St Bernard’s Catholic
Primary School
Reception Parents’
Information Book
2015
1
WELCOME TO RECEPTION CLASS
Beginning school is a major event in the life of a four year
old and it won’t be long before your child will be starting
with us at St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School. There will
be lots of new things to learn and of course you will want
to ensure that you child is well prepared for this important
event. We aim to make it a happy and memorable
experience. We hope that this booklet will provide some
useful information that will help your child to settle quickly
into school.
Contents
Page
Contact information................................... 3
Our School Prayer....................................... 4
Meet the Staff.............................................. 5
Home Visits................................................... 6
Reception entry arrangements................. 7
Parents as partners..................................... 9
Preparing your child for school................ 10
The school day........................................... 12
Learning in the Foundation Stage........... 14
Handwriting............................................... 16
Clothes to wear to school......................... 17
Things to bring to school........................... 18
Helping prepare your child for school.... 19
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General Information
Our contact details are:
St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School
Station Road,
Shirehampton,
Bristol,
BS11 9TU
Telephone: 0117 903 0352
Email: st.bernards.p@bristol.gov.uk
School Website: http://stbernardsprimary.co.uk
Head Teacher: Mrs Meg Wilson
Chair of Governors: Mrs Linda Dineen
If you need to access the school during the school day (when the
main gates are locked), please ring the bell on the front door and
a member of staff will be pleased to assist you.
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Our School Prayer
On our learning journey
All: May your footsteps guide us
When we come to school each day
All: May your footsteps guide us
Within our homes and families
All: May your footsteps guide us
In our play time together
All: May your footsteps guide us
When we are feeling sad or angry
guide us
All: May your footsteps
When we are not sure what to do
guide us
All: May your footsteps
When things are going well
All: May your footsteps guide us
On our journey of faith in loving and trusting you
All: May your footsteps guide us
In all our travelling, Lord, may it be your footsteps in which we place our feet
All: We follow in your footsteps, Lord.
4
Meet the Staff
Mrs Johnstone
-
Teacher
Miss Smallcombe
-
Teacher
Mrs Clarke
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-
LSA
Home visits
Before your child starts school in September, the class team will
visit you and your child at home. This is a chance for us to meet
you and your child and find out about their preferences and
routines. This will support your child in settling into our school. It also
allows your child to begin to get to know the staff in your home
environment. During this week we will also collect the child’s
questionnaire and parent’s questionnaire given to you at the New
Parent meeting in June.
Nursery visits
If your child attends nursery or pre-school, the class team will
arrange a visit to see your child in their nursery/pre-school setting.
As well as meeting your child, staff will begin to gather information
from their key workers. This allows us to prepare for your child’s
arrival, incorporate their interests and help them to feel
comfortable on their first days. This should make the transition
process an exciting and enjoyable start to their primary education
and ensure that they settle quickly with their new friends.
School visit
On Tuesday 14th July your child will attend a short session in our
classroom. Please see the attached letter to find out the exact
times.
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Reception entry arrangements 2015/16
Children will have a wide range of skills and interests when they
start school at four years old. Initial entry to school can be a tiring
and stressful experience because everything is new and different.
To ensure a happy start to their life at St Bernard’s children initially
attend for either a morning or an afternoon session. This gives time
for children and staff to build the positive relationships so crucial to
learning and also allows for higher levels of adult support whilst
children get to know each other and become more familiar with
school routines. Both groups will follow the same curriculum and
will be gradually introduced to new experiences in such a way as
to make them positive and non threatening.
Stage 1
Thursday 3rd September 2015
At this stage they will be in small groups and enjoy separate
playtimes supervised by Early Years staff.
Group A – 9.00 – 11.30
Group B – 1.00 – 3.30
Stage 2
Monday 7th September
For one week, all children will attend for morning sessions. This will
enable them to become accustomed to sharing resources and
the attention of staff with a greater number of children. They will
also have the opportunity to meet the other half of the class
group.
At this stage they will go home at 12.00 noon.
During the afternoons of this week parents/carers will have the
opportunity to meet privately with the class teacher for informal
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discussions about their child. This is an important part of the
induction process and we hope you will attend.
Stage 3
Monday 14th September
All children will attend the morning session, have lunch and
experience mid-day playtime. Teaching staff will be present to
support the children during lunchtime and to monitor what is
eaten! The children will go home at 1pm.
Stage 4
Monday 21st September
All children will start full time. All children are unique and some
may need to attend part time for longer. Any such children will be
reviewed with parents/carers on an individual basis.
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Parents as Partners
We recognise the importance of parents and carers in a child’s
developing stages. As a primary care provider you are your child’s
first educators and we greatly value any input, opinions and
information you can share with us about your child’s learning and
progress.
To facilitate this we provide every child with a ‘Home Diary’ within
their first few induction sessions. This book is a tool for you, your
family and your child to work on together. We encourage you to
put in photos, let your child do drawings, writing or mark making
that they can proudly share with the class.
