Reception Doves
Welcome to Doves
Class Teacher - Mrs Clarke
HLTA - Mrs Ferguson
LSP - Mrs Andrews
email: class.doves@burnttree.sandwell.sch.uk
Our learning
You can keep up to date with our learning by visiting our Early Years Instagram page - @burnttreeeyfs
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 Ruth Miskin's literacy scheme 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.
We use Kinetic Letters to help children develop confident, fluent handwriting from the very beginning. Each letter belongs to a particular family and children learn the letters through stories, characters and movements that help them remember how to form them correctly. Children practise regularly through a range of activities, making handwriting an enjoyable and purposeful part of their learning.
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
In Reception, we follow the NCETM maths scheme for number and use White Rose Maths for Shape, Space and Measure. 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...
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.
In our maths lessons, the children will build on previous experiences of number from their home and nursery environments, and further develop their subitising and counting skills. They will explore the composition of numbers within 5 and will begin to compare sets of objects and use the language of comparison.
During our phonics sessions, the children will be focusing on learning to read the first set of single letter sounds, oral blending and letter formation. This will be reinforced throughout the school day through small group work, continuous provision and fine motor activities.
We will also be celebrating any special days throughout the half-term, such as celebrations and memorable days/events.
We have welcomed our new class and had a great first day at school. We are all looking forward to the year ahead. Our children have settled well into class and we're looking forward to all the exciting learning opportunities this half term.
Our author spotlight this half-term is Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara and we are looking forward to reading lots of her stories.
Autumn 2
This half term we are learning all about autumn. We will be learning about the changes in weather, autumn animals and which celebrations we celebrate in autumn. We have lots of Christmas crafts coming up and are looking forward to performing our Nativity!
In our maths lessons, we will be focussing on our counting skills, the 'fiveness' of 5, concept of whole and part, composition of 3, 4, and 5, matching numerals to quantities to 10 and verbal counting beyond 20. We will also be looking at and exploring circles, triangles and shapes with 4 sides.
During our phonics sessions, the children will be focusing on learning all set 1 sounds and beginning to read and write CVC words.
Our author spotlight this half-term is Julia Donaldson and we are looking forward to reading lots of her stories.
Spring 1
This half term we are learning all about winter. We will be learning about the changes in weather, winter animals (UK wildlife and Arctic/Antarctic animals) and which celebrations we celebrate in winter (Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day and Shrove Tuesday).
In our maths lessons, we will be focussing on numbers to 10. We will be learning about the composition of the numbers and exploring 1 more and 1 less. They will further develop their subitising and counting skills. They will continue to compare sets of objects and use the language of comparison.
During our phonics sessions, the children will be focusing on reading and writing CVC words and words containing the new sounds/special friends they have been taught. They will begin to read and write simple sentences.
Our author spotlight this half-term is Sue Hendra and we are looking forward to reading lots of her stories.
Spring 2
This half-term we are learning about spring. We will be learning about minibeasts, Pancake Day, Holi festival, spring, Red Nose Day and Easter. We are also looking forward to the exciting arrival of our caterpillars.
In our maths lessons, we will be continuing to focus on numbers to 10. We will be learning about the composition of the numbers and exploring doubling. We will be sorting objects into different groups and looking at part whole relationships of numbers.
During our phonics sessions, the children will be focusing on reading and writing simple sentences made up of words containing the new sounds/special friends they have been taught.
Our author spotlight this half-term is Eric Carle and we are looking forward to reading lots of his stories.
Summer 1
This half-term we are continuing to learn about spring. We will continue to observe life cycles and learn how to look after animals. We will learn about animals that hatch out of eggs and about dinosaurs.
In our maths lessons, we will explore odd and even numbers and counting larger sets. We will further explore the composition of numbers to 5 and 10 using different representations.
During our phonics sessions, children will be learning their set 2 phonics sounds and reading and writing simple sentences made up of words containing the new sounds/special friends they have been taught. They will be reading and writing 'tricky' words.
Our author spotlight this half-term is Oliver Jeffers and we are looking forward to reading lots of his stories.
Summer 2
This half-term we are learning all about summer. We will learn about the changes in weather, growing sunflowers, safari animals that live in hot climates, holiday destinations, travel and transport, the seaside, under the sea and pirates. We have also got lots of exciting events, such as Sports Day, our school family picnic and our Early Years graduation!
In our maths lessons, we will be reviewing and consolidating all of our learning over the year. We will be automatically recalling number bonds to 5, composition of numbers to 10, comparison, number patterns and counting. We will also be looking at our understanding of patterns, constructions, position and mapping.
During our phonics sessions, children will be gaining a deep understanding of their set 2 phonics sounds and reading and writing simple sentences made up of words containing the new sounds/special friends they have been taught. They will be reading and writing 'tricky' words and developing their fluency and expression in the text they read.
Our author spotlight this half-term is Jill Murphy and we are looking forward to reading lots of her stories.