Induction Booklet Reception / Nursery Starters

New Starter’s Induction Pack 2019 1

WELCOME TO RECEPTION Beginning school is a major event in the life of a four year old and it won’t be long before your child will be starting with us at Stalmine Primary School. There will be lots of new things to learn and of course you will want to ensure that your child is well prepared for this important event.

We aim to make it a happy and memorable experience. We hope that this booklet will provide some useful information that will help your child to settle quickly into school.

Contents Contact details………………………………………………………….. 3 Our Vision ………………………………………………………………… 4 Parents as Partners ………………………………………………….. 5 How can you help me prepare for school?................... 6 – 7 The School Day ………………………………………………………… 8 – 9 Dinners, milk, snacks and fruit …………………………………. 10 Induction Programme 2019 ……………………………………… 11 General Information …………………………………………………. 12 Parental Consent Form Overview ……………………………… 13 Learning at Stalmine …………………………………………………. 14 The EYFS Curriculum …………………………………………………. 15 -17 School Uniform…………………………………………………………. 18 – 19 After School Clubs ……………………………………………………. 20 SEND and Child Protection ………………………………………. 21 School Holiday List……………………………………………………. 22

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Address:

Contact Information

Stalmine Primary School Mill Lane Stalmine FY6 0LR

Contact number: 01253 700284

Email: bursar@stalmine.lancs.sch.uk

Head teacher: Miss Hannah Binns Assistant Headteacher and Class 1 teacher: Miss Clarke SENDCO: Mrs Parkinson Class 1 teaching assistant: Mrs Pozzi

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Our Vision Here at Stalmine, we build firm foundations for learning which provide our children with the knowledge and skills they can build upon throughout life.

We do this within a caring and respectful environment within a creative, exciting and stimulating curriculum. We look to develop resilience, inspire, challenge, foster independence and instil confidence and individuality. We are a school with the community at it's heart.

Our Mission At the heart of a Stalmine Education we:        

Inspire a joy of learning Instil a desire to learn Build confidence, resilience and independence Provide firm foundations for learning which can be built upon throughout life Provide an education which is accessible for all Challenge Provide opportunities for children to try new experiences Develop a wider sense of community

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Parents as Partners We recognise the importance of parents and carers in a child’s developing stages. As a primary care provider, you are your child’s first educators and we greatly value any input, opinions and information you can share with us about your child’s learning and progress.

To support this, we use Tapestry as an interactive tool within the classroom. Through Tapestry we are able to record your child’s learning and achievements during school. These represent both child-initiated activities and directed tasks. We also encourage you to contribute to these by making small observations at home. (For example if your child’s target is to identify numbers to 10, you may notice him or her using the remote control to change the channel correctly to channel 3. This is showing us that your child can recognise the number three independently.)

Here at Stalmine, we provide many other opportunities for parents and carers to take an active part in their child’s education. These may include:  Stay and Play parent and child sessions  Yearly parent assemblies to share our class’ success and topic work  Child focus meetings (similar to Parent’s Evenings)  Sporting Events  Regular newsletters  Class Dojos (you will be sent details of how to sign up to this in September) Most importantly, our family ethos is central to our school and as such, we operate an `Open-Door Policy’ where parents are actively encouraged to meet with staff to discuss any concerns at the earliest opportunity. Our staff are available at 3.10pm to answer any questions.

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Literacy Maths  Play ‘spot the number.’ Focus on numerals 0-10 initially (then teen numbers.) Challenge your child to find them everywhere (in the house, on cars, on front doors, clocks, in birthday cards, at the shops.) I should be able to recognise at least numbers 1-5 upon starting school. 

Look at the numbers on phones, calculators, the remote control etc.

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Get into the habit of counting everything- from ducks in the pond to stairs up to bed! I should be able to count up to 5 objects independently.

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How can you help me prepare for school?

as well as using pencils and pens, use brushes to paint with water on the floor outside, draw with sticks in sand or mud, use chunky chalks on the pavement/patio, draw with fingers in a tray of shaving foam, use bath crayons, magnetic writing boards, water drawing mats etc. 

a whole hand grasp.) Allow me to draw, colour, trace and do dot-to-dots.

etc.) Give me opportunities to do my own “pretend” writing. I

forwards and back from a given number (this is great to do in the

should be able to “pretend” write when I start school.

car!)

