterpillars transform into butterflies or chicks hatching in the classroom.
Forest School
We are fortunate to have our own forest within the school grounds where children take part in regular Forest School activities.
These sessions help children build confidence, independence and resilience while learning to care for themselves, others and the natural environment.
Activities may include den building, cooking around the campfire, map reading and exploring nature.
Parent Partnership
We value the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers.
Families are invited into school throughout the year for special sessions such as Come and See, Stay and Cook and Fun and Fire.
Parents are also welcomed to share their professions and experiences with the children, helping to provide meaningful real-life learning opportunities.
Preparing for Year 1
One of our key aims in Reception is to ensure children are ready for the next stage of their learning.
School readiness means supporting children to develop independence, confidence and the key skills needed for success in school.
Children develop:
• independence in managing routines
• confidence in communicating ideas
• resilience when faced with challenges
• positive relationships with others
• strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics
By the end of Reception our children leave as confident, curious and independent learners who are ready for the next stage of their education.
Online Safety
Children are regularly taught about the importance of staying safe online. Each year we take part in Safer Internet Day which helps children understand how to use technology safely and responsibly. Further information can be found on the Internet Safety page of our website.
Meet The Teachers
Mrs Brammall
Miss Shaw
Mrs Callaghan
Mrs Wilkinson
Mrs Thompson
Here are some ideas to help your child at home:
Starting Reception
Starting Reception booklet
Am I ready for school? Tips for parents
New Starter Activities to do at Home
Early Learning Goals
See this useful guide from Alphablocks – CBeebies on phonics so you can practise using sounds, segmenting words and blending them with your child.
Click the link below for resources to help with phonics
Little Wandle resources for parents
Starting Reception
Starting Reception booklet
Am I ready for school? Tips for parents
New Starter Activities to do at Home
Early Learning Goals
See this useful guide from Alphablocks – CBeebies on phonics so you can practise using sounds, segmenting words and blending them with your child.
Click the link below for resources to help with phonics
Little Wandle resources for parents
Curriculum News & Homework Resources:Your child will bring home a phonetically decodable book closely linked to our current phonics teaching. Please help your child to look at, read and discuss the books at least 4 times a week. They will also bring home a sharing book to enjoy.
Doodle Maths: To support your child's maths please encourage them to complete their 5 a day questions on the Doodle Maths app. EYFS Grapheme Card Sound Mat EYFS Tricky Word Mat EYFS Number Patter EYFS Letter Patter |
Recommended Websites:
www.phonicsplay.co.uk Interactive phonics games www.oxfordowl.co.uk Over 250 free ebooks, games & advice www.doodlemaths.com/ DoodleMaths Apps to consider: Reading eggs - Sight words Teach my monster to read |
