Joining Reception

We are so excited to welcome your child into our Reception classes, and look forward to getting to know you both before the summer and once they start with us. Starting school is such an exciting and important moment for children and their parents and carers, and we think a lot about how to make starting school an exciting, smooth and nurturing experience for all children. 

This part of our website has information that we hope will be particularly interesting to parents of children joining us in Reception in September. Along with your welcome pack, we hope this helps give you a flavour of the exciting things to come - and some ideas on getting ready.

At Wood Farm Primary, we have two Reception classes - Bees Class with Miss Jenkins and Frogs Class with Miss Kemp. We are lucky to have a large and experienced team working alongside these class teachers, made up of an additional teacher, nursery nurses and teaching assistants, all with great expertise in early reading, nurture, communication and language development. Children settle in really well and are supported make friends, build relationships and get used to the new routines of school.

Our beautiful reception classrooms are carefully designed to support the learning that happens in the first years at school: there are spaces for the whole class to learn together, areas for exploratory and role play, and small break-out areas where children can learn in smaller groups. We have a brilliant outside area, with opportunities to garden, role play, and challenge themselves physically on our climbing frame as well as a beautiful on-site forest school area, developed by local landscape designers. 

For more information on the daily routines in Reception, see our main Reception Page. Reception Page

Before your child joins us in September

We will be in touch soon to invite you for a visit with your child to meet their teachers and see their new classroom. You'll be invited in with a small group of other parents and children after the school day finishes: this gives plenty of time to explore the classroom without the busyness of other pupils in school. We have found this makes it a calmer and more relaxed experience for the children, and means we can chat with each parent and child and begin getting to know you.

Many of our children join us from our adjoining federated nursery school, The Slade Nursery.  These children will also have visits during the school day with their key person in the weeks leading up to the summer holiday.

Several children join us every year from other nursery or pre-school settings. If this is the case, Miss Jenkins will make contact with your child's key person to arrange a chat or visit to see your child in their nursery or pre-school. We will also invite you for a separate visit so your child can meet other children joining from different nurseries and begin making some friends for when they start in September.

If your child isn't attending a nursery or pre-school, or if you'd like to speak to us more before September, please do get in touch and we will arrange for a further meeting with you and your child at school. Call the school office on 01865 762575.

Getting ready for starting school

Starting school can feel like a big step for you and your child, but it is the start of such an exciting time for them. We will spend much of the first few weeks getting your child used to the new routines, and helping them make friends and grow in confidence in their new class.

There are a few things you can do at home to help them feel ready for this new step, and help smooth the transition for them. 

Master getting dressed! Practice getting dressed into their school uniform and school PE kit. When you choose their uniform, look for clothing with easy fastenings, and practice using them. Velcro fasteners on shoes are much easier than laces or buckles, and zips can be easier than buttons. Don't forget to name everything!

Practice eating independently. Keep practicing using a knife and fork, and if your child is having a packed lunch, make sure they can open the lunchbox and other containers in it. Children need a water bottle in school everyday too, so you might want to practice opening and closing this. 

Get independent with the toilet. Get your child into the habit of using the toilet without an adult and wiping their own bottom. The toilets in Reception are specially designed for young children, but practicing locking and unlocking toilet doors, washing hands carefully and using hand dryers can also be really helpful. If your child is still not independent with toileting, chat to your health visitor for advice on how to work on this over the summer holiday. 

Practice taking turns! Turn-taking can be tricky for lots of children, but playing some simple games (such as 'Snake and Ladders' or 'Snap') can really help. Use phrases like, 'your turn, my turn' and show your children that they don't need to be upset if they lose. The summer can be a long time not see other children, so visits to the playground or meeting up with friends in the holiday can really help. 

Numbers and literacy. There is plenty of time once children start with us in September to focus on phonics and maths, but there are few things that will help them make a flying start!

Recognise their name. It is really helpful if children can find their space, peg or clothes by spotting their name written down.

Share stories. Reading stories really helps children develop their language and listening. You could visit our local library in Headington to borrow books for free over the summer!

Talk about numbers: talk to children about numbers and take opportunities to count objects and look for numbers around the house and community.

Talk about school: talking about school can really help build excitement about September, and help prepare children in advance.

Be excited! You might be feeling nervous about your child starting school, but do try hard to hide any worries you have in front of your child. Talk excitedly about school, take walks or drives past the school and try on their uniform a couple of times in a relaxed way. 

Read books or talk to friends about starting school: There are some great books about starting school, which can help prepare children for what happens each day. There are some examples recommended by the BookTrust here. You might also talk to older friends or family about what their school is like!

School Uniform

 You might have already purchased your school uniform, but if not pop into school to try some on before we close for the summer holidays.

Trying their new uniform on a few times over the holiday can be a really good idea so that it doesn't feel too unfamiliar on their first day - don't forget to try on and get used to new school shoes too!

Click here for more information on our school uniform.

In September

More information will be sent to you about your child's specific start date, class and teacher. 

 Children will usually come in for half days for the first few days of the school year, coming for either a morning or afternoon session. Half the class will come in during each of these sessions, so there will be less children around as your child gets used to their classroom and new routines.

We find this really helps children settle quickly, as is less busy, with all the adults around to support children as they begin to build relationships with their classmates and get used to the new routines. We really appreciate parents' and carers' flexibility and support with this. By the start of the next full week in school, most children will be attending full time. 

Once they are full time, the day starts at 8:30 when the school gates open for reception and KS1. The gates are open between 8:30 and 8:40am. You will be welcomed at the school gate by our caretaker Mr Bonney, and walk onto the main playground. You will then be guided by members of our leadership team to the Reception classroom doors, where you and your child will be greeted by their class teacher and other classroom adults, ready to start their day!

After a busy and exciting day, your child will be waiting in their classroom to tell you all about it at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Please meet them at their classroom door, just as you did in the morning. 

There is more information about the daily timetable in reception here. 

If you are particularly worried about how your child will settle in or would like to talk more to their teacher, please call our school office on 01865 762575.

Watch the introduction video!

 Below is a video we made a few years ago about our Reception classrooms. A few things might have changed, but it still gives a good idea of how our rooms are organised.

There is also more information about Reception, daily routines and curriculum on our Reception page.

Meet the team

Listen to Miss Vyas and Miss Jenkins reading some favourite stories - click here

Find out more about Reading, Writing, and Maths - click here

Find out more about Singing and Storytelling - click here

Find out more about daily routines in Reception - click here

Great books for sharing and reading at home - click here