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Sing counting songs and rhymes with me (Five Little ducks, Ten in

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I might (but might not) be able to write my own name.

Play counting games with me (board games such as snakes and

Encourage me to form the letters correctly. If your child can

ladders, dominos, number snap etc.)

already write their own name- introduce them to other important words (sibling’s names, mummy, daddy etc.)

Measure things! Who is tallest? Shortest? Can they guess which is 

heavier- A tin of beans or a kitchen roll? 

When starting school, I should be able to recognise my own name.

the Bed, Five Currant buns, 10 Green Bottles etc.) 

Let me see you writing! (birthday cards, calendar notes, shopping lists, write a simple story, write notes to each other

count aloud to at least 10 (ideally a little more.) Practise counting

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Encourage me to use a three fingered “tripod” pencil grip. I should be trying to do this upon starting school (no longer using

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Practise counting aloud! When starting school I should be able to

Provide me with lots of opportunities to mark make and draw-

Read to me every day! Talk about stories; predict what might happen next etc. Read information/non-fiction texts too! I

Chat about shapes around the house (e.g. whilst unpacking the

should be able to sit quietly and listen to a story. I should be

shopping- “This tin is a cylinder. It’s got 2 circular faces. Can you

able to talk about and retell stories.

find any other cylinders?”) When starting school, I should be able

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to name some simple 2D shapes (e.g. circle, square, triangle)

Play “I spy” and use sounds instead of letter names (…something beginning with “duh”)

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Understanding the World Expressive Art & Design 

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Allow me to get messy and explore my creativity! – paint, pens, play dough, clay, 

scissors, glue, sticky tape etc. 

Encourage me to draw and colour things that interest me (family members, my favourite characters etc.) Encourage me to think about the colours I choose (e.g.

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Daddy’s hair is brown, not green!) 

Value the process and not necessarily the end product (my creative exploration involves lots of important skills, even if it looks messy by the time I’ve finished! )

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acting out real-life roles or playing with small figures- role play is great for developing language, social skills, empathy and cultural awareness. 

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Join in my role-play! Get into character with me! Whether it’s dressing up, puppets,

When starting school, I should be able to give meaning to my drawings and paintings (tell you what it is/talk about/explain my creation!)

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Sing songs, chants, rhymes etc. Practise rhyming words.

Begin to talk about the sounds that letters make (these will be introduced in school.) Segment sounds when giving instructions

Talk to me about important significant in my life. I should be able (e.g.or let’s feed the events duh-o-guh!) to talk about personal  experiences.

Talk about similarities and differences between me and my friends and family (e.g. I have blonde hair, my friend has brown, my mummy used to live in another country, my friends mummy comes from Charfield.)

Encourage me to take an interest in different cultures and other ways of life.

What is it like to live in a different country? Is it hot/cold? Do people speak the same language?

Let me explore outside! Go on a bug hunt, collect sticks, feathers and natural objects, play out in the rain…get muddy! Talk about changes in different seasons. I should be able to talk about some of the things I observe/find. I should have some understanding of growth and change.

Let me play with different types of technology (computer, laptop, tablet, mobile phone, camera, remote control toys, CD player etc.)

Physical Development Communication and Language 

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Play games with me like football, throwing and catching.

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Encourage me to play with play dough (it gives great

Model and encourage me to use good listening skills (eye contact, no

exercise for my fingers and builds up the muscles required

interrupting, taking turns in conversation, no distractions.) 

Encourage me to listen and then respond. Speak clearly to me and

for writing!) Threading things is also great for this! 

support me in doing the same back.   

I should be able to maintain attention for a short time and sit

scissors correctly. 

to write words yet, but I should be able to make marks,

Ask me questions (how/why/who/when/what) to help develop my

draw and copy letters. Encourage correct letter formation

understanding. I should be able to answer some questions.

from the start. Teach your child to write in lower case

Encourage and expect me to follow instructions (as soon as I am

letters (not capital letters- this is particularly important

asked.) Classroom instructions often contain several parts. Play

when writing your name. A capital letter should be used for

(e.g. Simon says touch your nose then clap your hands then put your

the first letter only.) 

