Reception Starters - September 2026

If you would like to visit our school please ring the office to make an appointment.

Welcome to Oake, Bradford and Nynehead CofE Primary School. We are looking forward to you joining us in September. 

Your class is called Ash. 

Welcome to Reception

We are delighted that your child has been offered a place at Oake, Bradford and Nynehead Church of England Primary School.

Starting school is an exciting milestone, and our staff will work closely with you to help your child feel happy, safe and settled as they begin their journey with us. Your teachers are Mrs Bond, Mrs Gray and Miss Carrow.

We still have places available in Reception, so please do spread the word about our gorgeous village church school.

Keeping in Touch

Please visit the Ash Class page on this website for information about Reception and what the children are learning.

We also ask families to sign up to ClassDojo, where we share up-to-date news, reminders and class information. Parents and carers can also use ClassDojo to message teachers.

The School Day

The school gates open at 8.45am and children can come straight into class, ready to begin the day at 9.00am.

The school day finishes at 3.30pm, with the gates opening a few minutes beforehand for collection.

Starting school is a big event for all children and it may take some getting used to. It is a new experience, and it is quite normal for your child to feel all different sorts of emotions. They may feel excited, nervous, worried or reluctant. All of these emotions are okay.

As a school, we value the wellbeing of all children and see it as a foundation to their learning, Below are a range of really helpful resources which we recommend you look at to help you and your child to feel more confident about starting school and to ease any uncertainties you or they may have.

Understanding Emotions - How to support you and your child.

Positively Supporting Separation

Reading the recommended books below in the week or two leading up to school may help your child to process some of the emotions they are feeling about starting school and build and grow their confidence.

 A really enjoyable story is 'The Colour Monster starts school'  A  great read to talk about the feelings of starting school.

 'The Invisible String 'book series offers children a tangible understanding of love and teaches the world about the String that “even though you can't see it with your eyes, you can feel it in your heart and know that you are always connected to everyone you love.”  

Parental Tips for Separation Anxiety

Create a short, simple goodbye ritual. For example, two kisses and a hug. However hard it can be to mask your feelings, try to keep your goodbye 'positive' to help your child feel confident and self-assured about heading into school. Don't sneak away; let your child know you are leaving.

Be consistent. Try to drop off and pick up at the same time each day to avoid the unexpected factors. A routine can help build trust and confidence for a child.

Be specific. Discuss with your child a time or event to indicate when they will next see you.

Greetings. When separating from your child, give them your full attention and love, followed by a brief goodbye. When collecting them, give them a warm greeting. Don't be concerned if they do not greet you joyfully, they may even be angry or avoid looking at you. This is normal - try not to take offence. It shows that your child is confident in their relationship with you and can show their true feelings. Let them know how happy you are to see them and how much you have missed them.

Practise. If you have not spent much time apart, practise this. Start with scheduled playdates or a visit to a family member's house. Build up time to prepare them for school.

Find your support. It can be very hard for parents when their child starts school. You are not alone. Talk to those nearest to you to gain support or perhaps write down your thoughts and feelings if you do not feel comfortable sharing. By working through your own emotions, you can help reduce your anxieties and prevent your child from taking them on.

We follow Little Wandle Letters and Sounds scheme to teach reading. Please click on the link below entitled Foundations for phonics to find out more.