St Mary

I love teaching and my passion is teaching in the EYFS - everyday is different, full of exploration and fun! I am smiley and bubbly and use creative approaches in my teaching. I currently have the most wonderful class of children, who are caring, hard-working and aspirational. I pride myself on creating a classroom environment and build relationships that help my children to feel like we are family. I ensure that my children feel safe and happy and thrive in all that they do throughout their time with me.

I love supporting my children to learn and grow together. I always have lots of exciting plans and activities for us to explore, inside and outdoors, as well as following the children's interests and allowing opportunities for child-led learning.

In my spare time I enjoy listening to music, dancing, spending time with my friends and family and walking my Sprocker Spaniel, Chester!

Routines in Reception

• Saint Mary's homework will be set each Friday. This will need to be completed in the pink homework books and returned by the following Wednesday. Once per term, the children will also have Religious Education homework.
• Each week, a child will bring home our class Prayer Bag. Within the bag, you will find a cloth (linked to our Liturgical Season), prayers and religious objects linked to the time of the year. Please use this to pray together as a family.
• PE will take place on a Monday and a Friday - please ensure your child comes to school dressed in their PE kit. This includes trainers, a house colour top and navy shorts. In the wet and colder months, please send your child to school in appropriate clothing - waterproofs, school hoody, hat, gloves, etc as we may still be outside for PE.
• Reading - Reading is such an important skill to develop and it is really important that children read at home as well as in school. We would love all of the children in Reception to read 5 times per week to an adult outside of school. Please document each read in your child's reading diaries. This will then be looked at on your child's book change day and if your child has read 5 times within that week they will be rewarded with 1 reading point. 
• Show and Tell will take place on Tuesday afternoons. The children will be on a rota for this. Please ensure your child only brings one item when it is their turn.
• Outdoor Learning - We will be learning outside in all weathers. Please ensure your child brings in wellies and waterproofs which can be kept in school all year.
• Wheelie Wednesday will take place on Wednesdays. This is an opportunity for your child to bring a scooter or bike to school and develop their gross motor skills!
• Mystery Reader will take place on Thursdays. Early reading is so important within the Early Years. It ignites creativity, sparks curiosity and stimulates the imagination in young children. Mystery reader is an informal opportunity for you to read, share or tell a story to the class. The children adore Mystery Reader!
• Parents readers - We really value any parental support that you are able to offer.  If you are able to volunteer some time to help listen to the children read (20/30 minutes any morning at school drop off) or to help within the classroom, this would be greatly appreciated.
• WOW Vouchers - Please use WOW vouchers to share your child's achievements from home with us at school! Please find the template below - their achievements will be celebrated together as a class!

R - RESILIENCE - NEVER GIVE UP

E - EMPATHY - LOVE ONE ANOTHER

A - ASPIRATIONS - WE ARE THE FUTURE

C - CONFIDENCE - GIVE IT A GO

H - HIGH EXPECTATIONS - BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE

Through our school virtues of Faith, Hope and Love, Reception children will begin to explore the faith that underpins everything that we do at St Joseph’s. We will support our children in developing an understanding of, and live according to these word:

‘As it is, these remain: faith, hope and love, the three of them; and the greatest of them is love.’

 1 Corinthians Chapter 13

Throughout their first year at school children in Reception will develop confidence in their abilities. They will be learning new sounds and words through daily story sessions, phonics lessons, group reading. They will explore number and patterns during daily maths lessons. They will become historians, geographers, scientists, artists and musicians as they begin to learn about the world around them. The children will have daily opportunities to also become leaders of their own faith through Liturgical Prayer sessions and Religious Education lessons, as well as developing their knowledge of Catholic Social Teaching throughout their normal routines in their daily lives.

Most importantly, every child in Reception will be encouraged to show, develop and celebrate their gifts and talents throughout the year, learning through exploration and play and experiencing how fun school can be! Through all of this, the children will develop key skills of resilience and empathy and will continue to grow into the wonderful human beings they all are!

Sam– "I love exploring nature in our outdoor area."

Darcie– "I like our prayer bag because when I was in little school I didn't know about Jesus or God and it makes me happy when I learn about them."

Coco– "I like everything in Reception, because it's fun!"

Poppy– "I like taking Ben the Bear home."

Joseph– "I like doing maths and doing the bunny hops."

Luna– "I like that we can learn when we play and make our own play choices."

Niall– "I like maths 'cause I like cheeky Colin."

David– "I love our baby chicks!"

Willow– "I like playing with my friends."

Phoebe– "I really like show and tell."

Atticus– "I like drawing on the whiteboard."

Xanthe– "I love Wheelie Wednesday 'cause I like going on my scooter."

Rocco– "I love Star our puppet! He's funny."

Learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

 We are learning all the time! Sometimes that means we get a bit messy!

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), learning is very practical and 'hands on'. Our classroom display shows that we will be developing our knowledge and skills through a variety of activities, sometimes resulting in our uniform becoming a little bit dirty. Please don't be upset with us about this - it just means we have had a wonderful day full of exploring and learning!