Reception Curriculum
The seven areas of learning and developement
At Carlton Hill Primary School, we follow the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage'. This framework is mandatory for all early years providers in England. If you would like out more about the seven areas of learning and development that shape our Early Years curriculum, please CLICK HERE.
Our half-termly overviews
Please take a look at our Reception half-termly overviews (below) to see a snapshot of what children are learning in each subject. If you would like to see our 'Whole School Curriculum Overview', click here. If you would like more information about our curriculum or require a paper copy, get in touch via our contacts page.
Art
Across the year children in Reception are given opportunities to explore the mediums of Drawing/Painting/Printing/ Collage/Sculpture/Textiles. Reception class also participate in the six-week Whole School Art Project which takes place in Spring 2 each year and a whole school DT project in Autumn 2.
Understanding the World
Over the year the children observe and document changes to a tree we have adopted outside of our classroom. Across the year children will learn about the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and through storytelling.
Autumn 1
English
Getting started: Nursery Rhymes
Enjoy rhyming activities. Show awareness of rhyme and alliteration. Recognise rhythm in spoken words. Listen and join in with poems and stories.
Poetry: 'Give yourself a hug' by Grace Nichols
Continue a rhyming string. Show awareness of rhyme and alliteration. Hear and say the initial sound in words. Give meaning to marks they make as they draw.
Rhyme play: ‘Oi Frog!’ by Kes Grey shows awareness of rhyme and enjoys rhyme play
Phonics
Beginning phase 2 phonics.
PSHE
New beginnings
All about me – celebrations and birthdays.
Family Diversity- Who cares for me?
All sorts of families
Art
Drawing Observational work: Objects. Draw from memory and imagination. Exposure to textures and different techniques for recording patterns, objects and pictures
Painting Use a wide range of colours. Mixing colours, shades and tints. Applying paint in different ways.
Maths
What is the same? What is different? Grouping and sorting.
Counting and recognising numerals.
numbers 1-3
Comparing size, weight and volume.
Repeating patterns.
Technology
What technology do we have at home and school and what is it used for?
Let's learn about wheels, axels and levers and joints that can move.
PE
Getting changed - On the move
How my body changes - Senses
Science: Can we fix it?
Exploring range of materials
Key questions for science
Can you describe materials using your senses? Can you explain what happens to certain materials when they are heated, e.g. bread, ice, chocolate? Can you explain what happens to certain materials when they are cooled, e.g. jelly, heated chocolate?
RE
What makes everyone unique and precious?
Understanding the World
Children explore and begin to map their school environment
Autumn 2
Maths
- representing 1, 2, 3,4,5
- composition of 1, 2, 3,
- comparing 1,2, 3,
- one more and one less
- day and night
- sequencing activities
- shapes
PSHE
RSE: Naming body parts, Growing and caring for ourselves
Growing friendships skills & Anti Bullying Week
RE
What is our Christmas play about?
Could you?
Create a personal timeline to show the changes in you and your family from being a baby until now?
Understanding the World
Talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members
Understand growth from baby to adult.
Know about similarities and differences between types of animals.
Recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools.
Exploring the school environment orientation and purpose of spaces.
Key questions for history
How have you changed?
What other changes have there been in your family?
PE
Can you?
My Body - Parts of the Body
Design and Technology (DT)
Whole School Seasonal Project
English
Poetry: ‘Hug’ by Jez Alborough
Hear and say the initial sound in words. Begin to segment the sounds in simple words and blend them together. Link sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet. Begin to read words using phase 2 phonemes.
Phonics
Complete and consolidate phase 2.
Stories:
Describe main story settings, events and characters. Enjoy an increasing range of books. Show a preference for a dominant hand. Begin to use anticlockwise movement and retrace vertical lines. Begins to form recognisable letters. Use a pencil and hold it effectively to form letters.
Performance: Christmas Play - become more confident to speak in a familiar group and talk about ideas.
Spring 1
Maths
- Introducing zero
- comparing numbers to 5
- composition of numbers to 5
- representing 6, 7 and 8
- comparing mass and capacity
- measuring ingredients
Understanding the World
Love Around the World
Recognising similarities and difference between life in this country and life in other countries.
RE
How can we help each other?
