New Reception Parents’ Meeting

Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be. Rita Pierson

Tuesday 2nd July

We believe that all children should feel cherished and nurtured in an environment that values mutual respect. We work hard to provide an engaging environment where we model, motivate and question.

We work and listen to our parents to build a strong relationship to ensure we can help our children achieve their full potential.

We want all our children to grow and thrive. Celebrating their individual abilities, skills and cultural diversity.

We understand that all children have different starting points and we acknowledge their own individual journey.

We plan a curriculum that will inspire our children and has them at the heart. It is purposeful and we provide appropriate interventions.

We are led by their interests and our approach is based on curiosity, exploration, creativity and imagination.”

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CVS – EYFS TEAM - Mrs Hockham

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Welcome!

• Our School
• The EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage)
• In the Classroom
• Support from Home
• Preparing for School

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Our School…

At Cheselbourne Village School everything we do is based on…

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• Inspiring a lifetime love of learning, planning a fun and engaging, creative curriculum approach to learning involving the whole school.

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• Being family and community orientated.

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• Making links with nature and the natural environment.

‘Inspiring a Lifetime Love of Learning’…

At Cheselbourne Village School we provide - ‘good quality education’.

‘Pupils are enthusiastic about learning. They...are keen to share their work and speak confidently about their learning and what they need to do to improve further.’

From our ‘Good’ Ofsted inspection, March 2017

At Cheselbourne Village School we provide - ‘good quality education’.

‘Pupils are enthusiastic about learning. They...are keen to share their work and speak confidently about their learning and what they need to do to improve further.’

From our ‘Good’ Ofsted inspection, March 2017

Being family and community orientated…

Joining our school…

• You become part of the Cheselbourne Family and an important member of our school community.

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• We are only a small school so we get to know our families well and can offer or signpost you to a range of support networks.

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• We encourage our new parents to join the CSF, our Cheselbourne School Friends a wonderful team that help provide additional events and fundraising opportunities to provide even more for our children and families.

Being family and community orientated…

School Houses

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To support with the sense of community we split all the children into houses. The houses are named after local trees.

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During some whole school events we work in house groups and our older children help support our younger ones. Children in the same family are in the same house.

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Children earn house points in school and these are collected across each term with one house being awarded the house cup at the end.

Before you start…

School Website�– first port of call for information…

Attendance

Paperwork

• Please make sure all forms from your new starters pack are completed and handed in to Mrs Husher in the school office.

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• Ensure we have multiple and up-to-date emergency contact numbers (including one from a different household to the family).

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• If there is a change to the usual pick-up arrangements and someone different is picking up your child please let Mrs Husher or the staff member on the front door know.

Social Media…

We have a very active Facebook account that Mr Perry updates regularly so we can share what we get up to and help spread the word of all the great things about our little school.

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It is completely your choice whether your child features on this and permission needs to be given before any pictures of children are shared on this. Names of children are never put on.

Communication between school and home…

• We try to be a paperless school and communicate mostly via email. Weekly newsletters and updates are emailed home.

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• Sometimes teachers will email or ring parents to follow up from something in the day that they may not have had time to speak with you about at pick up time.

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• We are always on hand to speak briefly at the start and end of the day for any short messages. If a longer meeting is required we are more than happy to arrange this. Please always see your child’s class teacher in the first instance. If it is a matter that you feel you need to discuss with the Headteacher then you can arrange that too.

School Bus…

• Organised by Dorset Transport, but school is in close contact with bus provider. We have several bus drivers. The bus goes from Ansty to School and vice versa.

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• Please contact school if there any issues and we can liaise with Dorset Transport/Bus Company.

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• If you intend for your child to be on the bus in September please can you email Mrs Husher in the office to let her know asap.

Options for wrap around care…

• Reception children do not start Extra-Curricular clubs such as Sport and Art Club until later in the year as we find the busy Autumn term is enough for them to start with.

School Day timings

• Gates will open at 8:45am children should arrive at that time.

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• Gates will close at 8:55am and children who arrive after the gate need to report to the school office please.
• Children will self registrate

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• Morning work one phonics and one maths is always set out and is used to set children up for the day.

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• Morning work is really important start to the day.

Key Reminders

• Please read through and sign Home School Agreements.

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• Parents have a legal duty to inform us of child absence from school. Please do this by calling the school on the morning of any absence. If there is no one in the office, please leave a message or email. Thank you.

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• Holiday requests and attendance.

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• Emergency contacts- must have two and must check that these are always up to date if you change your number please!

The EYFS

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The areas of learning are:

• Communication and Language
• Physical development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

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The EYFS Profile

• At the end of the school year you will receive an end of year report for your child, detailing whether they have met the goals for each area of learning.

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• You will be told whether your child’s development is emerging or expected in relation to the goals.

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• More details about the EYFS Profile are available from www.foundationyears.org.uk and we will give out a copy of all the goals during the Autumn term.

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• Your feedback and contributions from home on where your child is achieving on the Profile is really important to us to help us to build a full picture of your child and this helps inform our assessments e.g. Tapestry

In the Classroom

School Day Timings

• School starts back again for all children on 4th September 2023.

