50 Things to do before you're 5!

Click here to go to the '50 Things to Do Before You're 5 in Oxfordshire' website
 

There is also a '50 Things To Do Before You're 5'  app that can be downloaded. The app has a menu of exciting activities for families in Oxfordshire who have young children.

Communicating - Speaking and Listening

Click on the booklet for information about how children's speaking and listening skills can be developed. 

Mathematics

This booklet has suggestions to support your child's development of mathematical understanding. 

Reading

In Reception we aim to foster a love of reading. Here are some of the ways we support this in school...
- Reading, enjoying and discussing LOTS of different books!
- Reading aloud to the children every day
- Visiting the school library
- Focusing on an 'Author of the Term' 
- Developing storytelling skills through a 'Storytelling focus of the term'
-Encouraging the children to make up and tell their own stories, 'acting out' their stories
Here are some of the ways you can foster a love of reading at home...
- Read, discuss and enjoy books with your child
- Keep reading to your child, even when they begin to read themselves!
- Visit the local library, encourage your child to make their own 'reading choices' - support them to be adventurous in their reading choices 
- Talk about what you like to read, your favourite books/magazines/newspapers/comics
-Read everything! - Chapter books, fiction, non-fiction, magazines, posters, print in the environment, cereal packets....
-Read everywhere! - Read at home, when out and about, take a book with you on a picnic
-Re-tell favourite stories using the pictures of from memory
- Make up your own stories to tell the children

At Wolvercote we use a phonics programme called 'Read Write Inc'. In Reception, children begin by learning the letter sounds and how to blend these together.
For example:

• m - a - t = mat

We teach the children that sometimes two or three letters together can represent one sound. We call these 'special friends'. When reading, we encourage the children to look for 'special friends' sounds first before blending.
For example:

• sh - ee - p = sheep

Children are encouraged to blend in their heads which we call 'Fred in your head' as this helps them to become fluent readers. 

We hold a Parents Phonics Meeting each year which takes place in September. This is an opportunity to find out about how we teach Phonics at Wolvercote. This years presentation can be viewed by clicking the link below. 

Hungry Little Minds

This website is packed with ideas for simple and fun activities that you and your child can do together.

What to Expect, When?
This document gives guidance on what children will be learning in settings, nurseries and schools from birth to 5 years of age.
It also provides some examples of how  you can support your child's development at home. 
Pages 50-69 relate to what your child will be learning in Nursery
Pages 70-88 relate to what your child will be learning in Reception