Welcome to Hoglets
Key Staff Members
EYFS Lead - Mrs Taplin Nursery Teacher - Mrs Bobat TA - Miss Bobat TA - Mrs Parveen
Coming Soon: Images of our amazing nursery environment
We would like to welcome you and your child to Nursery's class page. There will be lots of exciting information you can find on this page. We hope you find the information useful. If you have any further questions or queries, please do not hesitate to find one of us as we will be more than happy to assist you with any of your concerns.
As a staff team, we strongly believe we can meet your child’s needs more effectively if we work together. We value your input as your child’s primary carer and as an expert on your child. We rely on your partnership, so together we can provide your child with the highest quality education and care. This will make their time at school happy and enjoyable.
Each morning, staff are available at the entrance gate/door into nursery for you to pass on quick messages or ask questions. If you need a more private moment, or need to speak to your child’s class teacher at length, you are very welcome to make an appointment to arrange this.
School times
There are two Nursery classes in Birchills C of E Primary Academy, a morning class and an afternoon class, each lasting 3 hours.
Morning sessions start at 8.30am until 11.30am
Afternoon sessions start at 12.10pm until 3.10pm
Class Dojo App
Please download the Class Dojo App. Nursery use this platform to communicate with parents/carers and share important information, important dates and messages about what is happening in nursery.
Tapestry App
Tapestry is the digital learning journey app that nursery staff use to measure progress and children’s learning. The digital learning journey app will include photographs and videos of your child accessing the nursery curriculum.
Milk
Your child is entitled free milk up to the age of 5. Your child will receive this every day. If your child does not like milk or is allergic to milk please let the Nursery teacher know and we can provide a drink of water.
We encourage healthy eating and ensure your child is given a daily choice of fruit which is free of charge.
Going to the Toilet
Most children, when they come to Nursery, should be able to go the toilet by themselves. If necessary, a member of staff will reassure your child and help them to wash their hands. In case of an accident, parents are asked to provide a spare pair of pants and trousers, which can be kept in a bag on your child’s peg.
For the children who are being toilet trained or are still in nappies; please ensure you speak to a member of staff and complete our intimate care consent forms to allow staff with the permission to change your child’s nappy/pull up. Please also ensure you provide a bag with nappies/pull ups, wipes and nappy sacks. This can be kept in your child’s nursery bag, which they can place on their bags.
PE Kit
Your child will be doing PE once a week on a Monday. Please could you ensure that your child comes dressed from home in their school PE kit. Your child will be given a coloured T-shirt in their house colour to wear for P.E.
Clothing and Weather
Nursery is about active learning and this involves a range of activities both inside and out. Please ensure that your child wears suitable clothes for the various types of play they will be enjoying. We provide aprons to protect clothing but sometimes accidents happen and clothes may get paint or mud on them.
We value outdoor play experiences and therefore use our outdoor area in all weather. Please can you ensure your child is dressed appropriately for all weathers. Everyday your child needs to come to school in a waterproof coat, which you don’t mind getting messy as we spend lots of time outside.
During winter please try to provide gloves, scarf, hat and a suitable coat.
In summer please try to provide your child with appropriate clothing and a sun hat. As your child will be climbing and running no open toe sandals are allowed in nursery. We ask parents to take responsibility for applying a sun screen to all exposed areas of children’s skin before nursery.
Forest School
On our school grounds we have a small Forest area. Nursery children will access the Forest School during the Summer Term. Where they will take part in some Forest Schools activities with our trained staff.
Library
Our library day in nursery is on a Monday. Children will have the opportunity to talk to a member of staff about the book they have read at home. Children will also have the choice of choosing another book to explore at home with their parents or carers.
Homework
Nursery homework is usually sent home on a Friday via the schools Class Dojo App. The homework provides you with ideas and activities you can complete with your child to support and embed their learning experiences. On some occasions your child will also bring paper homework home to support their learning.
Curriculum
The Early Years Foundation Stage framework has seven areas of learning and development. Each learning area has early learning goals. These set out the skills, understanding, knowledge and attitudes that it is hoped children will reach or exceed by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children will be at different stages of progress towards these goals depending on their age and stage of development. The Practice Guidance describes typical development from birth to 5 years of age in each of these areas. Of course, children are individual and not all will fit into this typical pattern of progress. At Birchills Academy staff understand this and take this into account when planning activities and experiences.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-matters
The Early Years Curriculum
Children in the Foundation Stage follow the ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ curriculum which covers all 7 areas of a child’s development.
There are 3 Prime Areas of Learning
Personal, Social and Emotional development
Communication and Language
Physical development
There are 4 Specific Areas of Learning:-
Literacy
Mathematics
Expressive Arts and Design
Understanding of the World
We observe our children to understand and consider their interests, development and learning- planning for and facilitating the 3 ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’.
Playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’;
Active Learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements; and
Creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
Planning
At Birchills Academy staff plan very carefully for all areas of the learning. Information about each half term's topic is shared with families, as part of our drive to work in partnership via the Class Dojo App. We also plan for individual learning. Our aims in all areas of the curriculum work towards the Early Learning Goals.
Our Learning Environment
In Early Years, our children follow an active curriculum both indoors and outdoors. Our indoor classrooms are bright, stimulating and caring to meet the needs of our youngest children. Our newly developed ‘outdoor classrooms’ ensure the children have access to high-quality provision throughout the day – no matter what the weather!