Hello, and welcome to Foundation Stage One -Busy Bees!
Meet the team:
Class Teacher: Mrs Slater
Teaching Assistant: Mrs Wilson
Teaching Assistant: Miss Bingham
Teaching Assistant: Mrs Rahman
In Foundation One, we want all children to succeed, be happy and feel safe both inside and outside of the classroom. Learning starts as soon as children walk through the door. We open up at 8.40am and finish at 11:45am and 2:45pm/3:15pm.
Parents/Carers of FS1 children can walk with the children to their class teacher and to their classroom.
We will begin the day with a short morning task, including name writing, letter formation, reading, number challenges and craft activities. Just before 9.00a.m, children are called to the carpet for the register, morning song, and exciting activities begin!
Topics & Themes:
Autumn 1: New Beginnings/All About Me
Autumn 2: Celebrations & Festivals
Spring 1: On the Move
Spring 2: Down on the Farm
Summer 1: Under the Sea
Summer 2: Super Heroes
Key texts we will focus on each half term:
Autumn 1: The Gingerbread Man, Elmer, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Room on the Broom.
Autumn 2: I’m Going to Eat this Ant, The Gruffalo, Percy the Park keeper, The Little Red Hen, Christmas Story.
Spring 1: The Naughty Bus, Frozen, One Snowy Night
Spring 2: The journey Home, On the Farm, What the Ladybird Heard, Big Red Barn
Summer 1: The Whale who Wanted More, Rainbow Fish, The snail and the Whale
Summer 2: Supertato, The Jolly Postman, Goldilocks and the Three Bears
This is not an exhaustive list. We will read lots more stories/texts throughout the year based on topics and children’s interests.
Our School Day
Each morning, we have a short-focused input relating to the learning of the week and then the children are encouraged to go and get busy in the different learning environments around the classroom. Whilst the children are engaged in self chosen learning, staff members will work with small groups of children on a focused activity or in the learning environment. This enables the staff to gain further understanding of the children’s development and their knowledge. We have an open classroom door where learning can take place both indoors and outdoors with the child making the choice. During the morning session, we encourage the children to be independent as much as possible and this also extends to them having their own area to keep tidy. During the autumn term, we will also start to have short maths and language acquisition lessons, which will be extended into each area of learning within the provision by planning hands-on activities. This enables the children to apply and develop the skills they have learnt during their small lesson inputs, as well as demonstrate the knowledge they have gained. Moreover, each child has a key worker allocated who is always available to talk about your child’s development and needs. However, please know that you can speak to any member of staff regarding any queries or concerns you may have about your child or the school.
Entry and Exit Procedure
For the morning drop off, gates open at 8:40am. You are welcome to bring your child into their class line and walk around the school building with the children and class teacher.
If your child finishes school at 11:45am, please make an orderly line at the main entrance gate. Your child will be escorted to the main gate by two of their teachers, where they will be released to parents/carers.
If your child finishes school at either 2:45pm or 3:15pm, please enter the school premises at the main entrance gate and make your way to the FS1 classroom.
-You can do this by walking through the lower playground where you will see a path that will lead you round the back of school, where the big field is. Once you have reached the end of the path you will find a double gate onto the FS2 outdoor area, go through the gate and walk round to the main FS1 entrance. Once you have collected your child, we ask that you walk back the same way you came and NOT through the car park, as there may be members of staff or visitors leaving.
Reminders:
- Please can all parents/carers remember to pack a spare pair of clothes and a water bottle in your child’s bag
- Please can all parents/carers label your child’s jumpers and/or cardigans.
Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and key themes
In FS1, all learners experience a broad, balanced and varied curriculum, which is relevant to their stage of development. We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, which consists of 7 areas of learning, these are: Personal, social and emotional development, Communication and language, Physical development, Literacy, Maths, Understanding of the World and Expressive Arts and Design.
We use the revised Development Matters 2021 to plan, teach and assess children in FS1. It remains a non-statutory guidance that sets out the pathways of children’s development from birth to a child’s year in Reception. For anyone who is interested, here is the framework taken from the Government website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/development-matters–2
Videos, Games and Resources:
Maths:
https://whiterosemaths.com/resources/early-years-resources/
There is also a free ‘interactive whiteboard’ you can use on the link above. This allows you to use a 5 frame and other useful resources where you drag the correct amount on the screen.
