Green Ridge Primary Academy
Parents & Carers
Starting Reception
Starting school is an exciting milestone, and we want every child to feel happy, confident and ready to join our school community. This page explains what Reception looks like and how you can support your child as they begin their journey with us.
What is Reception?
Reception is the final year of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). It builds on your child’s earlier experiences in nursery or preschool and focuses on helping children learn through play, exploration and purposeful, guided activities.
How children learn
In Reception, children learn through a balance of:
- Play and exploration
- Adult-guided activities
- Short whole-class sessions, such as phonics or story time
- Indoor and outdoor learning
Our environment encourages curiosity, independence and creativity.
Through play, meaningful interactions and carefully planned activities, children develop socially, emotionally and academically.
What children learn in the EYFS
The EYFS framework includes seven areas of learning.
Prime Areas
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Specific Areas
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
These areas are woven through daily routines, play opportunities and adult interactions to help children build firm foundations for learning.
Getting your child ready for school
You can help your child make a positive start by supporting them to:
- Recognise their name
- Use the toilet independently
- Put on their coat and shoes
- Use cutlery and open simple food packaging
- Look after their belongings
- Talk about feelings and ask for help
- Take turns and share during play
Reading together, chatting throughout the day and playing simple games also give your child a wonderful head start.
What to expect in the first few weeks
The first few weeks are all about helping your child feel safe, settled and happy. Staff spend lots of time getting to know each child, building routines and supporting friendships. It’s normal for some children to feel unsure at first. Our team will work closely with you to help build your child’s confidence day by day.
A typical Reception Day
- A calm arrival and busy fingers
- Phonics, maths, creative and understanding the world sessions
- Free‑flow play indoors and outdoors
- Snack and lunch time
- Story time
What your child may need each day
Your child should bring:
- A named water bottle
- A coat suitable for the weather
- Book bag with spare clothes
- Lunchbox if bringing a packed lunch
Assessment
To find out how we monitor and support your child’s progress in Reception, please visit our Assessment page here.
Working with parents
We value strong partnerships with families. You can expect communication and involvement through:
- Induction events and stay‑and‑play sessions
- Parent meetings
- Online learning journals or updates (Tapestry)
- Opportunities to share achievements from home (Tapestry)
Together, we can support a happy, confident and successful start to school. To help make the transition as smooth as possible, education and early years experts, including REAch2 Academy Trust, have created Starting Reception, a practical guide filled with expert advice, tips, and activities to support your child.
Find out more: https://startingreception.co.uk
Need More Information?
If you have questions about Reception or how we support children during their transition to school, please contact the school office or speak to our Early Years team. We are here to help your child settle in, thrive and enjoy their first year at school.