🌼 Our Reception Learning This Half Term

🔤 Little Wandle Phonics

Each morning begins with Little Wandle phonics, where children build early reading confidence through sound recognition, grapheme–phoneme correspondence, oral blending, and reading simple words. This half term we are learning new Phase 3 digraphs and a trigraph, helping children to read and spell more complex words. Parents also joined us for a Little Wandle phonics workshop, giving them a chance to see a live session in action.

✏️ Ready Steady Write Literacy

Our literacy sessions follow Ready Steady Write, supporting children to plan and say sentences, explore new vocabulary, and become confident early writers. We are enjoying our class text Little Red, using it to develop storytelling language, sequencing skills, and character understanding.

🔢 Maths

Maths is practical and hands‑on. Children explore subitising, counting from larger groups, and number bonds to 5 through real‑life problem‑solving. We are also focusing on ordering numbers 1–10 and meeting Numberblocks 6, 7, and 8, deepening understanding of composition and pattern.

😊 Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Children take part in both PATHS and Jigsaw PSHE, giving them a rich foundation for emotional wellbeing. Through stories, puppets, circle time, and Jigsaw characters, children learn about feelings, friendships, kind choices, and how to solve small problems. These sessions help children develop confidence, empathy, and positive relationships.

🌍 Understanding the World

This half term we are exploring woodland animals and their habitats, supported by our woodland walk, where children observe seasonal changes first‑hand. We also learned about handwashing during a visit from the school nurse, helping children understand how to keep themselves healthy. Alongside this, we continue to explore special stories and places in RE.

🎨 Expressive Arts and Design

Creativity shines as children experiment with joining materials, choosing tools for a purpose, and expressing ideas through art, music, and role‑play. They design, build, paint, and perform—developing imagination and fine motor skills along the way.

🧸 Free‑Flow Play

Throughout the day, children enjoy free‑flow play indoors and outdoors. This encourages exploration, collaboration, and independent learning, allowing children to apply new skills in meaningful, self‑chosen activities.

Our text this half term is Juniper Jupiter! Juniper Jupiter by Lizzy Stewart follows the thrilling adventures of a real‑life superhero: brave, smart, able to fly…but missing one crucial ingredient—a perfect sidekick.

Children will build foundational writing skills through this half term, progressing from speaking to writing with clear structure and creativity.

PE

On Thursdays, your child should come to school dressed in their PE kit and trainers. Please see the uniform page on our website (https://www.eaves.st-helens.sch.uk/page/school-uniform/161792) 

• Please make sure PE kit is weather‑appropriate so children can stay comfortable during both indoor and outdoor activities throughout the rest of the day.

Reading/ Homework

Reading books are changed every Friday, so please ensure your child brings their book bag and current reading books to school so they can be swapped. Our reading expectation is that children read at least four times a week at home to help build confidence and fluency.

• Children will begin with wordless books, which support storytelling skills and book‑handling confidence. Once they are confidently blending sounds, they will move on to reading books with words.

  For parents | Letters and Sounds

What are Early Learning Goals?

Early Learning Goals are the expected levels of development for children at the end of the Reception year. They cover key areas such as communication and language, physical development, personal and social skills, literacy, maths, understanding the world, and expressive arts. ELGs help teachers understand what your child can do and what support they might need as they move into Year 1.