Early Years Maths – Topmarks Search
This is a link to a website where you can play maths games for free. There are a variety of games to choose from and you can use the search bar at the top to refine the games to the topic you want. E.g. ‘shape games’ ‘counting games’ etc.
This is a link to another game you can play to assist with your child’s maths learning.
BBC iPlayer – Numberblocks – Series 2: Six
This is a link to BBCiPlayer where you can watch cbeebies ‘Numberblocks’ episodes that will help your child’s maths learning.
More online games and videos:
Counting to 10 song- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D4K9oi7oBM&t=237s
Counting to 20 song- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq4UAss33qA
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/topics/numeracy
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/category/22/most-popular
Oxford Owl Maths- https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/kids-activities/fun-maths-games-and-activities/
Education.com- https://www.education.com/games/math/
Maths Playground- https://www.mathplayground.com/math-games.html
Maths is fun- https://www.mathsisfun.com/games/
ictgames- https://www.ictgames.com/mobilePage/
Big Eyed Owl- https://www.bigeyedowl.co.uk/maths/index.htm
Maths Dictionary for Kids- http://amathsdictionaryforkids.com/
Crickweb- http://www.crickweb.co.uk/Early-Years.html
Literacy/phonics:
Word waves – Early level Literacy and English – BBC Bitesize
This is a link to some stories that are read to you on BBC Bitesize.
BBC iPlayer – Alphablocks – Magic Words: 1. Meet Alphablock A
This is a link to BBCiPlayer where you can watch Cbeebies ‘Alphablocks’ episodes to help with your child’s phonics and literacy learning.
Nursery Rhymes and Songs – BBC Teach
This is a link to some nursery rhymes that you could sing with your child and practice writing some words that you hear in the nursery rhyme.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvMyssfAUx0
This link allows your child to practise our tricky words.
https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/resources/phase/2
This link takes you to a website where the children can play free games to practise phonics sounds and develop reading.
More online games and videos:
Geraldine the Giraffe- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7sW4j8p7k9D_qRRMUsGqyw
Alphablocks- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_qs3c0ehDvZkbiEbOj6Drg
Phonics Bloom- https://www.phonicsbloom.com/
ictgames- http://www.ictgames.com/mobilePage/literacy.html
TopMarks Letters and Sounds- https://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/5-7-years/letters-and-sounds
Education.Com- https://www.education.com/games/word-patterns/
MonsterPhonics- https://monsterphonics.com/games/
Teach Your Monster to Read- https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/
Hairy Letters- https://www.nessy.com/uk/apps/hairy-letters/
Doorway Online- https://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/
Literative.com- http://www.literactive.com/Home/index.asp
Oxford Owl Literacy- https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/kids-activities/fun-maths-games-and-activities/
Understanding the world (Science, Geography, Computing & History):
BBC iPlayer – Maddies Do You Know? – Series 3: 1. Skyscraper and Flying Bird
This is a link to the Cbeebies episodes of ‘Maddies do you know’. You could watch some of these episodes with your child to learn about different things and how they work.
This is a link to the Cbeebies episodes of ‘Kit & pup’. You could watch some of these episodes with your child to learn about different things and how they work.
EYFS: Listen and Play – BBC Teach
This is a link to some audio content that includes familiar songs, rhymes, stories and sound discrimination games to develop children’s phonological awareness and confidence with spoken language.
Physical Development:
This is a link to some songs, stories and movement activities that you could complete with your child to keep active at home.
Bring The Noise: Primary school Early Years music – BBC Teach
This is a link to some songs, stories and movement activities that you could complete with your child to keep active at home.
Parent/Carers websites to build knowledge and understanding on certain subjects and the early years
Phonics (Read Write Inc) website- https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/
Phonics (Oxford Owls)- https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/learn-to-read-phonics/
All about the Early Years- https://nrich.maths.org/early-years
Maths- https://www.familymathstoolkit.org.uk/5-years-old-and-under/around-the-house
Maths- https://www.maths4mumsanddads.co.uk/
We are working hard on learning our sounds. Please click here to find out the order we are learning these.
Have you ever wondered what happens in Foundation Stage 1? Then please click here. This page will answer some of your questions.
Tips for sharing books with you child please click here