Welcome to Foundation Stage
Learning in Foundation Stage
In Foundation Stage, we believe that young children learn best through play and following their own interests. With this in mind, we decide on a theme for each half term but this will often change direction based on the children's ideas and fascinations.
Children in our Foundation Stage learn by exploring and investigating our areas of provision in which resources and activities are set to challenge and extend learning and development. In addition to our engaging indoor and outdoor provision, children take part in daily focused activities in which they are directly taught skills and knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics.
Spring One: Are Aliens Real?
Welcome back! We hope you all had a lovely Christmas. This half term is going to be very exciting because we are going to be learning all about space and we will be thinking about whether aliens are real. We have so many thrilling texts to read such as ‘Aliens love underpants’ and ‘Whatever Next’. These texts will link well to our literacy work. During the second week of the half term, the whole school will be holding a friendship week. In EYFS, we will be learning about how to be a good friend to others through the story ‘The Rainbow Fish’.
Phonics sessions will continue as normal. We will continue with the Read, Write Inc scheme. Your child will be in small groups learning new sounds and practicing these sounds through ‘Fred Talk’. Please keep an eye out on Dojo for any supporting resources that we upload onto the class story.
During our math sessions, we will be exploring capacity and weight this half term. We will also continue to focus on the numbers 0-10.
Again, it’s another fun packed half term of learning. Please keep these dates in your diaries.
Key Dates
16th January – Odd Socks Day for Friendship Week
31st January- Chinese New Year Stay and Play
5th February- Forest School Day
7th February – Number Day
11th and 12th February – Parents Evening
14th February – Last Day of Half Term
24th February – Return to School
Autumn Two: Where Do We Live?
This half-term our learning is about houses and homes! We will learn about different festivals and traditions such as Diwali and Christmas. We will think about what type of houses we live in and we will think about our local area.
We would love to celebrate each other, and would like it if you could send either Mrs Graham or Miss Wilson a photograph (through DOJO message) of where you live. This could be a photo of you standing in front of your house, it could be your front door, it could be a park near your house - Anything to build a big collage of where we live.
We will be continuing with daily, phonics sessions during this half term. We follow the Read Write Inc phonics programme so please check the link below for video clips and ways you can support your child at home.
In maths we follow the White Rose Maths programme. We will continue learning all about the numbers to 10 and securing our knowledge on each number by exploring different ways of showing the amount. We use BBC Numberblocks to support us with our mathematical understanding and development. We will also start to learn the names and describe the properties of 2D shapes.
There's lots to look forward to this half-term, please keep these dates in your diaries...
Key Dates
12th November- EYFS + KS1 School Disco 4:30pm pick up
13th November- Forest School Day
5th December- Stockeld Park Reception Christmas Trip
9th December- Christmas Jumper and Activity Day
9th December- Santa Visit After School
12th December- Christmas Bingo After School
17th December- Nursery Trip to See 'The Snowman'
18th December- EYFS Nativity 9:20am
20th December- EYFS + KS1 Carols Around the Tree 9:15am
20th December- Break up for Half-term
Autumn One: Who Am I?
Welcome to Foundation Stage at Swarcliffe Primary School! We are so excited to meet all of you and get to know you over this first half term.
This half term our learning is all about you! We will learn all about who is in our family, what our favourite colour is and the different activities we like to do. We will be making creative portraits of ourselves using different materials and thinking carefully about our different features. We will also be using our senses to talk about tastes, sights, feels and smells we like and dislike.
We will be starting daily, whole class phonics sessions during this half term. We follow the Read Write Inc phonics programme so please check the link below for video clips and ways you can support your child at home.
In maths we follow the White Rose Maths programme. We will be learning all about the numbers 1-3 and securing our knowledge on each number by exploring different ways of showing the amount. We use BBC Numberblocks to support us with our mathematical understanding and development. We will also compare objects to see which group has more or less. We will be relating this to capacity to see which cups, pans and bowls can hold more or less liquid.
If you would like to see how your child is settling into school, please check tapestry where there will be daily updates to show you the interesting activities your child has been partaking in :)
Key Dates
10th September – EYFS parent meeting
12th September – Roald Dahl Day
1st October- School Photos
22nd + 23rd – Parents Evening
25th October – End of Autumn 1 Half Term
More information about these activities will be sent out
EYFS Framework
Class Dojo
Class Dojo is an online service that the school has recently signed up to. On this platform, children will receive 'Dojo points' from their teachers and as parents you will be able to observe how many points your child achieves. Class Dojo can also be used as an area for sharing information and activities that the class has taken part in. There is also a messaging service on there for parent and teacher communication. More information will be given at the Parent information meeting on 10th September.
Sporty Friday
PE lessons will take place on a weekly basis every Friday.
Reception pupils – Please come to school dressed in their PE kit every Friday.
Please follow this link to the uniform page for an update on what the PE kit entails:
https://www.swarcliffeprimary.co.uk/parents/school-uniform
Nursery pupils – you can wear either a school PE kits or comfortable sports clothes.
Tapestry
We use Tapestry Online Learning Journal to build a special record of each child's experiences and journey through their time in Foundation Stage. We use photographs, videos and notes to show learning and progression through the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage).
Communication between staff and parents on Tapestry helps to build a shared understanding of how every child can reach their full potential, we therefore encourage all parents/carers to add to their child's profile.
Stay and Play
We will be starting "Stay and Play" soon. Watch out for the dates on the newsletters.
Reading
Here is the link to Oxford Owl where you will find lots of reading books that match your child's reading level. For your username and password please see the "Oxford Owl" Tapestry upload. The link is also available on Tapestry.
2024-2025 Long Term Plan
Phonics: Read Write Inc
Here is the link to the Read Write Inc website. Read Write Inc is the scheme we use to successfully teach children how to read and write over their year in Reception. Phonics teaching using Read Write Inc will also continue into KS1. You will find lots of video clips and advice around how to support your child's reading and writing development at home.
