🌟 Top Tips for Starting Reception 🌟

1. Talk about school positively
Speak with excitement about school! Share what your child might enjoy — making new friends, playing outside, exploring books, or painting pictures.

2. Practise getting dressed and undressed
Encourage your child to practise putting on their coat, shoes, and uniform. It builds confidence (and helps during busy school days!).

3. Support independence at home
Help them practise washing their hands, using the toilet on their own, tidying up toys, and opening lunch boxes or snack pots.

4. Read together every day
Looking at books, talking about pictures, or reading a bedtime story builds language and helps your child develop a love for books.

5. Encourage name recognition
Help your child recognise and begin to write their name using fun methods like chalk, magnetic letters, or finger painting.

6. Talk and listen
Have conversations throughout the day — in the car, during meals, or on a walk. It helps grow their vocabulary and confidence in speaking.

7. Establish routines
Start a calm, predictable bedtime and morning routine a couple of weeks before school starts so your child feels secure and ready.

8. Visit the school or look at photos
If possible, visit the school beforehand or look at pictures together to help your child feel familiar with the new environment.

9. Play together
Playing turn-taking games like ‘Snap’, puzzles or role play games helps your child with concentration, cooperation, and social skills.

10. Reassure them (and yourself!)
It’s normal for both you and your child to feel nervous. Stay calm and reassuring — children take their cues from you!

                                                                  Handwriting

Some pre schools have said parents have asked about how we teach handwriting.  We teach print rather than cursive.  We also do not teach leads in or out in Year R.  Below is an example.  We also make sure children know what the capital of each letter looks like, but we make them aware that they only use capitals at the beginning of a sentence or as the first letter in a name (including places).