A very warm welcome to Reception at Bloxwich Academy.

Reception is such an exciting year for children as for many it will be their first year in full time education, filled with many exciting experiences and memories for them to share with you at home. As we welcome your little ones into our classroom, we teach the children how to use the resources in our setting and set boundaries, so the children aware of the golden rules in our classroom. The children become aware of their timetable and begin to understand the expectations within school.

During the autumn term Reception will be introduced to our first topic; ‘Me and my Community’ which helps the children to understand the new rules and routines of school. The topic is designed to build the children’s confidence, to motivate them to work hard and make new friends. It also teaches children how they are special and unique, and how the people around them can help. As part of this topic, we look closely at the people in our community who can help us, such as police officers, paramedics and firefighters. We will welcome some very special visitors into our school.

After half term the children begin their new topics ‘Exploring Autumn,’ and ‘Sparkle and Shine.’ As part of our autumn topic we look closely at the seasonal changes which are taking place around us. We enjoy an autumn walk, identifying the characteristics of autumn in our local environment. The children will also begin our ‘Sparkle and Shine’ topic. The topic teaches the children about celebrations that different people take part in. Celebrations we cover include Diwali, bonfire night, advent and Christmas. This gives the children great opportunities to get creative and make beautiful decorations. During this half term we will be very busy planning, preparing and performing our Christmas nativity play.

After Christmas the children will begin our ‘Winter Wonderland’ topic. As part of this topic we will be looking at the changes that happen to our environment during the winter months. We will explore appropriate clothing that we should wear during winter. The children will also have an opportunity to look at animals which live in colder climates. As part of our science activities, we will be looking at ice, how it is formed and what we can do to melt ice.

Following on from this learning we will begin our ‘Amazing Animals’ topic. After exploring animals which like colder climates, the children will have an opportunity to explore other types of animals and the places where they live including farm animals, safari animals and sea creatures. At the beginning of our topic we will enjoy a visit from the animal man. We will also be visiting a local farm to learn all about farm animals, where they like to live and the food that they provide us with, such as eggs from chickens and milk from cows.

We will begin the summer term with our topic ‘The Great Outdoors.’ During this topic, the children will be learning all about growing. We will be planting our own seeds and observing their growth during the half term. The children will be creating their own instructions for planting a seed. We will be spending lots of time outdoors, enjoying the nature around us.

During our last half term in reception, we will begin our ‘Big Wide World’ topic. The children will enjoy travelling to different countries around the world, with their very own passport. As part of the topic the children will develop an awareness of the world around them, looking at the country where we live, compared to other countries around the world. In class, the children will have the opportunity to taste different foods, make flags, complete craft activities and listen to traditional music and dance. As part of our final half term in reception, the children will have an opportunity to explore their new classroom, meet their new teacher and overcome any concerns of worries they might have to support transition in key stage 1.

Our focus texts this year:

Autumn 1- Little Red Hen

Autumn 2- Stickman

Spring 1- The Gruffalo’s Child

Spring 2- The Three Little Pigs

Summer 1- Jack and the Beanstalk

Summer 2- We’re Going on a Lion Hunt