HUNTER'S BAR INFANT SCHOOL
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“Welcome to Reception at Hunter’s Bar Infant School!”
In our Reception classrooms we have a wide range of activities and resources to support our learning including; role play, creative resources, writing activities, sand and water, construction materials, small world play and playdough.
We go outside EVERY day, learning outdoors in all weathers. We have an exciting outdoor classroom with a range of activities including a mud kitchen, a big sandpit, lots of loose part materials for den making, big water containers, pipes and guttering for connecting and moving water as well as larger construction items to create and play games and make obstacle courses.
It’s all lots of fun!
Our early years setting follows the curriculum as outlined in the latest version of the EYFS Statutory Framework.
The EYFS framework includes 7 areas of learning and development that are equally important and inter-connected. However, 3 areas known as the prime areas are seen as particularly important for; igniting curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, building children’s capacity to learn and helping children form relationships and thrive.
The prime areas are:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development
Our curriculum incorporates; learning through play, learning by adults modelling, learning by observing each other and through guided learning and direct teaching. It is also important to highlight that our plans are flexible to allow us to respond quickly to children’s new interests and/or needs.
Weaving throughout the EYFS curriculum at Hunter’s Bar Infants School are three Characteristics of Effective Learning.
- Playing and exploring – Children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’.
- Active learning – Children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements.
- Creating and thinking critically – Children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
These elements underpin how we reflect on each child’s development and adjust our practice accordingly, supporting children in their individual learning behaviour and observing the context of children’s play is essential.
Within this Effective Learning framework there are four guiding principles which shape our practice.
These are:
- Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident, and self-assured.
- Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
- Children learn and develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults, who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time. Children benefit from a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers.
- Children develop and learn at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Assessment
Within the first 6 weeks of a child starting reception, staff will administer the Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA).
At the end of the EYFS, staff complete the EYFS profile for each child. Pupils are assessed against the 17 early learning goals, indicating whether they are:
- Meeting expected levels of development
- Not yet reaching expected levels (‘emerging’)
The profile reflects ongoing observations, and discussions with parents and/or carers. The results of the profile are shared with parents and/or carers for their child at the end of the year.
Parent Involvement
At Hunter’s Bar Infant School we value the importance of a strong parent-school partnership. We recognise that children learn and develop well when this partnership is strong.
Parents and/or carers are kept up to date with their child’s progress and development through conversations throughout the week with staff, parents’ evenings and via our online learning platform Seesaw. The EYFS profile helps to provide parents and/or carers with a well-rounded picture of their child’s knowledge, understanding and abilities.
Throughout the year we look forward to many trips into the local community – such as trips to Endcliffe Park, Ecclesall Library and local farms.
We also really value the importance of showing children the wider world, therefore if you have a particular talent or skill you would like to share with the children then please let us know. In the past we have had parent artists, poets, musicians, police officers, doctors and scientists come into school and talk to the children. We really appreciate people giving up their valuable time when they can, to help the children with artwork, play games or read with them. If you would like to volunteer to help on these trips, or to volunteer in our class please come and talk to a member of staff.
You can find a Weekly Summary of the upcoming week’s learning on Seesaw each Monday.
Home Learning is posted to Seesaw activities each Friday.
Reading
Reading is very important. We encourage children to read daily. Your child’s class teachers will record their in-school reading and we encourage parents/carers to record home reading in their child’s Reading Diary.
For every 5 reads done your child will receive a stamp on their Reading Challenge chart displayed in the classroom. When your child has completed their Reading Challenge chart they will receive a certificate in our weekly Celebration Assembly.
More information can be found at https://huntersbarinfantschool.co.uk/reading-challenge/
PE
Your child should have a PE kit in school each day. This can be left at school, in a named bag, on their cloakroom peg.
Further details of suitable PE kit can be find at https://huntersbarinfantschool.co.uk/school-uniform/
Reading Diary
Your child’s Reading Diary should be sent into school each day, in their bookbag so that teaching staff can access them quickly and easily.
Reading Diaries will be issued to all pupils at the beginning of the year.
WATER BOTTLE
Please send your child to school with a water bottle with fresh water in each day. They can access these at all times during the school day.
SNACK AND MILK
Your child will be provided with a free piece of fruit each day (banana, tomatoes, sugarsnap peas, apple are some examples) and a free carton of milk up until your child’s fifth birthday. Once they turn five you have the option of paying for your child to have milk each day.
CHANGE OF CLOTHES
We advise that all children have a spare change of socks and underwear in a bag on their coat peg in case of accidents or water spills. Thank you for putting your child’s name on each item of clothing– it’s a great help!
KEEP IN TOUCH
We really value strong links between school and home and over the year offer workshops for parents to discuss how children learn. Look out for information on curriculum, reading and maths workshops in the coming months. Please know we are always available for a chat or update on how your child is getting on at home or at school. Just find one of us at the beginning or end of the day to arrange a time to talk.
You can also keep in touch with us online, through social media, via Reachmore, and on Seesaw.
Please see our updated Communications Pathway on the Policy Page for more details.