1 - Foundation Stage Brochure

What is the foundation stage?

The foundation stage begins when children reach the age of 3 and

finishes at the end of the academic year in which they turn 5.

Flushdyke school foundation stage unit admits children part time

the term after their third birthday, and then, full time the term in

which they are 5.

Most children are expected to achieve the targets set out in the

early learning goals booklet published by the department for

education in October 1999. The foundation stage has its own

curriculum which was introduced in September 2000. It is

organised in stepping stones to help children make the necessary

progress towards and beyond the early learning goals.

The foundation stage curriculum is organised into 6 subjects

known as areas of learning:-

• • Personal, social and emotional development
• • Communication, language and literacy
• • Mathematical development
• • Knowledge and understanding of the world
• • Physical development
• • Creative development

   

  Copies of the curriculum guidance for the foundation stage are available to borrow from the unit. Please ask a member of staff.

   

  

   

Flushdyke foundation stage unit aims to maximise a young child’s

ability to learn by following these principles:-

Effective learning involves

Play and direct teaching

The key message from current research is that well planned play is

the most effective way in which young children learn. Therefore

our foundation unit aims to provide a play based curriculum. There

are however times when a more focused and direct approach is

needed. It is necessary to provide an appropriate balance between

the two.

The room is divided into workshop areas both indoor and out.

Each area has been set up to provide well organised and

challenging activities. The activities can be adult or child initiated

and can be accessed at various ages and levels of development.

Each workshop provides opportunities for the child to learn across

all 6 areas of the curriculum. Direct and more focused teaching

takes place in small groups in a quieter area of the unit. The

following workshop areas are available to the children:-

Indoor                                                  Outdoor

sand                                                    roadway

water                                                   bikes

technology                                          pushchairs

painting                                               building site

large/small construction                      quiet book area

story corner                                         home corner

jigsaw table                                         water play

mark making                                        mark making

role play                                               obstacle course

dough                                                   gardening

Other activities available to the children are:-

use of the school hall for dance, movement etc

use of the computer suite

baking/cooking

snack preparation

pond, fields, wooded area, raised beds for gardening

playground markings for various games

When will my child attend?

Children will attend an afternoon session for 2 ½ hours initially.

Then 2 terms before they are 5 they will move to mornings, where

they will have a 3 hour session with more focused activities. They

will start full time the term in which they are 5.

The table below shows when in the school year your child will

attend the sessions.

What are the times of the sessions?

Full time: 8.50 – 3.15

Part time mornings: 8.50 – 12.00

Part time afternoons: 12.45 – 3.15

Children in the foundation unit will wear the same uniform as the

rest of the school. Details of this are in the school prospectus.

Snacks

We are involved in a government scheme which provides free fruit

every day. However as part of topic work we may have other

snacks prepared by the children eg pancakes on pancake day!

Milk or water will also be provided. For the under 5’s milk is free,

the older children may also have milk, for which there is a small

charge.

Outdoor play

Playing outdoors is an important part of the curriculum. The

children will have access to the outdoor play area throughout the

year so they will need appropriate footwear and clothing.

PE Kit

Part time children in the foundation unit will not need a PE kit as

the majority of their physical development will be outside. On the

occasions we use the hall for more focused work bare feet will be

adequate. When children start full time they will be doing more

focused PE lessons and will therefore need a PE kit.

Changing clothes

Young children are prone to accidentally wetting and soiling

clothes either through messy play or using the toilet. We have

facilities to clean and change children but this will only be done

with parental consent. If your child has had to be changed you

will always be informed.

Accidents

If your child hurts him/herself during the day, regardless of how

minor, we will inform you. The details of the nature of the injury

and the action taken will be written on an accident slip.

Illness/infection

Children should not be in school if they are ill and/or infectious.

The information below is issued by the Health and Safety

Executive.

We aim to foster an effective partnership with parents as this has a

positive impact on the child’s development and learning.

We do this by:-

• • Visits for new children and parents
• • Being approachable and understanding
• • Meetings to discuss progress
• • Sharing information by means of an entry profile
• • Keeping parents fully informed about the curriculum
• • A flexible approach to settling children in

   

   

  

   

Homework

Young children learn by being actively involved with experiences

therefore we do not send home formal work. We do however have

the following activities in place:-

• • A weekly maths activity sheet for Reception children
• • Guidelines on how to help your child with reading
• • Flash cards for children who are ready to learn sight vocabulary
• • Individual reading books for children who are developing a good sight vocabulary

Most young children settle very well into foundation stage settings

because they are planned and organised to be welcoming, exciting

and friendly. All new children are welcome to come and visit. They

will be able to spend part of a session with us. If the child is happy

to stay their parent /carer may leave them. Parents are welcome

to bring their child for more visits if they feel the need. We aim to

be flexible enough to give time for young children to feel secure.

Admissions procedure

This school admits pupils according to Wakefield Education

Authority’s admissions policy.

Admission to our Foundation Stage Unit is arranged through the

school. Part-time places are available to pupils from the term after

their third birthday. There are 28 places available in any one

session including full-time reception places.

Children enter full time education (reception), at the beginning of

the term in which they become five. Admission to full-time

education is made through the local authority (LA). Admission

procedures are outlined in ‘A Guide for Parents – Primary schools’

which is published by the LA and is available free of charge from

school. As with all other Wakefield schools, a part time place

in our Foundation Stage Unit does not guarantee entry to a

Worries and concerns

Don’t ‘bottle things up’!

If you are ever worried or concerned please talk to us. You are

also welcome to ask for a meeting with us at a mutually convenient

time.