Share This Page

Classes

Please click on the links to see information about our classes:

Starting in Reception

Starting school is a very special milestone, and at Bamford Academy we want every child to feel happy, safe, confident and ready to learn. Our Reception team works closely with families to help children settle into school, develop their independence and build positive relationships with their teachers and classmates.

Learning through play and exploration

Reception is part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), where children learn through a balance of carefully planned activities, play and exploration. Our learning covers seven key areas: communication and language, personal, social and emotional development, physical development, literacy, mathematics, understanding the world, and expressive arts and design.

Our learning is shaped around children's interests and the world around them. We use high-quality children's books to inspire learning and create opportunities for pupils to explore, be creative, ask questions and develop a love of learning.

A typical day

Children start school at 8.30am and finish at 3.00pm. The school day includes literacy, phonics and mathematics alongside plenty of time for child-led learning and exploration.

Children also enjoy story time, outdoor learning, activities that support their wellbeing and opportunities to develop their independence and social skills.

Developing confident, independent learners

We encourage our Reception children to become increasingly independent as they learn new skills. We support children to manage their belongings, dress themselves, use cutlery and develop the practical skills they need throughout the school day.

At home, parents and carers can help by encouraging children to practise everyday skills such as fastening buttons and zips, putting on their own coat, opening their school bag and using a knife and fork.

Reading and phonics

Phonics is taught every day and helps children develop the skills they need to become confident readers. Children have opportunities to practise their sounds throughout the day, including during their play and learning activities.

As children develop their phonic knowledge and become confident blending sounds, they will bring home a reading book matched to the sounds they have learned in school. We encourage families to read regularly together and make reading an enjoyable part of everyday life.

Supporting wellbeing

We want every child to feel happy and supported at Bamford Academy. Through our myHappymind programme, children learn about how their brains work, recognise and understand their feelings, and develop strategies to help them manage their emotions.

Our school values of Respect, Responsibility, Perseverance, Kindness and Acceptance help children understand how we treat ourselves and others. In Reception, we also focus on having Kind Hands, Kind Words and Kind Hearts.

Learning together with families

Parents and carers are an important part of their child's learning journey. We encourage families to talk to their children about their day, share stories, practise phonics and number skills and engage with learning shared through Tapestry.

We also share regular updates through the Arbor App, our newsletters and school social media, helping families to stay connected with everything happening at Bamford Academy.

Being ready for Reception

There are lots of simple things you can do at home to help your child feel ready for starting school. Encourage them to:

Put on and take off their coat and jumper independently.
Practise fastening buttons and zips.
Open and close their own school bag.
Use a knife and fork.
Talk about their day, their feelings and the world around them.
Enjoy sharing stories and looking at books together.
Practise counting as part of everyday activities, such as counting steps or objects.

Most importantly, talk positively about starting school and reassure your child that there will always be adults at Bamford Academy who are there to help them.