Donaldson:  EYFS - Nursery and Reception

Play is our brain's favourite way of learning.

    Welcome to Donaldson Class

Can you guess who our favourite author is?

Sunbeam's class teachers are Miss Morris (EYFS Lead) and Mrs. Moody (Headteacher). The teaching assistants are Mrs. Priest, Mrs. Blackwell, and Miss Cooper.

Teaching and Learning

Every day we do phonics, communication, language and literacy, and maths on the carpet. In the afternoons we do our Lenthall Learning Challenge related learning and activities.

A typical day in the Foundation Stage Unit involves lots of time to explore our different areas of learning both indoors and out. Our provision is set up so that we aim to use the outdoors as much as possible. We are PROUD of our Lenthall outdoor learning areas and recognise that it provides a wealth of opportunities for children to explore the natural world, and seasons and of course ... get physical!

In Foundation Stage we enjoy learning through play and we have lots of areas set up to explore which helps us learn and develop.

The areas we have inside are water, investigation, funky fingers, malleable writing, phonics, maths, reading, construction, computing, small-world creativity, and role play.

We are fortunate enough to have a lovely outdoor area and this continues to be developed. The areas we have outside are sand, water, gardening, investigation, maths, reading, writing, creativity, and construction. We also have a mud kitchen and a forest school area.

Every Wednesday we have P.E with our specialist coach Mr. Modest. During the winter months, this is in the school hall. As the weather improves, we go outdoors, as much as possible, to do sports and PE games.

Lenthall EYFS Learning Challenge Curriculum

Reading

Alongside our phonics teaching, children bring home a decodable (Collins Big Cat) reading book, matched to the phonemes they are learning, and a 'Love to Read' book to share with an adult. Phonics packs and support at-home cards are shared with parents at the beginning of the year and through Seesaw.

We encourage you to read daily with your child to help build up their reading skills. When you have read with your child you can write about it in their reading record and then on their book change day, we will send a new book home.

Reading is opening doors to a world of adventures...

 

Assessment

For every child, we use Seesaw as an online learning platform to record learning and achievements as well as share what we have been doing in school. You can even add your own observations and comment on the ones we add.

For more information, please see a member of staff.

Trips and Visitors

We try to make our learning as enjoyable as possible and invite visitors to the school for hands-on learning experiences. We enjoy going out on visits to local places such as the bakery and Dronfield Station and we aim to go on trips each year to places that support the teaching and learning that we have been doing in class. In the past, we have been to Yorkshire Wildlife Park, The Deep and 

PE Kit

From September 2022, we will be continuing to ask you to send your child to school on their PE days in their P.E kit as part of their activewear school uniform as we have done throughout Covid. This makes for a much easier transition between classroom-based and PE lessons.

PE days are as follows:

The whole school PE day is Wednesday.

• Black- shorts, joggers or leggings
• White or royal blue t-shirt
• Trainers/pumps for outdoor use – plain, dark colour, no fashion trainers/lights etc
• Black zipped tracksuit top/hoodie.

Please be aware of the weather and dress appropriately.

No jewellery is to be worn during P.E. – this includes stud earrings.

Snack

Each day we have a morning snack which is a free piece of fruit. All children under 5 years old also receive free milk. Once a child turns 5 years old parents can pay for this. 

Water Bottles

We ask that parents send a full water bottle to school with their child every day. As a Healthy School, we encourage the children to drink water to stay hydrated and to be healthy.

Play is the answer to how anything new comes about.

Jean Piaget