Working closely with families
We believe that working closely with families really benefits the children in our care. Before your child starts school, we invite parents to come and visit the school with their child to meet the team and get to know us. We also have a 1-1 meeting with the teacher and parent just before they start with us. It helps us understand your child better. We pride ourselves on getting to know all our children really well.
We have an open door policy with parents and encourage you to work in partnership with us.
"The teacher met each child and parent at the door and chatted professionally and amicably with the parents about the child." (March 2019 EYFS report)
Once the children have started, we have regular family reading sessions and we invite parents in to see our learning, for example by sharing books or watching performances.
"The school offers well-chosen books that entice readers of all ages to love reading. In every year group, teachers help pupils to learn the vocabulary that helps them with their topics. As part of their dinosaur topic, for example, Reception children relished learning the word ‘palaeontologist."(Ofsted report 2022)
We are delighted with feedback from our parents -
"I am so proud of my son. He is learning so quickly."
"My daughter is really good at writing now."
"We've seen great academic progress and pastoral care. The focus on reading confidence has really helped."
Teaching and Learning in Reception
We have a clear structure to our day, where the children are able to use both the indoor and outdoor environment.
"The start of the day was very calm and effective with each child coming into the classroom and writing their sentence in their book." (February 2020 EYFS report)
We encourage a love of learning and are proud that our children leave Reception ready for their next stage of education.
"It is very well organised and resourced to ensure that children had the maximum opportunity to continue their learning independently and practice their skills. I observed children demonstrating high levels of engagement, totally absorbed in what they were doing." (February 2020 EYFS report)
We know that setting our expectations clearly to children helps them to engage with their learning and each other.
"As a result of such a well planned and set up environment, the children demonstrated high concentration and excellent behaviours for learning. They remained on task and quietly played, chatting to their friends." (February 2020 EYFS report)
You can read our Early Years Policy for further details.
Our long-term overview is also available.
SPRING TERM LEARNING
Our Reception Class
We are delighted that a review commisioned by the local authority in February 2020 found the following strengths in our Early Years provision.
- The quality of the teaching of reading
- The well planned and inviting learning environment which enabled the children to continue their learning independently and with enthusiasm.
- The teacher’s professional reflection on her teaching in her first year.
- The children’s behaviour for learning and their enthusiasm for learning as demonstrated in the phonics session and across the learning environment.
- The systematic routines of the day which the children understood and knew well.
- Expectations of behaviour on the carpet session.
- The support the NQT is receiving from the school.
A previous report in March 2019 had commented on the effectve and prompt actions taken to address the areas for improvement by the leadership team and the EYFS staff since the May 2018 OFSTED inspection.
Would you like to know more about what to expect at the different stages of your child's development? Clink this link to find out more. It also details the most important things you can do to support your child's deelopment - chat, play and read.
