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Reception
Parents’ Guide
2014/2015
Lunchboxes
Your child will need to bring enough food for breakfast, lunch and a snack.
These should be sent to school in a lunch bag or lunchbox that your child
can open independently. Please send in food your child likes and is used to
eating.
Food Groups
The key to a healthy lunchbox is to include a balance of appropriate foods
from the four main food groups :
1. Breads and cereals e.g. sandwiches, wraps, pasta and rice salads, crisp
breads and crackers, pitta bread, bagels etc.
2. Fruit and vegetables e.g. salad in sandwiches, carrot sticks, pure fruit juice,
canned fruit pieces, raisins, apples, pears etc.
3. Meat and alternatives e.g. chicken, turkey, boiled eggs, hummous, canned
tuna or salmon etc.
4. Milk and dairy products e.g. milk, cheese, fruit yoghurt, drinking yoghurt,
rice pudding etc.
Foods in the fifth food group, containing fat and sugar should be eaten in
moderation.
Please note that we do not allow cakes, biscuits,
sweets, fizzy drinks and chocolate products. Please
also do not send in glass bottles.
Early Years Foundation Curriculum
In Reception we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) for
England and Wales. The children will be working on objectives in the 40-60 month age
group.
The EYFS is divided into two areas.
Prime areas:
 Personal, Social and Emotional Development
 Communication and Language
 Physical Development
The Specific Areas:
 Literacy
 Mathematics
 Understanding the World
 Expressive Arts and Design
By the end of the Reception year the children are expected to have achieved the
following Early Learning Goals:
PSED
Making relationships:
Children play co-operatively, taking turns with others. They take account of one
another’s ideas about how to organise their activity. They show sensitivity to others’
needs and feelings and form positive relationships with adults and other children.
Self-confidence and self-awareness:
Children are confident to try new activities and say why they like some activities more
than others. They are confident to speak in a familiar group, will talk about their ideas
and will choose the resources they need for their chosen activities. They say when they
do or do not need help.
Managing feelings and behaviour:
Children talk about how they and others show feelings, talk about their own and others’
behaviour, and its consequences, and know that some behaviour is unacceptable. They
work as part of a group or class, and understand and follow the rules. They adjust their
behaviour to different situations, and take changes of routine in their stride.
Communication and Language
Listening and attention:
Children listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to stories, accurately
anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions
or actions. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while
engaged in another activity.
Understanding:
Children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They answer ‘how’ and
‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events.
Speaking:
Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners’ needs. They use
past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened
or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by
connecting ideas or events.
Physical development
Moving and handling:
Children show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements. They
move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. They handle equipment
and tools effectively, including pencils for writing.
Health and self-care:
Children know the importance for good health of physical exercise and a healthy diet and
they talk about ways to keep healthy and safe. They manage their own basic hygiene and
personal needs successfully, including dressing and going to the toilet independently.
Literacy
Reading:
Children read and understand simple sentences. They use phonic knowledge to decode
regular words and read them aloud accurately. They also read some common irregular
words. They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have
read.
Writing:
Children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken
sounds. They also write some irregular common words. They write simple sentences
which can be read by themselves and others. Some words are spelt correctly and others
are phonetically plausible.
Mathematics
Numbers:
Children count reliably with numbers from one to twenty, place them in order and say
which number is one more or one less than a given number. Using quantities and objects,
they add and subtract two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find the answer.
They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing.
Shape, space and measure:
Children use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance,
time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. They
recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore characteristics of everyday objects
and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them.
Understanding the World
People and communities:
Children talk about past and present events in their own lives
and in the lives of family members. They know that
Other children don’t always enjoy the same things and are
sensitive to this. They know about similarities and
differences between themselves and others, and among
families, communities and traditions.
The world:
Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials
and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and
how environments might vary from one to another. They make observations of animals
and plants and explain why some things occur and talk about changes.
Technology:
Children recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and
schools. They select and use technology for particular purposes.
Expressive art and design
Exploring and using media and materials:
Children sing songs, make music and dance and experiment with ways of changing them.
They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting
with colour, design, texture, form and function.
Being imaginative:
Children use what they have learnt about media and materials, thinking about uses and
purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and
technology, art, music, dance, role play and stories.
Learning through play
The EYFS curriculum has been designed so that children learn through play. Children
will engage in practical activities and games throughout their time in Reception. They will
be given the opportunity to learn through teacher led activities and self-discovery.
Children will complete tasks in groups, pairs and independently. Reception children do
not have workbooks to complete, although they may do the occasional worksheet.
Homework
Homework in Reception will comprise of sharing the weekly library book and listening to
