Our first half term in Reception has been an exciting start to the children’s learning journey in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The children have settled beautifully into their new environment, building friendships, developing routines, and beginning to explore all areas of learning through play and discovery.

During Autumn 1, we focused on helping the children become confident, independent learners. Through our topic work and continuous provision, they explored themes related to “All About Me” and “our families”, learning to talk about themselves, their interests, and what makes them unique. 

In Literacy, the children enjoyed listening to the focus stories 'My Mum', 'My Dad', 'So Much' and 'Owl Babies', developing a love for books and storytelling. They began to recognise and write their names, exploring letter sounds through early Phonics games and activities. In maths, the children explored numbers to 5, sorting, counting, and comparing groups of objects, while using mathematical language in their play.

Outdoor learning has been a big part of our first term. The children have enjoyed investigating the natural changes of autumn—collecting leaves, conkers, and acorns—and using these treasures in creative  ways. Through building, role play, and messy play, they have been developing their fine and gross motor skills as well as their imagination.

Autumn 1 has been a wonderful introduction to life in Reception, filled with curiosity, creativity, and joy. We can’t wait to see how the children continue to grow as learners throughout the rest of the year!