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Fieldhead Primary Academy
Early Years Vision Statement
Our Early year’s underpins the vision and values of our school:
We are committed to providing a safe, secure, happy and caring environment which meets the needs of our children.
By putting the needs of the children at the forefront of everything we do, we aim to provide quality learning experiences in an environment which ensures that all children have the opportunity to achieve their full potential. In doing so we are committed to meeting the needs of all our children – intellectual, spiritual, emotional, physical, social and cultural.
By working in close partnership with parents and other members of the school community we nurture the development of trust, respect, confidence, self-esteem and the desire to learn, which will ensure that all our children are well-equipped to meet the challenges of education, work and life.
Every child is met with a warm welcome into our early year’s environment. In our care children thrive and make excellent progress within all the areas of learning and development. It is our aim to have happy, independent children, who are confident in their play and learning.
Parents as Partners
We recognise that parents are children’s first and most enduring educators and we value being partners with them in their child’s education through:
During the children’s last term in Foundation we prepare them for the transition into Year 1 and liaise with their new teachers. All parents are offered the opportunity to meet their child’s new teacher and visit their new classroom to ease the transition.
Curriculum:
The huge drive on core skills, particularly reading, writing and maths is a distinctive aspect of our school especially moving on into Reception, where we strive to ensure our children are ready for year one. Due to the low baseline on entry and the schools strive for all of our children to achieve there is a relentless focus on basic skills, balanced with a learning challenge curriculum that is enriched and meaningful and encourages the children to make accelerated progress.
Skilled staff take this learning into the wider environment and ensure there is an ethos of ‘challenge’ in our setting to encourage the children to apply the taught skills to their learning.
Enabling Environments
At Fieldhead Primary Academy we recognise that the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending learning. We take pride in preparing a stimulating and exciting environment to welcome the children every day. We aim to harness the interests of the children as we plan our themes. Our children love being involved in discussions and this is documented in our ’floor books.’
The Foundation Unit is organised to allow children to explore and learn securely and safely. There are areas where the children can be active, quiet or creative. The unit operates as separate Nursery and reception classes and for set times operates a free flow system. EY also has its own outdoor area and the free flow between inside and outside has a positive effect on the children’s development. Being outdoors offers opportunities for doing things in different ways and on different scales than when indoors. Children can explore, use their senses and be physically active and exuberant.
Children in our Early Years are also involved in a weekly forest school session led by a trained member of staff.
Observation, Assessment and Planning
Foundation Stage staff use observations to inform planning. Staff are skilled at observing children to identify their achievements, interests and next steps for learning. These observations then lead the direction and pace of the planning. The staff provide interventional work when and where it is needed to ensure that learning moves forward for everyone.
Evidence is gathered in a variety of ways including the use of ‘Tapestry’ where written observations, photographs and audio is gathered for individuals and groups. Reception children also have literacy and numeracy books which include a variety of child and adult initiated work.
Safeguarding and Welfare
It is the aim of the school to ensure that all our children are happy, safe and secure and this is reflected in our practise in the Foundation Stage. At Fieldhead Primary Academy the safeguarding of our children is paramount. All members of staff receive regular updates on safeguarding issues, have taken part in child protection training and know to whom any concerns should be referred. Everyone has access to the safeguarding policies and is made aware of changes in practise. The Foundation outside area is securely locked and supervised at all times when children are outside.
We aim to help the children to understand the boundaries, rules and limits and why they exist. We provide children with choices to help them develop this important life skill. Children should be allowed to take risks, but need to be taught how to recognise and avoid hazards. We designed our outside area with this in mind.
At Fieldhead Primary Academy we:
Further information can be found in the Academy Safeguarding Policy, the Health and Safety Policy and the Risk Assessments.
