How do we get Nursery children ready for Reception?

Focus firstly on Foundations for Phonics to be clear about what we want all our children to leave Nursery being able to do. Developing the following skills sets children up brilliantly for Reception: 

• Knowing the picture cards (but NOT the graphemes) for all Phase 2 GPCs
• Identifying and suggesting rhyming words
• Being able to identify the initial sounds of words
• Recognising alliterative phrases
• Orally blending CVC words
• Clapping syllables in one and two syllable words.

So how can we make sure that children are able to do these things before they head off to Reception? 

🥉A minimum of three Tuning into sounds sessions every week 

Make sure you use the templates and run the sessions in small groups. Follow the session template to ensure you include all four of the Tuning into sounds activities. 

🎶Daily Rhyme time  

Use the planning to teach Rhyme time every day to either your whole class or smaller groups of children. Teach a different rhyme every one or two weeks. There are 20 rhymes to choose from and they can be taught in any order and repeated across the year. Use the weekly plan builder to play the full range of Rhyme time games. 

📆Review learning using the Weekly plan builder 

Use your Assessment for Learning to identify any sounds that your children might need more practice with. Add them to the weekly plan builder so that your planning matches the needs of each group. 

👪Involve parents and carers

We know that engaging parents and carers in a child’s reading journey is key to their success. You can download the rhyme sheet to share with families so that children can sing and consolidate their learning beyond Nursery. You can also signpost families to the For parents area of our website where they can find rhymes and downloads themselves. Use our presentations and handouts to help engage parents and carers and let them know how to support their little ones at home. 

🔄Repeated practice throughout the day 

During the day, aim to play two or three short oral blending games either with your whole class, in smaller groups or with individual children who need more one-to-one attention. You can play the same games from your Tuning into sounds sessions – Can you do the actions? Can you touch your ... ? What’s that noise?  

💛Prioritise children who need your help the most 

Provide extra support to any children who have started in your Nursery already at a disadvantage, giving them the boost they need to start Reception at the same place as their luckier peers.