Welcome to EYFS - Reception
The Early Years Foundation Stage at Freezywater St.Georges Primary School
In Reception at Freezywater St.Georges Primary School we aim to create a learning environment where each child feels individually valued, secure, motivated and confident to meet new challenges and high expectations with a sense of achievement.
'Believe and Achieve'
"Through God's grace all members of our community will grow in heart, mind and spirit. We believe in oursleves, others and our faith which will allow us to reach our full potential and achieve our dreams and aspirations."
We aim for all our children to be successful learners, to be confident individuals and to become responsible citizens. We follow the children's interests through their independent learning and support them through each stage of development to learn skills they need for school and beyond.
Our Class Saint
St John was one of Jesus' disciples and the author of one of the four Gospels. His feast day is on the 27th December and he is the Patron Saint of love, loyalty, frienships and authors. 
Our class value
Reception's class value is 'Friendship'. This value is celebrated in February.
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” - 1 John 4:7
"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him". - St John the Apostle
Learning in Reception
The Early Years Curriculum is organised into 7 areas of learning
Prime Areas of learning
Communication and Language (CL)
Physical Development (PD)
Personal Social and Emotional Development (PSED)
Specific Areas of learning
Literacy (Lit)
Maths (M)
Understanding the World (UW)
Expressive Arts and Design (EAD)
All areas interlink and none of these areas of learning are seen in isolation; one experience will enable a child opportunities to develop a range of competencies, skills and concepts across several areas of learning. For example – ‘writing’ would be classed as Literacy, but children will be using and developing PD, CL, PSED skills as well!
Characteristics of effective Learning
Characteristics of Effective Learning
These are the skills children use and how children learn…
Characteristics of effective learning enable us to place emphasis on the PROCESS of learning rather than the product or outcome.
Playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’
Active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements.
Creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
What does Learning look like at Freezywater St Georges?
Whole class sessions
We currently teach RWI phonics Monday - Thursday am. We have a short 'Talk Through Stories' carpet session before lunch. After lunch we have a short carpet session either focussing on Maths or Topic (Including RE once a week). At the end of the day we come together for a final 'Talk through Stories Vocabulary' session. There is a high emphasis on communication and language through a love of reading and stories.
Other adult led activities include PE and Music.
Adult directed tasks
Children take part in a Maths and Topic task each week consolidating their understanding through a directed activity and develop their skills.
COOL (Choose Our Own Learning)
Play (Child Led Learning) underpins the EYFS. It also underpins learning and all aspects of children’s development. Through play, children develop their language skills, their emotions and creativity, social and intellectual skills. For most children their play is natural and spontaneous although some children may need extra help from adults.
Play is very important to our pupils development and supports them to become independent learners and thinkers. Play is valued and our children learn and are challenged through their play activities.
We passionately encourage learning through indoor and outdoor activities and it is in these different environments that children explore and discover their immediate world.
During this time is when they can practise new ideas and skills, they take risks, show imagination and solve problems on their own or with others.
Adults provide time and space and appropriate resources to support the children in their play. They observe play and join in, watching and listening before intervening. The adults value play and we provide a safe but challenging environment that supports and extend learning and development.
The children are encouraged to learn through exploration and investigation.
We are laying the foundations for confident, reflective and skilled learners who will continue to seek challenge through their time at school.
Enrichment Activities
We use the local area to support and enhance the children’s learning. We have half termly visits to the local library to choose books to support our topics and interests. We visit the local park regularly to provide outdoor learning sessions in a natural environment. We also take a class trip in the summer term relating to our learning.
Learning at Freezywater St.Georges is FUN!
Reception Newsletters - Autumn Term
Reception Class Timetable
EYFS Parents' Guide
Reception Curriculum Overview
Healthy School Literature
Starting School Booklet
Our Teachers
Class Teacher - Mrs Pedder
Reception trip to the park
Reception recently went for their first Outdoor Learning welly walk. The adults were very proud of how the children listened to instructions and walked together safely along the roads. At the park they all worked together to create a golden square using the fallen leaves. They had lots of fun and can't wait for their next trip to the park!
