The Foundation
Phase
Parents Induction Meeting Wednesday 29th June 2011
A warm welcome to Goytre
Fawr Primary School
Reception Class RB
• Mrs Sue Bowker- Head of Foundation Phase
• A teacher for ‘xxxxxx’ years with a growing
expertise for Foundation Phase and Early
Years pupils!
• Within the reception class, the current
WAG ratio for pupils/adults is 10:1,
therefore there will be 2 teaching assistants
attached to this class; Mrs Ruth Roberts and
Miss Lee Jeffries.
The big bosses!
(Photo taken by Jack, aged 5!)
What is the Foundation Phase?
• The foundation phase begins when
children reach the age of three, when
children might attend a nursery or play
school setting.
• The final year of the Foundation phase is
when children are in a Y2 class of a
primary school and are 7 years of age.
• It prepares children for learning in their
future school career.
Areas of learning…
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The foundation stage curriculum is split into
seven areas of learning…
Personal, social and emotional development
Communication, language and literacy
Mathematical development
Knowledge and understanding of the world
Creative Development
Physical Development
Developing Welsh Language
Personal, Social and
Emotional Development
• Encourages children to be independent
and to interact with other children and
adults.
• Helps children to become confident, safe,
secure and ready to learn from new
experiences.
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Personal and Social;
or how to become an independent
learner!
Circle time/philosophy time; talk,
listen ask contribute
Playing together and independently
Establish routines
Working in pairs and small groups
Talking to adults in school
Planning the day’s activities
Review of the day/week
Show outstanding work
Taking responsibility
Dress and undress independently
Communicate needs
Use self help systems; milk, register,
aprons, PE
Explore stories through role-play,
small world and puppetry
Tell others about new, exciting news
Communication, Language and
Literacy
• Encourages children to develop conversational skills.
• Will help children to develop listening and
concentration skills.
• Enables children to begin to hear sounds in words and
to link these sounds to letters.
• Encourages children to develop pencil control and to
begin to make marks on paper.
• Will help children to learn to read individual words and
eventually, simple stories independently.
Learning to read!!!
Read, Write, Inc.
• Throughout the
Foundation Phase,
reading and writing
skills are introduced
through the synthetic
phonic scheme, RWI.
• Skills acquired are used
across the curriculum
and in many play
situations!
Being the teacher is fun!!
RWI is enjoyed by everyone! Whoosh!!
Pupils are regularly
assessed and
grouped according to
their learning needs
and maturity.
Mathematical Development
• Helps children to count up to ten and beyond.
• Encourages them to use mathematical words
such as greater, smaller, heavier, lighter, more,
less etc
• Develops skills in comparing and sorting
objects.
• Supports children’s understanding of shape and
size including 2D and 3D shapes.
• Develop a ‘mental maths mind’ and
promote using and applying new skills.
• Begin the processes of computation
Math’s Trails!
We have lots of
problems to solve!
And lots of things to find
out!
Knowledge and Understanding of the
World
• Helps children to gain an understanding of their
world (Geography)
• Encourages them to look at changes over time
(History)
• Encourages them to explore and investigate
(Science)
• Helps to develop designing and making skills
(D&T)
• Will give your children the opportunity to
understand and use information and
communication technology (ICT).
Jungles to explore and oceans to discover!
We love ICT!!!
Finding out about the wider world,
and being brave too!
Nm,mnm
The importance of role play!
Variety is the spice of
life!
Looking after our very own garden!
But we love to dig, too!
Engineers of the future!
Building a den ..........
.....and designing a bridge!
Physical Development
• Supports children’s healthy development.
• Provides opportunities for using a range
of large and small equipment.
• Helps them to develop a sense of space
around themselves and others.
• Encourages balance.
• Develops practical skills such as dressing,
undressing etc
Creative Development
• Inspires children to explore colour and
colour changes.
• Helps them to explore shape and texture
using all of their senses.
• Develops an interest in music, singing and
music-making.
• Develops confidence and imagination.
Dale helps us in P.E. and we love to
play our recorders!
Being Physical!!
Watch out for the
Troll!
We love our climbing
equipment, even in the
rain!!
Creative (or is it literacy?)
Yes! We can draw on
the floor!!
And on the fence too!
Being creative is fun!
Developing Welsh Language
• We introduce the teaching of Welsh through
structured conversations, planned topic
vocabulary and lots of incidental language! (If
you are a ‘Welsh speaker’, please let us know.
We love you to read a story for us!!!!)
A typical day in Reception…
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8.50 Come in and settle in for the day!
9.00-9.10 Registration and dinners
9.10-9.25 ‘Wake and Shake!’
