welcome to our nursery

“Just Playing” You may think that children are “Just Playing” when you see young children working in the Foundation Stage Unit. However, if you look closely you will see a whole world of learning happening. This is because young children are ‘active learners’ and the experiences we offer are specifically planned to enhance the all around development of the child. We want to enable each child to be a successful achiever in a safe, secure environment. Spontaneous learning opportunities are recognised and extended by the teachers as they occur. We encourage children to be active learners, to play with materials and through their play to explore and discover new ideas, skills and concepts. It is often during this the active process that learning is taking place and sometimes there may not be a visible end product. The process involved is the most important aspect of the learning. What have you done today? Is a question frequently used when children are collected to go home. However, when children come home from working all day in the Foundation Stage a common reply is “ I’ve done nothing” . The children have often been engaged in so many different activities it is difficult for them to recall and sequence them all. Allow them time they will recall important moments later in the evening or the next day.

Each child’s has a learning journal that is completed by your child’s key person and other staff members. We hope you will enjoy being involved in talking about your child’s learning at home as sharing these experiences helps us to plan activities to suit your child’s needs. You are welcome to look at your child’s journals at any time. Your child’s learning journal goes home with them permanently when they leave the Foundation stage and move into Y1.

When your child started they child will need a book bag, these can be purchased from the school office. Your child can borrow books from the School Library box at anytime. All library books are identified on the back cover with a ‘Haytor View Community School label or Devon Library service. Please support your child in selecting and exchanged one book every day.

All children have a white bag on their peg. You can use your bag to bring things in. We ask that children do not bring in their toys from home instead please share photos, things they have collected on a walk to the park, beach etc. This sharing and talking is a great way of encouraging children to speak and listen to each other in small groups. Please do not allow your child to bring toys into the setting as your child’s special toys can get lost or broken in a busy Foundation Unit.

8.30-8.50 / 12.20-12.35
 
Welcome Time – Time to Think Children arrive and register with their key Worker. Staff and parents have time to chat and children can show parents what they have been learning. Children can meet up with their friends and talk about what they have been doing at home and what they might do that day.
9.00-9.30 / 12.40-1.10
 
Monday to Friday- Key Worker Group Time Adult directed activity in their small key worker group, focused around a key skill. Learning is based on what the children already know; their skills and knowledge. We then move onto a group discussion where we focus on what the children want to know; the thing or topic that is motivating them to learn, or our previous days learning. After the guided activity the children plan what they are going to do during the main part of the session some children choose to continue the group time activity. The key worker supports the planning process and monitors the children’s involvement and choices. Wednesday AM: in base 1 we use the hall for P.E sessions. Thursday PM: session base 2 use the hall for P.E sessions
9.35–10.30 / 1.10–2.30 Main Session Children are able to access the whole of the Foundation Stage Unit, inside and out. Staff are based across the areas, while others are working on focused activities with individuals or small groups of children, based around our play based curriculum.
10.30–10.40 / 2.30–2.40 Tidy up Time This is an important part of the session as it encourages children and staff to have respect for the Foundation environment, the resources and each other as they tidy up together making sure everything is back in the correct space and clean, ready for the afternoon class.
10.40-10.55 / 2.40—2.50 Review time We gather together at the end of the session in their key groups. Individuals or groups of children may want to share some learning that has taken place during the session and to plan for our next steps for the following day. Snack is shared together as they recall the session and their learning.
11.00-11.25 / 2.50—3.10
 The children are gathered together in small groups to focus on skill leveled phonics and language development. The staff plan around a core book for the language session; this may be presented in a range ways for example- a told story time a or sensory activity etc.
11.30am Morning F1 children are collected to go home.
3.15pm Full time F2 children are collected to go home
3.20pm Afternoon F1 children are collected to go home
Full time children in F2 11.30am -12.00 F2 children stay for lunch in the school hall. The children then return to the unit.
12.00- 12.30 The children listen to a story which is presented through a core book, story square or told story. They also engage the handwriting rhymes for that day.
12.30pm the afternoon session starts :- see timings and structure linked to the morning sessions.