Welcome to Reception

Typical Reception Timetable

Key Information

Communicating with your child's class teacher: 

Our direct year group email is Reception-Class@st-matthews.leeds.sch.uk. As both classes use this email, please make it clear in the subject line who the email is for (FAO Miss Simpson or FAO Miss Stansfield). 

Collecting your child at the end of the day:

We have now learned most parents'/carers' faces which is great for a speedy home time dismissal. If your child is being collected by another person, please ensure that your child's class teacher is aware of this in advance. The best way to do this is by contacting the school office. Due to safeguarding reasons, we cannot release a child to a person without prior instruction from the parent/carer. 

Names in clothing:

Please ensure that your child's clothing is clearly labelled with their name so their clothing can be rightfully returned (should it be taken off). 

Newsletters 

Our Current Learning - Spring Term 2

Our Topic - Minibeasts

We’ve very excited for our minibeast topic, we started the half term with a favourite, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We’ve made story maps, ordered pictures and written some great sentences to retell the story. We’ve created some caterpillar finger print paintings inspired by Eric Carle in the provision areas.

World Book Day 

What a successful day at school. Our pupils all had a fantastic time celebrating books with a favourite being 'The Book With No Pictures'! We enjoyed going to the book swap with our buddies and choosing a book to take home and enjoy. Some teachers made us guess their favourite book in a whole school assembly and Mr Davies and Mr Barlow came from Key Stage 2 to read us a story at the end of the day.

Reception Fun!

Look at us having fun and learning in our learning environments. 

Our Previous Learning - Spring Term 1

Our Topic - Julia Donaldson

Well-being Day

What a super end to our Spring 1 learning. Reception loved Yoga, listening to stories read by The Little Book Shop team, learning about the importance of hand washing and making a craft rainbow of all their positive attributes. 

Stay and Play

A big thank you to everyone who participated with our stay and play sessions, we had a fantastic time sharing our learning environments with you.

Chinese New Year

What a fantastic time Reception have had learning about this wonderful celebration.

The Gruffalo

Reception have kickstarted their wonderful Julia Donaldson topic with the story, The Gruffalo.

Number 7

We have explored number 7 in a variety of creative ways.

Christingle Service

On Wednesday, we enjoyed participating in the Christingle Service at church through singing the songs and making our own Christingle.

Previous Learning - Autumn Term 2

Our Topic - People Who Help

Christmas

Fire Engine Visit

A Visit from a Doctor

Occupational Therapist Visit

Children In Need

Oral health

Reception have been discussing the importance of cleaning our teeth and sharing our new facts about oral health.

Remembrance Day

Reception have engaged in a variety of activities linked to Remembrance Day. They have learnt what the poppy represents and participated brilliantly in the 2 minutes silence.

Climate Change Relay Race

Reception have been learning about how to look after our environment and why this is important. We've made promises to make small changes to have a positive impact on our planet. School will be marking the imminent COP27 Climate talks by having a whole school relay race ('Running out of time'). 

Bonfire Safety

We've been discussing the importance of Bonfire safety and how we can keep safe at a Bonfire. We've made some wonderful fireworks with paint and then separately with chalk. We're also making some yummy edible sparklers with bread sticks, chocolate and sprinkles!

Previous Learning - Autumn Term 1

Our Topic - All About Me

We've started our new topic 'All About Me' by recognising what makes us special and unique with a brilliant book 'Incredible Me'. We've enjoyed creating a self portrait and engaged in various creative tasks to draw / paint / collage ourselves. We will be learning about The Colour Monster and developing our emotional literacy to recognise and talk our feelings. 

Diwali

Reception are loving learning about Diwali this week. We’ve had various activities linked to Diwali, a wonderful story and some fantastic videos. A big thank you to Mrs Miani for sharing family photographs and her children’s clothes with us. We loved learning about how you celebrate Diwali and why this is special to you. 

Tree Planting Project with Chapel Allerton Primary School

What an exciting afternoon yesterday for Reception and Year 6. Reception went to the school field with their buddies and planting a sapling. This is a very special memory they will treasure as part of their St Matthew’s journey. 

Stay and Play

A big thank you to our special adults that came to play with us. It was so lovely to share our learning environment with you.

Patterns

Patterns have been a big focus this half-term. We're learning to repeat patterns using paint, colouring pencils, objects and body patterns. 

Settling In

Our pupils are settling into the school routine brilliantly, look at us exploring the Reception areas of provision.

Washing Hands

We're frequently discussing effective ways to wash our hands and to keep ourselves safe. We've used this video in class to support our children's understanding of how to wash their hands properly.

Mark Making

The children are enjoying mark making both inside and outside. Some children have even tried writing the sounds we have learnt so far.

Daily Prayers

At lunchtime and at the end of the day we do a whole class prayer. The children do not have to join in with this but are asked to be respectful during this time. Below are the words to the prayers. At lunchtime and at the end of the day we do a whole class prayer. The children do not have to join in with this but are asked to be respectful during this time. Below are the words to the prayers.

Keeping healthy

Here is the hand washing video that we have used to learn how to wash our hands properly. Remember, we need to wash our hands when we have used the toilet, before we eat and when we come into a new environment. 

WOW Vouchers

We are really interested in hearing anything that you and/or your child think is an achievement outside of school- things that make you smile with pride. Please print off vouchers from the link below and send them into us at school, so that this moment can be celebrated in class!

Maths

We use the Whiterose Maths mastery curriculum in Reception. This scheme of work was developed to build a new culture of deep understanding, confidence and competence in maths. 

We use the CBeebies Numberblocks to support our teaching of numbers.

Early Writing Skills

Please encourage your child to mark make using pens, pencils, paintbrushes etc. Part of the writing process is children ascribing meaning to marks and children gaining confidence with pencil control.