Reception Class
Welcome and thank you for visiting our Reception Class page!
Mount Pleasant Reception aims to create an attractive and stimulating learning environment where children feel happy, confident, secure and challenged.
At Mount Pleasant Reception, our children learn and play in one big, happy cohort with two teachers, one Higher Level Teaching Assistant, one full time and one part time Teaching Assistant. Our children have the opportunity to play and learn across the two classroom areas and the outdoor areas during their busy days.
Reception Days
In Reception, the children build up to having between three to five focussed learning sessions during the day, as well as accessing the continuous provision/ child initiated learning which enhances their learning, independence and development. These sessions vary in group size and in the length of time that the children are in them for. Focussed sessions may include:
- Mathematics - White Rose Maths
- English - The Write Stuff/Fantastic Foundations
- Phonics - Little Wandle
- Handwriting - Kinetic Letters
- Learning Adventure - topic
- PE - in the school hall and on the astro turf
The children love our daily story times, singing and "altogether time" where we share great learning both within school and use Tapestry to see what everyone has been up to at home with their families.
Some of our learning is recorded in our Floorbook, which shows photographs, quotes from the children and challenging questions to develop the learning. We encourage the children to look through the Floorbook to revisit and discuss their learning with each other and adults. This makes their learning "stick".
Child-Initiated Learning
For much of the day, the children are actively engaged in child-initiated learning where they are encouraged to engage in a range of high quality learning experiences both indoors and outdoors. The children move around the learning environments, independently choosing the activities which inspire them most. Some of the activities will be outdoors where the children can enjoy developing their gross motor skills even further. Staff support and facilitate the learning by encouraging the children to engage in purposeful play. You will often spot the staff on the floor, in the role play areas, running around outside and sitting alongside children as they model many skills, build and model positive relationships and importantly - talk, talk, talk!
Phonics and Reading - Children who read well, do well
As children progress through the Autumn Term and begin to learn their phonics sounds, they will begin to take part in guided reading sessions at school and then they will bring the book they have been reading in the group home with them to show off their skills with you. By reading and re-reading this book over and over again with you, your child will become fluent and confident and this is what we are striving to build: a fluent reader. At Mount Pleasant, we love reading and believe it should be everyone's "superpower" and the love of reading which we promote will make your child able to access lifelong learning. So, we ask that you join us in this exciting journey and read with and to your child every day if you possibly can.
Being school ready
If your little lovely has not attended our school nursery or you would like to share what exciting things are to come as they join Reception class, please show them the photographs on this page and talk to them about what we have shared and this may help to allay any worries about coming to "big school". There are some links below which may be useful to help you to ensure that your child is ready for Reception class.
We also know that it is a big step as a parent when your child starts Reception class, so if you would like a chat or to ask any questions, please contact our EYFS Phase Leader Mrs S Jones via the school email or via the school telephone. We are all here to help and look forward to you joining our school family.