Reception

Our Reception Classes

We have three Reception classes: Wrens, Barn Owls and Robins. Each class has a teacher and one teaching assistant.

The Curriculum

The Reception children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. There are seven areas of learning within the EYFS;

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

All areas are delivered through planned, purposeful play, which is child-led with some focussed activities which children are encouraged to try. The Reception classrooms have outdoor areas and suitable activities are set up for the children to use outside. Your child will need a pair of welly boots in school to use in the wet weather.

Assessment

The Reception teachers are required to complete the Government’s Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) with the children during their first six weeks in school. They are also required to assess the children in each of the seven areas of the EYFS throughout the year. The children will be assessed through observations of child-initiated play and a small amount of adult-led assessment. Parents will be informed of their child’s EYFS Profile achievement at Parent/Teacher interviews and as part of the end of year report.

A Typical Day in Reception

Bringing your child to school in the morning

The Reception children come in with their parents through the gates and are walked to the hall doors where the Reception staff team will meet you. All children should be in class by 8.50am. Once the children have put their coats and book bags in the correct places in the classroom, they settle at an activity.

The register is taken at 9am. We understand that some children settle more easily than others but the class teacher and Teaching Assistants will be in class to give the children support and reassurance. Although it can be distressing to leave a child who is upset, staff will encourage parents to leave as soon as possible as the children usually calm down once their parent has gone. Parents can always telephone school to find out if the child has settled.

Collecting your child from school

At 3.05pm the playground gates are opened, and you are asked to walk around the school and wait at the outside door for your child’s class. At 3.10pm the teacher will open the classroom door and children will be ‘matched’ to their parents, carers and childminders. Please let the school know if someone different will be collecting your child. We cannot let your child go with anyone we have not received permission for from you as their parent.

We appreciate that you may occasionally be delayed, however, if you are going to be late, please telephone school to let us know. After school childcare is only available if pre-booked and this will incur a charge.

Snacks

We offer you child a piece of fruit or a vegetable every morning. Please do not send in snacks from home. The children also receive free milk until their 5^th birthday. After that you can pay for your child to have milk every day if you wish to.

Lunch

Your child can choose a school meal (including a main meal, a vegetarian option, a jacket potato or sandwich) or bring a lunchbox from home. The menu for school dinners is sent out each term. School dinners are currently free for every Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 child at Watton Westfield under the Universal Free School Meals for Infant Children government initiative. If you also qualify for means tested Free School Meals your child will receive additional support through the Pupil Premium fund.

If your child brings a packed lunch from home it needs to be in a manageable, named lunchbox. Please try to include healthy food, use as little packaging as possible and ensure your child can manage the items they have. You will need to provide spoons for yogurts etc. Please do not send sweets, glass bottles, cans or fizzy drinks.

Water Bottles

The children should bring a named water bottle to school for drinks throughout the day. For health reasons, we ask that it is only plain water in these bottles, not squash, juice or flavoured water. Staff may pour away anything other than water and replace it with tap water.

Reading / Book Bags

We ask that you buy a school bookbag for your child. These can be purchased from Birds of Dereham in store or via the link on the school website.

Within the first half term, your child will receive a reading book, word game and reading record. The children are asked to read for ten minutes at home every day, and parents are asked to write a comment in their reading record.

P.E.

The children will do P.E. in the school hall in the autumn and spring term. They will need to keep a PE bag on their peg with a t-shirt and a pair of shorts to change into for P.E. lessons. In the summer term, PE lessons may take place outside. At this point the children will need a pair of trainers to keep in school. School P.E. t-shirts in house colours are available from Birds of Dereham, but do not need to be purchased from there or branded.

Please ensure that ALL items are named and that the children can manage them by themselves. Hair must be tied back and earrings and other jewellery must be removed on P.E. days. If earrings cannot be removed your child will have to be able to tape over them independently.  

Reception Information. 

Reception 2026 Booklet for parents

Curriculum Overview – Reception

PSHE and Life Skills Curriculum overview for EYFS

Inclusivity in EYFS.

Knowledge Organisers 

Reception Overview - Autumn 1 2026