Welcome to Reception

Cygnets, Ducklings and Goslings are hatching new ideas and exploring and beginning to learn about the world around them.

We dive into new learning experiences, always making a splash, do our best to get along swimmingly and are discovering how to spread our learning wings and fly. 

This terms theme

'# Explore more'

Upcoming events

Friday 31st March - Last day of the Spring Term

Monday 17th April - Non Pupil Day

Tuesday 18th April - First day of the Summer Term for pupils

Monday 1st May - Bank Holiday

Monday 8th May - Bank Holiday Kings Coronation

Friday 26th May - Last day of half term

Monday 29th May- Friday 2nd June - Half term

June - Pride Month

Monday 5th June - First day back after half term

Wednesday 14th June & Friday 16th June - Reception trip to Goodrington Beach

Thursday 20th June - Sports Day

Monday 26th - Friday 30th June - RSHE Week

Thursday 6th July - Transition day

Friday 7th July - Summer Fayre 2pm

Thursday 13th July - Annual Reports out to parents

Thursday 20th July - Reception Garden Party

Thursday 25th July - Last day of term

Please feel free to contact us on the following email addresses:

Cygnets - mcolledge@whiterockprimaryschool.co.uk

Goslings - lholloway@whiterockprimaryschool.co.uk

Ducklings - sbarlow@white-rock-primary.torbay.sch.uk    losullivan@white-rock-primary.torbay.sch.uk

Academic Year 2022-2023

Summer Term

This weeks learning wb 10.7.23

This week we had an exciting visit from two guide dog's and their puppy trainers (Ezri and Gucci). We learnt about how some people have little or no sight and what Guide dogs do to help them. In Phonics, we have been considering real and alien words and sorting them accordingly. In Maths, we have been securing our knowledge of number bonds to ten. We have used double sided-counters, ten frames and numicon to support us with this. We have continued our learning about Space this week also. We now know that the Sun is very hot, we live on the planet Earth and that the moon is rocky.

This Week's Learning - 03.07.23 

We have had an exciting week in Reception.  The children learned historical facts about Paignton Pier, and they also learned what it is like to be an astronaut living in Space.  In Writing, the children have applied their phonic knowledge to compose their own sentences about their time in Reception.  In Maths, the children have been looking at ways to solve number problems.

This Week's Learning - 19.6.23 

We have had an exciting week participating in activities for Sports Day with Key Stage One, and we also had a fantastic time at the beach.  The children went down to Goodrington beach on a mini bus then we built sandcastles, dug for treasure and went on a scavenger hunt.  In writing, we have been writing full sentences whilst remembering to use a capital letter, finger spaces and a full stop.  In maths we have been recognising odd and even amounts to 10.

This Week's Learning - 12.6.23 

We had a fantastic time completing lots of learning activities with the Year 6 children this week. They helped us with some Maths learning where we went out on to the playground and and compared different sizes by chalking around each other. They also set up all the different games we will be completing at Sports Day for us to have a practise and showed us how they work! In writing we have been again focussing on writing in full sentences and remembering to always use finger spaces, capital letters and full stops. 

This Week's Learning 4.06.23 

We have had a fantastic week back in Reception after the half term. In Literacy we have been reading Sharing a Shell and looking for rhyming couplets. We have also been designing our own shells for a crab and using junk modelling materials to bring our creations to life. In Maths we have been learning what doubling means and where we can see them in the environment.  

This Week's Learning - 22.05.22 

We have been busy checking which Phonics sounds we know and what numbers from 0-20 we can write correctly. We have enjoyed reading the story about the little red hen and had a go ourselves at making our own bread like the hen does in the story. We have also used the good weather to get outside and practise the events for Sports Day!

This Week's Learning 15.5.23 

We have enjoyed another great week in Reception. In writing we have focusing on writing sentences independently and making sure we apply all the skills we have learnt each time. In Maths we have been looking at subtraction stories using the language of first, next and now. On Wednesday and Friday we went out in our House teams and practised for Sports day. We learnt how to do an egg and spoon race, a relay race and hurdles!

