Welcome to our Year R page. Here you will find useful information about our termly curriculum, PE days, homework expectations and useful websites.

Our school values are: READY, RESPECTFUL, SAFE and KIND.

Year R is an exciting year where we welcome children on their school journey.  This year sees children complete their early years foundation stage with experiences within the seven areas of learning that they began within their pre-school settings.  We value the importance of play both indoors and outdoors as a rich context for children’s learning in which they explore the world around them, practise skills and consolidate what they have learnt.  Strong and meaningful relationships are formed between staff and children allowing us to plan for each child’s individual journey.  We are a three-form entry school and have up to ninety children organised into class bases of Robins, Wrens and Sparrows with family groups within these.  These are: 

• Robins class base with Mrs Vidler and Mrs Atwell. 
• Wrens class base with Miss Pantalone. 
• Sparrows class base with Miss Power and Mrs Atwell.
• Mrs Palmer, Mrs Skinner, Mrs Bennett, Miss Pennicott, Mrs Dahl and Miss Taylor also support the children in the Woodlands.

In addition to their class based experiences each week, children have PE twice a week where they will spend time in the hall or outside developing their physical skills.  Children go on a fortnightly welly walk in the school grounds and have their boots in school ready to explore on any day throughout the week.  

Throughout the year we use carefully chosen books to inspire our learning opportunities alongside sharing a wide range of stories, rhymes, poems and non-fiction across each week. Our Year R bookcase shows the key texts shared and will be updated over the year.

We have attached our Learning Adventure Map below to give some detail about our EYFS Curriculum. Each year we personalise the opportunities offered using the children's current interests and fascinations so the content can change. 

Year R Recommended Reads

Please use the link below to access a range of recommended books to share with your Year R child.  These have been carefully selected to represent a wide range of age appropriate themes.

https://www.booksfortopics.com/reception

Here is a poster view of the same books available to download.

50 Recommended Reads Reception

Year R Termly Updates 2026-2027

We are all feeling a sense of belonging to our new classes after completing our first learning journey ‘Belonging at Netley Abbey’. The children have settled amazingly into school life at Netley Abbey and we are so proud of them for learning so much about their new school.

In our first few weeks in The Woodlands, we have been sharing lots of stories to find out more about each other and our school community. Through the books we have chosen the children have explored their interests, built relationships and discovered more about their new school. We began with the book ‘You Choose’ which inspired discussion about our preferences. Following this we shared what we want to choose from the resources in our classrooms and have spent time in the different areas of learning, with the role play and water tray being popular choices. We enjoyed a tour of the school building and meeting the different adults who belong at Netley Abbey Infant School. After sharing the story of ‘Who are you?’ we know that we are all an important part of the school community. We also enjoyed the story of ‘Once there were giants’, In the story we met different members of a family and invited different aged family members into school to talk about how we grow and change over time. We have sorted and matched objects in maths, comparing shape and size, developing our early mathematical thinking through exploring different resources. We wonder what stories you enjoy telling? 

The overview for this learning journey can be found here. 

Our current learning journey is called 'In the Woods' and the children will be exploring the woodlands around our school and going on some welly walks! We will listen to some wonderful stories that are set in the woods and use information texts to find out more about the animals that live in wooded areas. The curriculum overview for this learning journey can be found here. 

We look forward to updating you about our future experiences here.