Class Teachers: Andrea Clover - Woodpecker, Sally Eustance and Kate McAulay - Hedgehogs. Nursery nurse Woodpecker Adriana Lobo. Hedgehog Eleni Marku.

Welcome

Welcome to Hedgehog Class
Hedgehog class has a mixture of full-time and part-time nursery children, (15/30 hour provision including lunch) which is open from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Full-time children are 30 hours, Monday to Friday 9:00am – 3:00pm.
Part-time children are two and a half days (15 hours) either Monday, Tuesday full days with Wednesday mornings 9:00am – 12:00pm OR Wednesday afternoons 12:00pm – 3:00pm and Thursday and Friday 9:00am – 3:00pm.

Extended day provision is available for all children.

The class has 26 children per session, with two adults, with an age range of three to four years. Sessions take place in the Early Years Foundation building which is based near the main entrance to the school. Pupils have access to all our indoor and outdoor learning areas and they have weekly opportunities to venture out into our wooded Spinney area and forest school.

Welcome to Woodpecker Class
Woodpecker class is a full time nursery and provides nursery care for 30 hours. Monday to Friday 9:00am – 3:00pm. The class has 26 children with two adults per session with an age range of three to four years. Sessions take place in the Nursery building that overlooks Albert Recreation Ground. Pupils have access to indoor and outdoor learning areas and also have many opportunities to explore the school’s wooded Spinney area. Extended day provision is available to all children.

Nursery Teaching Team

Nursery Manager	Sally Eustance
Hedgehog Nursery Teacher	Sally Eustance (Monday-Wednesday)
Hedgehog Nursery	Kate McAulay (Thursday-Friday)
Nursery Nurse	Maria Ktorou
Woodpecker Nursery Teacher	Andrea Clover
Nursery Nurse	Eleni Marku

Curriculum / Learning

Our EYFS Vision

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Rhodes Avenue Primary School, our mission is to provide an enabling environment which promotes a love of life-long learning for every child attending our setting.  We want to work in partnership with our parents and families so that our pupils can be happy, confident, resilient and independent learners. We strive to make sure our children feel safe, supported and nurtured at every point of their journey in the EYFS with us. The curriculum is based on the understanding that children develop rapidly during this stage of their learning – physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. We strongly believe it is the basis on which children build the rest of their lives and it is not viewed as simply a preparation for the next stage of development.  We understand our young learners are influenced by everything in their indoor and outdoor learning environments and we want to support them to use their senses to explore and make sense of the world around them. We believe children learn best through imaginative and meaningful play where they are immersed in a language rich environment with high quality interactions. We feel that this should be achieved through practitioners providing experiences that build on and extend their interests and experiences. Therefore, we strive to deliver an inspiring, ambitious and well sequenced curriculum. We have a holistic approach to learning and want it to be systematic, creative and carefully designed to reflect the interests and needs of our pupils. We celebrate the unique child and look forward to working in partnership with our families; so that all our children can thrive, feel joyful about learning, reach their full potential and transition successfully to Key Stage One.

Nursery Statement of Aims

We believe that children’s needs are paramount. We aspire to provide all children with a happy and exciting start to their school life by providing a rich, stimulating learning environment with exciting, explorative learning opportunities. We celebrate success and develop the self-esteem of all children regardless of language and ability. We look forward to working with all parents and carers throughout the year, in order to enable each child to have a successful and rewarding start to their school career.

We aim to:

• Provide a safe environment with a happy and welcoming atmosphere
• Promote trust by responding sensitively to confidential matters
• Respect and value each individual, recognising that all children develop at different rates
• Promote understanding and acceptance of the differing needs of all children
• Promote positive and responsive partnerships with all those connected with the school
• Provide a high-quality early year’s curriculum that is well resourced, accessible and appropriately planned
• Provide equal opportunities and choice, where children learn through play, exploration, investigation and collaborative learning
• Cover all aspects of development, allowing for spontaneity
• Provide continuity and extension of experience
• Develop positive and reassuring attitudes toward independent and collaborative learning
• Help children to develop caring and responsive attitudes towards each other
• Encourage and support the integration of children with special educational needs
• Ensure the building and resources are accessible to all children, particularly those with special educational needs.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework
In the nursery we follow The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which provides children with a range of learning experiences and opportunities for all children to succeed and feel valued. It provides invaluable foundations upon which children can build and helps to prepare children for the National Curriculum, which begins when your child enters Year One. The curriculum your child will be following is known as the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

There are 7 areas of learning all together and 3 prime areas that can be delivered from birth to age five. There are 4 Specific areas that are introduced when practitioners feel that the child is developmentally ready.

Prime Area – Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Your child will be provided with experiences and support which will help them with making new relationships, having self-confidence and self-awareness and managing their own feelings and behaviour. We will support them to develop a positive sense of themselves and of others; respect for others and a positive disposition to learn.