This Week's Learning 8.5.23 

Reception have been extremely busy again this week completing lots of wonderful learning. We have planted our own sunflowers and then have written instructions for others to follow on how to look after them so that they grow! In Maths we have been answering addition stories and even had a go at making our own. 

This Week's Learning - 1.5.23

The children in Reception have had a fantastic week preparing for special assembly celebrating the King's Coronation. We have made crowns and flags as well as learning 2 songs to sing with the rest of the school! As well as celebrating we have also been learning about seeds and what they need to grow in to plants. We have written some of the steps on how to look after a seed and will be planting our own soon. Outside of the classroom we got a chance to play some parachute games on the field focussing on taking turns and playing together!

This Week's Learning - 24.04.23 

In Reception this week we have had a brilliant time learning about healthy and unhealthy foods after reading 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar.' We organised food packaging and then designed our own healthy meals focussing on how we can create a balanced plate. In Maths we have continued our learning on numbers beyond 10, focussing specifically on recognising teen numbers and matching them to amounts. In the woodland we have been searching for caterpillars and seeing if we can count groups of objects beyond 10. As part of our provision we made symmetrical butterflies, learning all about what symmetry means. 

17.04.23 - This Week's Learning

We have had a brilliant week back in Reception completing lots of fantastic learning. In Maths we have been focussing on counting groups of objects beyond 20 and in writing we have been learning all about 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar.' We even made sandwiches that we thought the caterpillar might like to eat. In the woodland we have enjoyed using our brand new digging pit and discussing what might happen if we kept on digging! 

ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023

Spring Term

Spring Term Curriculum Map

This week's learning (WC 20.03.23):

In Reception this week, we have continued our learning journey of On the Way Home by Jill Murphy.  The children have read and written sentences containing phase 3 graphemes. Reception have also been very creative this week sculpting characters from 'On the Way Home' using clay.  They had to use their fine motor skills to manipulate the clay by rolling, squeezing and pinching.  In maths, we have explored the name and properties of 3D shapes; as well as, complex repeating patterns.  The children have also explored rhythm, pulse, coordination, tempo and ensemble this week in music.  They have used glockenspiels and hand bells to create a fast and slow tempo.

This week's learning (13.03.2023):

This week in Reception, we have been reading 'On the Way Home by Jill Murphy.  The children have looked at reading with prosody, and explored new vocabulary.  In maths, we have focused on the number formations of 0-9 with rhymes to support our learning. The children conducted an experiment to identify similarities and differences between their fingerprints.  They also explored where and how fingerprints are used in the wider world.

This Week's Learning 06.03.23 

This week in Reception we have continued our focus on life cycles, looking specifically at frogs. We have been writing facts about frogs as well as observing tadpoles in our provision and looking for changes. As part of our Expressive Arts and Design learning we experimented with colour mixing to find the right shade to paint our own frogs as we had run out of green paint! On Tuesday we enjoyed dressing up as our favourite book characters for World Book Day and also used modelling clay to make Hungry Caterpillar models that we then painted later on in the week.

This Week's Learning - 27.02.23

On Monday we went over to the woodland to see that we had had some surprise visitors who had left 3 different chairs, 3 bowls and 3 spoons. After some investigation work we realised they belonged to the three bears and Goldilocks had been to visit us too. During the week we made our own porridge like in the story and had a go at making houses out of different materials. 

This week's learning (20.02.2023):

We have had a very exciting first week back in Reception.  We have been learning about the traditional tale, Little Red Riding Hood.  With this, the children have used their phonic knowledge to write phrases and sentences.  In maths, we have been accurately measuring height, length, and time.  The children have also celebrated pancake day by making their own pancakes, and learning the meaning behind Shrove Tuesday.  We also created observational drawings of daffodils.

This week's learning (WC 30.01.2023):

In Reception this week, we have been exploring the colours of the rainbow.  We have created rainbow toast, salt paintings and rainbows using different materials.  In writing, the children wrote cvc words and captions linked to colours. We have also read 'Dogger' by Shirley Hughes.  With this, we used our inference skills to discuss the front cover and our retrieval skills throughout the book. In maths, we have focused on the composition of 6,7,8; the children also explored number bonds to 6,7,8.