To support this, we also produce a ‘Learning Diary’ within the
classroom that records your child’s learning and achievements
during school. The children are familiar with these diaries and they
represent both child-initiated activities and directed tasks. These
are always available for you to look through. We also encourage
you to contribute to these by making small observations at home.
(For example if your child’s target is to identify numbers to 10, you
may notice him or her using the remote control to change the
channel correctly to channel 3. This is showing us that your child
can recognise the number three independently.)
Stay and read 8.45 – 9.00
In Reception we invite parents to ‘stay and read’ between
8.45am and 9.00am. During this time you will be able to choose a
book to read with your child. The staff will use this time to show you
what your child has been learning and share their observations
with you. This is also a chance for you to share things with us that
your child has been doing at home. We recognise that many
parents work and cannot stay every day but we invite you to stay
as often as you can.
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Preparing your child for school
Your child will be in a class of approximately 30 children. It will
make starting school much easier and happier if they are
independent and can do many things for themselves.
What should he/she be able to do?
Can he/she…
 Dress and undress themselves?
 Use the toilet independently and ask to go there?
 Tidy up after himself/herself?
 Recognise their own name? Please tell your child’s teacher if
their name is abbreviated in any way.
 Feed himself/herself?
 Share toys and equipment?
 Handle a pencil?
 Sing some nursery rhymes?
 Practise counting to 10?
 Listen well and follow simple instructions?
How can I help my child prepare for school?
 Encourage your child to be as independent as possible even
if it takes far longer for them to get ready.
 Get them used to a routine of reasonably early to bed and
up early enough for you and your child to have a stress free
time to get ready for school.
 Never threaten them with school! Be positive. Show it to
them as an enjoyable experience.
What can I do with my child before they start school?
 Give your child as many varied experiences as possible:
drawing, painting, cooking, singing, making models, playing
games, jigsaws, etc
 Get them used to: pencils, crayons, felt pens, chalks, paints,
play dough, scissors
 Share stories, books and rhymes. Read to them.
 Count everything and share things out.
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 Use lots of one to one correspondence—cup, plate, knife,
fork and spoon for each person.
 Talk to them all the time. Name familiar things and discuss
what they see around them and what things are for. Talk
about what you see when you are out and about. Watch
people work and discuss what they are doing.
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The school day
During the day, children are involved in a wide range of activities
either chosen by themselves or led by teachers and teaching
assistants. Each day is very different but there is a general structure
which is roughly as follows:
 Self-registration and ‘stay and read’
 Morning meeting and prayer
 A daily structured phonics session
 Activities inside and outside
 Drink and fruit time
 Handwriting or Guided Reading or Literacy
 Lunchtime – children have either a packed lunch or school
dinner
 Playtime with the infants to encourage mixing with other
children in the school
 Registration
 A daily oral Maths session
 Activities inside and outside
 RE, PE, Topic or Circle Time
 Story time or music
After the children have sat together for their group session, they
will then have the opportunity to work in small groups with the
teacher or a teaching assistant and to choose from a range of
activities inside and outside. These activities are really important in
helping children to develop their skills across the curriculum. During
these activities, the practitioners will make observations, take
photos of key learning and record assessments. These are used to
plan the next steps for each child.
Key Person
At the start of the year each child is assigned a key person. Their
role is to help ensure that every child’s care is tailored to meet
their individual needs. They help each child to become familiar
with the setting, offer a settled relationship for the child and build
a relationship with parents and carer.
Children are offered a piece of fresh fruit at break time and a
carton of milk if they wish.
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Every child under the age of 5 qualifies for free school milk. Once
children reach their fifth birthday, milk costs 23p per day.
FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL
linger about looking through windows (first day tears are
nothing to worry about!).
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Learning in the Foundation stage
Reception Class is where the excitement begins! Reception
children learn together in an environment which is developed
around their interests. We pride ourselves on being an exciting and
engaging place to be - encouraging our children to be
independent learners through a range of practical activities. We
follow a thematic curriculum which allows us to be creative with
our lessons and let the children lead their own learning.
As our Foundation Stage children enter the classroom they learn
primarily through a variety of play and real-life experiences. Our
teaching is delivered through carefully planned tasks and guided
key jobs. The children access their environment freely; however
they understand they must complete 'key jobs' throughout the
week which will scaffold and extend their learning. Their
development is tracked through detailed, daily observations and
child-initiated interaction. This information is then transferred into
your child's personal learning journey - a diary of information and
photographs. We use these to record individual interests, progress
and plan the next steps of your child's learning.
The EYFS Curriculum
In Class 1 our Foundation Stage children follow the Early Years
Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS). This curriculum is based upon
four themes and principles.
The Unique Child - We understand that every child is an individual
child who is capable in their own right. The holistic child has a
variety of needs that need meeting over their time in the
Foundation Stage.
Positive Relationships - Social interaction is key to children’s
development. Children become strong, independent learners; as
well as scaffolding their learning through positive social
interaction.
Enabling Environments - Providing a safe, secure and stimulating
base for your children is key to their development. The framework
allows for experiences that respond to the child’s individual
needs/interests; as well as developing a strong partnership
between practitioners, parents and carers.
