Reception - Maple and Elm
autumn Term 1, 2026
Welcome to Reception!
Welcome to Cooks Spinney Primary Academy! We are so excited to begin your child’s learning journey with you and look forward to a wonderful year of learning, exploring and growing together.
This Term: All About Me
This term, our learning theme is “All About Me.” We will be getting to know one another and celebrating what makes each child special and unique.
The children will have opportunities to talk about:
Their families and the people who are important to them
Their own experiences and past
Things that are special and important to them
Their homes and the community around them
The local area where they live
We will encourage the children to share their experiences, listen to others and develop confidence when talking about themselves and their lives.
Phonics
In Phonics, the children will be introduced to Read Write Inc. (RWI) and Fred the Frog. We will begin developing their early phonics skills through fun, engaging activities.
More information about our phonics programme will follow!
Science
In Science, we will be learning all about our bodies and our senses. The children will explore different parts of the body and discover how our senses help us to understand and explore the world around us.
Maths
In Maths, we will begin developing the children’s early mathematical understanding through lots of practical and playful experiences. We will explore:
Counting songs and rhymes
Matching objects and numbers
Comparing quantities and numbers
Measures, including talking about size, length and capacity
Exploring and creating patterns
Introducing subitising – recognising a small number of objects without needing to count them individually
PE
Our PE day is Tuesday. Children should come into school wearing their PE kit on this day.
Please make sure that all items of clothing are clearly named. This helps us to support the children in becoming more independent when finding and looking after their belongings.
Things Your Child Will Need
Please make sure your child brings:
A named water bottle
Spare clothes, which can be left at school in case they are needed
Clearly named clothing and belongings
Having these items available helps your child feel confident and independent throughout their school day.
We aim to work closely with our families and believe that strong communication between home and school is really important. We are always happy to have a quick chat at the gate if you need to pass on a message or let us know something important.
If you would like to talk to us in more depth, please arrange a time to meet with us by sending your child’s class teacher a message through the Dojo app. This allows us to make sure we have enough time to give your concerns or questions the attention they deserve.
We are looking forward to a fantastic term filled with curiosity, discovery, play and new experiences. We can't wait to get to know your children and work together with you to support them as they take their first exciting steps into school life!