The Foundation Stage incorporates the first 2 years of your child’s education and is seen as a distinct and extremely important part in the process of becoming a life-long learner. Your child will begin their education in the Nursery and then in a Reception class. Children enter Nursery in the year they have their 4th Birthday and the Reception class in the year they have their 5th birthday.
The daily activities are planned using the Cornerstones curriculum and following the guidelines outlined in the EYFS framework. Play is a fundamental part of the curriculum and children will have an opportunity to work both inside the classrooms and outside. We really value working together in partnership to help your child flourish.
In the Nursery and Reception please allow yourself plenty of time to take your child and collect him/her from school.
It can be very distressing to a young child if they are rushed and left in a hurry or kept waiting at the end of the session – what may seem a few minutes to an adult can be an eternity for a child. If you are late and the doors are closed, please collect your child from the school office.
Encourage them to go to the toilet by themselves so that they will feel confident about this when they come to the Nursery. It is extremely important that your child is toilet trained on entry to the Nursery.
If at any time you wish to change your collecting arrangements, please ensure that the school have been informed – either speak to the teacher in class or the Headteacher via the office.
What your child will need when starting at the Foundation Stage
Please ensure that all clothing (uniform, coats, hats, gloves etc.) are labelled and they recognise their own items. Coats are needed in school every day unless the weather is guaranteed to be hot. Try to choose clothes without difficult buttons, belts and zips, so that he/she can learn to manage himself/herself.
Foundation Stage children wear navy blue jogging bottoms with white T-shirt/red school sweatshirt. These items can be ordered via the school office. Ultimately the children need to be comfortable and able to move freely.
Reception children will need a P.E. kit comprising of a t-shirt, shorts, jogging bottoms, plimsolls and a P.E. bag. We will ask you to send your child to school wearing their P.E clothes on a designated P.E day. You will be informed of this day when your child starts Reception.
Assessment and Record Keeping
Reception children are assessed using the statutory DFE Reception Baseline Assessment. All children are assessed on entry to both Nursery and Reception by their teachers. This helps us to understand your child’s needs and plan appropriate learning. Teachers will continue to monitor your child’s progress throughout the year and you will be invited to discuss this progress at parent's evenings. Records of children's learning will be kept in the form of books, the school's assessment system and observations which, we will share with you at parent's evenings.
At the end of Reception, each child will be assessed against the Early Learning Goals and this information will be shared with you. You will also receive an end of year report summarising your child’s achievements. If you have any worries or queries about your child’s progress in Nursery or the Reception, please speak to your child’s teacher.