We are a highly motivated and dedicated team who love to engage the children in investigating, exploring and developing learning both inside the classroom and out. We believe that it is important that our youngest children are encouraged to learn in an environment which enables them to make choices and to assume responsibility for their learning by following their interests and enthusiasms.

Our classes are run by experienced early year’s teachers and teaching assistants and both classrooms have indoor and outdoor space for the children to develop their skills. We value a language-rich environment where children’s ideas and thoughts are listened to, commented on and extended through quality interactions and conversations. Our activities also ensure an emphasis on personal, social and emotional development, enabling children to develop into resilient, confident and capable learners. 

We have a range of spaces that offer further opportunities for nature investigations, sand, digging, water play, building, imaginative play and more. We aim to provide children with a range of experiences to increase their wider knowledge and a sense of the world around them, through trips, visitors and wow events. We also make use of the wider school environment including the forest, school library and field, and have a strong belief in developing a sense of belonging for our children and families.

EYFS Framework

The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage is utilised to support an integrated approach to the learning, development and care of the children. In EYFS the three prime areas of learning are:

• communication and language
• physical development
• personal, social and emotional development

We place great emphasis on these three areas as it is important that we ignite our children’s curiosity, encourage their enthusiasms and build their capacity to learn, to form relationships and to thrive.

These three prime areas are strengthened and applied through the four specific areas of:

• literacy
• mathematics
• understanding the world
• expressive arts and design 
  

Underpinning these seven areas of learning are the characteristics of effective teaching and learning

• playing and exploring
• active learning
• creating and thinking critically

Home Learning

We highly value the role of families in children’s development and encourage families to share children’s learning, experiences and special moments. If you have anything you would like to share with the reception team, then please email us at the address below. We always enjoy hearing about what the children have been doing at home!

2029@fairfurlong.bristol.sch.uk

Phonics

The teaching of letter sounds for reading and writing (phonics) is taught daily, with opportunities for children to embed these skills across the school day. Children are explicitly taught the skills of blending (putting the letter sounds together to read words) and of segmenting (separating letter sounds to spell). 

Reading

Story-telling and reading will continue to play a key role in your child’s learning and we would love to hear about stories and books your child enjoys hearing at home. To support progression in reading, we run reading workshops for parents to share how we engage children in their reading and teach key skills. As a school, we ask that you read with your child at home at least four times a week.

Maths

Our approach to maths is to establish the early building blocks for mathematical thinking, reasoning and problem solving. We use play to explore ideas and use a range of real resources and materials to develop our thinking. Initially working with numbers to ten, we look to develop children’s concept of number and place value, whilst also encouraging them to spot patterns. To support children’s understanding of number, we will send home a link to a Numbots account, for them to build confidence and consider different representations of numbers.

PE

As part of our weekly routines and timetable, the children will participate in a PE session once a week. Please ask your child’s class teacher to find out which day this will be each term. On this day, please ensure your child has a full PE kit (white t-shirt, black shorts, daps or trainers) and that earrings are removed.  Each summer the children will participate at Sports Day, further details of this will be given at the time.

Rewards and Certificates

Across the day, children will have opportunities to earn ticks for the reward cards. These can be rewarded by any adult in the school, based on behaviour that models our school values enthusiasm, trust, challenge, learning together and respect. Please ask your child about how many ticks they have earnt, as they are very proud of their achievements! Each week we also select a child to receive a certificate linked to one of the school values, which they are presented with in our Friday assembly.

Reception Baseline Assessment

The Reception Baseline Assessment is a statutory assessment, intended to provide on-entry assessment for each child. It is a short session (approximately 20 minutes) with a number of tasks focusing on early literacy, communication, language and mathematics. We ensure this is a positive task for the children, where we can have some time with the children to get to know them even better. It does not require any preparation at home.

Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning

The Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning are playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically.  They underpin the ways in which the child engages with other people and their environment underpin learning and development across all areas and support the child to remain an effective and motivated learner. The Characteristics of Effective Learning are closely observed, nurtured and supported in all that the children do across the day.

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to ask a member of staff. We look forward to building links with you and your family, as part of your child’s learning journey.

For your information please see the following document -
Guidance to your child’s learning and development in the early years foundation stage

Reception Induction Booklet 2023

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to ask a member of staff.