Sacred Heart Class (Reception)
Welcome
We at St Peter’s are very pleased to be part of your child's first year at school. We are looking forward to getting to know the children better and helping them to settle into school life.
We believe it is essential that the Foundation Stage is seen as its own Key Stage and that the planning and provision is unique to it. We, in the Reception Team, are committed to making the learning engaging and exciting for every child in our class.
The development of the children’s Prime Areas of Learning are crucial at this age and stage of their development. Through the development of the Prime Areas, there will be a focus on the characteristics of learning, particularly with reading and writing. The speaking aspect of communication and language is a key focus, therefore we will be developing the children’s speaking through language rich, story based learning and building on the children’s first hand experiences.
We believe purposeful play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems, and relate to others. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults. We have a mix of activities led by children, and activities led or guided by adults, such as phonics, reading, writing, maths, understanding the world and expressive arts and design. In all our activities, we will help guide children's development through warm, positive interaction.
At St Peter’s, we value the support of parents. We will have a Play and Share session every Tuesday from 2:30 - 3:25pm for parents to come and join in with their child's learning.
Below, you will find some information which we hope you will find useful. If you have any questions, please come and see us!
Miss Morris, Mrs Baker and Mrs McGahern
Important Information
Snack time - We have a whole class snack break every morning from 10.30-10.45am. During this time children sit as a class and safely enjoy a snack (fruit or cheese) of their choice, either from home or from the snacks provided. We continually remind them during this period that there is milk and fruit available, should they want some.
We receive free fruit for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, however we have no say in what we receive. Usually, if a child will only eat a particular type of fruit, say blueberries or grapes, we advise the parent to pack that for them. However, if a child is happy to eat a variety of fruit then there is usually a good choice available. Even if parents have sent in fruit for their child to eat, if children are still hungry, they can also have some of the school fruit. We encourage children to eat enough to sustain them until lunchtime.
We do not allow the children to eat biscuits, sandwiches or crisps during this snack break.
Children are also encouraged to drink some water during this break, however they will also have access to their water whenever they need it through out the day. Please ensure that it is only water in children's bottles - no juice or fizzy drinks please!
Reception children also receive free school milk up until they turn 5 years old. Children do not have to drink the milk if they don't want to, some will say no and that is fine. Once a child turns 5, if a parent wants them to continue to have milk, they will have to pay for it. Further information can be found following the link below:
Click to visit the Cool Milk website
School Lunches - School lunches are provided by Chartwells Catering and are Universally Free to all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. The current menu and allergy information can be viewed here.
Packed Lunches - We encourage you to pack a well balanced lunch for your child, if you choose to send them with one. You must also adhere to our Allergy Policy - no nut or nut-containing products are included in packed lunches.
Drinks - Children have access to their water bottles during the day. They are encouraged to drink during snack time and lunchtime but they can also drink at other times throughout the day. Children should only have water in their bottles, not squash or fizzy.
Clothing in the Early Years
We expect our pupils in Reception to engage in big, messy play! Please ensure you send your children to school ready to be outside - wellies, a coat, warm layers in the winter and wearing sun cream and with sun hats during the summer.