New Reception Starters September 2024
Welcome to Rufford Park Primary School!
Children that a have a place for September 2024 will be starting in our apple class. For more information about apple class click here.
You can find our school prospectus here.
Who is who?
Reception Class Staff
What will my child do?
A typical day in Reception: Children will come into school and go to their class carpet space for register. In the Autumn term we will start with a short phonics session. This will then follow with a 'Squiggle Whilst You Wiggle' movement session. Children will then go and have choosing time in the provision (shared between red and green apples). They have free choice inside and outside. Adults will play alongside children in the provision and also ask children to work with them one to one or in a small group. They have access to milk and fruit in the snack area during the morning. We tidy up at the end of the morning and have another carpet session before lunch. Children then go into the hall for their lunch. After lunch they play outside onto the KS1 playground. During the afternoon we normally have a maths carpet session followed by free choice in the provision inside and outside then tidy up at the end of the day with a final carpet session. Children will also have a timetabled hall session for P.E. once a week. In the Spring term we introduce challenges to the children and they are given set tasks to do over the week in different areas of provision. See the gallery below for photos of how the day works.
Some of our previous Reception children would like to show you what they like doing:
What will my child learn?
Our curriculum areas are:
Personal, Social, Emotional development (PSE)
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design
Children will be taught phonics, a means to read and write. What is Letters and Sounds? (letters-and-sounds.com)
We will provide more information on the curriculum and phonics when the school year starts.
We use Tapestry online learning journal as a means of recording learning and for communicating with parents. It is important that this is checked regularly.
In June children will be assessed against Early Learning Goals (ELGs) a statutory assessment. See this link for the goals children will be assessed against.
What will they need?
Your child will need to come to school wearing their school uniform. They will need to bring a school book bag each day. On P.E. days your child can come to school wearing his/her P.E. kit. They will also need to bring a water bottle each day, filled with plain water only. Book bags and uniform with the school logo can be ordered here: Rufford Park Primary School - PC Sports
How can we help them to be ready for school?
The most useful thing for your child is for you to help them to be independent before they start school. This includes doing their own shoes and coat, being able to take off his/her own jumper, toileting, getting a drink when needed, choosing their dinner and using cutlery. There is a checklist below but don't worry if your child can't do all of those things by the end of the Summer as it is a guide. There is also a chart for the children about being independent.
Click on the chart to download it.
For an information sheet outlining some skills to help children when starting school click here.
The BBC has some information and help about starting school. Click on the picture below to take you to the website.
They also have an interactive game about starting school. Click on the picture below to play.
Some further things you could do to help your child get ready for school:
Phonics - in preparation for learning sounds the videos below show some games:
Video 1 is about listening and tuning into sounds.
Video 2 is about hearing rhyme.
Video 3 is about hearing initial sounds.
Video 4 is about blending sounds to make words.
Fine motor skills - in preparation for writing, children need to develop their fine motor skills. Activities such as threading pasta or beads, playdough, mark making and finger rhymes all help with this. You can even make your own playdough. These will all lead to writing. Click on the picture below for how to hold a pencil correctly.
A little video to get your child's fingers moving!