At Manuden Primary School, we want every child to have a happy, confident and successful start to school.

Our Reception provision provides a nurturing, stimulating environment where children are encouraged to explore, talk, play, investigate and develop increasing independence.

As a small school, one of our strengths is that we are able to know our children and families extremely well. We work closely with parents and carers to help children settle quickly, feel safe and develop a strong sense of belonging.

Learning in Reception

Children in Reception follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

The EYFS is organised around seven areas of learning and development.

Prime Areas

• Communication and Language

• Physical Development

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Specific Areas

• Literacy

• Mathematics

• Understanding the World

• Expressive Arts and Design

These areas are closely connected and provide the foundations for children's future learning.

Our curriculum is ambitious and carefully designed to build children's knowledge, vocabulary, confidence and independence over time.

How Children Learn

Young children learn through a combination of carefully planned teaching, purposeful play and exploration.

Throughout the day, children experience a balance of:

• direct teaching and adult-led activities;

• high-quality continuous provision;

• independent and collaborative play;

• opportunities to explore indoors and outdoors;

• stories, songs and conversation;

• practical mathematics;

• phonics and early reading;

• creative and physical experiences.

Adults play an important role in children's learning by talking with them, modelling vocabulary, asking questions and helping them to think more deeply about their experiences.

We recognise that children develop at different rates and adapt our provision to meet their individual needs.

Communication and Language

Developing children's spoken language is at the heart of our Early Years provision.

We provide children with frequent opportunities to listen, talk, explain their ideas and learn new vocabulary through stories, play and interactions with adults and other children.

Strong communication and language skills provide an important foundation for reading, writing and learning across the curriculum.

Early Reading and Phonics

Children begin their systematic phonics programme in Reception using Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised.

They are taught how letters and groups of letters represent sounds and how to blend these sounds together to read words.

Alongside phonics, we share a wide range of high-quality books, stories, rhymes and poems so that children develop both the skills needed to read and a genuine enjoyment of books.

Mathematics

Our early mathematics curriculum develops strong foundations in number, pattern, shape, space and measure.

Children learn through practical experiences, discussion, games and carefully planned teaching, helping them develop a secure understanding rather than simply memorising procedures.

Our Learning Environment

Our indoor and outdoor environments are an important part of the curriculum.

Children have regular opportunities to:

• build and construct;

• investigate and solve problems;

• develop fine and gross motor skills;

• explore the natural world;

• create, draw, paint and make;

• engage in imaginative play;

• read, write and use mathematics for meaningful purposes.

We continually develop our provision so that children can learn independently, make choices and follow their curiosity.

Assessment

Assessment in the Early Years is designed to help staff understand what children know, can do and need to learn next.

Children complete the statutory Reception Baseline Assessment during the early part of Reception.

Throughout the year, staff use their knowledge of children, observations, conversations and children's work to inform teaching and identify where additional support or challenge may be required.

At the end of Reception, children's development is assessed against the statutory Early Learning Goals as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile.

Assessment is used to support children's learning and does not replace the importance of high-quality interactions and teaching.

Inclusion and SEND

We want every child to participate fully in life at Manuden.

Our Early Years provision is adapted where necessary to meet children's individual needs. We work closely with families, our SENDCo and external professionals where additional support is required.

Early identification and effective support are important so that children can make the best possible progress from their individual starting points.

Working with Families

Parents and carers know their children best, and a strong partnership between home and school is particularly important during the Early Years.

We keep families informed about children's learning and development and provide opportunities to discuss progress, ask questions and find out how learning can be supported at home.

We also encourage families to share important information about their child's interests, experiences and development with us.

Preparing for Year 1

Reception is an important year in its own right, rather than simply preparation for Year 1.

However, throughout the year children naturally develop the knowledge, independence, confidence and learning behaviours that will help them make a successful transition into Key Stage 1.

By the end of Reception, our aim is for children to be:

• confident and increasingly independent;

• enthusiastic about learning;

• able to communicate their ideas;

• developing strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics;

• able to build positive relationships;

• curious about the world around them.

Growing Hearts, Growing Minds, Growing Dreams

Our vision runs through everything we do in the Early Years.

We want children to leave Reception feeling known, valued and successful, with strong foundations for the rest of their time at Manuden and beyond.