Reception
Miss Simpkin-Teacher/Keyworker
Miss Oxley-LSA
Start time – 8:40am Pick-up time - 3:15pm
Welcome to Reception!
Spring 2, 2026
We are so excited to learn lots of new things this year and work together to support each child’s learning journey. If we can do anything to help or answer any queries, please contact us at foundationstage@cpa.dsat.education
Click the link below to find out what we will be learning through the year:
Reception Long Term Plan 25-26
Our theme this half term is Blast Off!
This half term we will be using our core stories to develop our use and understanding of new vocabulary words.
Aliens Love Underpants-Knowledge Organiser
Whatever Next - Knowledge Organiser
Core Texts:
Our 2 stories to focus for this half term are 'Alien's Love Underpants' and 'Whatever Next'. We will be learning new vocabulary within both of these stories.
Literacy & Phonics
The children will take part in daily RWI lessons to identify sounds and learn to blend and segment. Children will be given a phonics key ring including the sounds they have been taught and weekly speed sound formation sheets.
Please send your child to school with a book bag every day so that they can keep their phonics book, library book and key ring safe.
Children have now been assessed and grouped based on their recent assessments- copies of assessment details were sent home and new book bands have been allocated.
Book changing day is every Thursday
Thank you for coming to our Reception and Early Reading meeting- the presentation is attached below. Any questions, please ask!
Maths
At Canon Popham, we follow maths mastery approach. This half term, our maths units are Building 9 & 10 and 3D Shapes.
Building 9 & 10: Children have a range of images (one for each number) and will differentiate between those that show 9 , 10 or a number other than 9 or 10. Children choose a subitising card and try to identify how many spots there are on the card without counting. Encourage them to recognise groups within the larger set. Children find doubles, make doubles and differentiate between odds and evens.
3D Shapes: Children to be able to name a 3-D shape and use vocabulary such as flat faces and curved
surface to explain how they know it is the shape. Children to name 3-D shapes and what 2-D print they have made.
These are the key facts taught throughout Spring 2 to practise with your child at home:
Reception Key Instant Recall Facts-Spring 2
Reception Key Instant Recall Facts-Spring 1
Reception Key Instant Recall Facts-Autumn 2
Reception Key Instant Recall Facts- Autumn 1
Understanding the World
The Foundations Of:
RE – Understanding Christianity- Salvation. Why do Christians put a cross in an Easter garden? For Christians, Easter is the most important festival of the year and lasts considerably longer than just one day. The Easter period is not only full of traditional services and processions, but also big Christian conferences: for example, Spring Harvest, and holiday clubs/Easter Messy Church activities for children. It is a mixture of sorrow, reflection, joy and hope. Easter is also a big secular celebration in Britain, dominated by chocolate eggs, with a focus on springtime. Although the idea of ‘new life’ underpins the flowers, lambs, eggs and chicks, they only become RE when the new life is connected to the Christian belief that Jesus rose victorious from death to new life, and that he gives his followers hope of forgiveness and eternal life with him. In RE we need to ensure that the Christian meaning of the festival is explored.
History– Why should we remember Neil Armstrong? We will discuss with the children the key events in Neil Armstrong’s life, when was he born, why is he important. We will then sequence the key events of his life in the correct order and look at the space rocket Apollo 11 which Neil Armstrong went to the moon in and compare with modern day space rockets are they similar, are there any differences?
Geography- What planet do we live on and what makes our Earth special? We will discuss with the children about the different features of our World and our Solar system. We will learn about the importance of caring for our planet and things that we can do to look after our world.
Locational Knowledge- We will be walking to the local Cafe, planning our route and following the map to get there ready to order our Easter treats!
Science- What is the moon? We will focus on the Moon in particular. Children will observe the Moon in real life and, using photographs, notice that its shape appears to change, think about its surface and find out about people and machines that have travelled to the Moon.
Computing- Kapow- Programming Bee-Bots- To understand the meaning of directional
arrows, We will learn to follow a simple sequence of instructions and programme a bee bot to follow these instructions. We will unpick any problems and be confident to try new activities and show independence, resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
The Foundations Of:
PSHE–Living in the Wider World- To explore the people who help us in our community and to share ideas of how people can help to keep us safe and healthy. We will learn to understand the role of the people who help us in our community.
Expressive Arts and Design-
The Foundations Of:
Music- Charanga- Number Time
D&T- Junk Modelling- Children learn about the names and use of various craft tools and materials for junk modelling and explore ways to manipulate materials to create different effects
Physical Development
PE-Get Set 4 PE-Ball Skills Unit 2
In this unit, we will be learning to develop throwing, catching and rolling skills and aiming to a target. We will learn to dribble, kick and bounce balls with careful skill.
Our PE lesson will take place every Wednesday, children should come to school every Wednesday wearing their PE kit, with their school uniform in their bags to change into.
We will also be using our outdoor area to develop our gross motor skills. The children love to practice their running, moving, climbing and throwing skills and have access to our outdoor area every day to practice these.
Picture News
"Picture News" is a UK-based educational resource that provides schools with weekly current affairs packs, featuring a relevant photo, a "big question," and teaching materials to help children discuss real-world events, develop critical thinking, and learn about British Values, respect, and empathy in an age-appropriate way, often linking home and school learning.
Purpose of our Picture News assembly at Canon Popham:
To make the world more accessible and understandable for children.
To develop speaking, listening, and vocabulary skills.
To foster independence, drive, and a passion for learning.
To build empathy and teach children to find their own voice.
Picture News is delivered in a whole school assembly once a week with a thought-provoking question by class teacher throughout the school year. Each week in assembly, the children learn about an exciting or important story that has been in the news. They consider their responses to the story and are invited to feedback their thoughts. They reflect on each story and learn how they relate to British Values and Protected Characteristics - Equality.
Tapestry
We love see the things our children have been learning at home from your observations! A Tapestry challenge will be sent out each week on a Friday and you will have the rest of the week to complete this. If you need any support using your Tapestry account to get the most out of this wonderful platform, please ask a member of staff or use the tutorials below to help.
Information from parents meetings- feel free to drop us an email if you have any questions!
Tapestry parents information presentation
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us or give us a call!
Thank you for your support,
Miss Simpkin & Miss Oxley