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
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