Welcome to FS1 Transition and learning to read Meeting

Staff Trish Larkin Frances Poppleton Ann Billings Angela Kelly

EYFS Curriculum http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03 /Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf EYFS 7 areas of learning Prime areas: Personal Social Emotional Development Communication and Language Physical Development Specific areas: Literacy Maths Understanding of the World Express Arts and Design

The Key Skills & Differentiated Challenges Characteristics of Effective Learning Playing & Exploring; Engagement Active Learning; Motivation Creating & Thinking Critically; Thinking Differentiated Challenges Incredible Fantastic Amazing

EYFS Curriculum Map We follow Development Matters for the objectives to assess that our children are progressing as expected. However, we take their ideas and interests to plan our curriculum and topics. Currently we are looking at our favourite things – a topic in which children will learn more about themselves and others as they compare their likes, dislikes and things they have in common.

Growth Mindset What is a growth mindset? Has your child ever said to you ‘There’s no point, I’ll never be able to do it’ or avoided doing something because they’ve failed at it in the past? Feelings like this can be related to what children believe about what makes them ‘good’ at something – whether it’s school work, sport, or even their ability to manage their emotions and behaviour. Some children will tend to give up on challenging tasks easily, or avoid tasks they’ve failed at before. They tend to believe that being ‘good’ at a particular activity is a fixed state, and is something they can’t control. In psychology, this way of thinking is called a ‘fixed mindset’. Others might bounce back quickly from failure and be more likely to explore how they can get better at doing something. They tend to be children who believe that you can improve your abilities by practising, or by finding a different way to achieve your goal. This way of thinking is called a ‘growth mindset’, and developing it can help make children more resilient for life. There are lots of small things you can do every day that can help your little one develop a growth mindset.

How can the way I praise my child help develop a Growth Mindset? It’s natural to want to praise children when they do something well, but we need to do this carefully. Research suggests that the type of praise that we use can have a big impact. It's all a matter of context in fact and even positive praise can encourage a fixed mindset. Praising our children by saying things like “you’re a natural!” or “you seem to be able to turn your hand to anything!” without clarity of the process by which they got to that point can lead to the belief that being good at something is out of their control. In other words understanding how they got there is the key. This focus on being good at something might lead to children feeling happy in the short-term, but confused when the reason they were praised is not evident. If children believe that they succeeded in something simply because they are gifted, they can end up re-evaluating their abilities if it doesn’t go as well next time. Instead the grown-ups around the child can focus praise on the effort they’ve made to get to that point of triumph, the strategy they used or the outcome itself, saying things like “you’ve worked so hard on this, well done!” or “you get better every time because of all the practise you’ve been doing” or “you have found a great way to do that, it worked out really well”. This kind of feedback helps to develop children’s resilience to failure as it teaches them what to do when they are challenged or fail – try again, try harder or try a different way, all things that are within their own control. This type of praise is sometimes called ‘process praise’ and Dweck’s research found that children were more motivated when their parents used more of this kind of praise.

FS1 Timetable Day Events Wednesday Homework collected in to be marked and DoJos given Thursday Friday Homework -library books and reading activity. Dojo and diary goes home.

Learning to Read in the Early Years Learning to read is an amazing process that is so natural – you probably won’t even remember learning how to do it. “I just could!” However . . . The reality of learning to read is very different. Done successfully – we experience the first bullet point. This process has already started when you talk to your child and they learn to speak. When you read books with them when they were a baby. (Watch Maia video clip)

When we are aware of this process we can support the children in their learning.

At Home Talk about the every day things you do What you see as you walk along Share books Sing songs and rhymes Make up stories Have fun Talk about a TV programme you have watched Talk about places you have been Plan shopping together …and many more. You are your childs first teacher. You taught them how to walk, talk, There are many things you do that will help lay the foundations for reading…

First things first! As you share books with children they learn : to enjoy books and so will want to read them for themselves a lot of different stories a lot about the world they live in a wider vocabulary to enjoy talking about the pictures and get to know that the writing and the pictures tell a story. So as children share books they learn about how they work. They can come to school with a lot of knowledge already. if havent got it makes it more difficult Children come with a wide variety and levels of experience Talk about home books and library books. Also in school

how to choose the book they want by looking carefully at the front cover where to start how to turn the pages from front to back, one at a time that we read from left to right that book language is different from the way we talk.

Sharing Books Together in School We encourage children to choose books to look at independently. Books are always available. There are special times in the day when we share a book with the class. It maybe fiction or non-fiction. The children are taught early reading skills at this time. On Friday your child will bring home a book and toy to share with you at home. They will also have a reading journal for them to draw or mark make in make marks in. Please comment in your child’s journal. Please return the library pack when you have shared it a few times so that another book can be chosen.

dad has the ball come and play Sally Sally holds the ball I can play ball vell She says dad has the ball come and play Sally Sally holds the ball I can play ball well She says From the childs point of view what are we expecting There are two main approaches to decoding the message. Giving the “translations” for the code or being encouraged to solve the problem by using other clues such as picture clues, repeated words, Need a balance of the two approaches. A child will use all these strategies when given the opportunity to do so. 1)A love of books and developing an understanding of how stories are structured. The practical way books work. AND 2) the ability to decode words using phonics. An over emphasis on one or the other can cause problems for the child. There are many skills needed when learning to read.

Translation Dad has the ball and plays with Sally Sally holds the ball I can play ball well she says

In summary… Research shows that children who share and enjoy books with their parents and carers are more successful in learning to read. Your child may want the same book again. This is a sign they are beginning to develop a love of books. A favourite book is often one they begin to read independently. Please try to share a book every night. Please continue to read longer stories to your child Please send your child’s book into school on Wednesdays so it can be changed. You will find this power point and some resources on the school website on the Foundation Stage class page. (Watch book start video.) Questions

FS1 Reward System Pupils are rewarded for positive behaviour with ‘Class Dojo’ points. You can access a report from home to see how well your child is doing in class. In FS1 two children will take Dojos home for a visit. Our aim is for all children to have this experience. Dojos and diary to show

Home-school Communication

FS1 Housekeeping Snack fund - £5 for a ½ term Birthdays- chocolate, no lollies please Illness – please inform the office. You can also Dojo a message to me. Picking up from school – For safeguarding reasons we must have the names and descriptions of who is collecting your child. If possible please introduce them to the staff. Absences– Please inform the office.

Uniform Uniform is not required in FS1, however feel free to purchase some or all of the uniform for your nursery child. Please send your child in comfortable play clothes so they can learn and explore the whole provision and also become independent in their own personal hygiene and manage their own clothes without worry or restraint. Please provide your child with: Change of clothes, wipes in a bag. Please ensure all clothing and bags are named. Please check these regularly as they can wash out. Outwood School Uniform – Black shoes or black trainers Velcro fastening Long hair to be tied up Jewellery – Only watch – no earrings No nail varnish No valuables

Lunchtimes School lunches are provided by SK Solutions School lunches are paid for through Parent Pay Lunch boxes are kept in the box in the Rainbow room. Please send a drink with your child’s packed lunch. Please inform the office of any changes if you want to change to or from packed lunches or school dinners. Please give a weeks notice.

Queries & Problems If you have any queries or problems please approach your child’s teacher in the first instance. If you feel the need to discuss the matter further with a different member of staff please make an appointment with Mrs Larkin as leader of EYFS If further advice is required, or if the matter is still not sorted, appointments can then be made with Mrs Messham our Deputy Head or Mrs Maude, Outwood’s Headteacher.

‘Where every child is recognised as being unique’ Thank you ‘Where every child is recognised as being unique’