Reception Class
Welcome back! We hope you all had a wonderful break. and the children are all ready for an exciting half term as we countdown to Christmas!
This half term our topic will be 'Let's Celebrate!' where we will be looking at Bonfire Night, Diwali and Christmas and we will also be touching on Road Safety Week and some science work on the senses. In our Maths lessons we will be focusing on numbers 1-5, shape (square, triangle, circle and rectangle) and we will also be looking at patterns. In RE, we are learning about our Christian value 'Joy' as well as listening, retelling and understanding the Christmas story. We are also introducing our new exciting project called 'Drawing Club where the children will be reading a story each week and carrying out lots of predicting, retelling, character discussions through the process of drawing. We can't wait to start this!
As we draw closer to Christmas, we will then begin rehearsals for our Christmas show, write letters to Satna, create Christmas wish lists, carry out some baking for Mrs Claus as well as focusing on the importance of Christmas and what this means to us. In history, we will be looking at toys from the past and comparing them with toys we have at home.
As we approach the colder weather, please ensure your child has a hat, gloves and a warm coat with them every day as we are always outside, whatever the weather!
Important dates for your diary this half term-
Tuesday 12th November- Stay and Read- All parents/grandparents/carers are welcome to attend
Friday 29th November- Stay and Count- 8:40-9:30am- All parents/grandparents/carers welcome to attend.
Wednesday 11th December- Reception Christmas Production- 9:30am
Tuesday 17th December- Reception Christmas party day
Friday 20th December- School closes for Christmas
Staff
Monday – Miss Griffin, Miss Mackenzie and Miss Appleton
Tuesday- Miss Griffin, Miss Mackenzie, Miss Kane and Miss Appleton
Wednesday- Miss Griffin, Mrs Pape, Miss Mackenzie and Miss Kane.
Thursday- Mrs Pape, Miss Mackenzie and Miss Kane
Friday- Mrs Pape, Miss Mackenzie and Miss Kane (mornings only)
Reading at home
Your child is now bringing home 2 books each week. One is based on their learning that they have completed in Phonics and the other is to read for pleasure with your child. This is usually selected by your child and it's a great way to model reading and discussing books. Please ensure your child reads their phonics book at least 3 x week as this helps build their fluency and recognition of words. We aim to listen to your child read at least once a week and books are changed on a Thursday.
Communication
3.15pm Pick-up
At 3.15pm, the children have been leaving the classroom via the same door they enter school, one at a time. They are asked to sit patiently on the carpet until we call their name when we can see their adult. We will get quicker as we go! If someone new to us is picking up your child, or there is a change to the usual routine, please let us know at morning drop-off, via the office or by email.
At home-time and after school, please do not allow your children to play on the climbing frame or other equipment in the ‘Garden’ area or on the school field. This is for health and safety and insurance reasons. Thank you.
Outdoor Learning
In Reception we love to be outside in our garden, exploring on the field or visiting our Conservation Area. We try to go outside in all weathers (and particularly enjoy the rain!) so, if you haven’t already, please provide your child with an all-in-one waterproof suit or a waterproof coat and trousers, along with wellies to avoid lovely new uniforms from becoming not-so-lovely. These would be best left in school if possible please. Please provide a named coat hanger on which we can hang the wet waterproofs! Thank you. For indoors, we ask that each child keeps their pair of pumps in school, we will send these home at the end of a term for you to check their fit. Please name everything that comes in to school.
PE
Reception’s PE days will be on a Tuesday this half term. Please ensure your child comes to school dressed in their PE kits on this day with a suitable pairs of trainers.
Milk and Water Bottles
The children have a snack (fruit or vegetable) each day and are always encouraged to try all new foods. They will also receive cow’s milk each day until they turn 5. This will begin at the start of the children’s first full week of school, Monday 16th September. If you would prefer your child not to have milk, please let the school know. Once children are 5, their milk will need to be paid for as outlined in previous information received. Please be aware that there is a delay between your payment happening and your child being added to our school milk order. Children have access to their water bottles throughout the day and are encouraged to drink regularly. Please ensure children have their names on their water bottle and bring fresh water to school each day. The children are able to re-fill their bottle throughout the school day as needed.
Book Bags
It is helpful if children can bring a book bag to school each day so they can bring home drawings and books etc. We would also appreciate a spare set of underwear and socks being kept in your child’s bag. This could be in a spare bag, left on your child’s peg, or inside their book bag.
