What an eventful week we have just had! Hey but what FUN!! I told you there’s fun in the FOUNDATION STAGE!

We have had a third reply from our balloon sending exercise. This time the balloon got as far as Taunton in Somerset. WOW!

We will be continuing with last week’s key question of the week which was:
What do I look like?

Faces
The children have drawn some amazing self portraits which we hope to have on display in the classroom some time this week. We also looked at the work of the artist Guiseppe Acrimboldo who created images out of fruits and vegetables. I hope to post some of the pictures on the school website which is www.stvincents.ik.org/ When I use the term ‘I’, I actually mean I need to ask Mrs Worrall to pop the pictures on for me.

The children will now go on to apply their learning to using different media and develop their creative skills. This week, the children will transform a white paper plate into a face. They will be able to use any materials they wish to do so. If you have any spare brown, black or yellow wool at home then we would be grateful recipients. Additionally, the children will be using seeds and pasta to create faces in play dough. You could easily do this with your child at home.
http://wgfl.digitalbrain.com/wgfl/web/foundation/face.htm - This website can be used to enable your child to develop their computer skills whilst learning about the position of the parts of the face.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=13# - This website allows your child to create a face with the different features.

Communication, Language and Literacy
We will be continuing with our work on nursery rhymes this week.

By the end of this week the children:
COULD be able to continue a rhyming string;
SHOULD be able to identify the rhyming words in a poem, rhyme or story;
MUST be able to join in with a simple rhyme.

You may once again wish to check out these websites to support your child. Please remind them to join in with the actions too.
http://www.indianchild.com/nursery%20rhymes.htm
http://www.landofnurseryrhymes.co.uk/
http://www.hendersonville-pd.org/hpdnursery.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/music/fdi.shtml - a good website for listening to rhymes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/words/dg3.shtml - this site helps the children to match rhyming words but you will need to sit with them to read them out.

In addition to the work on rhymes we will also be developing the children’s letter recognition and ability to hear the sounds at the beginning of words. Here are some great websites that are well worth a visit.
http://www.saintambrosebarlow.wigan.sch.uk/activities.htm - The children are to try to hear the initial sounds in words.
http://www.ictgames.com/phonic_fighter4.html - Look at the letter shown and then select the picture that begins with that letter.
http://www.channel4.com/learning/microsites/H/hoobs/activities/interactiveActivities.jsp?id=letters - This is an amazing website focusing on the initial sounds. Hours of fun why you do your ironing I think!
www.starfall.com - The children love this. I had it on in class last week and they are so good at using it.
http://www.little-g.com/shockwave/beginning.html - the children are to focus on the initial sounds of the picture shown and then identify a picture with the same initial sound.
http://www.ictgames.com/phonemeFlop_v4.html - a good website for getting the children to identify the letters of the alphabet.
http://www.ictgames.com/letterlifter.html

Mathematical Development

LINE, TOUCH, COUNT
The children made a great start on their counting skills this week. We will be continuing with these learning objectives this week, but with a twist!

By the end of the week, the children:
COULD be able to count up to 20 objects reliably;
SHOULD be able to count 10 objects reliably;
MUST be able to count 6 objects reliably.

The children will learn to apply their counting to different problem solving activities and in particular to the counting out of 1p coins when playing in the shop. I have listed the websites from last week as they are still relevant but if you could get out the tins etc from your larder and sift through your spare change for 1p coins, you could really support your child’s learning.
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ - select the more counting picture with the jar of frogs.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/846/Teddynumbersv2.swf - This is such a cute website. The children can select the numbers they wish to work with and then select the number of sweets to feed the teddy as identified by the number given.
http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/counting/bugz.htm - This is one of my personal favourites! I remember the first time I ever saw it and couldn’t stop laughing.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=ftank2 - I really like this one as it helps to develop mouse skills as well as counting skills.
http://www.learningplanet.com/sam/cyc/index.asp - A simple but effective website.
http://www.little-g.com/shockwave/colorcount.html - Click on the pictures to make them colour.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/wmnet/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/850/Count&Order.swf - On this website the children must identify the numbers on the leaves and then drag the ladybirds with matching number of spots. They can count the number of leaves on a stem and match the number to it or, order numbered snails and ladybirds.
http://www.ictgames.com/caterpillar_slider.html - this game works on ordering the numbers.
http://www.ictgames.com/nutty_v3.html - collect the acorns in number order.
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/english/fruits/level2/l2/activity2.html - The children must count the number of pieces of fruit and then click on the matching number.
http://www.e-gfl.org/e-gfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/teacher/other/spark/downonfarm/downonfarm.html# - Click on the link Down on the Farm and follow the instructions.
http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/games/game5.htm - This one is good. Count the items on the peacocks feathers and drag them to the number.
http://www.ictgames.com/duckshoot.html - All the fun of the fair with this one!
http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/farm/sounds/howmany2.wav
http://www.little-g.com/shockwave/jungle.html
http://www.learningplanet.com/act/rats/rats1.htm?rats_numbers - This websites needs the children to use the arrow keys on the keyboard. You can select the numbers the children are unsure of and work on them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/games/find_the.shtml - another great game for developing the children’s number recognition.
http://www.ictgames.com/piratenumbers2.html - For those children with number recognition beyond 10. This is a great game for them! Count the barrels in the water and then type in the number. Let’s see if you can sink the ship.

Spanish
This week, because the children have learned to do the sign of the cross so well in English, we are going to teach them it is Spanish. Oh…but that is not all! In addition to this, they will be learning to answer the register in Spanish, saying good afternoon and good morning. Estupendo!!!

And finally… the domestics of the week.
There is very little happening this week apart from the fact that there will be a supply teacher in class on Monday. I shall be out of school working with our other network schools on an exciting new project called The Mantle of the Expert…What? I hear you ask! Here is a taster of what it’s all about…

On Wednesday the children will come into school. There will be a letter waiting for them. Who is it from? It’s Incy Wincy Spider. He’s very sad because he wants to visit his friend Humpty Dumpty but he’s frightened of the rain washing him away again. Please can we help? MADNESS!!! You may think I have lost the plot but trust me! It gets worse! No...only joking! The children will be encouraged to solve the problem. How can this be done? They will have to draw maps from Incy’s web to Humpty’s house. What does he have to travel over, under etc? How can we stop him getting wet? What materials can we use to make sure he doesn’t get wet? The children make the decisions, take control of their learning and solve problems. Think about the skills needed in adulthood. This is our commitment to providing a curriculum for the 21st century.

Back to reality! On Wednesday, your child will recieve their handwriting homework and
Have a fantastic week!!
Best wishes

Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx

Hello and welcome to the start of our official curriculum in the Foundation Stage. How excited are we?

Before I start I’d just let you know that we have had two replies from our balloon sending exercise. One got as far as Great Sankey and landed in the back garden of a child in Year 4 at our school. The other got as far as Petworth in West Sussex. Let’s hope we have a few others.

This week we will continue with the theme of ‘Who am I?’ However, with the circusology workshop on Friday there has to be a clown theme to the week. Therefore the majority of activities will be based around a circus theme.

The children will learn how to balance on the mini stilts, throw and catch balls (juggling), create a simple clown puppet with moveable joints and have the opportunity to create their very own clown hat. As the year moves on, you will also notice that food plays a very important part in our week. Mrs Latham will be making clown themed cakes with the children. Yum Yum!

However, the key question of the week will be:
What do I look like?
This is how the children will discover the answer to the question.

Faces
The children will be looking very closely at their faces using safety mirrors. They will identify the different features of the face and what their purpose is. They will communicate their understanding of the different features of their faces by drawing self portraits using a range of media. For example, they will paint, draw, chalk and create collages of their faces on paper plates. The children will also be encouraged to create faces using the play dough. You may wish to do some of these activities with your child, as drawing is fundamental to writing.
http://wgfl.digitalbrain.com/wgfl/web/foundation/face.htm - This website can be used to enable your child to develop their computer skills whilst learning about the position of the parts of the face.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=13 - This website allows your child to create a face with the different features.

Communication, Language and Literacy
By the end of this week the children:
COULD be able to continue a rhyming string;
SHOULD be able to identify the rhyming words in a poem, rhyme or story;
MUST be able to join in with a simple rhyme.

The children will achieve these targets by looking at tradition nursery rhymes. You may wish to check out these websites to support your child. Please remind them to join in with the actions too.
http://www.indianchild.com/nursery%20rhymes.htm
http://www.landofnurseryrhymes.co.uk/
http://www.hendersonville-pd.org/hpdnursery.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/music/fdi.shtml - a good website for listening to rhymes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/words/dg3.shtml - this site helps the children to match rhyming words but you will need to sit with them to read them out.