Prime Area – Physical Development
The physical development of your child will be encouraged through the provision of opportunities for them to be active and interactive and improve their skills of coordination, moving, handling, manipulation and movement. They will be supported in using all of their senses to learn about the world around them and to make connections between new information and what they already know. They will be supported in developing an understanding of the importance of physical activity and making healthy choices in relation to food.

To help the children develop their fine-motor skills to be able to hold a writing implement and begin to mark make effectively we follow a programme called ‘Dough Disco’ which introduces a series of hand and finger muscle strengthening activities with the use of dough and music. The children have lots of fun moving along to the music and practising the exercises.

To help the children develop their core and gross motor skills ready for writing we follow a fun motor skills programme called ‘Squiggle Whilst You Wiggle’. This incorporates dance, music and large movements to help the children develop the fine muscle control they need for writing. Whilst listening to music they learn gross motor movements that they then transfer movements to floor level and use writing tools to make marks.

Prime Area – Communication and Language
Children’s listening skills will be developed in a range of situations. They will listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. We will support children in their understanding so they can follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They will answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events.

Specific Area – Literacy
Your child’s learning and competence in being read to and beginning to read will be both supported and extended. They will be provided with the opportunity and encouragement to use their skills in a range of purposes, and will be supported in developing the confidence and disposition to do so.

Specific Area – Mathematics
Your child will be supported in developing their understanding of number and shape, space and measure in a broad range of contexts in which they can explore, enjoy, learn, practise and talk about their developing understanding. They will be provided with opportunities to practise and extend their skills in these areas and to gain confidence and competence in their use. These are our main areas of development

Specific Area – Understanding the World
Your child will be supported in developing knowledge and skills and understanding that help them to make sense of: people and communities, the world and technology. Their learning will be supported through offering opportunities for them to use a range of tools safely, encounter creatures, plants and objects in the natural world and real-life situations.

Specific Area – Expressive Arts & Design
Your child will have opportunities to sing songs, make music, dance and experiment with ways of changing them. They will be supported to safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function. Your child’s creativity will be extended so that they can use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They will be encouraged to represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role play and stories.

Prime + Specific Areas together
None of these areas can be delivered in isolation from the others. They are equally important and depend on each other to support a rounded approach to child development. All these areas are delivered through planned, purposeful play, with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. We plan the learning environment, activities and experiences that your child needs to fulfil their potential. Play is a very important part of a child’s learning experience and it is through play-based activities that children learn best. We therefore use play as a foundation to build on and encourage structured play in classroom activities.

We base each half term’s learning around a core text and a theme, topic or question. We also use the needs and interests of the children to contribute to the half term’s foci. At the beginning of each term there will be a letter sent out to you detailing the topic and perhaps suggesting activities that can be carried out at home to extend the theme.

When your child first starts school, we will be focusing very much on their personal, social and emotional development – settling in, leaving their parent/carer, making new relationships with adults and peers, taking on board new routines and experiences etc. Our aim is to ensure your child is a happy, confident and independent learner; able to access the full curriculum and extend learning to their full potential.

Assessment
During the Nursery year the staff will begin completing the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile for your child which will run though till the end of their Reception year. At the end of the Reception year you will receive a report detailing your child’s attainment and progress within the seven areas of learning.

Tapestry is one of Rhodes Avenue Primary School’s assessment tools and is also a tool which you will be able to access from home in order to follow your child’s time in Nursery.

Tapestry is also a tool for you to communicate what learning your child is doing at home. You are welcome to upload your own photos for us to look at and comment on too.

Parents/carers can track their child’s progress and experience by logging on to https://tapestryjournal.com/. Usernames and passwords are shared with parents at the beginning of the Nursery or Reception year so please remember to activate your account and log on regularly.

You will be supplied with a user name and password which will allow you to log on to the Tapestry website in order to see what your child has been up to whilst at school and you

Parents as Partners
When parents and practitioners work together the results will have a positive impact on the child’s development and learning. We seek to provide an effective partnership with you as parents/carers. We welcome your views and recognise the important role you have in your child’s education.

When the children are settled there will be the opportunity for you to spend some time with us, reading with the children, telling stories, playing games etc. If you have any specific skills then this additional help and support is always welcome too.

There will be an informal meeting for all Nursery parents during the first term which will provide information on how your child is settling in.

We are always very happy to talk to you about any concerns or questions you may have. Please come in and arrange a time to meet with us. We are available most mornings before school or at the end of the school day. There will be an opportunity for you to meet with the staff each term to talk about your child, share their progress and discuss their achievements and targets. If you feel that you need more time, then let us know and we will make a special appointment with you before or after the school day.

The school has a Parent Teacher Association (RAPSA) and all parents are automatically members.