In Reception we aim to make every child’s first experience of school happy, enjoyable and rewarding. We welcome the children into the St Alban's family from day one and encourage them to grow in their confidence, independence, and love for learning.

We want our children to feel valued, loved and nurtured during their time in Reception and we achieve this by valuing each person’s unique talents, experiences and interests. We cover the seven areas of learning from the Statutory Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage. These are:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication and Language,
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Physical Development
• Expressive Arts and Design

Our eighth area of Learning is Religious Education.

Every day, the children are provided with multiple opportunities to be inquisitive, enthusiastic and knowledgeable learners for life. We provide these learning opportunities in both the indoor classrooms and outdoor learning environment and the children develop perseverance, resilience, and independence through these activities.

Reading and literacy is an essential part of our EYFS Curriculum. We use the Read Write Inc Phonics scheme as a resource to provide the children with an excellent starting point for Reading and Writing. Phonics activities are provided throughout the day from phonics lessons to open-ended writing opportunities. These give the children chances to practice their sounds, letter formation and sentence writing in engaging and purposeful writing opportunities.

Maths is taught in a multi-sensory and practical approach. The children have ample opportunities to explore Number, Shape, Space and Measures using various equipment and objects. They are taught different strategies to solve problems and develop their mathematical reasoning skills. We provide open-ended learning activities for maths as well as smaller focus group learning when introducing new skills and concepts. This helps us to encourage children to practise their number knowledge in real life situations such as role-play and small world.

At St Alban's our children’s physical development and confidence is important to us. We believe that happy bodies help to create happy minds and this in turn creates happy and enthusiastic learners. The children have two dedicated PE sessions a week. One is led by a PE coach and the other is teacher led. These develop a range of skills that include; gymnastics, ball skills and team games. The children have daily opportunities to develop their fine and gross motor skills through numerous activities such as building bug hotels, assault courses, threading with beads and creating masterpieces using recycled materials.  

We promote healthy eating and healthy self –care through stories and role-play. We encourage class discussions about how we can eat healthy and how we can keep our bodies healthy.

The children learn about their place in our new and fast-changing world. We talk about different communities, places to live, cultural events and their own environment. We encourage children to talk about their own history and experiences; all of which are celebrated. We teach that we are all special and unique.

In Reception, we love to be creative and encourage imaginative play. The children use materials, props, instruments and masks to express themselves and enhance their learning through play.

Helpful hints:

Please help your child to learn good organisational habits by encouraging them to participate in getting ready for school each day (getting dressed, packing their school bag etc). Allow plenty of time for your journey to school, to reduce the stress of rushing to be on time.

Starting school is exhausting: secure routines for meals and bedtimes can really help your child to feel happy and settled at school.

Developing a love of reading is foundational to all areas of future academic achievement, as well as offering a lifelong pleasure and source of information. Children in Reception will learn to read independently through systematic synthetic phonics, but alongside this will benefit from an adult reading to them and sharing books relating to their favourite subjects.  

Teachers are available at the classroom door every afternoon, if you wish to ask questions or share any concern. Do check information directly with the school – if you are not able to pick up then emails to teachers can be sent via the school office.