christopher pickering primary...

CHRISTOPHER PICKERING

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Foundation Stage

Handbook

Headteacher: Mrs S McGlinchey Co-ordinator: Mrs J Marson Updated : November 2016

Christopher Pickering Primary School Foundation Stage Handbook 2016

Meet The Staff

Mrs Marson Foundation Stage

Coordinator

Mrs Silverwood Foundation Stage Teacher

Miss Jackson Foundation Stage Teacher

Miss Elvidge Foundation Stage Teacher

Mrs Read Mrs Hoskin Mrs Branston

Mrs Lake

Miss Mann Mrs Foston

Mrs Stamp Miss Wilkinson


“First watch your child at play, and see how he learns.”

Dear Parents and Carers, welcome to Christopher Pickering Foundation Stage! Foundation is where the excitement begins! Our children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS) learning in an environment which is developed around the children’s interests. We pride ourselves on being an exciting, engaging and immersive unit, encouraging children to become enthusiastic and independent learners through a range of activities. At Christopher Pickering we aim to provide a happy, stimulating environment where every child will be given the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential and an education that will nurture their needs as individuals.

‘Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.’ (Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage)

The Early Years Framework Children are born ready, able and eager to learn. They actively reach out to interact with other people, and in the world around them. Development is not an automatic process, however. It depends on each unique child having opportunities to interact in positive relationships and enabling environments. (Development Matters 2012)

Whilst your child is at school they will learn from a wide range of experiences. Practitioners teach children by ensuring challenging, playful opportunities. These are planned by using The Early Years Foundation Stage documents. This is delivered using the seven areas of learning, three Prime and four Specific areas. The ways in which your child engages with other people and their environment – playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically – underpin learning and development across all areas and support the child to remain an effective and motivated learner. The prime areas begin to develop quickly in response to relationships and experiences, and run through and support learning in all other areas.


The THREE Prime Areas

1.Personal, Social and Emotional Development . This includes your child’s…

Emotional well being

Knowing who you are and where you fit in

Feeling good about yourself

Respect for others

Social competence

Wanting to learn

Gaining understanding of their own cultures and beliefs and those of others

2. Physical Development Your child will be encouraged to…

Hop or skip

Throw and catch as they play alone or with friends

Handle tools and objects, such as scissors, safely and effectively

Develop good pencil control Physical development allows children to work on both their gross motor skills and fine motor skills. They will gain an understanding that good practices, with regard to exercise, eating, sleeping and hygiene, can contribute to good health.

3. Communication and Language Practitioners will work on your child’s…

Communication-speaking skills

Listening and attention

Understanding Learning to listen and speak comes from an awareness of….

Body language such as facial expression

Eye contact

Bending the head to listen

Hand gesture

Taking turns


The prime areas continue to be fundamental throughout the EYFS. The specific areas include essential skills and knowledge. They grow out of the prime areas, and provide

important contexts for learning. The specific areas are: Literacy, Mathematics,

Understanding The World and Expressive Arts And Design.

Your Child’s Progress Observation and assessment is at the heart of effective early years practice. Practitioners will observe your child as they act and interact in their play, everyday activities and planned activities. They will listen and learn from you about what your child does at home, considering your child’s development in relation to what they can do to help identify where the child may be in their own developmental pathway. Practitioners will develop many approaches in response to your child’s learning and development and will plan engaging activities to challenge and extend your child’s current learning and development. Monitoring of each child’s development throughout the Foundation Stage is essential to ensure that they are making progress and that particular difficulties, in any of the areas of learning, are identified and addressed as well as talents recognised and extended.

Inclusion The SENCO liaises with the Foundation Stage teachers and the children are carefully monitored to ensure they make the best possible progress. Parents are regularly kept informed of their child’s progress and are encouraged to support and help their child’s learning. Where concerns arise about the progress a child is making, the appropriate steps will be taken, through talks with the parents, to ensure that the child receives the best possible support. Outside agencies may be involved and parents will be included at all times. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to speak to a member of staff.

Parents And Carers As Partners All children begin Christopher Pickering EYFS with a variety of experiences and learning. It is the privilege of the practitioners working in FS1 and FS2 to take on the task of building upon that prior learning and experience. This is done through a holistic approach to learning, ensuring that parents and carers, support staff and teachers work effectively together to support children’s learning and development. We believe that all parents have an important role to play in the education of their child. We recognise the role that parents have played, and their future role, in educating children. We do this through:

Talking to our parents about their child before their child starts school during home/school visits

The children have the opportunity to spend time in the unit before starting school.

Inviting all parents to an induction meeting the term before their child starts school


Sending home a half termly topic letter, informing parents/guardians of the learning/activities that will be taking place at school

Updating the blog on the website weekly, sending home a home/school diary every week

Operating an ‘open door’ policy, whereby parents/guardians can come and discuss concerns and developments in an informal manner

Arranging a range of activities throughout the year that encourage collaboration between child, school and parents

Holding ‘open days’ for the parent/guardian to come and spend time with their child in the unit and discuss progress their child is making

Parents evenings in October and March

Providing an annual written report in July

Holding a celebration evening in July for children to show their work/classroom

Encouraging parents/carers to share their child’s ‘wow’ moments

Helping Your Child To Be Ready For School

Here are some ideas of things that you can do with your child at home to help them become more independent… 1. Dressing/undressing themselves – buttons and zips can be hard and laces impossible for young children, but your child should be able to put on and take off his/her own coat, hat, gloves and footwear with only a little help with fastenings. 2. Going to the toilet by themselves and then washing and drying their hands. (Staff will always help if necessary). 3. Putting toys away when they are finished with. 4. Encourage your child to mix, play and talk with other children and adults. Talk about sharing toys and respect for property. 5. When you are talking with your child, try to make sure that the questions you ask don’t always just demand a simple “Yes” or “No” for an answer. 6. Let your child help you around the house – dusting, washing up, baking, gardening, washing the car, etc. 7. Always “make a fuss” of your child’s achievements, no matter how small they are. 8. Please read to your child as often as possible.

Things you can do to help

Please bring your child to School in a coat and leave it here on his/her peg. We go outside most days in all kinds of weather and if it is cold a coat and hat are essential. We do provide School wellingtons and all-weather suits for the children to use in our outdoor play sessions.


Your child will also need a pair of indoor shoes to change into. These will be worn inside the classroom and your child will change into his/her outdoor shoes before dinner and home time. Your child’s indoor shoes can be left in the cubby hole on their coat peg trolley.

If your child needs a change of clothes at School, for whatever reason, then we will use the clothes we keep for such times. It would be much appreciated if you would wash and return our clothes as soon as possible as supplies are limited.

Please put your child’s name on any clothing you think appropriate, e.g. uniform, sand

shoes, coats, etc.

The School Day

On arrival at School the children are greeted personally by their teachers. All parents/carers come into the School winter garden and help their child to hang up their coat and change their shoes. This gives parents the opportunity to mention any problems concerning their child or the school. The children will then self register by placing their own names in their chosen dinner option. Children may be school dinners, packed lunch or home dinners. At the start of each session the children spend time in their own classes with their class teacher. Following this the children have the opportunity to choose from many different activities both inside and outside the unit. Once activities have been chosen the teaching staff work with them as they play. Children are encouraged to be independent. At first, young children move frequently from one activity to another, but later the teaching staff will encourage them to complete a task and to concentrate their attention for a longer period of time. During the school day, your child will be able to enjoy our snack table, which is available throughout the morning and afternoon. Your child we be encouraged to access snack independently and will be given a choice from a variety of different foods and fruit. Children also have access to milk during snack time and water at all times.

We ask parents, where possible, to make a contribution of 50p a week to

contribute to snack. Our snack money box and class tick lists are displayed

above your child’s tray.

If your child is unable to drink milk, you must let us know. Also, if your child has any food allergies or special dietary requirements we need to know this too. 8.45 Children arrive at school

8.50-9.20 Settling activity

9.20-9.40 Teacher focus session

9.40-10.50 Curriculum activities/free-play inside and outside

11.00-11.20 Phonic session

11.20 Dinner routine

11.50-12.50 Dinner



14.30 Tidy time


14.45-15.00 Story session

15.10 Home time

8.45 Children arrive at school

8.50-9.20 Settling activity



11.00-11.20 Phonic session/Write dance/Early talk boost

11.20 Dinner routine

11.45- 12.15

Morning session finishes Afternoon session starts



14.30 Tidy time

14.45-15.00 Story session

15.10 Home time

F2 School times It is vital that you bring your child to school on time. Teacher inputs will be starting straight after registration and children need to be registered and in their classes before this.

Please make sure your child is at school for 8.45 am.

Lunch time is 11.50am – 12.50pm. If your child is going home for lunch please collect them from the main school office.

School finishes at 3.20pm (Foundation Stage doors will open at 3.10pm) Please inform a member of staff if you wish for someone else to collect your child. F1 School times It is vital that you bring your child to school on time. Teacher inputs will be starting straight after registration and children need to be registered and in their classes before this.

Please make sure your child is at school for 8.45 am.

Morning sessions finish at 11.45am. Afternoon sessions start at 12.15pm.

School finishes at 3.20pm (Foundation Stage doors will open at 3.10pm) Please inform a member of staff if you wish for someone else to collect your child.


Breakfast Club Our breakfast club runs on all school days and is free if you are registered on welfare benefits and in receipt of free school meals (If you think you may be eligible please pick up a form from the school office). Children attending Breakfast Club should be

brought to the front reception area from 8am daily. They must remain accompanied

by an adult until a member of staff opens up to allow them in. Children should not be left unattended in the front reception before 8 o’clock. We provide a selection of cereals, toast and fruit juice or milk.

School Dinners Each day your child will need to tell staff whether they are stopping for a packed lunch, school lunch or are going home. School dinners are provided free of charge to Foundation stage and key stage one children. Both school dinners and packed lunches will eat their dinner in our school hall. Your child will be taken to lunch and settled by their class teacher. Our school dinner ladies will then take over lunch-time supervision.

Packed Lunches

Please provide your child with a healthy packed lunch. Packed lunch boxes need to be clearly labelled with your child’s name and class.


Uniform Our learning environment is both indoors and outdoors. We ask that you make sure your child is equipped for these areas at all times of the year. Please ensure your child’s clothing is practical and suitable for seasonal changes. For example in summer please provide a sun hat and protective clothing , for winter please provide waterproof jackets and clothing to keep warm. In the summer months you may bring sun cream in for your child to apply-please make sure this is clearly labelled with your child’s name. The sun cream protection policy is available on request.

School Uniform

Boys: Grey or black trousers/shorts. Navy polo shirt. School sweatshirt.

Girls: Grey or black skirt/trousers. Navy polo shirt. School sweatshirt or cardigan. Blue/white checked dresses

Shoes: All children must wear black shoes which are suitable for the active life in school. Children will also need a pair of indoor shoes to change into, sand shoes are ideal as these can be worn for P.E too.

Please note: Uniforms are available to purchase from the main school office.

P.E KIT P.E will take place every Wednesday afternoon. Weather dependent, your child will take part in P.E both inside and outside, so please provide suitable clothing during the colder months. We ask that you provide your child with a pair of black sandshoes, a white top and black or Navy shorts/jogging bottoms.

Please label all items of your

child’s P.E kit with their name.

Book Bags

Upon starting school your child will be given a school book bag. This is to be kept in your child’s tray and taken home with you at home-time. It is important to check your child’s book bag and tray daily, as we often post important letters and notices throughout the day. Your child will receive a set of keywords and a reading book weekly. It is important that you spend time with your child sharing their reading book and bring their book/keywords back into school on your child’s reading day. The reading books will be changed on a weekly basis according to your child’s progress.

Please ensure your child brings their

book bag to school everyday.

Toys and Jewellery

Please can you ensure that your child does not bring any toys to school. Our school policy allows one pair of stud earrings to be worn and one watch. No other jewellery should

be worn due to health and safety.


Health Information

It is vital that the school and class teachers are notified of all health related problems such as asthma, epilepsy and allergies. All health information that is given is held in the strictest confidence and is only shared on a need to know basis.

Medication

Staff can only administer prescribed medicines prescribed by your G.P/Hospital (A consent form will need to be filled in, please see a member of staff). If your child suffers with asthma or allergies, then an additional inhaler/spacer/epi-pen should be sought from your doctor so this can be left at school permanently. Inhalers will be stored in the classroom and taken out during times of physical activity.

Illness Should your child become ill whilst at school, we will call you or another contact so that they can be taken home.

If you child is too ill to attend school, please notify the school office by 9.00am. If your child has suffered with any form of sickness or diarrhoea, we ask that the symptoms

must be absent for a period of 48 hours before returning to school.

Accidents/Injuries to Children

There may be times when your child is at School that an accident or injury occurs. We are always aware of situations where accidents may happen and the children are supervised with the utmost care. If your child sustains any form of injury, however slight, and we feel you should come for them early, you will be contacted immediately and told of the incident. The matter will then be dealt with as appropriate. However, sometimes a child has a bump and goes home without staff noticing. If this is the case, please inform the School as soon as possible. If we are not aware that a minor accident has occurred, we are not able to deal with the situation. All accidents in the Foundation Stage Unit are recorded.


Safeguarding Children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure and when their individual needs are met and when they have positive relationships with the adults in the setting. Daily risk assessments take place to ensure the safety of the pupils in the environment.

Photography and Images

When taking photographs we seek parents/carers consent for photographs to be published, for example on our school website, blog, twitter account or in newspapers. (You will be given one of these consent forms in your child’s school starter pack).

If you do not sign and return your child’s consent from, your child will not appear

on any of the above publications. Parents are aware that photographs are used for observations and work in the children’s books, these photographs are only taken on school cameras/I-pads and the images are used only for the children’s assessments and learning journeys.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to ask! Our Team will be

more than happy to help. Thank you for your continuous support…

The Foundation Stage Team

Our Contact Details

1 Burnham Road, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU4 7EB

School Office Telephone : 01482 352245

E-mail: [email protected]

Admin Contact Name: Mrs J Benn

Website: www.christopherpickeringprimary.co.uk

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