Reception
Welcome!
Hello, my name is Amanda Laycock, as a past pupil of Maharishi Free School it is a delight to teach the school's youngest pupils.
In Reception we lay the foundations for a lifelong love of learning. Our curriculum is divided into half termly topics taken from our schools CbIDs themes. The areas of learning and development are both holistically and explicitly taught under the umbrella of each CbIDs theme. The classroom is carefully organised to support pupils' characteristics of effective learning. As such, our pupils are given the opportunity to explore and consolidate their learning through developmentally appropriate play based opportunities.
Reception is a wonderful time when pupils begin learning to read and write. We use the Red Rose phonics scheme. This is a comprehensive scheme where pupils learn a new phoneme daily. We plan review lessons to ensure all pupils have the opportunity to learn at the same pace. Pupils will take home reading booklets that correspond to their learning at school. Please listen to your child read daily to support fluency and comprehension. During the first term I will invite parents to attend a phonics lesson where I can demonstrate how to guide children to 'blend to read' and 'segment to spell'.
We teach mathematics using White Rose Maths and Mastering Numeracy schemes. Key concepts are taught explicitly during the whole class and small group adult led learning. Pupils mathematical learning is further extended and embedded through practical opportunities within the learning environment and daily routines.
Understanding the World is my favourite aspect of Reception teaching and learning. Pupils have the opportunity to investigate hands-on play based scientific learning. We also teach about changes over time, place and culture, community, and diversity. This year marks the beginning of a forest school learning provision that will enhance our outdoor learning opportunities. Research shows that developing an ecological identity from an early age supports sustainable eco-friendly thinking and actions. Pupils are actively encouraged to explore the natural environment despite the weather! We learn about seasons, weather and appropriate clothing!
Our curriculum considers the core skills and knowledge that pupils will need in readiness for future learning in KS1. During the summer term we commence our pupils transition into Year 1 with regular visits and meet the teacher sessions.
There are two statutory assessments in Reception to gauge pupils' start and end point during the school year. The Reception Baseline Assessment is effectively used to tailor the curriculum, teaching and learning opportunities to meet the needs of our pupils. The EYFS profile is used to inform transition information between Reception and Year 1 teachers to ensure the best outcomes for all pupils.
