Reception Curriculum

Our aim in Reception is to ensure that the children have a happy and positive start to life at Westbury Park School.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and plan across all areas of the curriculum, both inside and outside the classroom.

There are three prime areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage and four specific areas, all of which are interrelated and equally important. 

Prime areas of learning

Communication and Language

This prime area involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations.

Communication and Language

Physical development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Personal, social and emotional development involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities. 

Specific areas

Literacy

Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials to ignite their interest.

Mathematics

Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces and measures. 

Understanding the World

This area of learning involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.

Expressive Arts and Design

This involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play and design and technology.

Further areas of learning in Reception

Learning Diaries

We record the children’s learning through observations and photographs using the iPad. The children also have a workbook in which they record various Literacy, Numeracy and topic work. The ‘Learning Diaries’ are emailed to parents three times a year and make a wonderful record of the children’s development throughout their Reception year.

Phonics

The children have daily phonics inputs and plenty of opportunities to share stories and use reading and writing in their play. Story telling, sharing non fiction texts, reading poems and singing songs are regular features to our day.