Miss Conway, Mrs Holmes, Mrs Atack and Mrs McMahon and the children from Attenborough and Jemison classes would like to welcome you to the Reception year group page.

Here you will find our curriculum overview, useful websites to help with your child's learning and school/class information. Enjoy!

What will the children need for school every day?

• Please ensure the children always have a coat in school as we aim to go outside even if it is drizzling for playtime each day.
• Spare knickers/pants and socks in their book bags please.
• The children need a freshly-filled water bottle in school each day. These can be refilled by the children at school if required. Water bottles, if full in the morning, should NOT come in in their book bags as they may leak.
• Book bag, reading record book and contact book.
• On hot sunny days, the children should come into school with sun screen cream already applied and a peaked hat for their protection.
• Please ensure that all clothing must be named and don't forget to name any new items that you buy. If your child's coat has a detachable hood, please also write your child's name in the hood too. For more information on the school uniform expectations, please click on the link below:

Meet the Teacher

How to write the sounds at home

Phonics Teaching at Meopham Community Academy

For lots more information on how we teach phonics to your children at Meopham Community Academy, please visit our 'Phonics' area here:

The 'Oxford Owl' website has plenty of eBooks which are completely FREE!!

If you follow this link:

Follow the link and click on the 'Series' tab then select 'Read Write Inc'. To read the books you will need to register which doesn't take long at all. Once registered and logged in, you can choose from the selection of Read Write Inc books should you have finished reading your child's current book that they took home.

I have been informed by Read Write Inc that they will be adding more free ebooks to this page over the next few days and weeks.

This is excellent news as it will enable the children to continue to read through the scheme at home.

Playdough, the gym, the disco and beyond

As a teacher, I have always been interested in the possible/probable link between the low literacy attainment of children and their under-developed gross and fine motor skills. So, in the last year I began to investigate how I could influence pupil progress positively.

• Alistair Bryce-Clegg is (self)credited with 'inventing' the Dough Gym. A quick internet search will yield masses of detailed information on the concept (and endless playdough recipes) and a YouTube search will provide you with any number of super-enthusiastic session leaders (see our personal inspiration, the wonderful Shonette Bason and Dough Disco) and session playlists.

• However, in essence, Dough Gym is a daily physical intervention that combines the use of pieces of playdough with a series of hand and finger exercises. These strengthen and develop children’s fine and gross motor dexterity, hand-eye co-ordination, proprioception (moving the body effectively within its given space), balance (while still and in motion), low load control (your shoulders’ ability to support your arm and hand as you write) and grip.

• Each session can last as little as 3-4 minutes (the length of any upbeat pop song chosen) or as long as 10 minutes and is led by an adult who calls out instructions (roll a sausage, make a ball, pinch, flatten, squeeze, take your fingers on a walk, walk your fingers down the catwalk, dance your fingers on the dance floor...). The children all stand up with adequate space around them to move freely, the dough remains in their hands at all times (using the table is not allowed!) and they follow using their fingers, hands and/or dough.
• Obviously, given the fantastic possibilities it presents for developing motor dexterity and therefore early mark making and writing, YR are extremely excited that the Dough Disco is now incorprated into our daily timetable at MCA. It takes place from 8.35-8.55 and the children absolutely adore it! Just ask them!

Year R - Maths

Year R - Useful Websites