In Reception, children build on the knowledge, skills and experiences developed in Nursery. Teaching continues to follow the Development Matters guidance and is carefully planned to ensure children make strong progress towards achieving the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) by the end of the year. Our curriculum also lays the foundations for successful transition into Key Stage 1 and the National Curriculum.
Children access a balance of high-quality adult-led teaching and purposeful continuous provision. Following direct teaching sessions, children are encouraged to apply, practise and deepen their learning through carefully designed challenges within the provision. As the year progresses, children develop increasing independence, resilience and ownership of their learning, becoming motivated and confident learners.
The structure of the Reception day mirrors that of Nursery, with longer adult-led sessions to reflect children's growing concentration and developmental needs. Daily learning includes phonics, early reading, writing, mathematics and opportunities to develop knowledge and skills across all areas of learning.
Our language-rich environment continues to support vocabulary development, communication and literacy. Children take part in daily Read Write Inc. Phonics sessions and are encouraged to apply their phonics knowledge through reading and writing opportunities across the curriculum. Adults model language, extend thinking and provide timely support to ensure all children make progress.
Continuous provision remains central to learning in Reception. Carefully planned indoor and outdoor environments allow children to revisit and embed taught skills while following their interests through play and exploration. Adults observe, assess and respond to children's needs, ensuring learning is both challenging and engaging.
Children continue to work collaboratively through age-appropriate Kagan cooperative learning structures, helping them develop communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills. Teaching is underpinned by Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction, including modelling, guided practice, questioning, retrieval and regular review, ensuring new learning is secured and retained.
Reception Experiences
We believe every child should experience a range of memorable learning opportunities during their Reception year, including:
- Baking from scratch
- Performing a dragon dance
- Observing and discussing a life cycle
- Taking part in a Nativity performance
- Educational visits and trips
- Treasure hunts and outdoor exploration
These experiences enrich learning, broaden children's understanding of the world and create lasting memories.