9.25-9.55 ‘Read, Write, Inc’
9.455-10.15 Language and Literacy
10.15-10.30 Assembly
10.30-10.45 Fruit Party
11.00-12.10 Mathematical Development
12.15-1.30 Dinnertime
1.30-2.40 Creative/Physical/Knowledge and
Understanding of World/R.E./PSHE
• 2.45-2.55 Outdoor Play
• 2.55-3.30 Story/singing/circle time
What can you do to help your
child’s literacy development???
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Pre-reader
Words to learn
Reading Book
Sounds to learn
Ongoing-encourage mark making,
writing name and other words
• Follow our handwriting guidance
What can you do to help your child’s
mathematical development???
• Practise counting at any time-climbing
the stairs, shopping etc
• Play simple board games
• Sing number rhymes and songs together
• Know what topic is being covered in
class- then you can concentrate on the
same skills!
Assessments
• In the first few weeks of school life, we
will assess your child in all areas by
administering a baseline. This enables us
to plan the best way forward for each of
our pupils.
• You will be invited to a parents
consultation early in the Autumn term
to discuss this settling in period.
Now! The really important stuff!!
• Dinner money organisation and payments
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Dinners can be chosen from the menu daily as well as pupils bringing their own
packed lunch. However, as we are a Healthy School, no fizzy drinks are allowed!
Payments are made in advance and calculated on a ‘credit’ system. The cost is
£1.60p.
Please send any payments into school in a named, sealed envelope.
• Fruit party
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Pupils are provided with a seasonal fruit salad everyday. Payment is £1 per week,
(plus £1) and we would appreciate those payments in full at the beginning of each
half term! (Thank you in advance!)
• Drinks
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We encourage all pupils to drink water regularly as this is proven to help stimulate
mental ability and sustain concentration skills! A named water bottle will be
provided and this is kept in school where it is cleansed daily.
Drinking bottles are filled daily with fresh drinking
water. Labelled with names and house colours!!
There’s more!!!!!!
• Morning and afternoon organisation
• Morning am
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Please allow your child to come into their classroom by themselves! It is the first
step in your little one becoming an independent learner! (I know it’s hard to do,
but trust me- it will be easier for you too!) A member of staff will always be there
to welcome them and help them settle in for the day. If your child travels on the
bus, again a staff member will meet the bus and escort them onto the school
premises.
• Afternoon pm
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Safety is paramount at every time of day! At the end of the day, pupils are only
allowed out of school when we see the appointed family or friend at the ‘gate’.
Please advise us if there is any change to ‘the norm’ as we do not accept verbal
confirmation from our pupils. (Would you always believe what your 4 year old
tells you!!!!) Again, bus children are taken onto the buses and seat belts are
checked before leaving.
Sorry! Just a few more!!
Please, please, please name
everything that you child
brings or wears to school! (And I really
mean everything!!)
• PE kit
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Your child will need a kit that will stay in school at all times. A t-shirt, shorts and a
pair of daps (all named, of course!) in a recognisable PE bag. The kit will be sent
home regularly for washing and size changing. Our regular timetabled day for PE is
Wednesday, but we often use it at other times too!
• Ps We do have a no jewellery policy. If your child does
have pieced ears, please ensure they wear studs.
Look at our lovely models showing
their PE kits!
A school PE bag........
..and a very pretty PE bag! (I
think Nanny made this one!)
Other matters…
• Children will read twice a week with Teacher
and Classroom Assistant-please return blue
bags to school on a Monday and a Friday.
• Please do not let your little ones bring toys to
school! The tears we have had from broken
Barbie and crashed cars!!!!
• We are not allowed to administer medicines in
school. If your child needs to have a ‘dose’ in
school time, please see a member of staff.
• ........and if you little one still finds going to the
toilet tricky.........let us know and pop a spare
set of pants in their bag!!!(it’s ‘no big deal!)
Wet weather!!!!
That most British of problems!
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The foundation Phase
ethos promotes experiential learning in
all areas of the school and in all weathers!
Who can remember the joy of jumping
in a puddle or splashing about in the rain?
• We provide all pupils with wet weather
trousers, but ask you to provide a pair of
named wellingtons which will remain in
school all year.
www.goytrefawrprimary.ik.org
Please take time to visit our website as you
will find lots of interesting things on there!
A little something to get into shape for over
the next few months!
(and you thought it was going to be easy!!)
And Finally… (Yes, you all
shout!!!!!)
• We strive to provide a safe, stimulating and
secure environment in which your child will
blossom and make progress in all areas of the
curriculum. We will achieve this by creating a
partnership with you as parents and careers. 
• If you have any worries or concerns please
come in and see me and I will do my best to
help you .......a problem shared?
• I look forward to working with you and your
child in September 
Mrs Sue Bowker 