Welcome to St John’s Primary School

“In the Foundation Stageour aim is to cater for your child’s physical,

emotional, intellectual and social

needs”

Who Are We?Miss C Morris – Class teacherMrs L Munro – HLTA (full time)Mrs V Roberts – TA3 (afternoons)Mrs E Barr – EYFS leaderMrs M Waters – Support and Engagement MentorMrs J Mann – PPA teacherMr A Leather – PPA Sports Coach

Settling InWe will visit all children either in their nursery

setting and/or at home. If you would like us to visit your child at home please let a member of staff know this evening.

Children will be admitted over the first 3 days on a full time basis (8th/9th/10th September). You will receive a letter telling you when your child will start school.

You are welcome to come in with your child to ensure they are settled.

Children will visit school to get to know adults and the classroom.

Visits will take place on 9th July. At either 9.30am or 1.30pm for about 1.5hours.

How do we organise our learning?

Learning takes place through a play based curriculum

We have focused activities, continuous and enhanced provision both in and outdoors

We do some whole class sessions at the start of the morning and afternoon

Daily differentiated phonics sessions from Week 3We also have daily Key Worker sessions (your

child will be in one of 3 groups)Our classroom is divided up into areasWe use a mixture of adult and child led activitiesWe increase the % of adult led teaching and

learning as the children prepare to move into Y1We start with individual reading sessions then

move towards Guided Reading sessions

Areas of learning…

1. Personal, social and emotional development

2. Communication and language 3. Physical Development 4. Literacy5. Mathematics6. Understanding the World7. Expressive Arts and Design

We deliver our curriculum through a thematic, topic based curriculum model

The Foundation Stage Curriculum is split into seven areas of learning…

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Things you can do at home:

Play turn taking gamesEncourage hobbiesTalk about feelings (use characters from films or

stories).

Communication and LanguageThings you can do at home:

Read books and encourage children to join inAsk children questions about their day. Answer any

questions they may have.Talk all the time!

Physical DevelopmentThings you can do at home:

Make things – cutting/sticking/painting/buildingLet children help – baking/pegging out the washingGo outside – let children jump, climb, skip, runTalk about and model healthy choices

LiteracyThings you can do at home:

Read anything and everything!Sing nursery rhymesEncourage drawing/writing/mark makingAsk children about their writing/drawing

MathematicsThings you can do at home:

Use LegoTalk about shapes in the environmentSing number songs (ten in a bed, 5 speckled frogs)Count, add, subtract everything! Socks, knifes and

forks, fingers, toes, cars, steps

Understanding the WorldThings you can do at home:

Talk about places children go and things they see around them

Answer and ask questions – what if…? Why do you think…? How did you…?

Let children join in with everyday activities – washing up, cooking, shopping, gardening

If possible let children use everyday technology; CD/MP3 players, mobile phones, tablets, computers

Expressive Arts and Design

Things you can do at home:

Join in with imaginative playSing songs and dance!Draw, paint and make

Reception Baseline AssessmentNew for 2015

Computer based assessment (supplemented by teacher observations)

Completed with the teacherIdentifies each child’s individual starting point Informs planningTracks progress from Reception to Y6

Foundation Stage Profile

We use this national document to record your child’s progress in all areas of learning

We use observations of your child playing and working and sometimes use written evidence

Individual Learning Journeys are kept as a record of the children’s learning and progress

Children are assessed against Early Learning Goals and you will receive their results with your child’s end of year report

Ready For School ‘Checklist’

Parent involvement

‘My Holiday’ ScrapbookWeekly home ‘observation’ sheetWeekly stay and play for the first termHalf Termly open week sessions for you to work

alongside your child and share their learning journey

Parent contribution to your child’s assessment each half term

We welcome any volunteers for reading, crafts or trips

Uniform and EquipmentSchool sweatshirt (royal blue)White polo shirtGrey or black skirt/trousers/jogging bottomsBlack school shoesOur PE kit is: plain white t shirt, black shorts and

black PE pumps (in a pump bag please)Pupils will need a reading book bagWe will provide all equipment the pupils need in

schoolYou may bring in a water bottlePlease ensure that names are in EVERYTHING!

School Meals InitiativeThe government provide Free School Meals for all

children between Rec - Yr2. You can choose if you wish your child to have a packed lunch or school meal

Encourages pupil to make healthy choicesIntroducing your child to a variety of foodsDevelop social skillsEasy for you to manage!If you are eligible for free school meals please

make sure you still fill in the application – this give us an extra £1300 per pupil!

Reading and HomeworkPupils will be given a reading book and reading

record. Books will be changed on Mondays, Fridays and when they read with an adult during the week

Please read with your child everyday as this supports their progress

Please write in the home school reading record when you have read with your child

We will send out homework on Fridays, to be returned by Wednesday at the latest please

Homework during the first term will consist of spelling, letter formation and number games to support your child’s learning of basic skills

Clubs, activities and trips

We try to get out and about as much as possible to enhance the pupils’ learning

During the course of the year Reception pupils will have the opportunity to attend Gym club, Art club, Super Singers and the Healthy Cooking club

This will start from January

Parents, Teachers and Friends Association (PTFA)

All parents are automatically a memberMeetings held termly at school - please come

along to share thoughts and ideasVarious events throughout the year

Christmas/Summer FairsDiscosEaster Egg Bingo

Please come along to this years Summer Fair

2pm – 3.45pm on Wednesday 22nd July

Promoting Positive Behaviour

Whole school behaviour policySimplify rules – kind hands etcTraffic lights displayTime out in class – short period of timeCommunication with parents Celebration assembly every FridayStickers, raffle tickets and Learning Tokens

Support For You and Your Child

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program ® is a parenting and family support system designed to prevent – as well as treat – behavioural and emotional problems in children . It aims to prevent problems in the family, school and community before they arise and to create family environments that encourage children to realise their potential

All discussions in this room, will be kept in this room, unless discussed and agreed with parent/carer

Engagement and SupportI am not a teacher. I am a specialist in the

behavioural and emotional needs of children and families

Things I can help you with: * Bedtime routines * Anxieties about school * Working with other services, concerns about behaviour at home * A sounding board when you just need to let steam off!

Paperwork!Please complete these at home and bring back

on visit dayAnnual consent Form*Proof of Age*Database Information FormInternet/photograph permission*Emergency contact details*Medical information*Parent questionnaire*Children will not be able to start without these documents

We look forward to working with you and your child to ensure they have a happy

and successful start to their time at St. John’s.