your child read their reading book. Your child will also benefit from being read to on a
daily basis. English speaking and listening practice should be a daily part of your family’s
routine. Children will also be expected to learn the weekly sounds and high frequency
words. Practical homework may also be given from time to time. Please note that
worksheets will not be given out as homework.
Reading skills
In Reception we will teach the children important reading skills. Each child will be given
a weekly reading book. This book should be comfortable for your child to read. Books
that are too difficult will not accelerate reading progress. In fact these may turn emergent
readers into reluctant readers. More difficult books will be used during guided reading
sessions at school. Please do not compare your child’s reading book level with other
children in the class. The class teacher will have assigned the correct level for your child’s
ability. If there is a problem your child’s teacher will inform you.
Enjoying and sharing books
Children benefit hugely from being exposed to books from an early age. You should
provide lots of opportunity for your child to engage in books. Encourage them to choose
a book and share it together. The more varied the choice of books the better. Remember
to include both fiction and non-fiction books.
Let your child see you reading books and talk about what you are reading in an age
appropriate way. Enjoying and sharing books leads to children seeing books as a source
of pleasure and interest. This will motivate them to value reading.
Teaching reading
The class teacher will teach your child to read using a method called phonics. This is a
way of teaching children the sounds that make up words. Words are broken down into
the sounds they are made up from and then these sounds are 'blended' together to make
the word. So, for example, with 'dog', the children learn the sounds the letters ‘d’, ‘o’, and
‘g’ make separately and then how they blend to say 'dog'. Please note that we teach letter
sounds not names i.e. not ‘ay’, ‘bee’, ‘see’ as in the alphabet song. Phonics also helps
children spell as they can hear the sounds in a word and then translate them back into the
letters needed.
Reading Scheme
In school we use ‘Big Cat Phonics’ as our reading scheme. This scheme starts at Lilac
level which are no word books. We use this scheme throughout school. This scheme
contains fiction and non-fiction books.
Lilac level - no word books
Most Reception children will start with Lilac level reading books. These books are
picture books and contain no words. No word books are designed to help develop some
of the foundations for good reading later on. With these books the children will learn
story structure, character and setting, prediction, deduction and vocabulary development.
There are also the conventions of front-to-back and left-to-right orientation when
handling books. Parents can discuss the stories with the children in any way they like,
talking about what happens, what might happen next, what the child thinks.
Pink level - simple word books
After Lilac level the children will move onto the Pink level of the reading scheme. These
books contain simple predictable words with familiar objects and actions. The sentences
in these books will contain easy to decode words along with high frequency words.
Reading Diary
Each child will be given a reading diary with their reading book. This will be a record of
which books they have read in class. Please sign this book so that the class teacher knows
that you have heard your child read the book. There is also a comment section in the
diary. Please include a simple description about how your child has responded to reading
the words and to the content and meaning of the book. Any achievements and new
vocabulary could be noted. If you have any concerns about your child’s reading please
write to the teacher via the communication book.
Useful websites:
 www.oxfordowl.co.uk
 Www.readingeggs.com
Reading Tips
Make Reading Fun
 Read with drama and excitement. Use different voices for different characters in the
story. Use your child's name instead of a character's name.
 Make puppets and use them to act out a story.
 Re-read your child's favourite stories as many times as your child wants to hear them,
and choose books and authors that your child enjoys.
 Read stories that have repetitive parts and encourage your child to join in.
 Point to words as you read them. This will help your child make a connection
between the words he or she hears you say and the words on the page.
 Encourage relatives and friends to give your child books as gifts.
Read Every Day
 Try to read with your child as often as possible.
 Set aside a special time each day when you can give your full attention to reading with
your child.
 Choose a variety of books.
 Vary the length of reading time according to your child's age and interests. For young
children, several short sessions (of 10 minutes each) may be better than one long
session (of 30 minutes).
 Read slowly so that your child can form a mental picture of what is happening in the
story.
 Praise your child for his or her ideas and participation.
 Keep reading to your child even after he or she has learned to read. By reading stories
that will interest your child but that are above his or her reading level, you can stretch
your child's understanding.
Talk About Books
 Encourage your child to ask questions and to comment on the story and pictures in a
book – before, during, and after reading it.
 Look at the cover and the title of a book with your child, and ask your child what he
or she thinks might happen in the story.
 Think out loud about the story as you read and encourage your child to do the same.
For example, ask, "Does this make sense? Why or why not?"
If your child becomes stuck on a word
 Think about what word would make sense in the story or sentence.
 Sound the word out.
 Think of a word that looks and sounds similar.
 Look for parts of the word that are familiar.
 Think about what word would sound right in the sentence.
 Check the pictures and the punctuation marks for clues.
 Go back and read again.
 Ask for help with the word.
Phonics
In Reception all children will receive a daily phonics lesson. We follow a programme
called ‘Letters and Sounds’. In Reception we will focus on Phase 2, 3 and 4 of this
scheme. We use phonics to help teach your child to read and write. We use ‘Jolly
Phonics’ to help your child learn the sounds.
Although the English alphabet contains 26 letters, spoken English contains 44 sounds.
These sounds are made up of single letters (e.g. ‘s’ or ‘a’) or a group of letters (e.g. ‘sh’ or
‘ear’.)
Once children learn these sounds they are quickly used to read and spell words.
Technical words
You may hear your child or child’s teacher use the following words:

Phoneme: a single sound e.g. ‘a’.

Digraph: two letters that make one sound e.g. ‘th’.

Trigraph: three letters that make one sound e.g. ‘air’.

Grapheme: a sound written down - a letter.

Blending: the process of bringing sounds together e.g. ‘c’, ‘a’, ‘t’ = cat.

Segmenting: the skill used in spelling e.g. c-a-t.

Tricky words: words that cannot be sounded out. These words need to be learnt by
heart.

High frequency words: common words that your child needs to learn.

CVC words: consonant - vowel - consonant words e.g. cap, pig, dog, pot…..
Phase Two
This is the first phase of the phonics programme that Reception children will begin with.
The children will learn four letter sounds a week as follows:

s, a, t, p

i, n, m, d

g, o, c, k

ck, e, u, r,

h, b, f, l,

ss, ff, ll
The children will learn to read and spell the following words:
Tricky words:
the
to
I
go
into
go
a
it
back
an
of
and
as
off
get
at
on
big
if
can
his
in
dad
him
is
had
not
got
up
mum
but
put
Decodable words:
Phase Three
In this phase the following letter sounds are taught:

j, v, w, x

y, z, zz, qu

consonant digraphs: ch, sh, th, ng

vowel digraphs: ai, ee, igh, oa, oo, ar, or, ow, ur, oi, ear, ure, air, er
The children will learn to read and spell the following words:
Tricky words:
we
me
be
was
no
go
my
you
they
her
all
are
will
that
this
then
them
will
see
for
now
down
look
too
Decodable words:
Phase Four
By this stage the children will have learnt 42 of the sounds and will be expected to write
them. They should be able to blend these sounds to read simple sounds and to segment
them when spelling. In phase four the following words will be introduced:
tricky words:
said
have
like
so
do
some
come
there
were
little
one
when
out
what
decodable words:
went
it’s
from
children
just
help
Phase 3 and 4 will be revisited in Year One so please do not worry if your child is unable
to read and spell all of these words at the end of Reception. It is important that they
know all the phase 2 words.
Useful websites:

http://www.letters-and-sounds.com

http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/

http://www.ictgames.com/phonemeFlop_v4.html
Handwriting
In Reception children will begin to have handwriting lessons. This will teach them how
to form each letter correctly and from the correct starting point. We teach the children
that each letter belongs to one of four letter families. These are:

