1. Welcome to Foundation Stage 1 St Erth Class Parents Meeting: 15 th September

2. Today’s Meeting To help you to understand the curriculum that your child will be covering in FS 1. 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.

3. The Staff St Erth Class (FS1) Mrs Wojciak (Early Years Leader and nursery teacher) Mrs Curtis (Nursery Nurse) Miss Read (Teaching Assistant) Mrs Cheal (Teaching Assistant) Miss Taylor (Apprentice)

4. Penzance Class Nicky (Room leader) Sam (Room Leader) Melissa (Teaching Assistant)

5. What is the Early Years Foundation Stage? 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.

6. The E.Y.F.S. is based on 4 themes. 1A Unique Child 2Positive Relationships 3Enabling Environments 4Learning and Development

7. Within the theme of Learning and Development there are seven areas. All areas are connected to one another and are equally important. 1. Personal, Social and Emotional Development 2. Physical Development 3. Communication and Language 4. Literacy 5. Mathematics 6. Understanding of the world 7. Expressive arts and design

8. Personal, Social and Emotional Development The children will be learning to: Develop a positive sense of themselves and others; Form positive relationships and develop respect for others; Develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; Understand appropriate behaviour in groups; To have confidence in their own abilities;

9. Communication and Language. The children will be learning to: Talk confidently and clearly expressing themselves through a range of experiences. Enjoy listening to stories, songs and poems. To listen attentively to others in a variety of situations.

10. Physical Development The children will be learning to: Develop their co-ordination, control and movement; Understand the importance of physical activity; To make healthy choices related to food;

11. Mathematics The children will be learning to: Develop an understanding of maths through stories, songs, games and imaginative play To develop and improve their skills in counting. Be aware of shapes and space.

12. Literacy The children will be learning to: Hear individual sounds and identify them in the environment through phonics. Share books, poems and other written materials to ignite their interest. Understanding that print carries meaning in our environment. Give meaning through speech to the marks they make on their work.

13. Understanding of the World The children will explore: Find out about the world around them, asking questions about it; Build with different materials, know about everyday technology and learn what it is used for; Find out about past events in their lives and their families' lives;

14. Expressive arts and design. The children will explore: with a wide range of materials and media; Sharing thoughts and ideas through role play, art, music and movement; Using design and technology they will develop construction skills to assemble a variety of resources;

15. Our Topics We will have different topics each term but we also plan using the children’s interests. This term we are learning about what kind of learners we are through cbeebies characters. You will receive through your email an outline of what we are learning about each term. On the parents board there will be our weekly planning sheets as well as our main focus for that week.

16. Phonics (Letters and Sounds) Phonics is started in nursery, where children learn fundamental skills such as exploring rhythm and rhyme, building listening skills, tuning into sounds around them and finally being able to identify initial sounds and blend and segment. It’s really important that children master Phase 1 before they start Phase 2 or they will struggle.

17. Phase One Phase one comprises of seven aspects. Aspect One: Environmental Sounds Aspect Two: Instrumental Sounds Aspect Three: Body Percussion Aspect Four: Rhythm and Rhyme Aspect Five: Alliteration Aspect Six: Voice Sounds Aspect Seven: Oral Blending and segmenting

18. Writing If you would like to teach your child to write their name when they are ready please can you write it in lower case letters apart from the initial letter and not CAPITALS.

19. A typical session in FS 1… Arrive and self-register then settle your child at an activity. There will be a question each day for you to talk through with your child. Free flow inside and outside. Small group session with an adult. Snack. Outdoor play. Songs and rhymes. Story and home.

20. Medical Matters Any sickness, diarrhoea, must be followed by 48 hrs absence. Please can you inform the school if your child is ill and not attending school that day. Head lice are common! Please check regularly and treat as recommended.

21. Other matters… The children this year are required to wear school jumpers but we ask that children wear comfortable clothes so that they can participate in a range of activities. PE the children will need clothes that they can move freely in such as tracksuit bottoms, legging and t-shirts. We also ask that the children can have named daps that can be kept in school.

22. Other matters… Can children please have named wellies in school we will be outside regardless of the weather. We have a wow moments board for you to record anything you are proud of. Please take a slip of paper and write your comments and/or attach a photo if you would like. We will also record things the children have said and done.

23. Other matters… We have a school email address for you to send your wow pictures to and this will be added to your child’s learning journey. nursery@evenswindon.co.uk

24. Other matters… School Admissions Apply for your school place by 15th January 2017 You do not automatically get a place at Even Swindon Primary School just because you are in the nursery. Go to www.swindon.gov.uk

25. Have you been listening? 1. How long do they have to be off for when sick? 2. What should be in your child’s water bottle. 3. What will help the teachers know which daps/wellies/jumper/coat belong to your child. 4. Name an area of learning.