Reception: Robins & Wrens

Reception is the exciting start to a child's primary school journey. At Pelham, we want to help make this new chapter a positive and memorable one by creating a fun, engaging and safe environment for all children to learn, play and thrive. 

EYFS Curriculum

Reception children enjoy a rich, varied and practical curriculum which is predominantly lead by the children and based around topics which interest them as well as those set out in the EYFS Statutory Framework.

The EYFS Framework is made up of seven areas of learning and development, all of which are important and inter-connected. Within these areas of learning are 17 Early Learning Goals (ELGs) which are levels of development children should be expected to have attained by the end of the EYFS as defined by the government.

There are three prime areas which are particularly important for building a foundation for igniting children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships and thriving.

Prime Areas

Communication and Language

1. ELG: Listening, Attention and Understanding
2. ELG: Speaking

Physical Development

4. ELG: Gross Motor Skills
5. ELG: Fine Motor Skills

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• ELG: Self-Regulation
• ELG: Managing Self
• ELG: Building Relationships

There are also four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied.

Specific Areas

Literacy

9. ELG: Comprehension
10. ELG: Word Reading
11. ELG: Writing

Mathematics

11. ELG: Number
12. ELG: Numerical Patterns

Understanding The World

13. ELG: Past and Present
14. ELG: People, Culture and Communities
15. ELG: The Natural World

Expressive Arts and Design

• ELG: Creating with Materials
• ELG: Being Imaginative and Expressive

Please click here for the Statutory Framework for EYFS.

Topics

We teach a lot of our curriculum through half-termly over-arching subjects.

• Autumn 1 - Marvellous Me
• Autumn 2 - Seasons and Celebrations
• Spring 1 - When I Grow Up
• Spring 2 - Fact Detectives
• Summer 1 - From Here to There
• Summer 2 - On the Farm

Please click here for our Curriculum Overview.

The School Day in Reception

The children's day is made up of whole class carpet sessions, teacher-led small group work and both indoor and outdoor free-flow continuous provision which is child-initiated.

The children take part in daily, whole class phonics and maths sessions as well as one other carpet session e.g. Literacy, Art, Understanding the World, PSHE etc. The children also have additional sessions such as circle times, Philosophy for Children (P4C) and weekly visits to the school library. The children participate in two PE sessions per week, one indoor and one outdoor.

Please click here for an example Reception Timetable.

Phonics

At Pelham, we use the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised phonics scheme. Please see our English page for more information. You can also check out the parent section of their website here.

Trips

In Reception, we go on several local trips such as to Wimbledon Library, Wimbledon Fire Station and the Polka Theatre as well as on a day trip to a farm in the Summer Term.

Support at Home

Reading

• Read a "book for pleasure" that follows your child's interests to your child every day and engage them in the story or information.
• Listen to your child read their phonics decodable e-book every week and make a note in their reading record.

Phonics

• Support your child to complete the weekly phonics homework (Spring 1 onwards).

Discussions

• Read the notice boards outside the classroom each morning which says what we will be learning that week and chat to your child about it at home.