Reception - Key Information

Our Team:

Mrs Bir / Mrs Kochar - Birch class

Mrs Salah - Larch class

Mrs Caba - Spruce class

Miss Lyford, Miss Baines, Miss Alley - Learning Support Assistants

Miss Cann and Miss Phillips – Cover staff

How Can You Support Your Child To Prepare For Reception?

• Support your child to manage their toileting and hygiene
  independently.
• Please teach them how to put on and take off their coat and use the
  fastenings. Start teaching them to independently get dressed and
  undressed.
• Please teach them how to put on and take off their shoes and also
  their socks.
• Support your child to use cutlery independently.
• Establish good routines and rules at home, especially for bedtime
  and morning.
• Speak often over the summer holiday about how exciting it will be
  starting school!  

Timings of the day and attendance

Learning begins from the moment your child enters their classroom in the morning. It is very important that your child is in school and on time every day to reach their potential

School starts at 8:30am and finishes at 3:00pm . You should line up outside the school gates until a member of staff informs you to walk up to the gate. The gate closes in the morning at 8.45am and at the end of the day at 3.10pm. After these time you are considered to be late and will have to drop or collect your child from the office.

If your child is absent you must call or email the school every day.

01895 590112

office@mail.whitehallinf.org

Expected attendance is at least 95%

All children who are in school every day and on time have their name put forward to win a prize in assembly! They are our ‘attendance heroes’ for the week.

What does my child need to wear?

• Uniform information can be found here: www.whitehall-inf.hillingdon.sch.uk/parents/uniform

What does your child need to bring to school?

• Named water bottle
• Named book bag
• Reading record, book and homework if required.
• Named waterproof coat

How can you help your child at home?

• Check your child’s book bag for letters or other information
• Check your emails for letters or updates
• Talk to your child about their day
• Read with your child as much as possible
• Ensure your child is prepared for learning

A Typical Day in Reception

Learning in Reception

In Reception, we follow the Early Years framework.

The framework is broken down into 7 areas of learning.

These are: Prime Areas: Communication and Language, PSED, Physical development

 Specific Areas: Literacy, Mathematical, Understanding of the World, Expressive Arts and  Design.

We concentrate on the basic skills of reading, writing and maths but ensure that all children have a broad and balanced curriculum.

Inclusive Learning

We support all learners to achieve excellence in all they do when they are at Whitehall.

We support children who are learning to acquire English with specific activities in class as well as a specialist language programme depending on level.

Children who are new to school are supported to settle in including having a buddy from their class to help them.

Some children may find learning more challenging than others for a range of different reasons. Children with a special educational need (SEN) complete targeted interventions depending on what they need support in. This is overseen by Mrs. Kennedy, our SENCO.

Homework and Reading

Books are changed once a week. Please read and sign the reading record each week to inform us you have listened to your child.

Learning packs in Numeracy and Literacy will be sent home to support you and your child at home.

Termly Home Learning Activity Ideas will also be sent home for you to complete if you wish too.

We will also be sending out log in details for our online learning websites Reading Eggs and Maths Seeds.

You will also be given Log in details for our Google Classroom safe site, so you will be able to download any work you would like us to see.

Please read little and often with your child.

Behaviour and Attitudes

• We have a positive approach to managing behaviour
• We believe that there is always any behaviour is a way of communicating and we support children to self regulate and to react to any negative feelings in an appropriate way.

School rewards

Individual praise including

• in class gold awards
• Class / group rewards
• Assembly recognition
• Sharing with parents / carers lots of positive news.

Managing negative behaviour

• Green cards. All children start with a green card in every lesson/session
• An adult may remind children about the school rules.
• After 2 reminders, a child receives a warning and the green card is moved onto its side.
• If improved behaviour is seen the card is moved back to its original position
• If no improvement is seen, a child receives a blue card in class. This may mean they have thinking time. The teacher will speak to them about the behaviour. This will not be done in front of the class. We also do not shout.
• In rare cases a child may display a red behaviour e.g. hurting another child. If this happens, parents/carers will be informed and appropriate actions taken to support the child to not do this again