Starting Reception September 2025
Welcome to our new Reception families!
We are so excited to welcome our new Reception pupils and families to Ursuline in September 2025!
We know this is an exciting time but there’s also a lot to take in and remember for our new families so this page will hopefully provide you with all the information you need to help your child prepare for starting school at Ursuline this September.
Things to return to school by the end of July
- A photograph of your child which we can get ready to put on pegs and trays before September.
- Let us know what filling your child would like on their sandwich when they stay for lunch on their stay and play visit on either 1st or 2nd
- The pupil information forms which were in the welcome pack handed out at the New Families evenings in June. These are useful as they help us get to know some key information about your child before they start in September.
Things to bring in on your child’s first day
- A ‘Chatter Bag’, handed out at home visits in June, filled with some of your child’s favourite things (or photographs of them!). This will help the children to chat about themselves to help us all to get to know each other in those first few weeks.
- School dinner menus with choices for a 3 week rolling period (school dinners are free until the end of Key Stage 1).
- A pair of wellies, labelled with your child’s name, to be kept in school and used daily for outdoor learning.
- A water bottle, labelled with your child’s name. Please send your child in with a water bottle with fresh water each day.
Book bags and PE kits
Please send your child in with a school Book Bag (name labelled). We use these to send home class library books initially and then when appropriate, phonics homework.
Your child will only need a PE kit for PE lessons after October half term. We will let you know what colour team they are in during the first half term, ready for PE kits to be worn to school on PE Day after October Half Term.
Stay and Play visits
This is a lovely opportunity for your child to meet half of each class and get to know staff and learn some of our routines, including lunchtimes. They will either be on Monday 1st or Tuesday 2nd September (please check the date in your child’s welcome pack) from 10- 1.15pm.
The idea is for you to come into school with your child and stay with him/her for a little play and then parents are invited over to the school hall for a tea/coffee and a chat with other new parents before leaving, while the children continue to stay and play and get to know each other in Reception. They will then stay for a sandwich in the hall, meet welfare staff and play before being picked up via the school hall doors at 1.15pm. Children wear their own clothes on the Stay and Play visit and save their lovely uniform for their first full day on Wednesday 3rd September.
Our school day
The first full day of school for our new Reception children is Wednesday 3rd September. Children to wear their full school uniform from 3rd September.
The Reception/Key Stage 1 gate (Nicholas Rd) opens at 8:40am and children need to be in school by 8:50am.
Collection of Reception children at the end of the day is at 3:10pm from the school hall doors (Nicholas Road).
Don’t worry, we will show you where these gates are when you come for the Stay and Play visits on 1st or 2nd September.
Snack
We have rolling snack in the morning (carefully considering any allergy/dietary information provided) and another snack in the afternoon (usually fruit). We ask for contributions towards snack, which can be made via the Arbor App.
Timetable
At the centre of our learning and growth, we have a carefully planned curriculum with quality texts and a Catholic ethos, following in the footsteps of Jesus. Structured learning times build as the year progresses. We have extended periods of continuous provision where children are helped by staff to get to know each other and our learning environment, make friends and learn school routines.
How will we communicate with families?
Texts and emails will be sent via the Arbor App. Please let the office know if you are having any problems downloading this app.
We also post regular updates of what we have been learning in Reception via social media. Please could you take a look at the list of permissions needed for posting pictures via social media, school website, newsletters etc as well as other permissions/parental consents. This can be done via the Arbor App.
We invite parents and carers into school regularly for Maths Fun and Book Buzz sessions and will be holding a Meet the Teacher/Welcome to Reception session within the first few weeks in September.
Mrs Long (Class RL) and Miss Turner (Class RBT) and Reception Team are also available at the end of each school day for a quick chat if needed, once we have dismissed all children safely.
We understand this is a big moment in your child’s life and the start of a journey where we work with families so that together, we can support your children to love, learn and grow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Useful links:
BBC Bitesize 'My first day at school' - an activity to work on together at home