Reception

Reception Staff

Mrs Richards – Reception Teacher

Hi, my name is Chrissy Richards and once again I am going to be teaching Reception class at St John’s from September 2022. Having previously worked at St John’s for 7 years as an HLTA in Reception, I am absolutely thrilled to have been offered the opportunity to return to the school where my heart truly belongs, in the capacity of class teacher! In addition to many years experience working in the Early Years sector, my degree was also studying Early Years specifically. I am hugely passionate about my job and feel privileged to be a part of your child’s learning and development journey. I look forward to working in partnership with you. It is my intention to ensure your child thrives this year, and has a wonderful, memorable start to their school life!

In addition to being Reception teacher, this year I will be subject coordinator across school for Art and DT.

When I am not in school teaching, I really enjoy gardening and long walks in the countryside or by the coast with my family and friends. On Sundays I volunteer as a kid’s leader at my church.

Mrs Elstob – Enhanced TA

My name is Mrs. Elstob and I am an Enhanced Teaching Assistant in Reception. I work as part of the EYFS team supporting children of all abilities to reach their full potential.

I have just begun my journey at St. John’s in September 2022 and I am really enjoying my time here. I love being outside and have a passion for outdoor learning. Autumn is my favourite time of year and it’s wonderful to explore natural treasures with the children.

Reception Important Information

Reading Books
Developing reading skills is fundamental to your child’s development and a huge part of their Reception journey! Children will receive a book every Friday to bring home and practise, as well as being able to access books and activities through Active Learn, with each child receiving a personal log-in. Additionally, staff will hear the children read throughout the week on a one-to-one basis. Children will also read to adults during other activities such as Guided Reading. The reading books that are sent home must be practised numerous times at home so that the children become confident young readers. Reading packets must be signed and returned to school every Thursday to be changed.

Homework
Throughout the year we ask parents to consolidate the skills being explored in the classroom such as children writing their own name, practising their counting, sharing books and developing their independence. Your child will also bring home lists of tricky words to practice recognition and spelling. From time to time we may send an additional piece of homework based around Knowledge and Understanding of the World.

PE Lessons
At the moment, Reception children will be completing all PE lessons every Friday. They will need to come to school in PE kit – plain black shorts/joggers/leggings and plain black t-shirt. Pupils can wear their school jumpers or cardigans to come to school, these will be removed for the lesson so will need to be named.

Attendance & Punctuality
At St. John’s Primary School, we are committed to providing pupils with the best educational opportunities available. To enable pupils to benefit from these opportunities it is essential that parents ensure their regular attendance.

The impact on children’s education through poor attendance, resulting in lost learning, is huge! Our children have already had their education disrupted due to the pandemic and every minute in school counts! To prevent anyone falling behind with their learning, we need to continue to work together to make sure that your child is in school and on time every day. We encourage all of our children to be at school for 8.40am for a prompt start to the day.

Additional Information
It would be extremely helpful if you could name your child’s uniform (especially the jumpers) in case they are misplaced throughout the school day. A spare clothes bag is not necessary for your child (unless a specific need has been discussed with staff), as we have limited storage space for this and have lots of spare clothes available to borrow if needed.

Your child should bring a named water bottle every day.

Please do not bring excess bags containing toys etc as we have limited space and belongings may get lost or damaged in school.

Finally, we look forward to getting to know you as we support your child together. If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to speak to a member of the team.

Thank you for your continued support!
Mrs Richards, Mrs Elstob & Miss Boddy

Click on the link below to view the topics that will be taught this academic year.