Parents’ Meeting: The Early Years Foundation Stage Welcome!

Tonight’s Meeting Aims To help you understand the curriculum that your child will be covering in FS 1 and 2. To understand how we teach in order to cover the requirements of the curriculum. To identify the key ways in which you can help your child at home and in school.

Meet the team!

The Early Years Foundation Stage (E.Y.F.S.) is the stage of education for children from birth to the end of the Reception year. It is based on the recognition that children learn best through play and active learning. What is the Early Years Foundation Stage?

1.A Unique Child 2.Positive Relationships 3.Enabling Environments 4.Learning and Development The EYFS is based on 4 themes.

There are three characteristics of effective learning and teaching. 1.Playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things, and are willing to ‘have a go’ 2.Active learning – children concentrate and keep trying if they encounter a problem and enjoy achievements. 3.Creating and thinking critically – children develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things. Characteristics of Effective Learning

Areas of learning… PRIME AREAS 1.Personal, Social and Emotional Development 2. Communication and Language 3. Physical Development These are crucial for developing children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. Then there are 4 SPECIFIC AREAS 4. Literacy; 5. Mathematics; 6. Understanding the world; 7. Expressive arts and design

Personal, Social and Emotional Development Making friends. Learning rules. Learning daily routines. Learning about other cultures and respect. Understanding boundaries. Making relationships with adults. What you can do to help! Practice going to the toilet independently. Washing hands independently. Fasten own coat. Put own shoes on. Play games which involve turn taking.

Communication and language What you can do to help! Stories, stories and more stories! Singing songs and Nursery rhymes. Taking time to listen to them and answering questions. Encourages children to develop conversational skills in a rich language environment and in a range of situations. Will help children to develop listening and concentration skills. Enables children to express themselves and understand and act on instructions given to them.

Physical Development Supports children’s healthy development. Provides opportunities for using a range of large and small equipment. Helps them to develop a sense of space around themselves and others. Encourages balance. Develops practical skills such as dressing, undressing etc Handling equipment and tools effectively including pencils for writing. Fine motor skills.

Literacy Reading- Continue a rhyming string. Link sounds and letters. Segment sounds in words and blend them. Read words and simple sentences. Writing- Encourages children to develop pencil control and to begin to make marks on paper. Communicate meaning through clearly identifiable letters. Write for a wide range of purpose- name, labels. What you can do to help! Read rhyming stories. Begin looking at signs within the environment. Encourage to write but lower case only except for first letter in name.

Mathematics What you can do to help! Talk about shapes in the environment. Singing counting songs. Looking for numbers in the environment. Sorting objects. Setting the table with the correct number of cutlery. Shape, space and measure Encourages the use of mathematical words such as greater, smaller, heavier, lighter, more, less etc Supports children’s understanding of shape and size including 2D and 3D shapes. Number Helps children to count up to ten and beyond. Supports children's understanding of numbers.

Understanding the World People and communities- Helps children to gain an understanding of their world. Encourages them to look at changes over time. Encourages them to explore, observe and investigate their environment. Helps to develop designing and making skills. Will give your children the opportunity to understand and use information and communication technology and understand how it is used in homes and schools.

Expressive Arts and Design Inspires children to explore colour. Helps them to explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques. Experiment with colour, design, and textures. Develops an interest in music, singing, music-making and dancing. Develops confidence and imagination. Making up stories or re-enacting stories using props.

A typical day in EYFS 8.50 – 9.00 – Doors open – Parents are welcome in to the Unit to play a game or read a story with their child. 9:00 – 9:10 – All children on the carpet ready for Register. 9:10 – 9:30 – Group time 9:30 – 10:50 – ‘Learning jobs’ 10:50 – 11:20 – Group time – – Dinnertime – – Register – 1.00 – Group time 1.00 – 2.20 – ‘Learning jobs’ 2.30 – 3.00 – Story and getting read for going home. Nursery only! AM Nursery sessions are 9 – 12pm PM Nursery sessions are 12 – 3pm AM sessions will involve dinner. PM sessions will not involve dinner.

Uniform Black trousers/skirt/shorts Black shoes Royal blue jumper either plain or with the Burnley Road Logo. PE Kits – White T-shirt and blue shorts. This should be kept in school. No jewellery can be worn for PE lessons. Coats need to be brought everyday! We go outside in all weather! Wellies to be left in school. Your child will be taking part in lots of interesting and sometimes messy experiences, so may come home dirty. It is all part of the fun! A spare set of clothes should be kept in school in case of accidents. EVERYTHING MUST BE LABELLED!

General Information School dinners are free for Reception children. For Nursery Children they are charged at £2 per day. This needs to be paid in advance in a named envelope. Snack money – We ask for a voluntary donation of 50p per week or 25p per week for part time children. This covers baking costs, birthdays, “Bun days” and Christmas party. If you could spare an hour a week, we would always welcome volunteers into the classroom to help with changing books. Please speak to a member of the team.

Medical Matters Any sickness or diarrhoea, must be followed by 48 hours absence. Any absence requires a note or telephone call explaining why. Head lice are common! Please check regularly and treat as recommended. If your child needs medication please speak to a member of staff and fill in the appropriate paperwork.

Homework – Reception only! Reception children will bring home a sound file which covers the phonics work they are doing at school. The sound files suggest activities that will support your child’s learning. All children will bring home storybooks to share and develop a love of reading! Reading books will become available once children are ready!

First Week! Don’t panic!!!!!!!!!!!!! Home visits for the Nursery Children will begin on the 7 th September. Reception Children will begin school on the 7 th September. Gradual introduction will begin on the 12 th September For new Nursery children. All children will be in school by the 19 th September. If your child already attends Nursery they will begin the days that have been chosen. Nursery only - Each child is entitled to 15 hours of free schooling a week. If you would like your child to attend more sessions these will need to be paid for in advance. They need to be booked in advance.

Remember we are here to help and if you have any worries or concerns please feel free to speak to any member of staff! No problem is too big or small! Any questions?