This week's learning (23.01.2022):

In Reception this week, we have been celebrating the Chinese New Year.  We had a celebration in the hall with the nursery children where we tried spring rolls and prawn crackers - they were delicious!  Reception also created dragon heads and performed with them to the beat of instruments.  In Literacy this week, the children learned how the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac were selected through a race.  They also used their phonic knowledge to spell phase 2 and 3 words.  In maths, we have looked at heavier and lighter, full and empty, measuring capacity and measuring ingredients.

This week's learning (16.01.23):

In Literacy, we have written captions using our phase 2 and 3 phonic knowledge.  This has been based on the book 'The Ugly Five' by Julia Donaldson. We discussed how the climate is different compared to our last book: Lost and Found.  The children also explored the vocabulary used to describe the animals and agreed that it wasn't very kind.  With this, we conducted an experiment on two apples. With the first apple, we only used unkind words.  We spoke about how words can hurt our feelings, and make us feel upset, sad and bruised. We then tried to fix the apple and say kind words, but the apple did not repair straight away. Then with the other apple, the children only said kind words. We compared both of the apples and discussed how we can be a good friend by saying kind words and including children in our play. The children also conducted a science experiment where they used washing up liquid to repel the fat in the milk. This caused the colours to move around. It was so much fun!  In maths, we have been finding different ways to make 5 using a range of concrete manipulatives.

This week's learning (09.01.23):

We have had a fantastic week in Reception this week!  In Literacy, we continued our learning with our text: Lost and Found.  The children have been writing captions about the story using their phonic knowledge.  We have also explored computing this week; the children have been introduced to new electronic toys.  We have explored Beebots, a train track, iPads and Sphero.  The children have especially enjoyed creating artwork with Sphero.  They had to navigate it through the paint by using an app on the iPad.  In maths, we have been looking at the composition of numbers to 5; as well, as subitising.  The children have also explored what zero is and how it looks in a variety of ways.

This week's learning (02.01.2023):

The Reception team hope that you have had a lovely Christmas.  The children have come back eager to learn and have displayed fantastic friendship skills.  In Literacy, we are reading Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers.  It is about a boy who found a penguin at his door.  He didn't know where it came from and thought the penguin looked sad, so the little boy decided to help it.  With this, a penguin's egg was discovered in our Reception area.  The children had to think of animals that hatch from an egg and where it could have come from.  In maths, we have been focusing on comparing numbers to 5 in a variety of ways; as well as, explaining what zero is.  

Next week's learning (WC 12.12.22):

This week's learning (05.12.22):

Christmas has officially started in Reception, and the children have done a fantastic job of decoration the classrooms.  We have also been busy using our phonic knowledge to write letters to Santa.  In maths, we have been focusing on sequencing.  We have looked at the activities we do during the day and at night.  With this, the children discussed their morning and night-time routines.  In the woodlands this week, we have made mud pies and cakes; practised our balancing on the obstacle course; learned about bugs in their natural habitats and explored our senses.  Reception has also been very busy practising their singing for their Nativity performance.  The children are very excited to perform to you on Tuesday 13th December 2022.

Next week's learning (WC 05.12.22):

This week's learning (28.11.22):

It has been very exciting in Reception this week, as we have written our 'wish lists' to Santa, and he even surprised us with a video!  We are very excited to see what surprises he has next week.  In maths, we have been busy finding one more and one less than 5.  With this, the children created rhymes to help them learn and we also rehearsed well-known number songs.  In the woodlands this week, we have foraged for reindeer food, been on a bug hunt and even learned how to whittle.  The children used potato peelers, talked about safety and looked at how the sticks changed as they whittled.

Next week's learning (28.11.2022):

This week's learning (21.11.2022):

In maths this week, we have been looking at the numbers 4 and 5.  The children explored the different ways that we could make 4 and 5.  In literacy, we have been reading the story Stick Man by Julia Donaldson.  We have focused on CVC words and caption writing.  With Stick Man being our writing focus, we have implemented this throughout the provision where children got to create their own Stick Man in the woodlands.  The children also got creative by sculpting their own Diya lamp in theme with Diwali.

