Messages from our Reception Team

A SPOTLIGHT ON RECEPTION AT GREAT WALSTEAD

We think Reception is the most exciting, the most enjoyable & the most important year of any child's life… but then we're biased, we're the Great Walstead Reception teachers! We wanted to share a little bit more information with you about our Reception classes; Owl's & Hedgehog's & we hope to welcome your child to Great Walstead very soon.

Your Child’s Reception Journey at Great Walstead

When your child's journey begins in Reception we focus on 3 core areas:

• Communication & language
• Personal, social & emotional development
• Physical development

We deliver these through:

• Play: learning through their own initiated play & interests
• Meaningful interactions: our small class sizes allow us to follow each child's individual interest
• Developing reading, writing & their understanding of the world
• Strong relationships between children, their parents & our staff.

Our newly refurbished Reception classrooms are designed to go from two to one with the partitioning opening to create one friendly learning space when required. This encourages children's personal & social development to flourish, while at the same time giving them smaller group support as & when it's required. And we have our very own balcony & garden for outdoor play whatever the weather!

More than just classroom learning at Great Walstead

Our education and experiences for our Reception students go further than just the classroom:

• Swimming - We are fortunate to have our own indoor heated swimming pool on site. Our qualified swimming coaches are here to support our Reception swimmers enabling them to feel confident and safe in the water
• Sports / PE - Our wonderful sports grounds and indoor sports hall enable our specialist PE department to deliver a bespoke programme of physical education aimed at developing those core skills and coordination. From evasion games to gymnastics all girls and boys have dedicated staff and dedicated time for PE.
• Outdoor Education - Our forest school and outdoor education programme allows all our girls and boys the chance to take their learning outside. From adventurous walks through the woods on the lookout for dragons to teddy bear picnics around the campfire, our girls and boys are able to let their imagination fly.

Great Walstead Reception by Numbers

A few numbers to highlight the activities in our Reception Classes at Great Walstead:

• 24 free range children who can free flow between classrooms
• 12 children in each Reception class
• 1 all weather balcony for play come rain or shine
• 265 acres of Walstead woods to explore
• 48 mud pies lovingly created by the children in our mud kitchens

Our Pre-School sits right in the heart of our school, so when it’s time to start Reception it doesn’t feel like a big change because children are comfortable in these familiar surroundings. We ensure that the transition from Pre-school to Reception is as smooth as possible for our students.

Sound great? Get in touch with our Reception team at Great Walstead today!

To truly appreciate just what Great Walstead has to offer, we think you need to see it for yourself! Book a personal tour to meet the staff and children and explore the inspiring grounds and facilities. Get in touch today at https://www.greatwalstead.co.u...