Reception - Curriculum
Curriculum Intent
Our Reception curriculum is designed to develop confident, curious learners. Through high-quality interactions, purposeful play and carefully planned teaching, children build the knowledge, language and skills they need to succeed in Key Stage 1 and beyond. Learning is rooted in meaningful experiences that encourage children to explore, think critically and develop independence.
Our Approach
In Reception, we prioritise play, exploration and high-quality adult interaction, recognising that young children learn best through meaningful experiences.
Continuous provision is at the heart of our approach. Children access carefully planned environments with open-ended resources that allow them to explore, practise skills and deepen their learning at their own level. Adults support learning through purposeful interactions that extend children’s language, thinking and curiosity. Developing rich vocabulary and strong communication skills is central to our approach, with adults modelling and extending language throughout the school day.
Our Reception classrooms are also predominantly screen-free environments, enabling children to engage deeply with physical resources, talk and hands-on experiences. Learning opportunities are carefully sequenced across the year so that children build knowledge and skills progressively across all areas of the Early Years curriculum.
Key Learning
Alongside continuous provision, children take part in focused learning sessions throughout the day to develop key knowledge and skills.
Phonics
We teach phonics using Supersonic Phonic Friends. This interactive programme supports children to develop early reading and writing skills through engaging, fast-paced sessions where movement and participation help secure phonetic knowledge.
Mathematics
Mathematics is structured using White Rose Maths. Children develop their understanding through discussion, exploration and the use of practical manipulatives, building strong number sense and problem solving skills.
Drawing Club
Inspired by the work of Greg Bottrill, Drawing Club encourages imagination and storytelling through drawing, creating and early writing. This approach supports children to develop confidence with mark making and writing from the very beginning of their school journey.
Guided Reading
Following phonics sessions, children take part in guided reading. These sessions allow children to access books matched to their developing reading ability while building comprehension skills and a love of reading.
Wider Learning Experiences
Children benefit from a range of additional experiences that support learning across the Early Years curriculum.
These include:
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Forest School sessions with our dedicated Forest School teacher
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Discrete PE lessons, alongside daily opportunities for physical development
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Daily theme lessons based around a key text, designed to spark curiosity and introduce ideas that children can explore further through continuous provision
These experiences help children develop knowledge, language and understanding while nurturing curiosity, creativity and independence.
Assessment
In Caterpillar and Reception we use Through the Eyes of the Child as our primary assessment approach. This allows practitioners to observe children’s development naturally through play and everyday learning experiences.
During the Autumn term, we prioritise the prime areas of learning, recognising that secure relationships, communication and personal development are essential foundations for learning.
Teachers capture significant learning moments through observational assessment using Seesaw, enabling us to understand children’s development and plan meaningful next steps.
Children also have learning journals, which act as portfolios of their progress. These document key moments of development, particularly in mark making and early number, celebrating each child’s learning journey.
Transition into Year 1
To ensure a smooth transition into Key Stage 1, we continue to use Through the Eyes of the Child in Year 1. This supports a consistent understanding of children’s development and helps to bridge the transition between the EYFS and the Key Stage 1 curriculum.
Strong communication and collaboration between EYFS and KS1 teams ensures children experience a well supported and carefully planned transition as they move into the next stage of their education.
Take a look at some examples of our supporting documentation below!
Early Years Foundation Stage Long Term Map
Early Years Foundation Stage Communication and Language Toolkit
Through the Eyes of the Child Reception Spring