Communication
An 'open door' policy is really important to us here at Adel St John so if there is anything you wish to discuss or mention, please let one of the Reception team know. Mornings tend to be our busiest time so after school is preferable, where possible. We are all here to ensure your child has a smooth transition into school life so please speak to us if you have any concerns and we will work together to support them.
You can also email us and our email addresses are given below. Please be aware that we may not be able to check these when we are teaching the children but we will aim to get back to you as soon as we can.
anna.griffin@adel-st-john.leeds.sch.uk
katie.pape@adel-st-john.leeds.sch.uk
As always, thank you for your continued support.
Here's to a wonderful half term!
Miss Griffin, Mrs Pape, Miss Kane, Mrs Appleton. Miss Mackenzie
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Reception Class Blog
Our final Christmas week
Reception (gquinn) on: Reception Class Blog
What a wonderful end to the term we have had!
We have partied, baked, created, painted, designed, played but most of all, we’ve had lots of fun! There has been a wonderful atmosphere within the classroom with all the children engrossed in their learning. Tomorrow we finish with our Polar Express day and carols around the tree.
We would like to wish all of your reception families a wonderful, relaxing Christmas break and we look forward to seeing everyone again in the new year. We would also like to say a huge thank you for our generous gifts and cards- they are very much appreciated.
Have a wonderful break!
The Reception Team
Christmas in Reception
Reception (gquinn) on: Reception Class Blog
Christmas magic has well and truly started in Reception class!
We have had a visit from a little cheeky elf who likes to jump around the classroom! The children have named him Elfie after a class vote. The tree is decorated, the classroom is full of sparkle and the learning we have seen over the past few weeks has been amazing! We have been building the nativity scene in the construction area, writing letters to Santa in the writing area as well as creating cards for our friends, Christmas pattern making in the maths area, movement play to Christmas songs in the outdoor space and many more wonderful learning opportunities. Not to forget our fantastic Christmas story production! We are all looking forward to the last week where we will be creating cards, baking gingerbread biscuits, Christmas parties, carols around the tree and the thing we are most excited about…..Polar Express Day! All details of the up coming week can be found on Tapestry.
A busy week 4!
Reception (gquinn) on: Reception Class Blog
Another busy week in Reception with lots of active, independent learning as well as lots of resilience with new challenges. This week we have been rehearsing for our Christmas nativity, exploring numbers 4 and 5, learning all about the 5 senses and exploring these inside and outside the classroom, as well as carrying out our 2nd week of Drawing Club which we are all really enjoying! Thank you to everyone who attended ‘Stay and Count’ on Friday- we nearly had 100% attendance which is amazing. We hope you found the session helpful and you enjoyed spending some time with your children in the classroom setting.
Christmas begins next week in Reception. We cannot wait!
Diwali
Reception (gquinn) on: Reception Class Blog
This week we have been learning all about Diwali as part of our new topic ‘Let’s Celebrate!” The children have been finding out how Diwali is celebrated in the Hindu and Sikh religion. We started by reading the story of Rama and Sita and acting this out as a class. We then moved on to looking at how Hindus celebrate Diwali which then fed into more independent learning around the classroom. The children created different rangoli patterns using pastels, shapes and Numicon shapes. They also made their own diya lamps using salt dough and some children had their own Diwali feast in our home corner. We finished the week by comparing this Hindu festival of Diwali with the Christian celebration of Christmas where the children found lots of similarities as well as differences. This week we have also been doing lots of independent learning in our areas of provision and it has been particularly interesting to see a shift in children’s interests. Our writing areas inside and outside have become particularly popular and it has been wonderful to see more of the children mark making, as well as applying some of their phonics learning within their writing. Outside, the children have been enjoying using our new mud kitchen, writing shed and reading area. The children have also planted some trees with Miss Griffin as part of our outdoor learning time.
Glorious November Week
Reception (gquinn) on: Reception Class Blog
What a busy week we have had. We have had anti-bullying odd sock day, finishing our learning about Diwali by creating Mandir (temples) using junk modelling and Lego. We all used our physical strength to dig in the ground to plant Field Maple trees. We loved having our grown ups come and stay with us on Tuesday morning for our stay and read session. We showed great respect during our silence on Remembrance Day. We loved hearing Mr Gleeson playing the trumpet. We have loved our ballet focussing on jumping. What energetic children we are!
Busy bees
Reception (gquinn) on: Reception Class Blog
Wow what a great first week back we have had! It was wonderful to be back together and find out what we had each been doing over the holidays. This week we have been learning all about numbers 4 and 5, why people wear poppies at this time of the year, how we celebrate bonfire night as well as discussing what makes a good friend. The children have been practising lots of mark making and cutting skills this week and it is wonderful to see lots of the children being interested in writing words! They particularly enjoyed making friendship cards for their friends.
1st half term-COMPLETED!
Reception (gquinn) on: Reception Class Blog
What a fantastic end to a wonderful first half term in Reception. We are immensely proud of every single one of our amazing team and the way they have adjusting to school life. We have made new friends, listened to and followed lots of new routines and rules, started to learn to read, learnt all about numbers 1-5, been to the computer suite, explored lots of learning outside and we have started to write letters and words! The children all deserve a wonderful half term break and we thank you all for all your support this half term. Happy half term!
Busy Bees!
Reception (gquinn) on: Reception Class Blog
Wow! Another amazing week in Reception! This week we have been celebrating differences and diversity as part of Black History Month. In Literacy, we have been reading the book ‘Elmer’ where we carried out some predicting, sequencing and retelling. The children have been really inspired by the story and some of them created their vey own Elmer’s using junk modelling. They were pretty spectacular and we are hoping to share them with Mr Dalrymple on Monday.
In maths, we have been learning all about shape, in particular, circles and and triangles. We have been spotting them in the environment and describing them.
On Thursday, we did some team art work outside based on the artist, Andy Goldsworthy where we collected and used natural materials to create our own masterpieces. Have a look at them in the cloakroom next week! Our blending skills are also really starting to develop and it has been wonderful to listen to the children read this week and hear some of this progress. We are learning to read!
It has also been particularly wonderful to see the children exploring their learning in different areas this week. The home corner is usually a firm favourite but many of the children have loved being outside this week and playing in the mud! We have had mud pies, cakes, drinks. You name it, we’ve tried it! We are looking forward to out mud kitchen being delivered very soon, where we can develop this interest further! We also had a delivery of some new balance bikes and helmets this week and the children have been learning about the importance of safety when using the bikes and scooters.
One week to go! Let’s go Team Reception!
Autumn has arrived
Reception (gquinn) on: Reception Class Blog
What another busy week in Reception!
This week we have been learning about Autumn and began the week by venturing out in the school grounds and looking for signs of autumn. We found different coloured leaves, conkers, pine cones and we even harvested apples from our allotment which we enjoyed as a snack! We discussed the seasonal changes and made leaf crowns using some of the leaves we had collected. Some of the children created their own repeating patterns for their crowns. In the craft area, we have carried out some printing and autumn colour mixing. In literacy, we have been reading in the story, ‘Pumpkin Soup’ and the children have created ingredient lists and re-enacted the story as a class. Following on from this we will be introducing a cafe next week which some of the children have enjoyed creating this afternoon. The children have also particularly loved our small world based on Adel and have been creating local maps.
Next week we will be looking at ‘diversity and reading the story Elmer.
2 weeks to go- have an amazing weekend Reception! You deserve a rest!
A very busy week!
Reception (gquinn) on: Reception Class Blog
This week we have been learning about feelings based on the book, ‘The Colour Monster’. We have explored how colours can link to emotions, what these emotions might look like on paper using the ‘Zones of Regulation’, how we might express our feelings and we have also enjoyed lots of stories about different emotions including, Ravi’s Roar and Ruby’s Worry.
We have also continued with our learning about Adel and created our own small world using places of interest. Some of the children created maps of Adel and built farms on the small world tray. This linked well to our Asda role play that we created outside as a class. The children have enjoyed writing shopping lists, collecting their shopping, paying and packing their bags for the ride home on the scooters!
On our craft table we have been making our own colour monsters out of play dough as well as learning about colour mixing using the primary colours. The children then used these colours to create their own colour monsters. Reception also went in the Computing suite for the first time!
Next week we will be looking at Autumn and using our investigation station to find out more. We will also be going on an autumnal adventure walk within the school grounds to search for signs of Autumn.
