Growing together, achieving together.
Hillcrest Primary School
Reading, Phonics and Mathematics in the Reception Year
A Guide for Parents and Carers
As a parent or carer how can I help with my child’s learning?
All the fun activities that you do with your child at home are important in supporting their learning
and development, and have a really long lasting effect on your child’s learning as they progress
through school.
If you make the time every day to do some of the following things with your child it will make a real
difference to your child’s confidence as a young learner.
Sing and tell
nursery
rhymes
Talk about the numbers,
colours, words and letters you
see when you are out and
about
On a trip to the
supermarket, talk
about all the
different
packaging shapes
Allow your child to cut
out and stick pictures
from magazines
Cook / bake
together
Plant seeds or bulbs in
a pot or garden patch
Talk to your child at
every opportunity –
e.g. what you are
doing that day
Use the weather – shadows, rain
puddles, snow, wind, mist and sun
– to extend your child’s vocabulary
Share a
book
What is phonics?
Explore the park at a
different time of the
year – go off the
beaten track
Learning to read through our phonics based programme means your child will be able to read and write by
sounding words out. Reception is when systematic, high quality phonic work begins. Your child will learn:
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to represent each of the 42 sounds by a letter or sequence of letters
to blend sounds together for reading and how to segment (split) words for spelling
letter names (e.g. through an alphabet song)
to read and spell high frequency ‘tricky’ words (e.g. my, was, you.)
We follow a high quality, fast paced Letters and Sounds programme at school. However, we realise that
children’s personal experience of letters varies enormously, so we are able to revisit, revise or extend aspects
of phonics, to suit the needs of each child.
Once your child begins learning letters, they are used as quickly as possible in reading and spelling words.
This makes learning purposeful and with meaning. So, the first set of letters taught are; s, a, t, p, i, n. These
can immediately be used to make a number of words such as; sat, pin, pat, tap, nap. To help your learn the
discrete skill of being able to blend sounds we also sometimes read and make ‘nonsense’ or ‘alien’ words, such as;
pog, tas or nin.
Reading Books
Your child will be given a book from our colour coded Book Band scheme. The books start with pictures, to help
the children learn how to ‘use’ a book (e.g. turning pages correctly) and ‘tell’ a story, (by using the front cover
and illustrations inside.) The next colour band of books contain words which can be built easily and sentence
structures which are repeated or rhyming. The following books contain increasingly trickier words and longer
and more complex sentences as the colour bands change. Every child is different and will progress at a pace
that is best for them - it is not a race to progress through the colour bands! Your child’s teacher will determine
when s/he is ready to move on to the next band and together we can support and extend your child’s reading
by practising every day at home and school.
Please ensure reading, library and communication books are in your child’s book bag and sent into school
every day. Thank you.
As a parent, your involvement in supporting your child’s learning will be a vital factor in determining their
success in learning to read.
Useful resources to use at home:
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magnetic boards and letters will help to develop reading and spelling skills in a multi-sensory way
flash cards (letters and high frequency words)
alphabet wall frieze or poster
alphabet puzzles
alphabet games, such as ‘I-Spy’ and Phonics Lotto
sharing your child’s reading and library books from school (please see separate notes in the front of
your child’s blue Communication Book) – we suggest ‘little and often’ is best
exploring web based learning programmes (see list of examples attached.)
What will my child be doing in Maths?
Your child will do some number/maths work every day. This will be a mixture of whole class work, taught group
work and independent work. In addition to games, practical activities and writing numbers, playful activities
such as the sand tray, 'home corner' or construction toys are often used to introduce and practise maths skills.
For example, exploring capacity in the sand, money in a role-play shop or length, when rolling out play-dough.
Understanding the sequence of numbers is one of the most important building blocks of mathematics, and so
your child will spend a great deal of time counting, ordering and reciting numbers, and learning to recognise
them as both numerals and words. Children at this age also begin to learn to add by bringing groups of objects
together and counting the total, or by 'counting on'. Similarly they will learn to subtract by splitting up groups
of objects or by 'counting back'.
Most of this work will be practical, and you will notice that your child does much less written number work than
you may remember doing yourself at the same age. What is important is that children talk about their learning
and ideas, developing a 'mathematical vocabulary' and a solid understanding.
Your child has a ‘Number Booklet’ at the back of their Communication Book. You can help them to achieve these
awards by looking for and recognising numbers all around you (eg numbers on; doors, clothes, shoes, car
registration plates or on signs.) Also, practise counting forwards and back and writing numbers down. Little and
often is best and try to pick a time when your child is not reluctant or tired. Have fun!
How can I find out how my child is getting on?
It is important that we work together, exchanging information and discussing things that will benefit your
child. These conversations will either need to be with your child’s “key person” or one of the Teaching
Assistants in our EYFS Unit. Your child’s key person is their class teacher. This is the person who:
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Is your main point of contact within the setting
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Helps your child to become settled, happy and safe
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Is responsible for your child’s care, development and learning
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Takes a careful note of your child’s progress, sharing this with you and giving ideas as to how to help
your child at home.
There will be opportunities to discuss your child’s progress at weekly Open Mornings and more formally at
individual meetings held throughout the year. You will also receive a written report about your child’s
progress and next steps each term. The blue Home/School Communication Book is used as a valuable,
everyday two-way communication system. It contains further information about how we work in school, lists
your child’s targets and provides a record of their progress in developing early literacy and number skills.
You are also most welcome to make an appointment to see your child’s teacher at any point throughout the
year.
We very much look forward to embarking on this exciting adventure with your child as they start their journey through
education.
Growing together, achieving together.
Mrs Fysh
Suns Class Teacher
Mrs Lindsay
Mrs Tempestini
Moons Class Teacher
Asteroids Class Teacher