When starting school, I should be able to undress and

hands on your head.) Start with one instruction and build up to 2 or

dress myself independently. I need to be able to turn my

3. I should be able to follow and understand 2 part instructions

clothes the right way around if they are inside out- I will

when I start school (e.g. Put your coat on and then find your shoes.)

need to practise doing this at home. Allow your child to put

Read me stories and encourage me to join in with my favourite bits.

on/take off their own clothes, coat, tights, socks, shoes,

Ask me questions about the story. I should be able to answer some questions and talk about the characters. 

Encourage me to hold a pencil correctly. I may not be able

quietly when asked.

games like “Simon Says” – introduce several parts to the instruction

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Let me practise using scissors to cut! Show me how to hold

bag etc. 

Most of the time, I should be able to get to the toilet in

Encourage me to order and sequence events. Listen to a story- then

time. I must be able to wipe myself fully independently

retell it to mummy/daddy/granny etc. Look at photos from days

(practise doing this using toilet paper rather than moist

out/holidays etc and ask your child to organise them and retell what happened. Model using words such as: first, next, last, before,

wipes.) 

after, finally.

I will need to be able to use a knife and fork to try cutting my own food. Encourage me to use a knife and fork (rather than spoon) to eat my meals. I should have some

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understanding of how I can be healthy.  Personal, Social and emotional Development 

Encourage me to make new friends and talk to others. I should be able to share and take turns (I may sometimes need a little support to do this.)

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Provide opportunities to play games where there is a winner and a loser (I should understand that I cannot always win!)

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Encourage me to talk about my feelings. How do I feel in different situations? Why? How do others feel? How can we tell if someone is happy/sad/excited/lonely/worried/angry? I should be able to talk about how I feel and understand how others might be feeling.

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Give me lots of opportunities to make my own decisions. Would I prefer cereal or toast? Which present would be best for my friend? What am I most looking forward to about starting school?

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I need to be able to think independently and make some simple decisions.

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7 work, resilience/not giving up, having courage/being brave enough to try new things.

Encourage skills which support my personal and social development- collaboration/team

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If I like to ask “why” ask me “well why do you think?” This gives me the chance to think for myself.

The School Day 08:45am

The school gates open and the children arrive

08:45 – 09:10am

Indoor learning through play

9:10 – 09:20am

Adult led session

9:20 – 10:30am

Indoor/outdoor learning through play, adult led activities and snack/milk

10:45 – 11:00am

Adult led session

11:00 – 11:45am

Indoor/outdoor learning through play and adult led activities

11:45 – 1:00am

Lunchtime

1:00 – 1:20pm

Register and Phonics

1:20 – 3:00pm

Indoor/outdoor learning through play, adult led activities and snack/milk

3:00 – 3:15pm

Story and fruit

3:15pm

Hometime

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The School Day Start of the Day:

End of the Day:

At the end of the day, parents can access the playground from 3:10pm.

Children and parents walk up the drive on the marked pedestrian area up to the playground at the back of school.

Parent’s wait in the outdoor area of Class 1.

The teacher will open the door and dismiss the children as and when they see their designated adult.

The barrier will be closed from 8:30am and no vehicles are permitted onto the drive at this time.

It is vital that you inform us if there is someone other than yourself who is picking up your child. All parents provide the school with a password and a designated adult list that is required in order to collect a child. If the school has any reason to be unsure, the child will remain in school until we have contacted yourselves. Under 16s are not permitted to collect children at Stalmine Primary School and Nursery.

Class 1 and Class 2 enter school through the side gate at the end of the playground area.

The gates for Class 1 and Class 2 will be open at 08:45am.

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School Dinners: Milk and Fruit Children at Stalmine are provided with a midmorning snack and milk as well as a piece of fresh fruit at the end of the day.

At the start of reception we encourage all children to try school dinners, especially as they are free! Teaching staff accompany the children to dinner for the first few weeks and will be able to tell you what your child has eaten. Our school dinners are made fresh on site and are provided by Lancashire County Council. We provide copies of the menu in advance and in the morning, children are able to choose what they would like to eat.