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Learning and Development - Children develop and learn in
different ways. The framework covers the education and care of
all children in early years provision, including children with special
educational needs and disabilities.
Early Learning Goals
Within `Development Matters’ there are 3 prime areas of learning
and 4 specific areas. This framework provides the basis of how we
structure the setting, the activities and opportunities we provide;
as well as how we assess your child’s development. For each of
these areas your child will have an ‘Early Learning Goal’ to work
towards.
Prime Areas
Specific Areas
Literacy – reading and writing
Mathematics – numbers, shape, space and measure
Understanding the World – people and communities, the world,
technology
– exploring and using media and
materials, being imaginative
Characteristics of Effective Learning
Playing and exploring - engagement
Active learning - motivation
- thinking
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Handwriting
We will be teaching your child to write using cursive font.
There are many advantages:
 Children only have to learn one style of handwriting, not two as
they would if starting with print. (Children will join letters
when ready – around Year1 or Year2)
 Joined letters are produced in a flowing movement.
 All letters beginning in the same place (This helps children to
develop a physical memory of how each letter is written and
reduces the likelihood of reversal mix-ups such as b/d).
 It helps to fix spellings more firmly in the memory because
words are formed as a continuous movement. This includes the
spelling of irregular words which need to be remembered as
wholes.
 The flow of joined up writing helps to develop speed and
fluidity as the pencil does not leave the paper until the word is
completed.
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Clothes to Wear for School
Our school uniform consists of a blue sweatshirt and blue polo Tshirt printed with the school logo. Footwear may be either black or
blue shoes or trainers. Girls have the option of wearing a navy blue
gingham dress in Summer. These can be ordered through school
as can girls' navy blue skirts/pinafore dresses, jogging bottoms and
boys navy blue trousers/jogging bottoms.
The only jewellery permitted is studs or sleepers for pierced ears.
For physical activities children need shoes or pumps that can be
managed independently. All shoes must be fully enclosed at all
times, so no sandals please. We would like our children to wear a
smart PE kit of white t-shirt and navy shorts.
As our learning environment is both indoors and outdoors, we ask
that you make sure your child is equipped for these area at all
times of year. Please ensure their clothing is practical and suitable
for the seasonal changes. Waterproof jackets and winter clothing
for cold weather; sun hat and protective clothing in the summer
months. We ask that sun cream is applied before the children get
to school so that they are ready for the day.
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Things to bring to school
 Suitable coat with a hood as the children will be working
outside as well as inside —nothing too special as it is likely to
get sandy, muddy or wet.
 Lunch box (if having packed lunch) with a drink for lunch.
 PE bag – with black plimsolls in, school PE T-shirt and shorts
 Spare clothes—just in case we get wet in water play or have
an accident.
 Hats, scarves and gloves.
 Sun hats.
 Book bags, reading records and reading books—these are
checked and changed regularly.
 Home diary—with recent updates from home, trips, holidays
or special days that we can share
Please ensure that all belongings are clearly marked with your
child’s name. Any unnamed items that are left will either be put in
the lost property box or thrown away if they remain unclaimed for
several weeks. We therefore ask you to check the lost property
box if you have lost any clothing.
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Helping Prepare your Child for School
Here in Class 1 we go to great lengths to help your child be
prepared for their next stage of learning; as well as
developing the confidence and skills to be an independent
learner. Our class motto is:
Teach me to do it myself!
In preparation for school, here are some things you can do
with your child to help them develop the basic skills on the
road towards their Early Learning Goals.
Speaking
Listening
set an example
listener by listening to them and
others
—don’t interrupt or
finish their sentences for them
tasks and behaviours
child and allow them the time to
speak without being interrupted
ask them about theirs.
when they are speaking, showing
them eye contact and good body
language.
by asking questions or ask about
their opinions.
Writing
courage them to mark make.
hild is already writing with a pen or pencil, support their pencil
grip so they do not develop a bad habit.
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Number Skills
Count daily with your child
o— a neighbours house number or the
number on a bus.
Let children help with the tidying and sorting. Can they sort the DVDs by
colour?
Organisation
Children like routine—so set regular
times for bed, getting up, meals and family time.
Under 5’s need up to 15 hours and primary children 10 hours sleep a night.
Check your child has their name in everything before they bring it, this helps them
be organised themselves at school.
Behaviour
Agree clear and realistic rules—and
stick to them.
Give your child boundaries so they
know what is expected of them.
Encourage your child to always say
‘please’ and ‘thank you’ .
Support the school rules.
If your child’s behaviour is proving
difficult we can work on a home-school
reward system together.
Help your child remember to bring
every-thing—book bag, PE kit, drinks
bottle, reading book etc.
Help your child to have all the equipment
they need for learning.
Let your child take hold of their own
things on the way to school—they will
know where to put dinner money, books,
bottles and bags.
Let your children help you at home with
the cooking, cleaning and shopping—they
relish an opportunity to feel useful!
Be patient when your child is helping.
Lay your child’s clothes out in the
correct order each morning so they can
dress themselves—this really helps for PE!
Children are expected to toilet themselves once they begin the Foundation
Stage.
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