Reception 2020-2021 - Dunmow St. Mary's Primary School

Reception 2020-2021

Daily Routine
•     Register
•     Letters and Sounds (whole class session)
•     Continuous Provision (children follow their own learning interests and have
      free flow access inside and out)
•     Snack time (fruit is available throughout the morning for children to access
      when they are ready)
•     Maths (whole class session)
•     Story
•     Lunch
•     Teacher input (whole class session)
•     Reading and Writing Workshop (1:1 reading and whole class writing time)
•     Story and home time

Our timetable changes and becomes more formal throughout the year in preperation for
                                     Year 1

How We Learn
              At Dunmow St Mary’s we learn through an ‘In the Moment’ approach.
•   This means that children pursue their own interests in an enabling environment,
    facilitated by adults.
•   Each week, there are 3 ‘Focus Children’ from the class who will receive detailed
    observations and focused 1:1 learning time with the teacher
•   All the children are busy and learning throughout the day. Children access resources
    independently which are varied, open ended and high quality. This gives children the
    opportunity to select resources to demonstrate their learning.
•   Every day, Letters and Sounds and maths skills are taught as a whole class directly by the
    teacher
•   Children take part in a daily ‘Writing Workshop’ where phonics skills are put into practise
    and confidence and writing for pleasure is developed.
•   We have free flow access to our outdoor area where children continue to follow their
    interests and choose what they want to learn about and how they are going to do that.

Topics and Trips
As we learn through an ‘In the Moment’ approach, instead of having
whole class topics, we focus on what the children want to learn about
and what is important to them. This may change on a daily basis!

We go on various small trips throughout the year                Experiences
and work towards a big trip to Colchester Zoo at the            Colchester Zoo
end of the year. Children also participate with Forest School       Co-op
sessions every half term lead by our trained Forest School         Church
                                                                    Copse
Leader, Mrs Flook.                                               Swimming
                                                                Forest School

Reading
In School
• We teach reading and writing through daily ‘Letters and Sounds’ sessions
• This is the teaching of phonemes (s for ‘snake’), digraphs (ai in ‘rain’) and trigraphs (igh in
    ‘light’). Children will also learn to read ‘tricky words’ e.g. the, to, I, no, go
• We teach the processes of segmenting words (chopping them up e.g. ‘c-a-t’) and blending
    them back together to read (reading the whole word ‘cat’)
• Children will be heard read once a week with the teacher or teaching assistant
• Books are changed once a week and you will have access to more reading books online
At Home
• Please listen to your child read and comment in their reading record at least 3 times a
    week
• Use sound card to practice sounds and tricky words (this will be given to you in September)
• Use the online reading books (you will receive a login for this in September)

There will be a Reading Workshop for parents in the Autumn Term for more information on ‘Letters and
                           Sounds’ and how to support your child at home

Equipment

•   Uniform - black jumper and green polo shirt with school
    logo, black or grey trousers/skirt, black shoes
•   PE Kit - green t.shirt with logo, black shorts, trainers or
    plimsoles only needed for the summer term
•   Wellies
•   Waterproof clothes/ all in one

        Please label all clothing and shoes

Being ‘School Ready’
We do not expect your child to come into school writing their name and recognising
numbers to 20! Here are some things you can do over the Summer however, to prepare
them for school.

•    Reading stories together and talking about the pictures
•    Lots of talking and communication! Chat about themselves, your family, their likes and
     dislikes, what they’ve done that day etc
•    Interaction with other children (where possible)
•    Toilet trained
•    Some independence skills e.g. putting coat/shoes on and off, attempts to use a knife and
     fork
•    Please see ‘The Road To School’ map in your pack for some other ideas and suggestions

    We understand that children do not all learn and develop at the same time. Please talk to
      your child’s class teacher if you have any concerns about your child’s development.

Tapestry

Tapestry is an Online Learning Journal (and app) used by schools and parents. Each week we
will upload at least one individual observation of your child to show you what they have
been doing at school. Sometimes we upload group and class observations. We sometimes
set homework tasks or send memos to parents via Tapestry as well.

We love to see what the children get up to at home and so encourage you to upload things
from home as well. You are also welcome to comment on the observations you see from
school.

In September you will receive an email link to set up your password. Only you and the school
will have access to your child’s learning journal unless you choose to share your password
with family.

We look forward to seeing you in September and
 are excited to welcome you into our school!