Taking Reception Class Next Year Arrgh!

[Guest]

 

I am just about to finish my NQT year and have been teaching year one. Due to vacancies becoming available at my school and them not being filled with people with experience of the foundation stage my head teacher has decided to move me into reception. I am quite excited about this but at the same time really scared. It seems like a huge responsibility and a big change for me in the way I work, plan etc.

Has this happened to anyone else? or does anyone know of a good book I could read? please help!

[Guest]

Hi Kaff

Just wanted to welcome you to the site and thanks for posting.

Congratulations on your new post-you must be very excited. Do you have the pink folder the curriculum guidance for the foundation stage? It has all the stepping stones and early learning goals and ideas of how to go about them. It does have some planning guidance in there as well.

Good luck with it all.

Linda

[Sue R]

Hi Kaff,

Welcome aboard, you'll like this site!

Sorry can't offer any specific advice, but good luck, anyway!

 

Sue

[Beau]

Hi Kaff,

 

Sounds like you've got an exciting time ahead of you. New challenges are always daunting but once you're into the swing of things it won't seem so bad. It's not my area so I can't help but welcome to the site. I'm sure you'll get lots of good advice here.

[Susan]

HI Kaff & welcome.

Thank you for making your first post, may it be the first of many!!

 

First congratulations on completing your NQT year, its hard work I know and a change of year group at this stage must seem quite daunting but be encouraged Reception as the best place to be.! You presumably have some experience from your course but I would ask your head if you can spend some time next half term shadowing those in Reception at the moment so that you get a feel for what is already going on.

will you be the only reception teacher? You will need to familiarise yourself with the planning formats etc as well that your school uses. Do you have a coordinator to lead you there?

 

You could also ask if you can spend some time visiting the children who will be in your class in their current setting(s), if possible as this will help you adjust to where they are likely to be. Think of your yr1 class in September those children had already had their reception year and think of them now, what progress they have made. Your Reception class will be 1 yr behind where your current class were in September but they too with your help will make those temendous steps.

 

You will need to be familiar with the Curriculum Guidance and the Profile. There's an excellent new book by Vicky Hutchins about observation in FS.

Featherstone Education also have an excellent range of "Little Books" which will give you lots of ideas for activities.

And of course theres all of us. Keep asking questions!

Good luck. I'm sure you'll have great fun.

[Guest]

Hi Kaff and congratulations on completing your first year!

I think you've already found the best resource there is for support in Early Years - and that's this place. There are soooo many publications out there at the moment that it can become very confusing (I've certainly found that this year!). One of the best things I've found was given to me yesterday by my Head. It's a pocket sized filofax type folder which contains all the ELG's and stepping stones plus ideas for each area. I wish we'd found this much earlier in the year as it contains everything you need.

It's called Early Years Edu-Fax and is published by The Curriculum Publishing Company. I think it cost about £9. Here's a link to their website.Early Years Edu-Fax

Good luck and make full use of this site if you can!

Jess

[Guest]

wow guys thanks for all your replies!

I am going to be the only reception teacher so I will also be taking on the role of foundation stage co-ordinator as well as starting to be ICT co-ordinator. I think it will be a busy year!

Thanks for everyones suggestions for resources I am going to investigate them now!

[Susan]

HI

I've got the edu fax that Jessica has recommended. I don't use it as much as something similar that I downloaded from the cleo website several years ago. It seems to have disappeared now though but if you're in that area you may be able to get hold of it.

[mundia]

Hi Kaff, I thought Id add my welome too, you have come to the right place,lots of people here who will help you along in your way.

 

I can only imagine that your Head must have a lot of faith in you to put you responsible fro reception and ICT in your 2nd year of teaching. I presume from what you are saying that there is no nursery, so you really will be the only FS teacher. Do you have support in class that is already there who can help you along the way?

 

being the only teacher in a phase can be very isolating so if there is any kind of contacts or socail meetings with other local schools, Id jump at the chance to be involved. Often, unless you are in an small community, there is a school nearby with exactly the same issues as you have.

 

Also be prepared to ask for help when you need it and to ask for courses, espceillay relating to the profile, which will be new to you. Your Head should suport that.

 

Above al else, enjoy...it really is the best phase to work in....though I am biased.