Letter family 1: Long ladder

Letter family 2: One Armed Robot

Letter family 3: Curly Caterpillar

Letter family 4: Zig Zag Monster
Children often confuse the letters ‘b’ and ‘d’, ‘m’ and ‘w’ and ‘p’ and ‘q’. Some children
may also write the letters ‘s’, ‘e’, ‘N’ and ‘h’ backwards. This is nothing to worry about for
Reception aged children. These errors are temporary and most children correct these
mistakes by the time they are in Year Two.
Letter and Number Formation Activities
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Fill a clean, used washing up bottle with water and squeeze the bottle to force the
water out and write numbers or letters on the ground. Outside, of course!
Cover the bottom of a tray (a new deep baking tray is ideal) with sand and ask your
child to write numbers or letters in the sand. This is particularly good for children
who are struggling to write numbers or letters properly as it gives good sensory
feedback.
Say a number or letter and ask your child to write it down.
Challenge your child to write a particular number or letter , carefully, as many
times as they can in a minute.
Fine Motor Skills
For your child to have good letter and number formation skills it is important that they
have good fine motor skills. This will also help them with their artwork, cutting and
sticking skills etc. The following list has examples of activities which will help strengthen
your child’s fine motor skills.
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Squeeze a small sponge or small ball of paper.
Sit at the table and try to move fingers as if playing fast music on the piano.
Put heels of hands together and fingers curled, finger tips apart. Child tries to touch
corresponding tips one at a time as quickly as possible.
Use thumb and fore finger of writing hand to open and close spring clip pegs.
Writing patterns with different implements – chalk, finger tips in paint, in foam, large
paintbrush in water, etc.
Finger flicking – roll a small piece of tissue into a ball using tripod pinch. Then flick
into a ‘goal’.
Picking up and placing small items with fingers e.g. pegs in a peg board.
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Picking up small items with tweezers/tongs. Have a box with rice in and add to it
small items to take out with tweezers.
Attach pegs to a plate. You could put numbers, letters or pictures on to plate. Child
attaches peg in response to letter name, number, etc.
Cutting practice. – Start with thick lines, gradually use thinner ones. Make fringes or
cut simple shapes.
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Mazes – keep the line between the path.
Tracing – not too complicated at first.
Playdough – roll into little balls. Roll into sausage shapes using fingers only. Flatten
and child pinches between thumb and fore finger into peaks.
Threading beads – Using simple lacing cards.
Dot to dot – also helps ordering of numbers or you could use letters of alphabet.
Fingertaps – Sit at table with hands on the top. Point to each of child’s fingers in
turn. Child must try to tap on table with each finger in turn without moving the
others.
Use an empty squeezy bottle – blow a ping pong ball.
Mathematics
During their time in Reception the children will learn two aspects of mathematics. These
are ‘Numbers’ and ‘Shape, Space and Measure’. Please refer back to the Early Learning
Goals to see which concepts we will teach.
There are lots of practical ways you can help your child at home.
In the street
 Recognising bus numbers.
 Number plate hunt. Who can find a 7? Add the numbers up
 Comparing door or building numbers
 Counting – how many lampposts on the way to school?
Doing the washing
 Counting in 2s – matching shoes
 Sorting by colour and size
 Matching/pairing up socks
 Find four shoes that are different sizes. Can you put them in order?
Time
 What day was it yesterday, is it today, will it be tomorrow?
 Use timers, phones and clocks to measure short periods of time.
 Count down 10/20 seconds to get to the table/into bed etc.
 Recognising numbers on the clock. If you cover a number, what number is missing?
 Re-tell events in order e.g. Brushing your teeth, getting ready for school.
Food
 Can you cut your toast into 4 pieces? Can you cut it into triangles?
 Setting the table. Counting the right number of plates etc. How many more do we
need?
 Can you make shapes/patterns out of the knives and forks. Can you put them in the
right place in the drawers?
 Helping with the cooking by measuring and counting ingredients
 Setting the timer.
 Positional language at dinner time: what is on the rice, where are the carrots etc?
Going shopping
 Reading price tags
 Counting items into the basket
 Finding and counting coins
 Comparing weights – which is heavier?
Measuring
 Are you taller than a …?
 Marking height on the wall
 Cut hand shapes out of paper. How many hands long is the couch? How long is the
table? Which is longer?
 Who has the biggest hands in our family?
Shapes
 Cut a potato into shapes (circle, triangle). Use with paint to make pictures and
patterns
 Cut out shapes from coloured paper/ newspaper and arrange into pictures
 Shape hunt: Can you find a square in your house (windows), a circle …
Playdough
Use playdough to complete the following activities:
 Make numerals and shapes
 Sort shapes into groups, or order by size
 Make long and short wiggly snakes. Put them in order of size
Games
 Putting cards into piles
 Jigsaws (you can make your own by cutting up a magazine picture)
 Snap (matching pairs) or Happy Families (collect 4 of a kind)
 Snakes and ladders or other simple dice games
 Adding numbers on two dice
 Bingo with numbers or shapes
 Hopscotch
Number rhymes and songs
Ask your child to teach you rhymes or try this website which has the words and sings it
for you:
http://www.nurseryrhymes4u.com/NURSERY_RHYMES/COUNTING.html
Mathematical Vocabulary

Positional language: next to, in front of, under, over, behind, near to, far from, on,
in, to the right of, to the left of, between, through

2D shapes: square, circle, rectangle, triangle, oval, diamond, hexagon, pentagon

3D shapes: cube, sphere, cuboid, pyramid, prism
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Shapes: face, sides, corners
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Measuring: length, weight, mass, big, small, medium, tall, short, wide, narrow, fat,
thin, large, longer than, shorter than, longest, shortest, light, heavy, lighter than,
heavier than, the same as, measure, estimate, guess, balance, level, capacity, full,
empty, half full, half empty, holds more, holds less, spill, pour, container, cup

Counting: add, subtract, take away, how many, all together, minus, plus, equals,
count, estimate, same as, more than, less than, next, before
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Time: night, day, after, before, last night, evening, afternoon, morning, yesterday,
tomorrow, today, first, next morning, early, late, later, earlier, fast, faster,
slow, slower, quick, quicker, days of the week, months of the year, summer, autumn,
spring, winter, seasons, minute, hour, hands
Number Formation
This page shows how we write the numbers and where to start when writing them.