In addition to the work on rhymes we will also be developing the children’s letter recognition and ability to hear the sounds at the beginning of words. Here are some great websites that are well worth a visit.
http://www.saintambrosebarlow.wigan.sch.uk/activities.htm - The children are to try to hear the initial sounds in words.
http://www.ictgames.com/phonic_fighter4.html - Look at the letter shown and then select the picture that begins with that letter.
http://www.channel4.com/learning/microsites/H/hoobs/activities/interactiveActivities.jsp?id=letters - This is an amazing website focusing on the initial sounds. Hours of fun why you do your ironing I think!
http://www.starfall.com/ - The children love this. I had it on in class last week and they are so good at using it.
http://www.little-g.com/shockwave/beginning.html - the children are to focus on the initial sounds of the picture shown and then identify a picture with the same initial sound.
http://www.ictgames.com/phonemeFlop_v4.html - a good website for getting the children to identify the letters of the alphabet.
http://www.ictgames.com/letterlifter.html

Mathematical Development
By the end of the week, the children:
COULD be able to count up to 20 objects reliably;
SHOULD be able to count 10 objects reliably;
MUST be able to count 6 objects reliably.

Counting reliably is vital to all mathematical activities in the Foundation Stage. We teach the children a little phrase to help them remember the rules for counting.
LINE, TOUCH, COUNT
This means that the children LINE the objects up and TOUCH each one as they COUNT them. The children must remember to give each object a number. Here are some good websites to support counting and also help number recognition.
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ - select the more counting picture with the jar of frogs.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/846/Teddynumbersv2.swf - This is such a cute website. The children can select the numbers they wish to work with and then select the number of sweets to feed the teddy as identified by the number given.
http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/counting/bugz.htm - This is one of my personal favourites! I remember the first time I ever saw it and couldn’t stop laughing.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=ftank2 - I really like this one as it helps to develop mouse skills as well as counting skills.
http://www.learningplanet.com/sam/cyc/index.asp - A simple but effective website.
http://www.little-g.com/shockwave/colorcount.html - Click on the pictures to make them colour.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/wmnet/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/850/Count&Order.swf - On this website the children must identify the numbers on the leaves and then drag the ladybirds with matching number of spots. They can count the number of leaves on a stem and match the number to it or, order numbered snails and ladybirds.
http://www.ictgames.com/caterpillar_slider.html - this game works on ordering the numbers.
http://www.ictgames.com/nutty_v3.html - collect the acorns in number order.
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/english/fruits/level2/l2/activity2.html - The children must count the number of pieces of fruit and then click on the matching number.
http://www.e-gfl.org/e-gfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/teacher/other/spark/downonfarm/downonfarm.html - Click on the link Down on the Farm and follow the instructions.
http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/games/game5.htm - This one is good. Count the items on the peacocks feathers and drag them to the number.
http://www.ictgames.com/duckshoot.html - All the fun of the fair with this one!
http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/farm/sounds/howmany2.wav
http://www.little-g.com/shockwave/jungle.html
http://www.learningplanet.com/act/rats/rats1.htm?rats_numbers - This websites needs the children to use the arrow keys on the keyboard. You can select the numbers the children are unsure of and work on them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/games/find_the.shtml - another great game for developing the children’s number recognition.
http://www.ictgames.com/piratenumbers2.html - For those children with number recognition beyond 10. This is a great game for them! Count the barrels in the water and then type in the number. Let’s see if you can sink the ship.

PE
We did attempt PE last week and were really pleased with the children. They listened to instructions well and we had a fantastic time. Please continue to help your child to become independent with their buttons. This is a skill the children MUST achieve for the Foundation Stage profile.

Just a quick note also for parents of children who wear ear rings. We do discourage the wearing of jewellery but if your child has their ears pierced please ensure that they are taken out on Mondays and Wednesdays for Health and Safety reasons. Thanks.

Here I Am
The children will learn to:
RECOGNISE :
That the children recognise a home and a family
REFLECT:
That the children reflect on their homes and families and what they do together.
RESPECT:
That the children appreciate all that families do together.
As part of our topic please could you provide a family photograph for your child to talk about. Please do not send in a treasured one that cost a fortune. This will be for in their books so you will get it back at the end of the school year. Please inform us if there are any circumstances regarding your family which need to be dealt with sensitively. Thanks.