However if your child still finds it hard to choose something to eat we may ask you to provide a packed lunch.

Please let us know if your child has any diary or wheat intolerances or any food allergies.

Please inform school of any allergies that your child may have.

A Healthy School All Stalmine pupils are provided with a water bottle.

Children can bring their water bottle to school every day.

Water is essential to hydrate your child’s brain and to help them to learn. Bottles must only contain water.

Juice and flavoured waters are not allowed. If your child brings anything other than water the bottle will be returned to you at the end of the day, unused. Sweets and crisps are not allowed to be brought into school.

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Induction Programme 2019 Date Friday 14th June

Activity New Starter Session 9:30am – 10:30am For parents and children This will give you the opportunity to meet with other new parents, the class teacher as well as enabling you to get a feel of life at Stalmine Primary School and Nursery. During the morning, your child will have the opportunity to meet other new starters and begin to form new friendships.

During the morning you will also be able to ask the class teacher and Miss Binns any questions you may have.

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Friday June 09:30am – 10:30am

Come to the main office to be let through to Class 1.

Stay and Play For children only These sessions are an opportunity for your child to familiarise themselves with the classroom independently without parental/carer support. We ask that children bring their wellies in case of bad weather – they may come home a little muddy while they get to explore our outdoor area!

Friday 5th July

Please bring your child to the office where Miss Clarke or Miss Pozzi will meet them and take your child to Class 1.

Stay and Play

08:45am – 12:00am For children only.

Tuesday 3rd As we are lucky enough to have small class sizes, we don’t have a phased start here at Stalmine. Children September start full time straight from the first day.

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General Information Attendance Please arrive on time for school at 8.45am so your child does not miss the start of lessons. If your child is late please bring them to the front office so they can be registered for the day. Lateness is recorded and can have an impact on your child’s learning. If your child is not attending school for medical reasons please telephone the school office no later than 9.30am and inform us of the reason for their absence each day.

Illness If your child is ill during the school day, then they will need to be collected as soon as possible. Please make sure the office have all the telephone numbers necessary to contact you at either work or home. Please keep your child off school if they are unwell. In the case of sickness or diarrhoea, children should not come to school until 48hrs after the last occurrence.

Medical appointments It is helpful to know in advance about any medical appointments. Please request an appointment card when making your child’s appointment which can be shown to the staff in the office.

Medicines Designated staff will administer medication to children only when it has been prescribed by a doctor. Medication should have a prescription label with the child’s name and dosage clearly visible. You will be required to complete a consent form at the office when handing over the medication.

Health care plans If your child has any continuous medical needs please contact Mrs Parkinson, our SENDCo to complete an individual healthcare plan.

Asthma For children with asthma, please complete the asthma card form in the induction pack and provide the school with a clearly labelled inhaler stating your child’s name and dosage. If a spacer is required, it is the parents’ responsibility to provide this.

Head lice Please regularly check your child’s hair for head lice. Girls should always have their hair tied up for school to reduce the spread of head lice.

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Parent Consent Forms Within this pack are a range of consent forms that we ask you to read through, complete and return by/on Friday 14th June.

They include:  Pupil Data Collection Form  Home School Agreement  Free School Meals and Pupil Premium Form.       

Parental consent form for transportation of pupils Parental consent form for trips within school day Home/School Agreement for Dojo School Collection Form GDPR forms NHS Medical Forms (inc School Asthma Card for those who require it) Tapestry Consent Form

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Learning at Stalmine Reception is where the excitement begins! Foundation stage children learn together in an environment which is developed around the children’s interests. We pride ourselves on being an exciting and engaging place to be - encouraging our children to be independent learners through a range of practical activities. We follow a curriculum which allows us to be creative with our lessons and let the children lead their own learning.

As our Foundation Stage children enter the classroom they learn primarily through a variety of play and real-life experiences. Our teaching is delivered through carefully planned tasks and guided key jobs. The children access their environment freely; however they understand they must complete 'key jobs' throughout the week which will scaffold and extend their learning. Their development is tracked through detailed, daily observations and childinitiated interaction. This information is then transferred into your child's personal learning journey on Tapestry a diary of information and photographs. We use these to record individual interests, progress and plan the next steps of your child's learning.

