Heyes Lane Primary School

“Adventure is out there!” – Welcome to autumn in reception. We recognise that starting school is a new, exciting journey for children and parents alike. As we embark on this journey together, our aim in autumn is to ensure that all our little learners are happy. At the start of their journey, reception children explore their classrooms, make new friends and learn all about the Heyes Lane rules. Autumn term celebrates every child, we do this by looking at our families, creating self-portraits and recognising that we are all different and this is what makes each of us unique!

As the term progresses and the seasons begin to change, we focus on the different types of celebrations that happen at this time of year. The children create diva lamps for Diwali; make edible sparklers for bonfire night and become party planners for their class bear!

In the words of Louis Armstrong, in the Spring term, we think to ourselves what a wonderful world. Children begin to explore their immediate surroundings through reading and creating simple maps of our school and local community. Once we have learnt to become mini cartographers – we focus on where we are and our location in relation to other parts of the world. Suddenly, there’s a ‘Rang-tan’ in the bedroom, a whale wanting more and a tantrum that might just save the world. We put our wonderful world under the microscope and look at how pollution is destroying our beautiful planet but no matter how small we are, we can make a BIG difference.

We then journey across continents to compare Timperley to the great African plains. We prepare for our next expedition as we go on safari and try to spot lots of different animals. Can we spot a pride of lions in our playground? Probably not, but we might just spot a Superworm, a very hungry caterpillar or perhaps a ladybird that might just tell us what she has heard! 

“WE’RE OFF TO GREAT PLACES!” – Summer term is all about adventure! We blast off into space, travel back in time and even explore the ocean depths! In this term, we focus on the past and present and how things are similar or may have changed drawing from our own experiences. We start the summer term making these observations through different environments, people’s perspectives and characters we meet along our learning journey. As the term progresses we continue to draw similarities and difference from past and present through traditional fairy tales. We look at how these narratives may have changed or stayed the same. Is the Big bad wolf, really big and bad? Did Cinderella need her prince charming to get her ‘happily ever after?’

As our journey in reception begins to near an end, we make our last adventure transitioning into year 1! Reception children will look around their new classroom and meet their new teacher ensuring that they are year 1 ready before summer term comes to an end.

The Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is a short assessment, taken in the first six weeks in which your child starts reception. We will then ‘track’ the children every term throughout the year.

In the final term of the year an EYFS Profile must be completed for each child. The Profile provides parents, carers and teachers with a well-rounded picture of a child’s knowledge, understanding and abilities, their attainment against expected levels, and their readiness for year 1.

The Profile must reflect teachers’ own knowledge and professional judgement of a child to inform discussions with parents and carers, and any other adults whom the teacher, parent or carer judges can offer a useful contribution.

Each child’s level of development in reception must be assessed against the early learning goals. Teachers must indicate whether children are meeting expected levels of development, or if they are not yet reaching expected levels (‘emerging’).

Your child will bring home 3 reading books every week. These will be changed on a FRIDAY. Please make sure your child’s books and reading record are in their book bag every day.

Your child will bring home:

Phonic Home Reader– After 3 sessions of focused practise your child will bring home the book studied that week. This is an opportunity for children to showcase their talents! They should be reading this book with 95% fluency. Please do not worry that a book is too easy – your child needs to develop fluency and confidence in reading. Re-reading a book they have had before helps develop fluency – this is the goal. Celebrate their success and let them show off!

Star Book- Alongside your child’s phonic book they will also bring home a coloured book banded ‘star book’. This book is to be shared with an adult and will contain a combination of decodable and book specific words. The purpose of this book is less on a child’s reading ability and fluency and more on understanding. This book will be colour banded and may differ to the colour banding of their phonic book – do not worry, they are two separate schemes!

Library Book- This book’s sole purpose is to develop a love of reading. This book should be read to your child and is a chance to cosy up, share a wonderful story and simply get lost in a book!

We follow Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised which is a complete systematic synthetic phonics programme to ensure consistency and progression. In Reception, we continue Phase1 phonics but children are introduced to Phase 2, 3 and 4 where they will develop GPC and segmenting and blending skills to decode words. Children are encouraged to read at home and are listened to regularly in school. They are given books that match their phonic knowledge in order for them to apply their learning with the aim of becoming successful, confident and fluent readers.

PE Day 

In Reception our PE day is Monday. Your child will need a PE kit which can be left in school. They will need a white top, black shorts and black pumps, all of which need to be NAMED. Please encourage your child to dress and undress independently at home as this helps with their independence when changing in school. PE Kits will be sent home every half term to be washed. 

Craft fund 

We ask for a voluntary contribution of £1 a week or £5 every half term to help with every day supplies and resources for the EYFS. This could be used for craft, cooking/baking, food tasting, ingredients to make playdough etc. Money may be used to buy specific resources for a particular theme so that the children are able to engage in the best possible learning encounters. We have a money tin in the classroom on the table for the children to pop it in on a Monday.  

Download School Readiness and Uniform Information

Development Matters

What to expect in the Early Years Foundation Stage: a guide for parents

Little Wandle

White Rose