English
Fiction: 'Owl Babies' by Martin Waddell
Use phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds. Write some irregular common words. Write short sentences in meaningful contexts.
Non-fiction: (linked to science) ‘Just Ducks’ by Nicola Davies
Know that information can be retrieved from books and computers. Write own name and other things such as labels, captions.
Phonics
Begin phase 3 phonics
PSHE
Mental health & wellbeing: naming feelings
Gender & lunchboxes
How can we help each other?
Science
Key questions:
Who has feathers? Who has fur? What is a mammal?
What is a bird?
What features do they share?
What is different about them?
Why?
Our Bodies
Our Senses
PE
Ball skills
DT
Structures - about the working characteristics of materials (e.g. folding paper to make it stiffer, plaiting yarn to make it stronger)- Bridge building /shelters
Art
Printing Using a variety of objects to print
Collage Using a variety of materials to make free collage. Pieces of work for a purpose, e.g., animal faces, human faces.
Spring 2
Maths
- compostion of numbers to 8
- comparing numbers to 10
- bonds to 5 and beyond
- measuring time
- comparing length and height
PSHE
What can we put in an Easter garden?
Good to be Me: similarities & differences -food
Global citizenship
PE
Ball skills
Art
Printing Using a variety of objects to print
Collage Using a variety of materials to make free collage. Pieces of work for a purpose, e.g., animal faces, human faces.
English
Fiction: ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ by Michael Rosen
Use vocabulary influenced by books.
Non-fiction: ‘Learn About Bears’ by Goss Castle
Link sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet.
Phonics
Revision of phase 2. Complete and consolidate phase 3 phonics.
Poetry: ‘Don’t Put Mustard in the Custard’ by Michael Rosen
Build confidence to speak in a familiar group and talk about ideas.
RE
What will be put in an Easter Garden?
Art and Design (DT)
Every year we join the rest of the school in a fantastic 6 week art project!
Design
Whole School Book Week Project
Our art project changes every year as the whole school focuses on a small group of artists and we learn new skills.
Understanding the World
Food around the world.
Recognising similarities and difference between life in this country and life in other countries
DT
Prepare simple dishes using the principles of healthy eating
Where does food come from? Fruit cocktail party/ Healthy Lunchboxes
Summer 1
Maths
- ordering numbers to 20
- counting patterns beyond 10
- consolidation of number facts
- spatial reasoning
- adding more
- taking away
- triangles
Computing
I can log on to the school computer and follow a simple programme.
Art
Sculpture Experimenting with plasticine, clay and dough. 3D junk materials.
Textiles Sorting, discussing and feeling different fabrics and threads.
English
Fiction: ‘Rosie’s Walk’ by Pat Hutchins
Read and understand simple sentences. Use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. Read some common irregular words.
Phonics
Begin phase 4 phonics - consonant clusters.
Non-fiction: recounts about class trip to Blatchington Windmill
Use phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match spoken sounds.
Write some irregular common words.
RE
How can we care for our wonderful world?
Science
Key questions
How does your garden grow?
What will your plant need to grow?
How will you look after your plant?
What happens under the soil?
What will you notice as your plant grows?
Could you grow a plant from a seed?
PE
Fun and games – developing partner work.
PSHE
Loss: coping with changes
Feeling Good Feeling Safe: Protective behaviours – keeping safe.
Summer 2
Maths
- doubling
- sharing and grouping
- even and odd
- spatial reasoning
PSHE
Changes; moving on transtion to Y1
Keeping Healthy & Safe: hand washing and asking for help
DT
Prepare simple dishes using the principles of healthy eating-
Pizza / bread making –clay oven
English
Fiction: ‘The Gruffalo’ by Julia Donaldson
Write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others.
Poetry: ‘HELP!’ by Michael Rosen
Continue a rhyming string. Write rhymes with phase 3 phonemes and phase 4 consonant clusters.
Phonics
Consolidation of our learning.
Art
Sculpture Experimenting with plasticine, clay and dough. 3D junk materials.
Textiles Sorting, discussing and feeling different fabrics and threads.
Understanding the World.
Local trip – where will we go and how will we get there?
What is the purpose of the buildings here?
What used to happen here in the past?
P.E.
Working together
RE
How do we care for our wonderful world?