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The EYFS Curriculum In reception our Foundation Stage children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS). This curriculum is based upon four themes and principles.

The Unique Child - We understand that every child is an individual child who is capable in their own right. The holistic child has a variety of needs that need meeting over their time in the Foundation Stage.

Positive Relationships - Social interaction is key to children’s development. Children become strong, independent learners; as well as scaffolding their learning through positive social interaction.

Enabling Environments - Providing a safe, secure and stimulating base for your children is key to their development. The framework allows for experiences that respond to the child’s individual needs/ interests; as well as developing a strong partnership between practitioners, parents and carers.

Learning and Development - Children develop and learn in different ways. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.

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Early Learning Goals Within `Development Matters’ there are 3 prime areas of learning and 4 specific areas. This framework provides the basis of how we structure the setting, the activities and opportunities we provide; as well as how we assess your child’s development. For each of these areas your child will have an ‘Early Learning Goal’ to work towards.

Prime Areas Communication and language Personal, social and emotional development Physical development Specific Areas Literacy Mathematics Understanding the world Expressive arts and design Characteristics of Effective Learning Playing and exploring Active learning Creating and thinking critically 16

Forest School We are very fortunate to be able to provide forest school experiences within the school grounds.

Children will all have an opportunity over the year to attend forest school. Small groups attend for 6 weeks and learn fantastic skills and gain the opportunity to explore and develop their outdoor skills. This gives the children a wonderful opportunity to become independent and lead their own learning in a natural environment. When it is your child’s turn, please send them to school in old, warm clothing and suitable footwear. They also need to bring their school uniform and a change of shoes for their return to the classroom as forest schools can often get muddy. Parents will be reminded by text that their child is attending forest school before their first session. If your child has not brought suitable clothing we will be unable to take them on this wonderful experience so please make sure they have everything they need.

RE All pupils take part in a daily act of collective worship unless a child’s parents have exercised their right of withdrawal. Parents also have the right to withdraw their child from RE lessons and religious celebrations such as Christmas nativities and Easter celebrations. Please inform the school in writing if you wish to exercise this right. Religious Education is provided in accordance with the County Agreed Syllabus, which is mainly Christian in context, but includes studies of other World Religions.

Reading We currently use a combination of Collins Big Cat and Oxford Reading Books to support our phonics and reading scheme. Information on this scheme can be found online. Parent sessions will also be held in school to help you to understand the system and therefore support your child with their learning. We want every child to be the best reader they can be as we believe this opens up the world to children and gives them the best opportunity to succeed in life. We also have the Stalmine Little Library outside the office that is available for all children of the village and is accessible at any time.

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School Uniform Our school uniform consists of a navy sweatshirt and white polo T-shirt printed with the school logo. A uniform order form has been included with this induction pack. Uniform can be purchased in school or at Mike Sports World in Garstang.

Footwear must be black shoes not trainers. All shoes must be fully enclosed at all times, so no sandals please. To help your child to be independent it is better to choose shoes with a Velcro fastening rather than laces. Girls shoes should fasten and not have a high heel for safety reasons.

In Class 1 we also ask for wellies to be provided as the children are often outdoors in all weathers, as well as exploring our forest school areas.

Black or dark trousers/ skirts are allowed but jeans and tracksuit bottoms are not. Girls also have the option of wearing a blue gingham dress in summer.

Jewellery and nail varnish are not permitted.

A book bag and water bottle are provided by the school and will be given to your child on their first full day in school (Tuesday 3rd September) For physical activities children need gym shoes or pumps that can be managed independently. We would like our children to wear a smart PE kit of blue school T-shirt (available to purchase in school) and navy shorts which can also be purchased from a range of retail outlets.

It is essential that you label ALL of your child’s clothing. All jumpers, trousers and P.E. kits look the same and you have a much better chance of your child coming home with their belongings if they are clearly labelled. Try to remember this throughout the school year too, when purchasing new items.

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As our learning environment is both indoors and outdoors, we ask that you make sure your child is equipped for these areas at all times of the year. Please ensure their clothing is practical and suitable for the seasonal changes. Waterproof jackets and winter clothing for cold weather; sun hat and protective clothing in the summer months. We ask that sun cream is applied before the children get to school so that they are ready for the day.

