If your child was born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022, they will be starting reception in primary school from September 2026.
If you have accepted the place at St Matthew’s for your child, we are looking forward to welcoming you to the St Matthew’s community.
We recommend that you bookmark this page and visit regularly as we will publish important information here that will help you prepare your child for starting school in September.
Welcome to Reception at St Matthew's
We hope you enjoy this short video which has been made to give you a flavour of life in our Reception classes.
SAVE THE DATE
NEW INTAKE MEETINGS
We expect to have 120 new starters joining our four Reception classes in September. Our Reception classes are called Duckling Class, Hedgehog Class, Poppy Class and Willow Class. When we receive your green admission form we will place your child into one of these four classes.
On Wednesday 11th June and Thursday 12th June, we will be holding New Intake meetings. You will be invited to one of these, depending on which class your child will be in.
SAVE THE DATE
On Tuesday 30th June and Tuesday 7th July, we will be holding Stay And Play sessions for you and your children.
Tuesday 30th June
Hedgehog Class & Willow Class 9:30 – 10:30am
Duckling Class & Poppy Class 4:00 – 5:00pm
Tuesday 7th July
Duckling Class & Poppy Class 9:30 – 10:30am
Hedgehog Class & Willow Class 4:00 – 5:00pm
INFORMATION & SUPPORT
Supporting parents and families in Luton from pregnancy to the early years. Together, we build strong foundations for you child’s future through play, learning and care during the vital first 1001 days.
START DATES
SCHOOL MEALS
All children in Years R, 1 and 2 receive a daily free school meal.
You can find out more about our lunch menus by clicking this link. There you will be able to see our current summer term menus which are served on a three-week rotation.
Once children move into to Year 3, they have the opportunity to bring a packed lunch if that is what they prefer.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
We will expect all new starters to wear school uniform when they attend school in September.
You can find out more about our school uniform expectations by following this link.
MY JOURNEY TO SCHOOL
IS YOUR CHILD READY FOR SCHOOL?
Which of the skills/behaviours listed below can your child do?
Growing independence
Taking care of themselves
- Putting on/taking off their coat and shoes
- Using the toilet and washing their hands
- Getting dressed with little help, e.g. after using the toilet or doing PE
- Using cutlery (e.g. fork and spoon, chopsticks) and drinking from an open cup
- Spending time away from you, learning they can be looked after by caring adults
Play, creativity and curiosity
- Taking part in imaginative play (e.g. role play)
- Drawing, painting, colouring and sticking
- Sharing story books with caregivers, looking at pictures and talking about the characters
- Exploring the world around them (e.g. looking closely at the natural world or playing safely with objects at home)
Building relationships and communicating
Being with others
- Practising sharing and taking turns with toys
- Talking to them about how they are feeling and why
- Looking at story books together and speaking about what characters are feeling is a good way to do this
- Beginning to recognise what others are feeling, e.g. understanding if a friend is sad
- Encouraging them to set boundaries for themselves and others (e.g. knowing how to say ‘no’)
Communication and language
- Singing along with songs and nursery rhymes
- Talking happily to others about activities, experiences and the world around them
- Showing they need help by speaking clearly (in basic English or sign language)
- Recognising the pattern of their name (so they can find it on their coat peg or jacket)
Listening and engaging
- Paying attention for short periods of time
- Listening to and following simple instructions
- Carrying on with a task even when it’s difficult and bouncing back if things go wrong
Physical development
Getting moving for at least three hours a day
- Walking up and down steps (one foot at a time, using the wall for support)
- Climbing, running, jumping and playing
- Catching a large ball (most of the time)
- Doing simple puzzles and craft activities, strengthening their grip with cutting and sticking
Healthy routines
- Going to bed around the same time each night, waking up in time to get ready for school
- Limiting screen time to the recommended daily amounts (For babies/toddlers aged between two and four years, the World Health Organisation recommends no more than an hour of screen time a day.)
- Eating a healthy diet and trying new foods
- Brushing their teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day (you’ll need to supervise this until they are at least 7)