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• Timings:
• Doors open at 8:45am
• Lunch 12-1pm
• End of day 3:15pm

Daily teaching

Each day there will be a mixture of:

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• Adventure Time and Play

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• Whole Class Work (number rhymes and songs, counting, games, listening to stories, learning and talking about number facts, watching shared writing)

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• Phonics and Maths whole class lesson

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• Independent Group Work

(working with other children alone)

Phonics and Writing

The pace of learning the phonetic sounds that enable a child to read is fast. In the Autumn Term the children will be learning four letters of the alphabet a week; the name of the letter, the sound it makes and how to write it.

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• They will also be practising how to read and write words using those sounds. We will send out weekly newsletters explaining the sounds we have been learning during the week.

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• We are keen to share with you how we teach this and how you can help support your child with this at home. Therefore, we will invite you to a phonics meeting in September when we start to teach phonics.

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• We will teach Reception how to write in lower case print before moving to cursive in Year One.

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Outdoor Learning (Forest School)…

• Forest Schools

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All children across the school take part in a weekly Outdoor Learning Session on a Thursday. Plus in early years we learn outside every day.

Support From Home

Home Reading

• We will aim to hear children read as often as possible to encourage and support developing their reading skills at a good pace.

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• We are keen for parents to support with this and will provide more information about how you can do this at our ‘Phonics and Reading Parent Workshops’ in September- DATE TBC

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• We will provide a Reading Record for you to record reading at home and like to use these books as another method for ensuring a strong home-school link.

What to expect, When?

• An useful document is “What to expect, When?” which is available from

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https://www.eyalliance.org.uk/sites/default/files/what_to_expect_when._a_parents_guide.pdf

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Preparing for School

Book Bags

• All children require a bookbag Or a rucksack to carry Reading Records, School Letters and work etc. to and from school and home. These can be purchased from the uniform provider.

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• Please name the book bag or Rucksack. Some parents like to attach one key-ring or decoration so that their child can immediately identify their own book bag.

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• Book bags/rucksacks with their reading book and reading record MUST be brought to school every single day.

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• Please check them at home daily for any school letters or messages and to check Reading Records.

Water Bottles and PE Kits

• All children need to bring in a NAMED water bottle which can be taken home each day to be refilled.

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• There should only be water in the water bottle not squash please.

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• Reception will be starting PE lessons straight away and will have PE once a week, on a Monday.

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• Chiildren will wear PE for the day on Monday.

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• Please ensure every part of the PE kit is named in permanent marker or with a name label.

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• We will write names into any unnamed kit or jumpers.

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• Please can you provide your child/children with a change of clothes. They will also need a wellies, waterproof jacket, trouser or all in one that will stay in school.

Food and Drink in School: �Milk and Snacks

• Reception children will stop for 15 minutes to have a mid-morning snack with milk every day. Milk is free for your child up until they are 5 but you can register for them to continue having milk after this but you will need to pay for this it is £1 a week.

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• Snacks are provided for all Key Stage 1 children through a government scheme to help promote Healthy Eating. The snack is always a piece of fruit or vegetable, usually either an apple, banana, carrot, tomato, orange or raisins. We never know what will arrive – it is a surprise!
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Food and Drink in School: �Lunch

• Reception children will eat their meals in the Village Hall and sit with their peers when eating.

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• Children can choose to bring a packed lunch or book a hot or cold school meal.

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• All Key Stage 1 children are eligible to receive a free school meal. Our School Meal provider is Local Foodlinks and meals can be booked/managed online. Please see the handout from Local Food Links which gives details about this.

School Readiness

Ofsted’s list of 10 things that they recommend to help children be ready for school:

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• To sit still and listen.
• To be aware of other children.
• To understand the word ‘no’ and the boundaries it sets for behaviour and ideally, to be able to follow instructions first time.
• To understand the word ‘stop’ and that such as phrase might be used to prevent danger.
• To be toilet-trained.
• To recognise their own name.
• To speak to an adult to ask for help.
• To be able be able to take their coats and shoes on and off.
• To talk in full sentences.
• To open and enjoy a book.

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Our Top tips…

• Name EVERYTHING in permanent marker with your child’s name and class. Biro washes off very quickly. Coats, hats, gloves, PE bag, PE kits, trainers, JUMPERS, school shirts, trousers. Alternatively you can buy iron-on or stick-on name labels online.

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• Check that your child’s winter coat has a zip that is easy to do up. Some zips are impossible for the child to do themselves! Practise putting on and doing up coats, it is really helpful as it develops children's sense of independence.

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• When choosing school shoes, ones with Velcro instead of shoelaces are helpful for younger children. Shoes need to be sensible, flat, black shoes – no sandals or open-toed shoes please.

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• Help your child feel comfortable and able to go to the loo themselves. Encourage them to be independent and able to look after themselves.

Other things you can do to help…

Between now and September...

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• Lots of counting, both reciting and counting objects accurately.
• Learning to recognise numbers.
• Lots of drawing, colouring, Playdoh and Lego to help build up hand strength.
• Lots of talking; promoting communication by discussing what you do over the summer etc.
• Establish regular times for reading.

And finally…

Get excited!

Look forward to starting school and all the fun times ahead!