P.E. kits are left in school for a half term. At the end of the half term they are returned to be washed and for shoes to be checked in case children have out grown them.

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After School Clubs All reception children are given an opportunity to attend after school clubs. These are often fun extra-curricular activities such as sports, music and art clubs. These have limited places and are allocated on a first come first served basis. Detail of the clubs will be sent home at the time and completed permission slips can be returned to the class teachers or the office. You will then receive conformation of whether your child has a place. All our clubs are very popular and fill up quickly – so we would always recommend returning slips as soon as possible.

Children’s University Children's University is a national scheme to recognise learning that children complete out of lesson hours.

It is for children that are in Reception to Year 6 at school.

Children count up hours of learning that takes place in school clubs such as computer club and happy feet as well as activities that they might do outside of school such as Scouting or swimming lessons.

Only hours spent learning can be counted towards achieving an award. There are different levels of awards to recognise number of hours learning.

Towards the end of the school year, the children visit a local university where there is a graduation ceremony for all the children who have participated and gained an award. Hours carry over from previous years so that the children can earn the higher awards.

If your child takes part in any clubs out of school, please inform Miss Binns who will contact Lancashire Children's University. All out of school clubs need to be validated by Lancashire Children's University in order for any learning to be credited.

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SEND At Stalmine Primary School and Nursery we are committed to the equal inclusion of all pupils in all areas of school life. We recognise the diverse and individual needs of all our pupils and take into account the additional support required by those children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We aim to provide a secure and accessible environment in which all our children can flourish and all contributions are considered and valued. Inclusion is a thread that runs through all of the activities at school. We understand the importance of discussing concerns that a child may have special educational needs with parents and carers. We value their opinions and recognise the importance of working together to achieve the best outcomes for your child. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator or SENDCo, is Mrs Parkinson. Class teachers can be approached if you have any concerns and they may approach parents and carers to raise any problems your child may be having with their learning.

Child Protection Every child is placed in the care of their class teacher and this should be the first person they turn to in times of need. Parents are asked to talk to staff if they have any worries or are concerned that something happening at home may affect their child’s behaviour at school. If there are any domestic difficulties, please let us know so that we can ensure your child is given sympathetic attention.

Our first concern is your child’s welfare. The school has a commitment to the welfare and protection of all children in our care. The school’s Child Protection Policy is there to help children as part of the overall school approach to safety. On occasions the school may need to contact other agencies before contacting the parent. The head teacher, Miss Binns is the Child Protection Named Person. Stalmine School is also a part of Operation Encompass. Operation Encompass directly connects the police with schools to secure better outcomes for children who are subject or witness to police-attended incidents of domestic abuse. Rapid provision of support within the school environment means children are better safeguarded against the short-, medium- and long-term effects of domestic abuse.

Complaints If you have any issues or complaints your child’s teacher should be approached first. If you do not feel that a satisfactory solution has been found then please speak to the head teacher Miss Binns.

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School Holiday List Holiday List 2019/20

Close After School

Re-Open Tuesday 3rd September 2019

Autumn Half Term

Friday 18th October 2019

Monday 28th October 2019

Christmas

Friday 20th December 2019

Monday 6th January 2020

Spring Half Term

Friday 14th February 2020

Monday 24th February 2020

Easter May Day

Friday 3rd April 2020 Monday 4th May 2020 closed all day

Monday 20th April 2020 Tuesday 5th May 2020

Summer Half Term

Friday 22nd May 2020

Thursday 4th June 2020

Summer Closure INSET DAYS (School closed to Pupils)

Friday 17th July 2020 Monday 2nd September 2019 Monday to Wednesday 1st – 3rd June 2020 Monday 20th July 2020

Term Time Holidays From September 2013 Government regulations around holidays in term time changed. The regulations make it clear that schools may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Applications for holidays in term time will be refused unless parents can demonstrate and prove there are exceptional circumstances relating to the holiday request. If you take your child out of school without permission this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence and noted on your child’s record and may result in each parent being issued with a fixed penalty fine for each child taken out of school. Only the head teacher can authorise absences from school. For further details, please see our attendance policy on our website.

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