You play a vital role in helping your child settle into school and develop a love of learning. We value the partnership between home and school. You can support your child by:

• Sharing stories and reading together every day.

• Talking about their day and encouraging them to chat about what they have been learning.

• Practising early skills such as recognising their name, counting, singing nursery rhymes and developing fine motor skills through drawing, colouring and play.

• Encouraging independence by helping them practise putting on their coat, using the toilet independently, washing their hands and tidying away their belongings.

• Providing opportunities for play, exploring outdoors and talking about the world around them.

• Establishing a good bedtime routine to ensure they are well rested for school.

• Ensuring they attend school every day and arrive on time, ready to learn.

The Holy Family (Jesus, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph) are our class saints and they are the ultimate model for Christian families. They help remind us of the importance of family and community - part of our Catholic Social Teaching.

'The light which comes from the Holy Family encourages us to offer human warmth to other families' - Pope Francis, 2014

At St Ambrose, we believe that every day counts. Good attendance helps children settle quickly into Reception, build confidence, develop friendships and make the most of every learning opportunity.

Reception is a vital year where children learn through play, exploration and hands-on experiences, laying the foundations for future success. We encourage all children to aim for 96% attendance or above.

Parents can support excellent attendance by:

• Ensuring children arrive on time each day, ready to learn.
• Establishing consistent bedtime and morning routines.
• Talk positively about school and encourage your child to share their experiences.
• Booking appointments outside school hours where possible.
• Taking holidays during school holiday periods.
• Informing the school promptly if their child is unwell.

Together, we aim to give every child the best possible start to their school journey by supporting excellent attendance and punctuality.

Every day in school helps children grow, learn and thrive.

Our Curriculum

Our Reception curriculum is carefully designed to provide children with the knowledge, skills and vocabulary they need to flourish. Through a balance of adult-led teaching, purposeful play and carefully planned continuous provision, children develop across all seven areas of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage, becoming confident, independent and enthusiastic learners.

We teach phonics daily using the Read Write Inc. programme, enabling children to develop secure decoding, fluency and confidence.

Rich vocabulary is carefully planned throughout our curriculum, with high-quality stories, discussions and experiences helping children develop confident communication and language skills.

Developing a love of reading is at the heart of our Reception curriculum. Daily story time, high-quality texts and systematic synthetic phonics help children become confident readers.

In maths, children develop a deep understanding of number through practical resources, mathematical talk, games and exploration. They learn to count confidently, recognise patterns, compare quantities and solve simple problems through everyday experiences.

Our outdoor provision is used  as an extension of the classroom, giving children regular opportunities to practise and apply their learning across all areas of the EYFS curriculum.

Characteristics of Effective Learning

We encourage children to become curious, resilient learners who enjoy exploring, investigating, creating and thinking critically. Through play and challenge, children learn to persevere, solve problems and develop independence.

Personal Development

We place great importance on developing children's confidence, resilience, independence and social skills. Through play, routines, circle time and our Catholic values, children learn to work together, manage their emotions and show kindness and respect for others.

Reading in Reception is magical. 

We teach phonics daily using the Read Write Inc. programme, enabling children to develop secure decoding, fluency and confidence.

Early reading ignites creativity, sparks curiosity, and stimulates the imagination in young children. Often, this leads to role-play as children grow which helps to develop other skills such as empathy, problem-solving, and morality. In Reception, we spend time reading individually, reading with a partner, and reading for pleasure. 

Children are encouraged to read daily at home, and log it on the Boom reader app.

When children and parents log their reading on Go Read, they can earn gems and exchange these for small rewards!

Developing a love of reading is at the heart of our Reception curriculum. Daily story time, high-quality texts and systematic synthetic phonics help children become confident readers.

Please click on the link below for free ebooks for your child. Login as a student.

Username: ambroser

Password: ambroser

We love exploring and learning in our outdoor area, where every day brings new opportunities for adventure and discovery. Our outdoor environment is carefully planned to support the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, encouraging children to learn through play, exploration and first-hand experiences. We have a den-building area, problem-solving activities, a track for riding our bikes, a climbing area and a construction zone to keep us busy. These experiences help children develop their physical skills, communication and language, teamwork, creativity, resilience and confidence, while encouraging curiosity, independence and a lifelong love of learning.

Our outdoor provision is used  as an extension of the classroom, giving children regular opportunities to practise and apply their learning across all areas of the EYFS curriculum.