Next week's learning (21.11.22):

This week's learning (14.11.2022):

This week in Reception, we have had lots of fun learning!  In literacy, we learned about the story, 'Goodnight Moon' where we created our own rhyming string.  We matched pictures that rhymed and wrote down the objects.  In maths, we have been identifying circles and triangles.  The children have also created their own class book using positional language, and went on a hunt for characters hiding around the school.  To celebrate Children in Need, we dressed in something yellow or spotty and donated £1 each to the charity.  We also decorated biscuits and got creative by adding all things yellow to a Pudsey Bear!

This week's learning (07.11.2022):

This week in Reception, we have been very busy!  In literacy, we learned facts about stick insects and implemented this in our writing.  We also wrote CVC captions.  In maths, we have been representing the number 3.  The children have identified 3 in different ways, and also grouped the number 3.  We had lots of fun exploring in the woodlands and making habitats for woodland creatures.  To mark Armistice Day, the children created poppies using different materials, and they also learned about Remembrance Day.

This week's learning (31.10.22)

We have had a fantastic week in Reception.  In literacy, our book focus has been Pumpkin Soup.  We have discussed the main characters and how they might be feeling in the story.  The children have also learned new vocabulary: sobbed and wept.  We also read captions related to the book.  In the environment, the children had the opportunity to make their own salty pumpkin soup.  In maths, we have been focusing on representing 1,2 and 3.  The children have also found and sorted groups that show 1,2 and 3 around the environment.  In the Woodland, we used shovels to dig for bugs.  We learned the importance of putting the insects back into their habitats.  We also balanced along the wooden beams.

Week Beginning 17.10.22

We have had a brilliant week in Reception completing some spooky haloween themed activities. As part of our fine motor development we have been scooping out pumpkins and then using tweezers to move the seeds into different pots. As part of our Phonics learning we have been sorting creepy creatures by their initial sound and we have also been writing the ingredients for our own potions. 

This week's learning (WC 10.10.22):

This week, we were very lucky to have visitors in assembly, who shared their African heritage and culture with the children.  It was a fantastic experience and the children enjoyed learning a dance.  In writing, we have explored the story of 'The Gruffalo' by the wonderful Julia Donaldson.  The children were able to retell the story, key phrases from the book and use this to support their learning throughout the provision.  In maths this week, the children have been focusing on repeating patterns.  They have explored patterns throughout the provision and have been very creative in making them.  We have also been exploring repeating patterns through music and food.

This weeks learning (wb 3.10.22)

This week we had a visit from the Evil Pea! He must have escaped from the story that we have been reading. He hid in place's and we had a go at writing where they were. He hid on the 'tap' 'map' in a 'pan' and he even put on a 'hat'. In Maths, we have compared mass, capacity and length. We read 'Dear Zoo' and worked out which animal belonged in each box. We compared lengths of ribbon to work out which was 'longer' and 'shorter', and we also built towers, talking about which was taller/shorter.

26.09.22 - This Week's Learning 

We've had another fantastic week in Reception capping it all off with our first trip into the school hall to listen to a fire safety talk from the firemen from Paignton fire station. We couldn't believe that a spaceship had crashed in the Woodland. Captain Beattie told us about the friends that he had lost and we made it our mission to find them. Throughout the week, we made lost posters and pieced clues together to find Sam, Pat, Nat and Stan.  Our Maths learning has focused on sorting objects and looking at similarities and differences. In Phonics, we learnt the phonemes 'g o c k' and continued to practise blending orally.

Week beginning 19th October 2022

We have had a fantastic week in Reception.  All of the children are engaged with our new phonics scheme: Little Wandle.  They are applying their knowledge in the environment and persevering with new phonemes, and understanding new graphemes.  We have also enjoyed our mathematics this week, where the children have explored numbers in the provision.  We also looked at our similarities and differences in class.

Week Beginning Monday 12th September 2022

We have been settling in to White Rock Primary School. We have enjoyed exploring the classrooms and outside space and are getting to know our new teachers and friends. During group times we have shared the things that are important to us. We have starting learning phonemes that will support us as we learn to read.