Welcome to Reception (Class 2)

Welcome to our Reception class. Your teachers this year are Mrs Yalman, Mrs Bailey,  Mrs I'Anson and Miss Foster.

Mrs Yalman Class teacher	Mrs Armstrong Support staff	Miss Brown Support staff

From a child's very first day in reception, all the way through to Year 6 we support children to make the right 'CHOICES' to enable them to grow into well-rounded, motivated individual.

We know this is such an important time in your child’s school life, where routines are established and relationships are built between home and school. We will always do our best to work closely with you, to ensure that your child has a smooth start to their school career in such a way that you as well as the children feel comfortable, supported and respected.

Class environment

We have a lovely open-plan classroom which has a wide range of different areas to be accessed during child initiated play. These allow children to develop lifelong skills such as, perseverance and independence. Some of the areas include a water area, creative area and reading corner. We also have a fantastic outdoor space which is accessible from the classroom and is extremely beneficial in the learning and development within Reception.

This is our spacious, bright and inviting classroom. We know children love it here because they enter with big smiles on their faces every morning.	We have a huge variety of books children can share with each other and us teachers. Our children love reading in the reading corner.	We have lots of fun Maths games and resources in our Maths corner.	Our role play area changes every half term. We link it with children's interest or our learning.	Children love our messy play table. Sometimes we have shaving foam out, sometimes it is play dough. Children get really creative and develop their fine motor skills.	Children can access learning games on laptops and iPads.

Children love riding bikes and scooters. This supports them in developing their spatial awareness and gross motor skills.	Our small world play area helps children learn about the world, such as animals.	In our construction corner children can get really busy building amazing structures.	One of our favourite areas outside is the water tray. Children explore floating and sinking through play.	Our cosy reading den is a calm corner in our garden where children can enjoy sharing books.	The mud kitchen is also a favourite space where children like to get busy. The muddier they go home, the more fun they have had.

Reception timetable

 *Please be aware this is subject to change

At Rift House we aim for your child to participate in a broad and balanced curriculum. Our timetable shows various opportunities that your child will access daily, including opportunities for mindfulness through Primary Movement and the brushing of teeth.

Teaching this year will include phonics and we will work through Read Write Inc incorporating a lesson into our daily routine. We will also have Maths and English sessions daily. Once a week, children will enjoy participating in Music lessons using Sing Up and PE using the GetSet4PE scheme.

Things to help your child...

Things you can support your child with over this half term:

• READING ~ In your child's book bag you will find a story book to share. Please read the book together and support your child talking about the story. When your child is ready to blend sounds independently, we will add a phonics based reading book which your child should be reading to you. 

• Every Monday each child will receive a story to share and a Phonics book appropriate for their reading level.

  Please return your child's reading bag including books and reading record every day. 

• PUTTING ON AND TAKING OFF CLOTHES INDEPENDENTLY ~ Practising this will help your child to become more independent at school, especially at home and PE times.

• COUNTING TO 10 ~ counting practice can take place throughout the day, e.g. counting cars that drive past, counting eggs while baking, etc.

• WRITING THEIR NAME ~ start practising your child's first name. Once they are confident and secure with this, you can practise their last name too. Please refer to our daily letter formation sheets when forming letters in their name.

•  Play FRED GAMES and orally blend simple words, e.g. Fred's bathroom: In his bathroom, Fred has a 't-u-b'. Children then should try and blend 't-u-b' and say 'tub'. Please do not use letter names, but letter sounds to Fred talk.

  Follow the link for some examples of Fred games: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa0feclk_v2Sb4_OkSeyt7KcQ3aELeg0J   

• ATTENDANCE ~ School starts at 8:45am and finishes at 3:15pm every week day.

  Staff will be available before and after school, if you have any questions, concerns, or queries please don’t hesitate to talk to us.

  Please let us know in advance if your child is going to be picked up by someone other than the agreed adults.

  HOMEWORK ~ Children will receive a RWI  practice pack every Friday. Please return your child's homework the next Friday. Maths homework will be given out Mondays. Please return the sheet on Friday.

What we have been up to...

Transition week

The children thoroughly enjoyed a variety of Olympics-themed activities that week. From creating fingerprint Olympic rings to a visit from a drama company, where actors brought the origins of the Olympics to life, it was a truly enriching experience. The highlight was, of course, our own mini-Olympics, where the children had the opportunity to participate in exciting events. One of the most memorable moments was working alongside our parents to create flags and torches, fostering a wonderful sense of community.

Summerhill ~ Room on the broom

Reception class enjoyed the story "Room on the Broom" and participated in various activities related to it. We made our own wands, played engaging games, and we even built a giant broomstick out of branches and sticks to "fly" on together. It was a day filled with creativity and fun, and the magic of the story came to life in wonderful ways!

Enjoy the video with some highlights from our visit to Summerhill, which was truly a delightful experience.

Rossmere Forest School ~ Christmas      

We had a wonderful visit to Rossmere Forest School! The children enjoyed a range of fun, Christmas-related activities, and we were even lucky enough to meet Santa! It was a festive and memorable experience for everyone.

St Columba Church       

We had a lovely visit to St Columba Church. The children had the opportunity to learn about churches and their significance, as well as discover why Christmas is such an important time for Christians. It was a wonderful experience that helped bring their learning to life.

Storyteller visit         

We had a wonderful treat in our Reception class this week—a visit from a talented storyteller! She shared the enchanting tales of The Fat Cat and Tiddalik the Frog. It was delightful to watch her bring the stories to life, captivating both children and adults alike.

Tweddle Farm           

We had a fantastic day at Tweddle Farm! The children loved feeding the different farm animals, gently stroking rabbits and guinea pigs, and even dancing with the squawking parrots. The excitement and joy on their faces throughout the day were wonderful to see, especially during the tractor and barrel train ride! It was a memorable experience for everyone, and we look forward to more adventures together!

Summerhill ~ World Book Day       

We had a fantastic day at Summerhill last Thursday, enjoying the beautiful weather outdoors! The children loved sharing the story A Squash and a Squeeze and took part in engaging activities linked to the story, all while exploring nature. It was a joy to see them learning and having fun in such a wonderful setting.

World Book Day 

For World Book Day, we read a wonderful story from Japan called The Boy Who Loved to Draw Cats. We really enjoyed listening to the tale, especially the exciting part where the cat came to life and saved the little boy! After the story, we had so much fun drawing our own bright and colorful cats. The best part was sharing this special time with our parents! We also learned some fun facts about Japan! Did you know the red circle on Japan’s flag represents the rising sun? We even practised saying We love reading in Japanese and learned how to say hello!

Summerhill ~ Routes and maps        

We had a fantastic time at Summerhill, making the most of the beautiful weather outdoors. The children thoroughly enjoyed following a fun treasure hunt trail, answering questions along the way and engaging with nature. It was a joy to see them exploring, playing games, and appreciating the natural surroundings throughout our walk.