2020 - Crest Infant & Nursery School

2020

WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION STAGE?

The Foundation Stage begins in Nursery when children reach the age of 3 (FS1) and

finishes at the end of the Reception Year (FS2), when most children will have achieved

the Early Learning Goals.

There are seven areas of learning within the Foundation Stage. These are:

1. PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Children learn about making relationships. They develop self-

confidence and a positive self-image. They learn to share and take

turns and how to express their emotions appropriately. Children

learn to become more independent and to be interested in and be

confident to try new activities and experiences.

2. PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This is about improving children’s skills of co-ordination, control, manipulation and

movement. It helps children to gain confidence in what they do and enables them to

feel the positive benefits of being healthy and active.

Young children’s physical development is inseparable from all other

aspects of development, because they learn through being active and

interactive.

Activities to develop larger scale movement will include climbing,

balancing, swinging, pedalling, throwing and catching. Small scale

movement will be developed through use of tools, play dough, plasticine,

sand and water.

3. COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

Children have the opportunity to share and enjoy a wide range of stories, rhymes, songs

and poems. They will be encouraged to use language and learn new words in different

situations e.g. through role play and small world play. There will be lots of opportunities

for children to listen to others and express themselves on a one-to-one basis, and also

in groups.

4. LITERACY

Children will take part in our Phonics sessions which utilise the fundamentals of a

programme called ‘Read Write Inc’. They will be taught letter sounds, key words and

writing skills within ability groups. They will also experience a wide range of Literacy

based play activities everyday.

5. MATHEMATICS

Children will have many opportunities to count, sort, match, look for

patterns and work with numbers and shapes. These skills will be

developed through stories, songs, games and imaginative play and

through daily Maths sessions.

6. UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD

This is a very wide area! It includes learning about themselves and other living things;

experimenting with different materials (e.g. sand, water, soil, magnets); investigating

construction materials (e.g. kits, box modelling); using simple tools (e.g. rolling pins,

scissors); controlling a mouse; learning about past and present and how things change;

learning about their environment.

7. EXPRESSIVE ARTS & DESIGN

This area of learning includes art, music, dance, role play and

imaginative play. This is an important area of learning which allows

children to express themselves in a variety of ways. Children will be

given time to explore, experiment and practise ideas and skills.

WHAT WILL MY CHILD NEED TO BRING WITH THEM IN

SEPTEMBER?

A named book bag (available from the school office)

A named PE kit

A named Forest School kit

A named coat

A named lunch box if they are having packed lunches from

home (remember all children now receive a FREE school meal)!

Ready for School

Parents, carers and professionals have identified the 10 keys to unlocking

school readiness. These will help parents and families understand what

their children should be able to do by the time they start in a reception

class if they are developing typically for their age.

I can settle happily without my parent or carer.

I can tell friends and grown-ups what I need.

I can take turns and share when I am playing.

I can go to the toilet on my own and wash my hands.

I can put on my own coat and shoes and feed myself.

I can tell a grown up if I am happy, sad or cross.

I know that what I do and say can make others happy or unhappy.

I am curious and want to learn and play.

I can stop what I am doing, listen and follow simple instructions.

I enjoy sharing books with grown-ups.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO TO HELP TO PREPARE MY

CHILD FOR FS2?

Work with your child to regularly practise writing their name.

However, please ensure your child forms their letters correctly (see

next page) as it is very difficult to ‘unlearn’ incorrect formation.

Practise counting everyday objects and singing number rhymes.

Play ‘I Spy’ or rhyming games – these really help with early reading

and writing.

Talk in letter sounds e.g. it’s time for b-e-d. Ask your child to blend

the sounds together to say the word. This oral blending is a key part

of learning to read.

Play simple board games, do puzzles and share stories.

Above all, enjoy playing with your child!

Over the next couple of pages are some number cards and a sound mat

you may wish to look at with your child over the summer holidays.

You could try:

Cutting out the numbers and practising saying the name of each one.

Start with 0-5 then move up to 10. Only start the numbers from 10-

20 if your child needs an extra challenge!

Choosing a card and then finding the right number of toys to match

the number.

Going on a number hunt around the house or garden.

Putting the number cards into order and counting up and down the

number line.

Practising saying the sounds (not the names) of the letters on the

sound mat.

Choosing a sound and writing it down (remember correct letter

formation!).

Picking 3 sounds from the letter mat to make a word and writing it

down.

Important Dates

xxxxxx Transition in school (date to be confirmed)

Week 1 Children attend school for mornings or

afternoons only

Week 2 Children attend school for the morning and

stay for lunch

Week 3 Children to attend school for the full day

Subject to change, alongside Government guidelines

Letter Formation

If you’re teaching your child to write their name, please teach them the

correct formation of each letter. Thank you.

We enjoy working and playing together. In the Foundation Stage you will

make lots of new friends. Here are some of the fun things that we do at

school.

It would be good to know a little about YOU too!

Please help your child to complete this section of the booklet.

My Name is…

____________________________________

This is a picture of me.

PLEASE BRING THIS PART BACK IN SEPTEMBER.

Here is a photograph of me and some of my family.

My Likes and Dislikes

My favourite book is

My favourite TV programme is

My favourite food is

My favourite colour is

My favourite pudding is

My favourite drink is

PLEASE BRING THIS PART BACK IN SEPTEMBER.

I do not like to eat

I am not allowed to eat

I am really interested in… ________________________________

_______________________________________________________

I am really good at…_____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

I find these things tricky…________________________________

_______________________________________________________

In the Reception class I am looking forward to…

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Other important information about me that my teacher should know e.g.

medical conditions, worries etc.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

People who can collect me from school:

Name Relationship

Name Relationship

Name Relationship

Chatter Boxes

Over the summer break it would be great if you could make your own

Chatterbox or Chatterbag! This is an old shoe box covered in wrapping

paper or a fancy gift bag. Add 4 items to the box that you can talk about.

For example, these might be a favourite toy, a picture you have drawn, a

leaflet from a place you have visited, a photograph of your holiday or your

pet or anything you’d like to talk to your teachers about! Please bring

these to school in the first week of term and you can chat about them to

your friends and the adults in the class.

Thank you!

We can’t wait to see you in September!