Reception Curriculum

The following outlines are to provide parents with brief details of the Early Years curriculum, which begins in the pre-school nursery room and continues into the reception classes.

The planning is based on the six areas of learning set out in the Early Years curriculum / Foundation Stage document, published by the DfES. We would expect the majority of our Reception children to exceed the targets (Early Learning Goals) established in Government curriculum materials. As our Reception groups are differentiated to allow children to work at levels appropriate to their ability, your child may be set work that differs from some of general outlines below.

This document provides you with general information of the curriculum covered through the six areas of learning, which are detailed below and are incorporated through a wide range of exciting, stimulating and challenging themes and topics.
Mathematics

Autumn Term
Recognise numerals 0-10.
Count reliably up to 10 everyday objects.
Talk about, recognise and recreate patterns.
Use language, such as circle or bigger to describe the shape and size of solids and flat shapes.
Say and use the number names in order in familiar contexts.
Spring Term
Find one more or one less than a number from 0-10.
In practical activities and discussion begin to use the vocabulary involved in adding and subtracting.
Show an awareness of symmetry.
Use language such as more or less, greater or smaller, heavier or lighter to compare two numbers or quantities.
Summer Term
Consolidate all areas covered in previous terms
Begin to relate addition to combining two groups of objects and subtracting to ‘taking away’.
Read, write and order numbers from 0 to at least 10
Use everyday words to describe position.
Use developing mathematical ideas and methods to solve problems.

Communication, Language & Literacy

Autumn Term
Have an emerging self-confidence to speak, and listen to others about wants, needs and interests.
Children will develop a comfortable and efficient pencil grip.
Extend their vocabulary to explore the meanings and sounds of new words.
Recognise letters sounds and names of the alphabet.
Children will learn to form lower case letters correctly and to recognise upper case letters. Write own name.
Recognise initial sounds and letters in word and writing.
Show an interest in illustrations and print in books.
Non-fiction: look at simple non-fiction texts, including recounts.
Learn to recognise high-frequency and familiar words.
Spring Term
Listen to and join in stories and poems one to one and also in small groups.
Children will continue to consolidate work from the previous term.
Children will continue to practise handwriting, learning correct letter formation.
Children will become aware of the need to use punctuation.
Show an interest in illustrations and print in books.
Begin to be aware of how stories are structured and make predictions in their stories.
Write labels captions and simple sentences.
Summer Term
To continue and consolidate work from previous terms.
Show an understanding of the elements of stories such as main characters, sequence of events and openings.
Use writing as a means of recording and communicating.
Retell narratives with increasing detail. Retell stories giving main points in sequence.
Know initial, medial and final sounds in common C.V.C. words. Identify sound blends in words.
Children will write captions for their work
Children will write stories based on their personal experiences
Children will write simple lists
Children will begin to spell words accurately and use simple dictionaries.

Creative Development

Autumn Term
Tap out simple repeated rhythms.
Through a variety of practical apparatus and activities the children will explore and learn how sounds can be changed.
Children will be given opportunities to experiment with construction kits, collages, paintings and drawings.
Children will learn to move with dance and expression.
Experiment with materials to create different textures .
Work creatively on a large or small scale.
Imitate and create movement and respond to musical stimulus.
Spring Term
Opportunities for children to express their thoughts, ideas and feelings in a variety of ways such as, role-play, painting and responding to music.
Appropriate materials and media will be used to extend the children’s thinking through involvement.
Children will learn to find solutions to problems.
Children will learn to recognise that we feel through our senses
Summer Term
Activities will be designed to build children’s confidence and self-esteem.
Language will be introduced that enables children to talk about their experiences in greater depth and detail.
Children will continue to extend their experience and imagination through pictures, paintings, poems and stories, music and dance.
Children will be encouraged to share their ideas and to discuss and appreciate the beauty around them in nature and the environment.

Personal, Social & Emotional Development

Autumn Term
Children will be encouraged to tackle their own challenges
Children will be taught to operate independently within the environment and show confidence in linking up with others for support and guidance.
Children will be expected to dress and undress independently and manage their own personal hygiene.
Children will be given a suitable amount of time for achieving more difficult tasks such as tying shoelaces.
Spring Term
Pupils will be asked to interact with other children and teachers will allow them to learn from their experiences, including their mistakes.
Manipulative materials will be accessed and used independently.
Activities will be provided which enable children to ask questions, seek answers, make decisions and solve problems.
To provide experiences, activities and materials which are challenging but achievable.
Summer Term
Provide activities and familiar experiences to allow children to share knowledge from different parts of their life experiences.
To show an awareness of other cultural and religious differences.
To allow opportunities for the children to become curious enthusiastic and busy resulting in confident, independent learners.

Physical Development

Autumn Term
The development of movement individually and as part of a group.
Children will be encouraged to respond to action songs.
In movement words such as gallop, slither, follow, lead will be used
In drama children will be encouraged to move at more than one speed and use a wide range of body parts.
Activities will be devised to allow the children to exercise increasing control over an object i.e. throwing catching, pushing.
Spring Term
To initiate new combinations of movement and gesture in order to allow children to express and respond to feelings ideas and experiences.
Safety on landing will be taught in gymnastics.
The creation of space, time and safe surfaces for children to plan their own routes indoors and out.
Role-play experiences will be encouraged.
The introduction of words such as between, through, above will encourage movement development.
Questions will be set which can lead children towards estimating and recording.
Summer term
Materials and apparatus will be provided for children to explore freely and with direction.
To provide the opportunity for children to develop and refine existing skills.
Children will continue at all times to use a wide range of small and large apparatus both indoors and out.
Swimming lessons will take place throughout the year.

Knowledge & Understanding of the World

Autumn Term
Science - Materials and their Properties

Children will look at collections of objects that have similar /different properties, e.g. natural man-made, size, colour, shape and texture.

History/Geography - Myself, my environment and my school/home

In studying their environment children will learn to ask questions about where they live and the natural world. They will take notice of features in the local environment.

They will use appropriate vocabulary to reinforce observations. e.g. town, park, village, city.

I.C.T. - Children will develop an awareness of technology in the school.

Activities will stimulate an interest in technology.

Spring Term
Science - Myself - Food and Health

We will look at people who help us at home and school

Children will learn about the importance of food, water, and exercise for humans to stay healthy and alive.

Children will look at the differences between themselves and others; treating others sensitively.

History & Geography - Children will learn about past and present.

Children will learn about the wider environment. E.g. hot/cold countries.

I.C.T. - Children will begin to understand how things work by taking things apart and reassembling them e.g. a torch.

Children will continue to build on I.C.T. skills, by using applications on the interactive whiteboard and other applications e.g. magic or paint box.

Summer Term
Science - Myself and our senses

Caring for animals.

Understanding that plants need light and water to grow.

Investigating the five senses.

History & Geography - Share significant/ special events e.g. photographs and other memories of holidays.

Make a book of their drawings and writings.

Simple introductions to maps.

I.C.T./ Design - Children will learn to design by making models of their homes.

They will complete a simple programme on the computer using the appropriate language.
Introduction to German

German in Foundation Stage and Key Stage One

Reception : Listening and Speaking
Children listen carefully and use visual cues to aid comprehension of single words and very short phrases in simple instructions, questions and statements.
They listen carefully to repeated language and take part in choral and individual repetition of single words and very short phrases.
They respond to spoken language with actions, single words and short phrases.
Confidence in listening and speaking is encouraged through games, songs, rhymes and stories.