We’re delighted to welcome you and your child/ren to Orchard Grove Primary School, as part of our new Reception cohort!
On this page you will find important information that we are sending out to parents of children who will start at Orchard Grove in September 2024. We will continue to update this page with information, helpful support, resources and some activities that you might like to try with your child/ren.
We appreciate
that you and your child may be feeling anxious about the transition into
Reception this September, however we really want to reassure you that we are
here for you every step of the way. As a school we place huge emphasis on the
power of a positive transition and we have plans in place to help make this as
smooth as possible for every child and family. Where adaptations need to be
made in specific circumstances, please know that we will work with you to
support these.
If you have any concerns or questions about your
child’s transition, please let us know by contacting Mr. Richard Healey (Headteacher) using the school email address:
office@orchardgrove.bep.ac
Below you can find a copy of the Welcome Letters that we are sending to all families as part of our transition process.
Below you can find an 'All About Me' activity sheet. This is a great way for us to get to know your child, including their likes and dislikes. We can use the information you give us to prepare activities that will engage your child in September and also to give us topics of conversation.
You can complete the sheet on a computer and email it back to us on our school email address above or complete a paper version and bring it with you when you see us next!
A big part of Reception is learning about yourself as an individual and how you fit in with the world around you, including how you are the same and how you are different to other people. So, we would like to encourage your child to draw themselves - after all, they do say "A picture is worth a thousand words."
Your child can draw themselves with pencils or crayons, with felt tips or with paint! We would like to see the whole of them, not just their head and they can include a background if they like. We would love them to do this as independently as possible, so if your child chooses to add stickers, draw additional people or go completely abstract with colours, please don't worry.
You can bring the pictures with your child in September or scan them across to the school via the email address above. We will add these pictures to your child's Learning Wall in September, which is their own display square on the wall in the classroom. Each Learning Wall space will become a reflection of the child as an individual and celebrate their interests and achievements. We can't wait to see what the pictures look like.
We wanted to reassure all parents that starting school at Orchard Grove is not about being academically ready. Instead, for us at Orchard Grove, 'school readiness' is more about showing a level of independence in different areas and a willingness to have a go at things. We've outlined some very simple everyday activities that you can try in order to support your child/ren as they transition into Orchard Grove. These aren't activities to complete and send back but instead little things you can do at home.
Home visits will be arranged for the week beginning 2 September 2024 and
gives Miss Woodley a chance to meet each child individually as well as an
opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have.
Application forms for Universal Free School Meals will be sent to
all parents/ carers. Completing this form currently entitles your child to free
hot school dinners during Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. We recommend signing up
even if you think your child may not want hot school dinners, just in case you
change your mind in the future. Once completed please return it to school via
email to the address above.
Meals will begin on Thursday 12 September 2024 as children extend their school hours to incorporate lunch time. Friday 13 September 2024 is the first full-time school day for Reception children and hot meals will continue. You will be able to make meal choices on our school online payment system – 'My Child At School' is the parent app for Bromcom, our school system.
The Autumn term begins with home visit week during the week of Monday 2 September 2024.
Children are invited to a stay and play session on
Friday 6 September from 1.30-2.15pm
Your child’s first day (part-time, 8.45-12.00) at Orchard Grove
will be on Monday 9 September 2024 and children will stay for lunch (8.45-1.00)
on Thursday 12 September 2024. Full-time attendance will begin on Friday 13 September 2024.
School term dates can be
found on our website under the section ‘School Info’ – ‘School Term Dates and
Holidays’.
Further information regarding uniform, school day timings, what to do if your child is ill, medicine as well as a whole host of other information can be found in the new starter information packs that will be making their way to all parents/ carers shortly.
Reception is the final year of the
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The EYFS profile lays out what children
aged 0 – 5 should learn. We develop all children in the following areas:
Prime areas:
Specific Areas:
Communication and Language
The area of
Communication and Language covers listening and attention, understanding and
speaking. This area is all about how we can communicate with others so that we
are understood and so that we understand what others are saying. This covers
lots of situations from listening to a friend to listening to an assembly. This
area also includes following instructions and speaking clearly.
Physical
Development
Physical
Development is the area that covers how children move and how they take care of
themselves. This is about developing more control over their big movements, for
example running, jumping and climbing. It's about developing a greater level of
control with their smaller movements, such as using pencils and paint brushes
and doing up buttons! This area is also about learning to take care of personal
needs and how to keep ourselves healthy and safe.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Personal, Social and Emotional development is all about making relationships with adults and other children, developing confidence, becoming aware of how to behave with other people, managing feelings and changing behaviour to fit different environments. This is a very important part of learning in Reception and helps children to begin to work out 'who they are' and 'how they fit into the world'.
Literacy
Literacy covers
both reading and writing. We teach reading and writing using a phonics scheme
called Letters and Sounds and a writing scheme called Talk for Writing. This
area is all about developing your child's knowledge of how to make sounds and
to link these to letters through fun games and activities. It's about
developing a love of books and reading. We will teach your child how to recite
lots of stories so that they understand how they are structured and also how
they can begin to change parts to create their own stories. We will use music
and movement to develop mark making into writing letters and then how to use
their letters to represent whatever they want to communicate. At Orchard Grove,
learning to read and write is an engaging process for all children that is low on
pressure and high on fun.
Maths
The area of maths covers numbers and
counting, adding and subtracting and also shapes, weighing and measuring. We
will build on your child's existing knowledge of counting rhymes by slowly
introducing core concepts into their play. Lots of games and engaging
activities will develop your child's knowledge of numbers, how they represent
groups of things and how to combine or split these groups. Your child will
learn to enjoy playing with maths so that they explore concepts without
realising they're learning. This area will also develop understanding of shapes,
measuring length, height, weight and capacity and allow children to learn about
time and money.
Understanding the World
This area is split into People and
Communities, The World and Technology. This area is all about children making
sense of the world around them and having fun learning and exploring new
things. Children will share about their family routines and customs and they
will learn about different celebrations and cultures. They will learn about the
natural and man-made world around them, how it changes, how places can be the
same and different to where we live and also about how to use different
technology.
Expressive Arts and Design
Expressive Arts and Design is exactly that - it's all about learning different ways to express yourself and then doing just that. Children will develop different artistic skills, learn songs and play instruments and also learn some dancing! They will develop their imagination by using these new skills to express themselves, individually and with their friends. This area is where your child will be able show themselves as an individual and be celebrated for doing so.
For further
information on any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact our
Headteacher, Mr Healey, on
office@orchardgrove.bep.ac
01823 711014
