Saplings 2025 - 2026

 

The Reception year is a very exciting time of change for both parents and our children. During this year, we will all work as a team to ensure that your child flourishes through a fun, stimulating and active environment. The experiences we provide will be designed to ensure that every child reaches their full potential in all aspects of the curriculum. We will be encouraging your child to become an independent learner and take risks as they embark upon new challenges. We pride ourselves in offering a nurturing, language rich learning environment that teaches the essential skills necessary to build positive relationships and prepare them for their future.

 

This half term our topic is ‘Food and Festivals’. During this topic, the children will try a range of new foods and learn about where they come from. They will also learn about key festivals which are being celebrated at this time of the year including Chinese New Year and the key traditions that are carried out during this time.

 

During our daily Literacy and Communication Sessions, the children will be looking at several sensory stories that focus on different foods. The children will try and follow a range of picture recipes and instructions plus having a go at creating their own. The sensory stories we will be looking at are ‘The Gingerbread Man’ and ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. After listening to each story, the children will have the opportunity to complete a range of activities linked to each of the stories. Towards the end of the term, the children will listen to ‘About Chinese New Year’ which will teach them all about Chinese New Year and tell them all about the year of the fire horse!

 

During our daily Maths sessions, the children will be exploring numbers to 5 and 10 (when ready) through a range of number songs and themed activities in the different continuous provision areas which will be modelled and led by staff. As the term develops, the children will revisit 2d shapes and will learn how to identify and group them based on their appearance and key properties. They will also have the opportunity to learn about the four different seasons Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer and the different days of the week and the key routines that they follow each day. Throughout the term the children will complete a range of practical activities linked to each of the themes and will have the opportunity to practise their new skills by completing interesting and exciting challenges each day in maths and other continuous provision areas.Throughout this topic, the children will be learning a range of new skills linked to the topic which have been covered in more detail in the Topic Overview attached below.

 

Every day we will continue to work on our individual targets and enjoy lots of fun and exciting ways to learn!

 

Key Information:

·       PE will take place on a Tuesday morning

·       A spare set of clothes and waterproof coat/wellies, so we are always prepared for whatever the weather brings us.

·       Snacks and/or lunch – Please make sure you have ordered a school lunch if appropriate.

·       A little reminder to check dojo for updates and messages each day. Please let us know if there are any issues or useful information that will help us to care for your child.

·       Please feel free to contact the Saplings team with any questions or queries. We are all happy to help in any way we can.