We are Moving On...

to Year 1!

It is hard to believe that we are into our final half-term of this school year! Our final topic is ‘Moving On’.  We plan to really make the most of what is left of our time in Reception by reflecting on and celebrating all the special times we have shared this year, before beginning our preparations for ‘moving on’ to Year 1.  There are many exciting ‘end of year’ events planned for the children and all their families to enjoy in school.  We hope you will enjoy sharing them with us over the coming weeks.

Personal, Social & Emotional Development

The children will be encouraged to share their personal memories and experiences of their first year at school.  We will look at the many photos and videos we have made together and reflect on the friends we have made and positive relationships we have enjoyed.  The children will explore how they felt at the beginning of the year and how they feel now, thinking about how much they have progressed this year.  We will turn our thoughts to moving up to Key Stage 1, and support the children to develop their self-confidence by understanding that they are ready now to move on to new  opportunities and fresh adventures in Year 1.  In July, the children will attend a special transition assembly for the whole school where we will all say goodbye to our friends in Year 6 as they move on to their new secondary schools.  After this celebration, the children have a chance to visit their new Year 1 classes and meet their new teachers.  They will also be involved in welcoming, reassuring and taking care of our new Reception intake of children when they come to visit our classes before they start school in September. 

The highlight of our year will be our Reception graduation celebration which will take place on 20 July (details to follow in a separate letter).  We hope you will be able to join us as we celebrate all the children’s achievements this year (don’t forget to bring your tissues!)

Communication and Language

During circle time, we will identify the goals we have achieved this year and share our dreams and hopes for the future.  We will use our special books and learning journeys to recall events and recount our experiences.  The children will contribute to their end of year school report by talking about their favourite things in Reception and articulating what they think they have learnt this year.  In addition, our graduation celebration will offer lots of opportunities for the children to develop their confidence when communicating as they will speak, sing and respond confidently in front of an audience.  If your child brings a speaking part home to rehearse, please support them to remember their words and practise saying them loud and clear!

Literacy

All the literacy skills we have taught this year will be consolidated over this half term.  The children will know their literacy targets and understand what they need to do next in order to be ready for Year One.  These skills include:

*Reading all tricky words and high frequency words on sight

*Recognising, remembering and saying all the phonemes, digraphs and trigraphs taught this year

*Using phonic skills to blend simple words to read

*Using phonic skills to segment simple words to spell

*Practising handwriting skills to write letters using the correct sequence of movement

*Developing confidence to write independently: full name, labels, captions, sentences

*Extending writing skills to write for a purpose: lists, letters, signs, instructions, cards, messages, books

Our learning log homework books will focus on each of these skills as the term progresses and we will send home additional resources for you to support your child over the summer holidays. 

 Mathematics

As with literacy, all the mathematics skills taught this year will be revised and consolidated to prepare the children for the Maths curriculum in Year 1.  The key skills to concentrate on are:

*counting accurately groups of up to 10, then 20 objects

*recognising, naming, ordering, sequencing numerals to 10 then 20

*matching sets of up to 10, then up to 20 objects to the corresponding numeral

*counting forwards/ backwards to/from 10, then 20

*saying the number that is 1 more than/1 less than a number to 10, then 20

*using addition to combine two groups to find a total to 10, then 20

*using subtraction to find how many left when taking away from 10, then 20

*estimating numbers

*recognising doubles and halves

*name and describe flat 2D and solid 3D shapes

*recognising, copying and recreating repeating patterns

*comparing and ordering three objects by length, height, weight, volume

*using mathematical vocabulary relating to time and money

*writing the numerals 0-9 using the correct sequence of movement

Understanding the World

We are celebrating the Queen’s 90^th Birthday this week and, travelling further, ‘French Week’ will take place during the week beginning 27 June.  The children will have opportunities to experience French cuisine, culture, and pastimes, hopefully practising all the French vocabulary they have learnt this year.  They can come to school dressed in red, white and blue for our whole school French celebration assembly (dates to be confirmed in a separate letter).  As we prepare for our graduation celebration, the children will be invited to identify the different ways they have grown and changed since they were babies and how much they have grown as they prepare to move on to Year 1. 

*Please send into school a baby photo of your child (named on the back) or preferably, please email a jpeg photo to s.gaied@emmaus.liverpool.sch.uk  (please note, we will use these photos during our graduation celebration).

Expressive Arts & Design

The children will plan and design ‘Welcome to Reception’ posters for our new intake of children using pastels and paint.  They will also produce an ‘All About Me’ book to share with their new Year One teacher, containing observational drawings of themselves.  We will be rehearsing and learning a selection of songs, dances and speaking parts for our graduation service.  The children will be encouraged to perform their part with confidence to ensure our final performance together will be an event to remember!

Physical Development

Our Infant Sports Day is scheduled to take place on 30 June (weather permitting).  The children will work in teams and join Year 1 and 2 outside on the field to participate in a ‘mini olympics’ of 12 different ‘events’, including javelin, hurdles, penalty shoot-out, relay races and even a space hopper race.  Families are welcome to come along to cheer their children on!  Our sporting prowess will be celebrated in our Sports Day awards assembly later in the term.  We will celebrate the end of the school year and also acknowledge the 2016 Olympics in Rio when we hold our ‘Carnival Week’ during the last week of term.  Our school caterers have kindly agreed to host another ‘healthy eating’ workshop relating to our topic, so the children will create their own Rio Olympic smoothies to enjoy on the day!  *Please ensure your child has their PE kit and pumps or trainers (that fit!) in school for Sports Day ‘training’ this term

We are all looking forward to an exciting and memorable conclusion to our year together.  Please let us know if there is anything we can advise or help with as the children move ever closer to their transition to Year 1.