All Saints' CE Primary School
Alrewas
Learning in Reception
Dear Reception Parents,
I hope you feel, as we do, that your child is beginning to settle in, and we hope they speak happily about their learning experiences when they come home from school.
You may already know that the time from pregnancy to age five is one of the most important periods in a child’s development. These early years lay the foundation for everything that follows — and Reception plays a key role. It's the year where children begin to develop the confidence, curiosity, and resilience that will support their learning journey throughout school and beyond.
That’s why we place such a strong emphasis on Early Years education. Reception is not just a transition year — it's where so much essential learning takes place.
A big part of learning in Reception happens through play — but this isn’t just free or random play. Instead, children take part in carefully planned activities designed by trained staff to meet specific learning goals. These playful experiences support language development, early maths, problem-solving, creativity, and social skills — all in a way that feels natural and engaging for young children. Staff observe and guide children’s play to help extend their thinking, build knowledge, and develop key skills.
So how do children learn in Reception? And how do we assess their progress?
Read on to find out...
Baseline Assessment
The Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is a short, one-to-one activity that all children in Reception complete within their first six weeks of school. It helps build a national picture of children’s early language, communication, maths, and literacy skills. The assessment is practical and play-based, and most children see it as a fun activity. It’s not a test, and there’s no need for children to prepare. The results aren’t shared with parents or schools immediately — instead, they are used to help measure progress across primary school, from Reception to Year 6. Teachers use it to better understand each child’s starting point.
The EYFS Profile
At the end of Reception, a summary is made of your child's attainment. This isn't a test and there is no pass or fail. The measures of this profile are known as the Early Learning Goals (ELG) and these fall within seven areas of learning:
Communication and language
- ELG: Listening, Attention and Understanding (following instructions, responding to questions)
- ELG: Speaking (sharing ideas and explanations for why things might happen, expressing feelings using full sentences, including use of past, present and future tenses)
Physical development
- ELG: Gross Motor Skills (showing good control and coordination in large movements, like climbing)
- ELG: Fine Motor Skills (holding a pencil correctly in preparation for handwriting and using other tools like scissors)
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- ELG: Self-Regulation (demonstrating an understanding of their own feelings, and other people's)
- ELG: Managing Self (showing independence, being able to explain the reason for rules and managing basic hygiene and personal needs)
- ELG: Building Relationships (playing cooperatively with other children and being aware of others' needs)
Literacy
- ELG: Comprehension (for example, being able to retell a story in their own words)
- ELG: Word reading (being able to say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs)
- ELG: Writing (being able to write recognisable letters and simple sentences)
Maths
- ELG: Number (for example, knowing number bonds to 5)
- ELG: Numerical patterns (being able to count up to and beyond 20 and recognising patterns in numbers up to 10)
Understanding of the world
- ELG: Past and present (understanding the differences between events in the past and the present day and talking about the roles of the people in society)
- ELG: People, Culture and Communities (knowing some similarities and differences between different environments and communities in this country and in other countries)
- ELG: The Natural World (exploring the natural world around us and the changes we see in it)
Expressive arts and design
- ELG: Creating with Materials (experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function using different materials)
- ELG: Being Imaginative and Expressive (exploring stories and narratives in different mediums, including music and dance)
In each of these areas, the ELGs set out what the average child is expected to be able to do at the age of five
In addition to the Early Learning Goals, while planning our Early Years curriculum, we are guided by the Characteristics of Effective Learning:
- Playing and exploring
- Active learning
- Creating and thinking critically.
These three characteristics play an important part in your child’s ability to learn. They also enable their Year 1 teacher to understand their level of development and their learning needs as they move into Key Stage 1.
How do Teachers Assess My Child?
At the age of four or five, the last thing we want is children sitting down to sit tests of any kind. Assessment of children in Reception is un-intrusive and based on observations of your child's playing, interactions and learning. Teachers frequently immerse themselves in children's learning and play. in order to help them develop their vocabulary and their thinking. At the same time, they are observing what children know and learn. Teachers will build up a good level of knowledge of each child in the way and this knowledge informs their assessment.
How do I know whether my child has met their Early Learning Goals at the end of the year?
At the end of Reception, we want children to have achieved a Good Level of Development (GLD.) Children are defined as having achieved a GLD if they have achieved Expected level in the three Prime Areas of learning: