Foundation Stage
Spring Term 2012
28th March.
The Tempest
Foundation Stage enjoyed acting out The Tempest with Platform 2 who visited the school to work with all children. It was a fabulous first introduction to Shakespeare.
Bear Hunt.
Foundation Stage have been looking at the story ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ by Michael Rosen. The children have been learning and retelling the story and writing about the story in their guided writing groups. We have also been on our own Bear Hunt around the school. The children were Bear Detectives and used photo clues to follow a trail around the school to find the bear. The children discovered lots of different animals on their journey before finally finding the bear. The children then retraced their steps referring to a ‘journey stick’ of the photo clues. The children went on to match the photo clues of areas of the school to a base map, also matching which animals they found where. “What a beautiful day!”
On the 23rd February the Robins and Magpies took part in the Marie Curie Cancer Care Mini Pots of Care Day. The preparation for this day took place back in October where all the children planted a daffodil bulb and took it home to care for it and to watch it grow (some of them did not!)
The children were very excited about returning their daffodils. Each class ordered their daffodils in order of height. In Robins’ class Jaydon’s daffodil was the tallest and Molly’s was the shortest.
Miss Stacey judged Lily Haste’s pot cover to be the best and so it has been entered into the nationwide art competition.
We would like to thank all of the parents for their support and for their kind donations. We will let you know soon how much money was raised for this very important charity.
January.
For this half term curriculum overview, please click here.
23rd January 2012
On the 23rd January the children in Foundation Stage celebrated Chinese New Year. The children came in dressed as either a dog or a boar depending on their year of birth.
The children took part in a dragon dance and added their own movements and musical accompaniment to a Chinese New Year song.
Our superb Kitchen Manager prepared a Chinese feast for those children having a school dinner followed by a fortune cookie.
Wednesday 18th January.
On Wednesday 18th January the Magpies and Robins completed their NSPCC sponsored workout. They hula-hooped, danced with dance scarves, jumped from spot-to-spot and balanced bean bags on their heads! It was great fun and all the children joined in with enthusiasm, energy and smiles.
Since our children have returned from the Christmas festivities they have been very busy sharing their news with us. This term have introduced them to the ICT Programme 'Paint' where some of the children drew their Christmas presents and holiday memories.
We have pictures of Aimee's Nintendo DS, Alfie's bag, Elle's bike, Jacob's castle, Kyle's Jeep, Millie's snowman, Reuben's straw glasses, Sam's super truck, Thomas' magic and Willem's castle.
Autumn 2011
30th November
The Foundation Stage children have been celebrating the festival of Diwali.
We introduced the festival through the story of Rama and Sita.
The children made their own Diwa lights from clay and used tools to add textural decoration and also used paint to decorate the light.
We finished the week off by listening to Indian music in the hall and lighting our Diwa lights.
The foundation stage children have been creating their own repeating patterns using beads, shapes and cheerios!
25th November
For this half term curriculum overview, please click here.
For the first half term curriculum overview, please click here.
The Foundation Stage children are settling into their new environment; building their confidence, independence and making new friends.
Our aim in Foundation Stage is to provide a stimulating environment in which creativity, originality and expressiveness is valued. Creativity involves children in initiating their own learning and making choices and decisions.
Hallsannery.
On Monday 10th October the Magpies and Robins visited Hallsannery Outdoor Centre as part of their learning about Autumn and as an introduction to the rural aspects of their local community.
The children went on a nature walk and found objects to add to our Autumn display and Knowledge and Understanding of the World continuous provision area. The children had a lovely time sorting these natural objects in the classroom using their own criteria during focused and choosing time.
Another highlight of our visit to Hallsannery was looking at, discussing and feeding the farm animals. When asked what animals they thought they may see on the farm the children opted for snakes, lions and monkeys! The children actually got to see cows, pigs, ducks, sheep and chickens and the children are generally more aware of the animals that are a feature of our rural locality.
European Language Day.
On Friday 30th September the children of St. Mary’s celebrated European Language Day. The children in the two Foundation Stage classes started the day by locating England, France, Germany and Greece on Google Earth. They then sang the ‘Hello Song’ replacing the word ‘hello’ for the equivalent in these languages.
The children tasted a variety of foods from the different countries including olives and homous from Greece, chocolate chip brioche and camembert cheese from France and Frankfurter sausages from Germany.
The children did a collage of the Greek flag and used oil pastels to colour in the French flag.
A great time was had by all!!.
Magpies and Robins' first week at school.
Minutes from the Foundation Stage Meeting held on Wednesday 14th September
Water Bottles
Please ensure that your child’s water bottle is clearly named.
It should contain water. The children can have juice at lunchtimes.
Fruit
The government provides free fruit for Foundation Stage & KS1 children.
Please feel free to provide your child with fruit or vegetables from home but they must be fresh, not dried or in a bar.
Milk
Free milk is available for children under 5 but you must subscribe online or via post (www.coolmilk.com).
If your child is 5 then subsidised milk is available on the same website.
Allergies
If your child has any allergies then please let us know asap.
Nuts including peanut butter are not allowed in school due to a number of children having nut allergies.
Outdoor Activities
The school grounds and the local community provide an excellent opportunity for the children to explore and find out new things. We would like to promote outdoor activities without a muddy field or a slight drizzle hindering us. All we need you to do is provide your child with a pair of named wellies. Please put the wellies on the racks outside.
CRB (Criminal Records Bureau)
Any adult who helps out at ANY school needs to be CRB checked. This is a legal requirement for YOUR child’s safety. Forms can be collected from the office. The school will pay for the administrative fees. The whole process takes a couple of weeks to complete.
We are always grateful to have parents/grandparents who are willing and able to support us in school.
Registration Teachers
Robins: Rachael O’Dell (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) and Kate Taylor-Short (Monday and Wednesday)
Magpies: Sally Malcolm
PPA (Planning, Preparation & Assessment)
This is a legal requirement for all teachers. We are entitled to one day a fortnight. When it is our PPA day an Education Assistant will cover the classes, Robins – Shirley Oke, Magpies – Bev Trapnell.
Collecting Arrangements
Next week the children will be staying for lunch. They can either bring in a packed lunch (no nuts) or have a school dinner. Tickets can be purchased daily from the office at a cost of £2. If you feel that you are entitled to free school meals (in receipt of benefits such as income support or child tax credits) please pick up a form from the office.
The children will be collected at 1pm.
As of Monday 26th September the children will be collected at 3.10pm.
Please inform the registration teacher, Education Assistant, Teaching Assistant or the school if someone other than the parent is collecting your child.
Labelling Clothes
Please ensure that all items of clothing are clearly labelled (including shoes and wellies).
It would be helpful if you can encourage your child to practise taking/putting jumpers and coats off/on independently.
PE Kit
The children will not be changing into their PE kits until Easter. Any colour t-shirt and shorts is acceptable for Foundation Stage P.E.
You can support us by encouraging your child to dress and undress independently.
Absences
Daily attendance is expected.
All absences for illness and medical reasons should be phoned in by 9.30am.
If you wish to take your child for a holiday during term time then an Absence Request Form will need to be completed. These can be obtained from the office.
Unauthorised absences are discussed with the EWO.
Organisation of the Foundation Stage Area
Registration and whole class carpet time happens in separate classrooms. Choosing time takes place in the Magpies’ classroom, the practical area, Robins’ classroom and the outdoor area. Children are free to move between the areas to access their learning. Small group work takes place in Magpies’ classroom.
Minutes from the Foundation Stage Meeting held on Wednesday 28th September
Foundation Stage Profile
The profile records your child’s progress throughout Foundation Stage.
There are six areas:
1.Personal, Social & Emotional Development (PSED): This area of learning is about emotional well-being, knowing who you are and where you fit in and feeling good about yourself. It is also about developing respect for others, social competence and a positive disposition to learning.
2.Communication, Language & Literacy (CLL): This area of learning includes communication, speaking and listening in different situations and for different purposes, experiencing a wide range of books and reading simple texts and writing for a variety of purposes.
3.Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy (PSRN): This area of learning includes counting , sorting, matching, seeking patterns, making connections, recognising relationships and working with numbers, shapes, space and measures. Mathematical understanding is developed through stories, songs, games and imaginative play, so that children enjoy using and experimenting with numbers, including numbers larger than 10.
4.Knowledge & Understanding of the World (KUW): In this area of learning, children are developing the crucial knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world. This forms the foundation for later work in Science, Design and Technology, History, Geography, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
5.Physical Development (PD): Physical development in the Foundation Stage is about improving skills and coordination, control, manipulation and movement. PD has two other very important aspects; it helps children gain confidence in what they can do and enables them to feel the positive benefits of being healthy and active. Effective PD helps children develop a positive sense of well-being.
6.Creative Development (CD): Being creative enables children to make connections between one area of learning and another and so to extend their understanding. This area of learning includes Art, Music, Dance, Role Play and Imaginative Play.
We collect evidence throughout the year in the form of observations, photos, your child’s work and comments from you as parents to support the assessment scales of the Foundation Stage Profile. Please complete WOW slips regularly to help us with this. Ex. Child A laid the table for tea. They made sure that there was a knife, fork and spoon for each person. Child B sang ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ all on his/her own. Child C rode his/her own bike for the first time without stabilisers.
These will be available on your child’s class notice board along with a sleeve to put completed WOW’s in.
A copy of the assessment scale points will be sent home with your child today.
Scale points 1 – 3 describe the attainment of a child who is still progressing towards the early learning goals in that scale.
Scale points 4–8 describe the attainment of a child in the context of the early learning goals.
Scale point 9 describes the attainment of a child who has achieved scale points 1–8 and developed further, working consistently beyond early learning goals.
Scale point 9 will be attained by children who have significant abilities or experiences in an area of learning.
If you have any questions then please don’t hesitate to come and ask us.
Rachael O’Dell, Kate Taylor-Short & Sally Malcolm