Elm Class (EYFS)

ELM CLASS:

2024 - 2025

(Early Years & Foundation Stage)

Mrs O'Regan & Mrs Catterall

Welcome to Elm Class!

The Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is a short, interactive and practical assessment of your child’s early literacy, communication, language and mathematics skills when they begin school, using materials that most children of your child’s age will be familiar with. It became statutory for all schools from September 2021.

Please find a more information about the RBA in the document attached.

The Early Years Foundation Stage

Please read the documents below which outline the principles of the Early Years and Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and how our children learn in Reception. The Early Years Framework has been revised from September 2021. An updated copy of the framework is available below.

The Overview documents also offer more detail about the learning in each area of the Early Years and Foundation Stage curriculum.

Class Information

PE 

*NEW* PE Procedures

Elm Class will have PE on a Wednesday and a Friday.

Please bring PE kits to school at the beginning of each term in a separate bag.  Children will get changed into PE kits during the school day.  This is now recommended practice from the national PE Association, to help support independence and fine motor skills. Uniform does not need to be expensive - for example, from ASDA you can get 2 t-shirts, 2 pairs of shorts and pumps for around £12. Our school PE kit is: 

• Red t-shirt 
• Black shorts
• Black pumps/ or trainers (No logos or branding)
• Children may bring black tracksuit bottoms for outdoor sports in the winter.

All uniform and PE kit items - including shoes - need to be labelled with the children's first and last name so we can make sure they go home with the right person. 

Children should not be wearing branded clothing.  The only item of clothing with a logo is our school sweatshirt, which is available from Mary Frances in Longridge - please see the Office for more details.

Please do not send your child in clothes which are not school uniform.

Stud earrings are fine to wear during school. On PE days, please ensure that earrings are removed or covered with plasters before the start of the school day.

Reading in Elm Class

Children are expected to read a minimum of three times a week at home.

Please make sure yellow reading diaries are signed. Children do not have to read the whole book each time - a few pages each time will really help them in class. Books will be changed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 

Initially we will send home wordless books until we have started to teach phonics and children are able to blend and segment simple words. This is an excellent opportunity to encourage story language and discussion about books to support their comprehension as they progress through school. Ask a range of questions using who, what, where, when, how etc... 

- How is the character feeling?

- Where might you see this character / place / item at home?

- What might happen next? 

- What happened at the beginning, middle and end of the story?

- Who was your favourite character?

Tapestry

Elm Class use an online profile to build up evidence of children’s learning and achievements in school, using an online system called “Tapestry”.  This system is used with our children in Reception and some children in Year One, to share their progress with parents and carers. An email will be sent inviting parents and carers to sign up to access Tapestry from home, so that you can track your child during the school year and contribute to their learning journey.

By downloading the App and logging on with a secure username and password, you will be able to view your child’s observations, photographs and videos from school. You can also sign up to receive an email telling you when a new observation or piece of work is available for you to view. You will be able to add comments and pictures from home, on trips or visits. Any information is stored on a highly secure server which only accessed and monitored closely by staff.

Should you have any questions, please speak with Mrs O'Regan.