Reception

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Welcome 

Reception

Welcome to the most magical place in school! Reception is the home of the fantastic Cambridge class and Carle class. We don’t just learn here, we investigate, explore, create and discover.

Each half term, our learning is based around an exciting topic:

Reception Long Term Overview 2024 2025 

These topics enable us to enhance and enrich the children’s learning with lots of wow moments, e.g. panto trips, visits from police officers, nurses and people who help us, theme days and more!

In Reception we follow the statutory framework for Early Years: 

 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2

Curriculum & Learning

Curriculum Vision Statement

At Buckingham Primary School our curriculum nurtures confident, curious and independent learners who feel safe, valued and excited to explore the world around them. We provide rich, meaningful experiences that support every child to communicate effectively, form positive relationships and develop strong foundations for learning.

Through play, exploration and high-quality interactions, children learn to express themselves, solve problems, care for others and develop resilience. We celebrate creativity, encourage imagination and build early skills in reading, writing, number and physical development.

We aim for every child to develop a sense of belonging, respect for their environment, and an understanding of their own emotions and abilities. By fostering curiosity, independence and joy in learning, we prepare children not only for the next stage of education, but for life as confident, capable and compassionate individuals.

Early Years Framework

At Buckingham Primary School, we are ambitious in our offer for every child. The Early Years Framework echoes this in its recognition that every child deserves the best possible start in life and receives the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. 

We recognise that children develop quickly in the early years and so a child's experiences between birth and the age of five, have a major impact on their future life chances.  It is important for children to have secure, safe and happy childhoods.  The Early Years Framework highlights the importance of good parenting and high-quality early learning together to provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities as they grow.

More information of the EYFS can be found by clicking the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2

The Foundation Stage is the name given to the phase of learning from 0 to 5.  By the end of the Foundation Stage (the end of Reception) most children are expected to achieve the Early Learning Goals and where appropriate go beyond them.

Our curriculum follows the Early Years Statutory Framework for the Early years Foundation Stage. This document specifies the requirements for learning and development in the EYFS and provides the prime and specific areas of learning we must cover in our curriculum. We also use Development Matters to support the delivery of our curriculum.

Development Matters 

The Prime Areas:

• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development

The Specific Areas - through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

A child’s individual learning characteristics determine the way they respond to both the teaching and learning taking place within the provision. The three characteristics of effective teaching and learning are:

• Playing and Exploring– children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’
• Active Learning– children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements
• Creating and Thinking Critically– children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

We believe strongly in the Seven Features of Effective Practice as referred to in the; Working with the revised Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice by Julian Grenier

 Time for Phonics

At Buckingham Primary School, we follow the Time For Phonics, a Department of Education validated multisensory and synthetic phonics programme (please make Time For Phonics above a hyperlink to here Time for Phonics | DfE validated phonics scheme)  For further information please see our phonics and early reading curriculum page on the link below:

Phonics and Early Reading Curriculum  

Nursery and Reception progression of knowledge and skills document

Progression in Early Years at BPS 

Find out how to support your child’s learning at home - Useful Links

BBC Bitesize Phonics with the Small Town Superheroes

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zgnrf82 

BBC iPlayer - Numberblocks

Early years: resources and tools for early language development and parental engagement | National Literacy Trust

Tiny Happy People has simple ideas and activities to help you develop your child’s communication skills.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people

Bucks Library Service
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/libraries/

Words for Life - Supports Chat, Play, Read with ideas, tips and activities from birth to 5
https://wordsforlife.org.uk/