1 Welcome to the Foundation Stage
2 Adults in our team Miss Gilling is the teacher in Potter Class.Mrs Tebrooke and Mrs Ruler are the teaching assistants in Potter Class. Mrs Bate and Mrs Parker are the teachers in Milne Class. Mrs Dias and Mrs Harding are the teaching assistants in Milne Class. Mrs McClymont is the teacher in Dahl Class and the Foundation Stage leader. Mrs Gillam and Mrs Montague are the teaching assistants in Dahl Class.
3 Class Identities Our new class names are those of famous British authors Roald Dahl, A.A. Milne and Beatrix Potter Over the year we will learn about the authors, read stories by our authors, carry out art based projects and act out some of their stories.
4 S.T.A.C. Team The School Team Around the Child are here to support your child’s journey through school. The team includes the class teachers and teaching assistants, Inclusion Manager - Mrs Gillett, Inclusion Assistant - Mrs Fuller Family Liaison Officer – Mrs Clarke Community Liaison Officer – Mrs Fisher. If you have any concerns or questions regarding this team please see us or Mrs Clarke in the first instance.
5 Playground ExpectationsPlease: Keep all children with you before school. No riding scooters or bikes in the school grounds Leave scooters and bikes in the pen. Keep all children off the field and also off the playground equipment whilst you wait. If you arrive after 8.55am please take your child to the office. Until the end of October we finish at 3pm. Please try to be prompt but understanding with us if we are late.
6 Core Values Aspiration Respect Responsibility Resilience Courage
7 Class Rules We have made class rules with the children.Children and adults are expected to follow these rules. Children may need to move their bee down to the Warning Weed if they break a rule. If a further rule is broken the child will move their bee down to the Consequence Cactus. They will lose 5 minutes from their own learning time if this happens. We will try to let you know if they do lose any time.
8 Contact Books Please write everyday notes, such as different adults collecting, in your child’s green contact book. Letters explaining or planning absences should be sent to the school office via us on a separate note. Personal or confidential notes should be sent in on separate paper addressed to the teacher. Please check your child’s book bag everyday and take out anything that does not need to be in there. Money should be sent in a named envelope.
9 Reading Folders Please only put reading books and Reading Records into this zippy folder. The children have to take their contact books out daily and this can be difficult if it is inside the folder. In addition, we ask that library books are kept out of the folder to help when changing books on a Monday and Thursday.
10 Reading Children can read every day in school and should read every night at home. Books are changed on a Monday and Thursday. Books will only be changed if you have signed or commented that they have been read. Not writing that you have heard your child read can lead to them getting behind where they could be. We will be sending home some wordless books to encourage your child to talk about what they can see in the pictures. We have a 5 times a week reading policy in school. If your child reads 5 times per week they will receive a house-point for their colour team. Early readers must use their fingers to follow the text as they read (tracking). Please try to read a variety of books at home.
11 As a school we follow the Read Write Inc. Phonics programme (RWI)This week we started introducing your child to the initial sounds. These are not taught in alphabetical order as this then allows the children to start to make simple words (CVC) with the sounds they learn e.g. mat. At home we would encourage you to use pure sounds with your child as this is how we will teach it in school. In R.W.I. we put a sound on each of our fingers to enable the blending of words. As soon as we have learnt a set of sounds we will send home a blending list of words that your child should be able to read by decoding and blending. We will start Family Phonics sessions after half-term when your child can teach you how they are learning to read.
12 Library Your child will choose a new library book every week.Please ensure your child has their library book in school on their changing day. Please also try to encourage your child to share their book every week. Dahl visit the Library on a Monday Milne visit the library on a Wednesday Potter visit the library on a Thursday
13 Pencil Grip This is the pencil grip that we encourage in school.When writing or drawing at home please correct your child if they are not using this grip.
14 Handwriting We follow a cursive script in school.All lower case letters begin on the line with a lead-in. We practise handwriting every week. Please use the letter formation sheet that we supplied for all writing with your child. Don’t worry if they don’t know the sounds yet. Capital letters are taught after lower case letters have been learnt.
15 Information All children need an East Borough book bag in school. We do not have the space to store other bags in Foundation. Please send in forest-school clothes if you have not already done so. Please name all clothing and resources that come into school and check regularly that it has not washed off. Lost property can be found by visiting the office. Please ensure that your child brings a named coat to school everyday. Long hair or hair that falls onto the face needs to be fully tied back - boys and girls.
16 Snacks and drinks Water can be accessed throughout the day from the water bottles that the PTA have bought for the children. Fruit is supplied to the whole class, free of charge, every day. If you wish your child to continue having milk after their 5th birthday please pay via the Cool Milk website.
17 Lunchtimes The children are now very used to the routines of choosing their own lunches and carrying their plates and bowls to their places. We have been working hard on supporting their independence to use a knife and fork. Please practise at home using real metal cutlery.
18 Class Toys Our class toys will go home with one child every weekend.They should return to school on the Monday. Please complete a page of their diary with your child and include a picture or photograph if you can. Please rehearse saying what your child does with Benjamin Bunny, Pooh Bear or Muggle Wump so that they can tell us back in class.
19 Learning Journeys We record the children’s progress in their Learning Journeys. These contain our focus pupil sheets, iPad observations, work that the children do, child initiated learning and photographs of them at play. We will also place assessments in there for you to see the progress that your child is making. The Learning Journeys will come home once a term starting in November. Please use the sheet inside to make comments.
20 Home Learning Home Learning will be sent home on a Thursday and is usually due in by the following Tuesday to allow us to look at and prepare the books. Our expectation is for the children to read every evening in addition to the weekly Home Learning. Occasionally there may be additional projects sent home to complete.
21 P.E Our P.E. Day is a Tuesday. Sometimes we do P.E. on other days andwe access the outside apparatus every day. P.E. kits will remain in school until half-term. Girls wearing tights need socks in their P.E. bags. No earrings are allowed in Foundation on P.E. days and no other jewellery is allowed at anytime
22 Show and Tell We have now started sending home focus child sheets and these children will lead Show & Tell sessions each week. The children will be able to bring in a small item of interest from home. Children who are not the focus children will still be able to show their items.
23 Key Person – letters in book-bagsWhat is a key person? A key person is a named member of staff that builds a relationship with your child and also you as a parent/carer. They help your child to become familiar with the school routines. They work with your child on developing their social and emotional skills during the academic year. They work closely with you to become sensitive to your child’s feelings, ideas and behaviours. All adults within the Foundation Stage will support all of the children as much as they can.
24 Transition Survey Please return the survey by Friday 7th October.We will feedback the results. Where you have expressed serious concerns. regarding your child we may request a meeting. Likewise if we have any concerns about your child then we will contact you in due course.
25 Thank you We are delighted that you have chosen us to share in this exciting year in your child’s development. This information will be ed to you and available on our website.