And finally… the domestics of the week.
On Wednesday we will be having our Harvest festival. Many thanks to you all for your generous contribution. This also coincides with the celebration of St Vincent’s Day.
Thursday and Friday we will be having our circusology days. Our class will be doing their workshop on Friday when they will be dressed as clowns! The competition is also on for the Harvest model making. These need to be brought in on Friday also. I have contacted the warrington Guardian who have said they will come and cover the event so watch out for any of our little stars.

Well, it’s great to finally be together at last. Here’s to a fantastic and successful year!

Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx

Welcome to any new parents logging on to our very own blogspot! If your child is new to school then please scroll down a little. Thanks.

This week sees the final group of children starting school and then things really start to get exciting. This week we introduce the children to our question of the week box. At St Vincent’s we are committed to developing the children’s thinking skills and therefore, we aim to develop enquiry-based learning. By providing the children with a question, or series of questions, at the beginning of the week they will strive to answer the question by the end of the week. This week the question will be:

Who am I?

So…what’s on for this week?

Getting to know you, getting to learn all about you…
Can’t you tell I’m a fan of the musicals? Don’t you just love The King and I? This week the children will play lots of games which will encourage them to learn each others names. Thankfully, the staggered intake has logged your child’s name firmly in our minds.


When will we do PE?
Talk about starting the week off with a BANG!! On Monday we will attempt our very first PE lesson. This is an occasion that causes amusement amongst many of the staff. I can’t understand why. Perhaps trousers on back to front, shoes without socks and shoes on the wrong feet are a give away? On a more serious note, PE times are often the most unsettling of experiences for children when they start school so please be assured that anxiety about PE is common (even for me).

I therefore send an SOS out to you as parents. Please try to make your child as independent as possible when dressing and undressing. As a parent of a three year old I know how tempting it can be to fasten a few buttons, put on the odd sock or tuck in the shirt. As part of their learning and development, children in the Foundation Stage need to dress and undress themselves independently. Aaghh…TIES!! Don’t worry we do the children’s ties and top buttons for them.


Faces
The children will begin to learn about the different features of a face this week as a precursor to the work we will be starting next week. I have a song that they can learn to the tune of ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ which teaches them the parts of the face. We do have to be careful when pointing to the nostrils though!!

On Friday of next week, we would love to face paint the children just for FUN!! There will be a sticker in your child’s diary on Monday. Please sign below it to give consent. If your child has sensitive skin we will just do a small motif so they don’t miss out.

Click, click, clickety, click!
Not only are we doing PE this week, but we are venturing into ‘The Land of the Giants’ (the juniors) to work on the computers in the ICT suite. The children will be working on developing their mouse skills by clicking and dragging. Here are some great websites you can use to support your child. The use of these websites and the computer in general will help your child as we use the computers a lot in school.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/ict/mouseskills/ted.html
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/ict/mouseskills/joiner.html
http://wgfl.digitalbrain.com/wgfl/web/foundation/face.htm

Has your child sang the penguin song to you? If not ask them.



Have a great week!



Best wishes



Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x

Information for new starters (17th September 2006)
Hi there!
Welcome to the Foundation Stage blogspot. This is our very own mini website where you can find out what your child will be doing in school for the coming week. The blogspot is updated every weekend, so you can support your child in their learning as well as finding out other details regarding what is going on. Relevant websites to support your child's learning will be posted on here also. Just click on the link and it will take you directly to the page you need. So...remember to save this address to your favourites.

So here goes. Our first blog spot of the year!

What to do after the first day at school
Today you will have come in the front entrance to bring your child to school. Tomorrow, we will open the double doors on the play ground at 8.40am. Once we have opened the doors the children are free to come in. Please feel free to bring your child in and help them put their belongings away. Please encourage them to be as independent as possible. Time spent on such things is valuable as it actually saves lots of learning time being wasted on simple domestics. Once your child has found an activity they would like to do then a speedy exit is often best. Please do not worry about your child if they are a little upset. This is perfectly normal and will soon stop.

At hometime your child will be let out of the classroom door by a member of staff. It does take us a little while to learn faces of the adults picking the children up so feel free to give us the name of the child you are collecting. Please could we ask that you do not come into the school before the children have been sent out. This can often be unsettling for the children and doesn't help them to learn the routine of hometime.

What do I need to bring each day?
Your child will need the following items every day.
A coat, a lunch box if they are stopping for packed lunches, a water bottle, a healthy snack for morning break (the children have fruit supplied by school in the afternoon) a school book bag (which can be purchased from the school office).
Needless to say, all your child's belongings need to be clearly labelled with their name. Remember to use their first name as this is the one they will recognise more readily and thus, enable them to be more independent.

