“When parents and practitioners work together in early years settings, the results have a positive impact on children’s development and learning.”

Welcome to Year R!

Our Curriculum… We follow The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) This covers the following 7 areas… 3 PRIME AREAS Personal, Social and Emotional Development Communication and Language Physical Development 4 SPECIFIC AREAS Literacy Mathematics Expressive Arts and Design Understanding the World

“Play?? Are we still learning?!~ If you ask your child what they did at school today, chances are they say “I just played” or “nothing!!” “Play is the principal means of learning in early childhood.” Brain Break! Have 2 minutes to read your poem

Our Curriculum uses… A play based approach to learning PLODs (Possible Line of Development) form our planning and come from children’s interests and seasonal stimuli Throughout Year R our main focus is Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)….

What is PSED? By the end of the year we would hope the children understand how to… Listen Take turns/Share Manage and express emotions Make and maintain friendships Negotiate with others Understand different needs and views Make good choices Be motivated to learn

Some of the ways we help the children to achieve this… Our Sarisbury Charter Rewards and Sanctions Salty the Sea Turtle Modelling in play

Being part of the Sarisbury Crew Our motto is we are “Sailing the seas to success.” We encourage the children to part of our C – Caring R – Resilient E – Enthusiastic W – Wondering

A typical day in Year R… Welcome and Discovery Time Individual Reading Carpet Time Free Flow Snack Bar Phonics/Talk Time Lunchtime Switch Around Time Story time/Singing Home Time

Environment… Opportunities for writing and maths everywhere Access to the outside environment throughout the day Some focused bursts of teaching (e.g. reading skills, phonics, maths and many other new skills)

Reading and Writing Following “Letters and Sounds” We learn pure sounds so we can blend them together to make words. This is called Phonics. We will be teaching handwriting and showing how to form individual letters (printed not cursive). Joining letters together will be taught in KS1. More information and workshops throughout the year.

Home Learning Low key, optional, fun family activity sent home weekly. Variety of tasks, not always recorded. Often linked to past or future activities in school. If it is recorded, we like to see the CHILDREN’S work! Home Learning Book sent home and can be used as a communication book, if you would like.

Key Person As part of the EYFS your child continues to have a key person. Looks different within a Year R Class. You should have received a letter to inform you of this. Talk Time happens twice a week with your child’s key person. The class teacher is still responsible for the whole class.

How you can help… Read with and to your child as much as you can. Encourage independence at home (dressing and undressing; toileting; zipping up coats; putting shoes on; tidying things away!) Ensure ALL items are labelled (including bags, coats, water bottles, wellies, jumpers, shoes, clothes, PE kits, hats and scarves) Bring a coat everyday (we will be outside everyday in all weather) Check your child’s book bag daily

Learning Journeys We are now using an online programme called Tapestry to record your child’s Learning Journey in school. This next presentation will explain how we use it in school and how you can support us with it at home.

Tapestry Online Learning Journey

What is Tapestry? Tapestry is an online system where we record a Learning Journey for every child. It records photos, observations and comments which help us to build up a picture of each child and supports us with planning for and assessing the children. These observations are used to contribute towards their Early Years Foundation Profile at the end of their time in Early Years.

Why you can help? Although we spend a lot of the time with the children, we don’t get to see everything they do. You can provide a valuable insight into what they are doing to show what and how they are learning at home!

What you need to do Log in using information provided and change password Add observations Comment on teacher observations

To change password visit the website https://eylj.org/login Getting started To change password visit the website https://eylj.org/login

The first time you log in, please change your password to something unique and secure. Click on your name in the top right hand corner and then edit preferences

You can access tapestry via the internet - https://eylj.org/login Through a free app - Search for Tapestry Mobile The first time you log in through the app you will be asked to enter your email and password. You can then change this to a pin system.

What your home page will look like On the internet On your app

How to add an observation Click on the + button

Once you have clicked on the add button you will see the following screen. Select child Select notes tab and write observation, ensuring it has a title. Click media tab to add image or video if relevant.

What are we looking for in your observations? Quality not quantity You do not have to add an observation every day/weekend. Remember it is a LEARNING tool not a diary Try not to repeat similar observations

Observation examples Freddy was in the supermarket and spotted the sounds g, u, ck on the signs and even spotted the word ‘in’. Whilst walking home Matilda pointed to a door number and said “that’s number 17”. I then asked her what one more than 17 was, she replied “18”. This weekend we went Christmas shopping and Jenny told me that she must find a Policeman if she gets lost. Nick’s Grandma was poorly. He independently got his craft box out and made a Get Well Soon card.

Making comments You will also be able to comment on observations we have made, there is a comments box at the bottom of the observation. You will not be able to comment on observations containing other children.

Please remember…… Observations will not appear on your child’s learning journey every week, this does not mean they have not been learning! Although we will always read your comments we will not always respond. Not to share any information or media from tapestry via social networks.

Thank you for coming! We hope you enjoy viewing your child’s learning journey and sharing with them what they have been doing in school. We look forward to working in partnership with you to give your child the best start in their school life! If you have any questions please feel free to come and speak to us.