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Reception Magpies

Welcome to Magpies 

Class Teacher - Mrs Williams

LSP - Mrs Bell and Miss Di-Vito

email:     class.magpies@burnttree.sandwell.sch.uk


Our learning

Communication and Language (C&L)

In Reception, children will be exposed to a range of new vocabulary that links to our topics, taught sessions and throughout their independent play and exploration. Children will be challenged to use and apply new vocabulary throughout the day and when talking about what they have been learning. Children will develop their thinking and listening skills through stories, class discussions and group activities. They will use well-formed sentences when communicating their ideas and thoughts and will begin to ask questions.  Children will be exposed to a range of different stories, poems, rhymes, songs and non-fiction books.

Personal, Social, Emotional Development (PSED)

Throughout the year, children will build relationships with their peers and adults. They will learn how to take turns and share with others, as well as showing an understanding of other people's wants and needs. Children will learn how to express their feelings and gain an understanding of the feelings of others. Through this, they will learn about the perspectives of others and how to form positive relationships and friendships. Children will learn how to manage their own needs, including getting changed independently, putting their coats on and washing their hands.

Physical Development (PD)

Children will develop both their fine and gross motor skills throughout their time in Reception. Children will be shown how to hold a pencil correctly using a tripod grip and how to form letters and numbers correctly. They will learn how to use tools competently, including using scissors to cut.

Throughout their continuous provision and taught PE sessions, children will learn the skills to develop body strength, co-ordination, balance and agility. They will develop ball skills including throwing, catching, kicking ,passing, batting and aiming. 

They will learn about how to live a healthy lifestyle through their diet and daily exercise.  

Literacy

At Burnt Tree, we follow Read, Write, Inc. Children are assessed every half-term and put into groups that match their phonic knowledge. During phonics, children are taught sounds, how to blend and segment words, and will begin to read story books. Children will then take a phonics book to read at home that matches their phonics ability.

In addition to their phonics lessons, children will complete writing linked to the termly topic and will be encouraged to read and write throughout the school day and during their continuous provision. Each class has a book corner where children are able to read for pleasure throughout the day. Children also have access to our Early Years library, where they can take a book of choice home to share with their parents/guardians.

Maths

At Burnt Tree, we follow the maths scheme White Rose Maths. In Reception, we focus on developing a secure understanding of numbers to 10, as well as exploring capacity, time, shapes, measurement, pattern and positional language. We enhance our continuous provision to enable children to apply their learning to a range of different contexts during their play. 

Understanding the World (UW)

Each half-term, we focus on the current season and the world around us. We learn about the seasonal changes and how the natural world has changed, as well as links to the people who help us, mini-beasts, animals, planting and growing, celebrations and transport and travel. Through this it allows us to make links between our current and prior learning and enables us to explore the similarities and differences of the seasons and the world around us. Throughout the year, we learn about lots of different celebrations, cultures and religions and celebrate the diversity of our school. 

Expressive Arts and Design (EAD)

Children will develop their artistic and cultural awareness through their creativity and imagination. They will explore and play with a range of media and materials, including collage, junk modelling, painting, drawing and using natural objects. 

Children will listen to and learn songs from different cultures, as well as nursery rhymes and songs that relate to our topics. 

Through taught music sessions, children will learn how to match pitch, follow a melody, keep a steady beat, tap rhythms and respond to changes in sound. 

Children will take part in The Nativity performance as well as learning Spring/Easter songs for their Easter bonnet parade. In addition, children will learn songs at the end of the year to perform at their graduation. 

Look what we have been doing...

This half-term our topic is 'all about me' where we will be learning about ourselves and our families. Throughout the half term we will focus on different aspects of ourselves such as, my face/body, my family, my home, my feelings, my friends.

We will also be celebrating any special days throughout the half term such as celebrations and memorable days/events.

Autumn 1
This half-term our topic is 'all about me', where we will be learning about ourselves and our families. Throughout the half-term, we will focus on different aspects of ourselves, such as, my face/body, my family, my home, my feelings, my friends.

We will also be celebrating any special days throughout the half-term, such as celebrations and memorable days/events.

We enjoyed our first day in Reception

We enjoyed using different materials to make houses

We made nature faces

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn 2

This half-term we have been learning all about autumn. We have learnt about the changes in weather, autumn animals and which celebrations we celebrate in autumn.

We enjoyed toasting marshmallows on the fire for Bonfire Night

We wore odd socks to raise awareness for anti-bullying

We read the story ‘The Gingerbread Man’ and even baked our own

We had an amazing time visiting the Hippodrome to watch Dear Santa

We posted our letters to Father Christmas

We dressed up for Christmas Jumper Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring 1

This half-term we are learning all about winter.  We have learnt about the changes in weather, winter/arctic animals and which celebrations we celebrate in winter.

We made bird feeders to put in the garden during the winter months.

 

 

We have learnt about winter animals/wildlife in the UK and animals that live in the polar regions. We have enjoyed drawing our favourite animals outside using chalk.

Spring 2

This half-term we are beginning to learn all about spring.  We have learnt about the changes in weather, farm animals, mini-beasts and which celebrations we celebrate in spring (World Book Day, Holi Festival, Red Nose Day, Mother’s Day, Easter).

We celebrated World Book Day by coming to school dressed as our favourite characters and bringing in our favourite stories to share.

 

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We had fun taking part in an Easter egg hunt for Easter.

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We had a fun-filled and successful craft morning with our parents and guardians. 

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We held our annual Easter Bonnet Parade where we showcased our bonnets and sang some spring and Easter songs. Look at our amazing Easter bonnet winners!

 

We had an Early Years visit to our local farm - Forge Mill Farm. We loved seeing all the baby farm animals and feeding them. 

 

We learnt about and celebrated Holi Festival. We took part in lots of colourful activities and enjoyed throwing the coloured powder.

 

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Summer 1

This half-term we are continuing to learn about spring.  We will have the exciting arrival of our caterpillars and chick eggs to observe the life cycles. We are looking forward to getting in the garden to do lots of planting and growing.