Welcome to Reception

A Very Warm Welcome

"Every child deserves the very best start to their learning journey."

Welcome to Reception, where curiosity is celebrated, imaginations flourish and every child is encouraged to believe that they can achieve amazing things.

Our Reception team are dedicated, caring and passionate about creating a nurturing environment where every child feels happy, safe, valued and inspired to learn. We know that starting school is one of the biggest milestones in a child's life, and we are privileged to share this exciting journey with you.

By working closely in partnership with families, we ensure every child settles confidently into school life and develops a genuine love of learning from their very first day. We believe that when children feel safe, loved and understood, they flourish both personally and academically.

Our Vision

At Gascoigne Primary School, our Reception curriculum is built upon the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework and has been carefully designed to inspire every child to become a confident, independent and enthusiastic learner.

We provide an ambitious, knowledge-rich curriculum that balances purposeful play, practical experiences and high-quality adult teaching. Learning is carefully sequenced to build children's knowledge over time, ensuring every child develops the skills, confidence and resilience needed to flourish in Year 1 and beyond.

We have the highest aspirations for every child and celebrate each unique learning journey, ensuring all children are supported, challenged and encouraged to achieve their full potential.

Learning Through Play

Play is at the heart of childhood and at the heart of our curriculum.

We believe children learn best when they are actively engaged, exploring their interests and making meaningful connections through first-hand experiences. Every area of our indoor and outdoor environment has been carefully planned to encourage curiosity, creativity, collaboration and problem solving.

Our skilled adults carefully extend children's thinking through questioning, modelling and meaningful interactions, enabling children to revisit learning, deepen understanding and become increasingly independent.

Through the Characteristics of Effective Learning, children learn to:

• Play and Explore
• Be Active Learners
• Create and Think Critically

These learning behaviours help children become resilient learners who are willing to have a go, persevere through challenges and celebrate their achievements.

Communication and Language

Communication is at the heart of everything we do because we believe that every child deserves to have a voice. From the moment children join our Reception family, we create a language-rich environment where conversations, storytelling, songs, nursery rhymes and imaginative play inspire children to become confident communicators.

We understand that strong communication skills are the foundation for future success in reading, writing, learning and building positive relationships. Every interaction throughout the day is carefully planned to extend children's vocabulary, encourage curiosity and develop their confidence to express their ideas, ask questions and explain their thinking.

At Gascoigne Primary School, we are proud to place Oracy at the centre of our curriculum. Through Talk Explorers, partner talk, storytelling, role play and meaningful classroom discussions, children learn to listen attentively, speak clearly, share their opinions and communicate respectfully with others. These opportunities help children develop confidence, resilience and the ability to articulate their thoughts with increasing independence.

We recognise that every child's communication journey is unique. Through high-quality adult interactions, skilful questioning and targeted support, including NELI (Nuffield Early Language Intervention), we ensure that every child develops the language and confidence they need to flourish.

By nurturing communication from the very beginning, we empower children to become curious learners, confident speakers and thoughtful listeners, giving them the strongest possible foundation for a lifetime of learning.

Reading and Writing

Reading opens the door to every area of learning, and developing a love of books is one of our greatest priorities.

Children begin their reading journey through Read Write Inc. (RWI) Phonics, where they develop the skills to recognise sounds, blend words and read with increasing fluency and confidence. Alongside daily phonics teaching, children enjoy carefully selected high-quality texts that inspire curiosity, develop vocabulary and foster a lifelong love of reading.

Daily story sessions, poetry, rhymes and regular library visits create a community of enthusiastic readers. Children take home both a Read Write Inc. reading book and a library book to share with their families because we know that reading together at home is one of the most powerful ways to support children's learning.

Writing begins long before children hold a pencil. Throughout Reception we carefully develop the gross motor skills needed for successful writing through climbing, balancing, dancing, obstacle courses, yoga, outdoor adventures and active play. These experiences strengthen children's core muscles, shoulder stability and posture, providing the physical foundations for writing.