TOP TIP!!

Why not print off some labels on the computer with your child's name on and a picture of their favourite animal. These can then quickly be peeled off and stuck on their snacks etc and your child will identify their belongings with more independence.

What will my child be doing for the first week?
The staggered intake allows us to work with each group of children equally. The induction of the children over the last few years has been very successful. This is an opportunity for us to assess your child on entry to school. There is no need to worry! They will not sit any test or even know they are being assessed. We are not concerned about how little or how much your child knows, or can do, in comparison to the next child. We simply want to find your child's starting point and establish their next steps. In addition to this, we have the opportunity to establish good relationships with each child on a one-to-one basis. Some nurseries have forwarded the records to us before the summer holidays. If you have any at home please send them into us, as they provide a detailed insight into your child's development. During our nursery visits we did ask them to be passed to you. Activities will be very hands on and needless to say we will have lots of FUN!!

What can I expect now?
There will be lots of information coming your way over the next few weeks. Please do not panic. If there is anything at all that you need to have clarified please call in at the end of the day and speak to any one of us in the Foundation Stage. Why not introduce your child to the blogspot by playing these games.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/ict/mouseskills/ted.html http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/ict/mouseskills/joiner.html http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/Foundation/builderdragsimple.html http://www.starfall.com/ - click on the ABC link at the top and then off you go!

That's all for the first week!

Take care

Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx

Week beginning 10th September 2007

Weekly update



Information for parents of the first intake (second intake parents please scroll down)

The first two days of the school year went very well and the children amazed us with their eagerness to get going and how confident they were. Many thanks for supporting your child on entering school, selecting their names and placing their belongings in the correct spot. The children have now started to understand the routines of the day and things are running very efficiently.



Last week we concentrated on getting to know where the resources are, tidying up after a session as well as assessing your child on some basic skills in preparation for their exciting learning journey. All the assessments for your child will be completed by Wednesday to enable the next intake to start theirs.



You will have received a reading book for your child and a hard back reading/communication diary. This is our way of providing you with information regarding your child's reading and other targets. This week, your child will be provided with a set of six high frequency words for them to learn. These will be common words used frequently. We would also appreciate it if you could make a comment in your child's diary when you have read with them, looked at the high frequency words, etc.



Your child will also become a 'buddy' to the next intake of children. As they have had the benefit of a large adult-child ratio, they now take on the role of supporting the other children. This is an excellent way of providing the children with responsibility, a skill needed throughout life.



If you would like to start doing any ativities with your child, I would suggest visiting: www.starfall.com - this is a great website that can be used to support letter recognition.



The sooner we start the better!



Once again, thank you for your support.



Best wishes Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x



Information for new starters (11th September 2006)

Hi there!

Welcome to the Foundation Stage blogspot. This is our very own mini website where you can find out what your child will be doing in school for the coming week. The blogspot is updated every weekend, so you can support your child in their learning as well as finding out other details regarding what is going on. Relevant websites to support your child's learning will be posted on here also. Just click on the link and it will take you directly to the page you need. So...remember to save this address to your favourites.

So here goes. Our first blog spot of the year!

What to do after the first day at school

Today you will have come in the front entrance to bring your child to school. Tomorrow, we will open the double doors on the play ground at 8.40am. Once we have opened the doors the children are free to come in. Please feel free to bring your child in and help them put their belongings away. Please encourage them to be as independent as possible. Time spent on such things is valuable as it actually saves lots of learning time being wasted on simple domestics. Once your child has found an activity they would like to do then a speedy exit is often best. Please do not worry about your child if they are a little upset. This is perfectly normal and will soon stop.

At hometime your child will be let out of the classroom door by a member of staff. It does take us a little while to learn faces of the adults picking the children up so feel free to give us the name of the child you are collecting. Please could we ask that you do not come into the school before the children have been sent out. This can often be unsettling for the children and doesn't help them to learn the routine of hometime.

What do I need to bring each day?

Your child will need the following items every day.

A coat, a lunch box if they are stopping for packed lunches, a water bottle, a healthy snack for morning break (the children have fruit supplied by school in the afternoon) a school book bag (which can be purchased from the school office).

Needless to say, all your child's belongings need to be clearly labelled with their name. Remember to use their first name as this is the one they will recognise more readily and thus, enable them to be more independent.

TOP TIP!!

