email:
office@ikb.bep.ac
telephone:
01823 795900
We’re delighted to welcome you and your child/ren to Isambard Kingdom Brunel Primary School (IKB), as part of our new Reception cohort!
On this page you will find important information that we are sending out to parents of children who will start at IKB in September 2024. We will continue to update this page with information, helpful support, resources and some activities that you might like to try with your child/ren.
We appreciate that you and your child may be feeling anxious about the transition into Reception this September, however we really want to reassure you that we are here for you every step of the way. As a school we place huge emphasis on the power of a positive transition and we have plans in place to help make this as smooth as possible for every child and family. Where adaptations need to be made in specific circumstances, please know that we will work with you to support these.
If you have any concerns or questions about your child’s transition, please let us know by contacting Mr. Richard Healey (Headteacher) using the school email address: office@ikb.bep.ac
Below you can find a copy of the Welcome Letter that we are sending to all families as part of our transition process.
We would love to get know your child, including their likes and dislikes. If you would like to download the All About Me Activity Sheet, we can use the information you give us to prepare activities that will engage your child in September and also to give us topics of conversation.
You can complete the sheet on a computer and email it back to us on our school email address above or complete a paper version and bring it with you when you next see us!
A big part of Reception is learning about yourself as an individual and how you fit in with the world around you, including how you are the same and how you are different to other people. So we would like to encourage your child to draw themselves - after all, they do say "A picture is worth a thousand words."
Your child can draw themselves with pencils or crayons, with felt tips or with paint! We would like to see the whole of them, not just their head and they can include a background if they like. We would love them to do this as independently as possible, so if your child chooses to add stickers, draw additional people or go completely abstract with colours, please don't worry.
You can bring the pictures with your child in September or scan them across to the school via the email address above. We will add these pictures to your child's Learning Wall in September, which is displayed in the classroom. The Learning Wall is a reflection of the children as individuals and celebrates their interests and achievements. We can't wait to see what the pictures look like.
We wanted to reassure all parents that starting school at IKB is not about being academically ready. Instead, for us at IKB, 'school readiness' is more about showing a level of independence in different areas and a willingness to have a go at things. We've outlined some very simple every day activities that you can try in order to support your child/ren as they transition into IKB. These aren't activities to complete and send back but instead little things you can do at home.
Download the School Readiness Activities here.
Home Visits
These will be carried out week commencing 2 September and gives Miss Aldridge and her reception team a chance to meet each child individually as well as an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have.
Hot School Dinners
Application forms for Universal Free School Meals will be provided to all parents/ carers at the information evening. Completing this form currently entitles your child to free hot school dinners during Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. We recommend signing up even if you think your child may not want hot school dinners, just in case you change your mind in the future. Once completed please return it to school via email or pop it in to the school office.
Meals will begin on Thursday 12 September as children extend their school hours to incorporate lunch time and will continue as your child then attends full-time. You will be able to make meal choices on our school online payment system – more information to follow.
When Does My Child Start?
The Autumn term begins with home visit week during the week of Monday 2 September 2024. Your child’s first day (part-time) at IKB will be on Monday 9 September 2024. Full-time attendance will begin from Friday 13 September 2024.
Further school term dates can be found on our website under the section ‘Our School’ – ‘Term Dates’.
Further information regarding uniform, school day timings, what to do if your child is ill, medicine as well as a whole host of other information can be found in the new starter information packs that will be making their way to all parents/ carers shortly.
What Will My Child Learn At IKB In Reception?
Reception is the final year of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The EYFS profile lays out what children aged 0 – 5 should learn. We develop all children in the following areas:
Prime areas:
Communication and Language – listening, attention and understanding; speaking
Physical Development – gross motor skills; fine motor skills
Personal, Social and Emotional Development - self-regulation; managing self; building relationships
Specific Areas:
Communication and Language
The area of Communication and Language covers listening, attention, understanding and speaking. This area is all about how we can communicate with others so that we are understood and so that we understand what others are saying. This covers lots of situations from listening to a friend to listening to an assembly. This area also includes following instructions and speaking clearly.
Physical Development
Physical Development is the area that covers how children move and how they take care of themselves. This is about developing more control over their big movements, for example running, jumping and climbing. It's about developing a greater level of control with their smaller movements, such as using pencils and paint brushes and doing up buttons! This area is also about learning to take care of personal needs and how to keep ourselves healthy and safe.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Personal, Social and Emotional development is all about making relationships with adults and other children, developing confidence, becoming aware of how to behave with other people, managing feelings and changing behaviour to fit different environments. This is a very important part of learning in Reception and helps children to begin to work out 'who they are' and 'how they fit into the world'.
Literacy
Literacy covers both reading and writing. We teach reading and writing using a phonics scheme called Little Wandle and a writing scheme called Talk for Writing. This area is all about developing your child's knowledge of how to make sounds and to link these to letters through fun games and activities. It's about developing a love of books and reading. We will teach your child how to recite lots of stories so that they understand how they are structured and also how they can begin to change parts to create their own stories. We will use music and movement to develop mark making into writing letters and then how to use their letters to represent whatever they want to communicate. At IKB, learning to read and write is an engaging process for all children that is low on pressure and high on fun.
Maths
The area of maths covers numbers and counting, adding and subtracting and also shapes, weighing and measuring. We will build on your child's existing knowledge of counting rhymes by slowly introducing core concepts into their play. Lots of games and engaging activities will develop your child's knowledge of numbers, how they represent groups of things and how to combine or split these groups. Your child will learn to enjoy playing with maths so that they explore concepts without realising they're learning. This area will also develop understanding of shapes, measuring length, height, weight and capacity and allow children to learn about time and money.
Understanding the World
This area is split into Past and Present; People, Culture and Communities and The Natural World. This area is all about children making sense of the world around them and having fun learning and exploring new things. Children will share about their family routines and customs and they will learn about different celebrations and cultures. They will learn about the natural and man-made world around them, how it changes, how places can be the same and different to where we live.
Expressive Arts and Design
Expressive Arts and Design is exactly that - it's all about learning different ways to express yourself and then doing just that. Children will develop different artistic skills, learn songs and play instruments and also learn some dancing! They will develop their imagination by using these new skills to express themselves, individually and with their friends. This area is where your child will be able show themselves as an individual and be celebrated for doing so.
Contact Us
For further information on any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact our headteacher, Mr Healey, on:
01823 795900
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