Alongside this, children develop their fine motor skills every day through finger gym activities, playdough, threading, weaving, construction, painting, cutting, peg boards, tweezers and a wide range of carefully planned activities that strengthen little hands and fingers.

As children's confidence grows, they learn correct letter formation before applying their phonics knowledge to write labels, captions, lists, sentences, stories and information books across the curriculum. Writing opportunities are meaningful and purposeful, taking place both indoors and outdoors, allowing children to see themselves as successful writers from the very beginning.

Mathematics

Mathematics is brought to life in Reception through exciting, practical and hands-on experiences that inspire children to become confident, curious and enthusiastic mathematicians. We encourage children to explore, investigate, reason and solve problems, helping them discover that maths is all around them.

Through our mastery approach and the NCETM Mastering Number Programme, children develop a secure understanding of number by exploring counting, subitising, number bonds, patterns and early addition and subtraction. Skilled adults encourage children to think deeply, explain their ideas and celebrate different ways of solving problems.

Our mathematical learning extends beyond numbers as children investigate shape, space and measure through building, cooking, water play, construction, outdoor adventures and creative exploration. They compare, measure, estimate, create repeating patterns and use mathematical language naturally during their play.

Whether children are building towering structures, hunting for shapes outdoors, measuring ingredients, exploring capacity in the water area or solving mathematical challenges with friends, every day is filled with opportunities to discover the joy of mathematics.

By the end of Reception, our children leave as confident, resilient and enthusiastic mathematicians, ready to embrace the exciting challenges of Year 1 with curiosity and confidence.

Discovering Our World

Children are naturally curious, and we nurture this curiosity through exciting experiences that encourage them to investigate, question and explore.

Through science investigations, educational visits, gardening, cooking, visitors into school and outdoor exploration, children develop an understanding of themselves, their community and the wider world.

We encourage children to become young scientists by predicting, observing, investigating and explaining what they discover, developing a lifelong fascination with learning.

Creativity and Imagination

Creativity is celebrated every single day.

Children express themselves through art, music, dance, storytelling, role play, construction and imaginative play, developing confidence to share their own ideas whilst learning about a range of artists, musicians and creative techniques.

We believe creativity nurtures confidence, resilience and problem-solving whilst allowing every child to shine.

Learning Outdoors

Our outdoor classroom is an essential part of our Reception curriculum.

Children learn through exploration, investigation and active play every day. Whether they are building dens, growing vegetables, hunting for minibeasts, creating obstacle courses, writing outdoors, investigating nature or solving mathematical challenges, children are continually applying their learning in exciting and meaningful ways.

Outdoor learning promotes independence, resilience, teamwork, communication and curiosity whilst supporting children's physical, emotional and cognitive development.

Inclusion for Every Child

Every child is unique, and every child belongs.

We are passionate about creating an inclusive environment where all children can thrive. Through adaptive teaching, skilled adult support, visual resources, communication strategies and personalised learning experiences, we ensure every child can access our ambitious curriculum and experience success.

We celebrate diversity, value every child's strengths and work closely with families and outside professionals to provide the right support at the right time.

Working in Partnership with Families

Parents and carers are children's first teachers, and together we make an incredible team.

We value open communication and work closely with families throughout the year through Seesaw, stay-and-play sessions, phonics workshops, parent consultations, celebration events and curriculum workshops.

Together we celebrate every milestone, every achievement and every success because we know that strong partnerships between home and school enable children to flourish.

A Wonderful Beginning

Reception is filled with laughter, wonder, friendship and unforgettable moments.

Watching children arrive with curiosity and leave as confident, independent learners who love reading, writing, exploring and discovering the world is one of our greatest privileges.

Together, we inspire curious minds, nurture kind hearts and build strong foundations for a lifetime of learning.

We cannot wait to welcome you to our Reception family and begin this wonderful journey together.

Recent Events

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