Whitehill Primary School

Staff

Class Teacher - Mr Handley

Teaching Assistants - Miss Goddard and Mr Rylan

SENCO - Miss Milnes

 The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage sets out the requirements of educational programmes for early learning and care. It gives all professionals a set of common principles and commitments to deliver quality early education and childcare experiences to all children from birth to 5. At Whitehill, we use 'Development Matters' to help us design an effective early years curriculum. We assess against the following statutory Early Learning Goals:

PSED - Personal, Social and Emotional Development (Self-Regulation, Managing Self and Building Relationships)

CL - Communication and Language (Listening, Attention and Understanding and Speaking)

PD - Physical Development (Gross Motor Skills and Fine Motor Skills)

LIT - Literacy (Comprehension, Word Reading and Writing)

MATHS - Mathematics (Number and Numerical Patterns)

UTW - Understanding the World (Past and Present, People, Culture and Communities and The Natural World)

EAD - Expressive Arts and Design (Creating with Materials and Being Imaginative and Expressive)

You can find a copy of the development matters online here: Development Matters non-statutory curriculum guidance

 In Reception, learning is exciting, practical and play-based. Our curriculum is guided by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which helps children develop not only key skills in reading, writing and maths but also independence, creativity, and confidence in themselves as learners.

Class Dojo

We use ClassDojo to communicate with families and celebrate children’s learning. Dojo allows us to share updates, photographs and learning experiences from the classroom, so you can see the fantastic activities your child is involved in. Each child in Reception has their own Dojo learning journey, where annotated photos highlight successes and achievements. Parents can also add to their child’s profile from home, creating a shared record of their learning.

ClassDojo is also used as part of our behaviour and rewards system, alongside Good to be Green. Children enjoy personalising their avatars, and we use Dojo points to encourage positive behaviour and discuss expectations during PSHE.

Dojo can be accessed online or via the free app on iOS and Android. Please ask if you need a login.

Phonics and Reading

Phonics is a way of teaching children how to read and write. It helps them to hear, recognise and use the different sounds that make up words in the English language. At Whitehill Primary, we follow the Read Write Inc. programme from the start of Reception to teach children individual sounds and the letter or letters that represent them.

Children take part in daily phonics sessions which follow a consistent structure:

• Revisit and review – Practising previously taught sounds and ‘green words’ (decodable words).

• Teach – Introducing a new sound (letter/s) using a picture, rhyme and action.

• Practise – Reading words with the new sound by ‘Fred Talking’ (sounding out) and blending.

• Apply – Reading simple sentences or short texts containing the sound.

• Write – Spelling words with the new sound, building up to short sentences.

Sessions are fast-paced, interactive and filled with speaking, listening, reading and writing activities. Children are taught in small, carefully grouped sets so that teaching is closely matched to their stage of learning. Through this approach, they develop the skills to blend sounds into words for reading and to segment words into sounds for spelling.

Phonics is taught through lively games, songs and stories to keep learning engaging and fun. Reading at home is an essential part of homework in Reception — we will provide sound cards, reading books and regular updates via Dojo with tips and resources to support your child’s phonics learning.

Drawing Club

This year, our Literacy learning in Reception will be through Drawing Club, an approach created by Greg Bottrill. Drawing Club is a magical way of engaging children with stories, imagination and mark making, helping them to see themselves as storytellers, writers and illustrators.

What it looks like in the classroom
Each week, the children are introduced to a high-quality story, film clip or traditional tale. Together we explore the characters, settings and events, using talk, actions and role play to bring the story to life. The children are then invited to draw part of the story or create their own ideas inspired by it. Their drawings become a springboard for oral storytelling, new vocabulary, and early writing. Children are encouraged to add labels, captions or sentences to their drawings using their phonic knowledge.

Maths

We follow White Rose Maths, which provides a hands-on, practical approach to maths in Reception. Learning is centred around play, problem-solving and exploration. Children build a strong sense of number through counting, comparing, sorting and pattern-making.

You can support your child by:

• Counting everyday objects (steps, claps, cars on a walk).

• Noticing shapes and patterns in the environment.

• Talking about numbers, size, weight and measure during daily routines (e.g. at mealtimes, in the supermarket, when cooking).

This approach helps children to develop a deep understanding of number, reasoning and mathematical language, which they will build on as they move through school.

PE

Children in Reception have:

• Indoor PE on Thursday and Friday

• Balance Bikes on Wednesday afternoons (outdoor)

Children do not require a PE kit until the summer term. Until then, please ensure your child wears comfortable clothing suitable for movement. We ask that girls wear shorts under skirts or choose leggings/trousers on PE days.

Forest School

Reception take part in Forest School sessions every Wednesday morning throughout the year. Forest School is a wonderful opportunity for children to explore the natural world, build confidence, develop teamwork and problem-solving skills, and enjoy learning outdoors in all weathers.

Forest School kit should include: joggers/leggings, a t-shirt, a jumper (long sleeves), a coat, wellies, hat, scarf and gloves. School will provide waterproof coats and trousers for each session, which will stay in school. On Wednesdays, children should come to school in their Forest School kit and bring a change of footwear for the rest of the day. Please make sure children wear clothes you don’t mind getting muddy, and that arms and legs are covered to keep them safe.

Homework

Homework in Reception focuses on:

• Daily reading at home (school reading books and library books)

• Practising phonics sounds and word cards sent home

• Encouraging purposeful writing and mark making (lists, labels, captions, stories)

• Practical maths activities such as counting and sorting at home

These activities help consolidate what children are learning in class in a fun and manageable way.

The EYFS Approach

All of our teaching and learning in Reception is rooted in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. This means children learn through a balance of:

• Adult-led sessions (phonics, literacy, maths, PE)

• Child-initiated play in our indoor and outdoor learning environments

• Enrichment opportunities such as Forest School and Drawing Club

The EYFS has seven key areas of learning:

• Communication and Language

• Physical Development

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Literacy

• Mathematics

• Understanding the World

• Expressive Arts and Design

By weaving these together, we ensure children develop strong foundations for future learning while also nurturing curiosity, independence, and a love of school.