Why not print off some labels on the computer with your child's name on and a picture of their favourite animal. These can then quickly be peeled off and stuck on their snacks etc and your child will identify their belongings with more independence.

What will my child be doing for the first week?

The staggered intake allows us to work with each group of children equally. The induction of the children over the last few years has been very successful. This is an opportunity for us to assess your child on entry to school. There is no need to worry! They will not sit any test or even know they are being assessed. We are not concerned about how little or how much your child knows, or can do, in comparison to the next child. We simply want to find your child's starting point and establish their next steps. In addition to this, we have the opportunity to establish good relationships with each child on a one-to-one basis. Some nurseries have forwarded the records to us before the summer holidays. If you have any at home please send them into us, as they provide a detailed insight into your child's development. During our nursery visits we did ask them to be passed to you. Activities will be very hands on and needless to say we will have lots of FUN!!

What can I expect now?

There will be lots of information coming your way over the next few weeks. Please do not panic. If there is anything at all that you need to have clarified please call in at the end of the day and speak to any one of us in the Foundation Stage. Why not introduce your child to the blogspot by playing these games.

http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/ict/mouseskills/ted.html http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/ict/mouseskills/joiner.html http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/Foundation/builderdragsimple.html http://www.starfall.com/ - click on the ABC link at the top and then off you go!

That's all for the first week!
Take care
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx

Welcome to St Vincent's

Hi there!

Welcome to the Foundation Stage blogspot. This is our very own mini website where you can find out what your child will be doing in school for the coming week. The blogspot is updated every weekend, so you can support your child in their learning as well as finding out other details regarding what is going on.

Relevant websites to support your child's learning will be posted on here also. Just click on the link and it will take you directly to the page you need. So...remember to save this address to your favourites.

So here goes. Our first blog spot of the year!


What to do after the first day at school

Today you will have come in the front entrance to bring your child to school. Tomorrow, we will open the double doors on the play ground at 8.40am. Once we have opened the doors the children are free to come in. Please feel free to bring your child in and help them put their belongings away. Please encourage them to be as independent as possible. Time spent on such things is valuable as it actually saves lots of learning time being wasted on simple domestics.

Once your child has found an activity they would like to do then a speedy exit is often best. Please do not worry about your child if they are a little upset. This is perfectly normal and will soon stop.

At hometime your child will be let out of the classroom door by a member of staff. It does take us a little while to learn faces of the adults picking the children up so feel free to give us the name of the child you are collecting. Please could we ask that you do not come into the school before the children have been sent out. This can often be unsettling for the children and doesn't help them to learn the routine of hometime.

What do I need to bring each day?
Your child will need the following items every day.
A coat
A lunch box if they are stopping for packed lunches
A water bottle
A healthy snack for morning break (the children have fruit supplied by school in the afternoon)
A school book bag (which can be purchased from the school office)

Needless to say, all your child's belongings need to be clearly labelled with their name. Remember to use their first name as this is the one they will recognise more readily and thus, enable them to be more independent.

TOP TIP!!

Why not print off some labels on the computer with your child's name on and a picture of their favourite animal. These can then quickly be peeled off and stuck on their snacks etc and your child will identify their belongings with more independence.



What will my child be doing for the first week?
The staggered intake allows us to work with each group of children equally. The induction of the children over the last few years has been very successful. This is an opportunity for us to assess your child on entry to school. There is no need to worry! They will not sit any test or even know they are being assessed. We are not concerned about how little or how much your child knows, or can do, in comparison to the next child. We simply want to find your child's starting point and establish their next steps. In addition to this, we have the opportunity to establish good relationships with each child on a one-to-one basis.

Some nurseries have forwarded the records to us before the summer holidays. If you have any at home please send them into us, as they provide a detailed insight into your child's development. During our nursery visits we did ask them to be passed to you.

Activities will be very hands on and needless to say we will have lots of FUN!!



What can I expect now?
There will be lots of information coming your way over the next few weeks. Please do not panic. If there is anything at all that you need to have clarified please call in at the end of the day and speak to any one of us in the Foundation Stage.

Why not introduce your child to the blogspot by playing these games.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/ict/mouseskills/ted.html
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/ict/mouseskills/joiner.html
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/Foundation/builderdragsimple.html
www.starfall.com - click on the ABC link at the top and then off you go!

That's all for the first week but rest assured that there will be lots of exciting activities and for your child, and information for you, in next weeks blog.

Take care

Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx