Early Years
Welcome to Woodhouse Community Primary School’s Early Years Foundation Stage. The Early Years Foundation Stage is made up of Little Rainbows, Nursery and Reception Classes, who work closely together to provide an exciting and stimulating learning environment.
Our Vision:
At Woodhouse Community Primary School, we are determined to provide the best start for our foundation stage pupils. We strongly encourage independence through carefully planned accessible provision, where children can develop skills to become resilient learners. Our EYFS is the foundation to success, children develop transferable skills to facilitate learning across all age phases the wider school and the local community. Our mission is to prepare children for life outside of school, where they will be ambitious members of the community. Parent partnerships are paramount at Woodhouse Community Primary School and we work hard to build up positive relationships. Through working with families and developing sense of trust, we can tackle any obstacles that we are faced with in life working together as a team.
The Characteristics of Effective Learning
The Characteristics of Effective Learning describe behaviours children use in order to learn. To learn well, children must approach opportunities with curiosity, energy and enthusiasm. Effective learning must be meaningful to a child, so that they are able to use what they have learned and apply it in new situations.
We have three mascots within our Early Years Team, Exploring Earthworm, Active Ant and Creative Caterpillar. The aim of our mascots are to promote the characteristics of effective learning in a manful way for the children. Each week we will focus on a particular mascot to engage the children and make them aware of how they are learning.
The Early Years Foundation Stage daily routine:
Nursery AM – 8.45-11.45am
Nursery PM – 12.15pm – 3.15pm
Reception 8.45am – 3pm
If your child is entitled to 30 hours free childcare, please discuss your child’s allowance with the school.
What will your child need?
EYFS Uniform/clothing
We do ask that children in the EYFS stage of Woodhouse Community Primary School wear the school uniform polo shirt and jumper but parents can choose suitable bottoms for their child.
o Light blue/White polo shirt
o Navy school jumper or cardigan
o Grey trousers/skirt/pinafore/jogging bottoms
o Suitable/flat shoes
EYFS children are outside in ALL weathers so please ensure that your child has a suitable coat and footwear for the winter weather and sun cream and a hat in the summer.
Things your child will need to bring to Nursery daily:
Everyday your child will be required to bring a bag to nursery containing any personal and hygiene items that they may need for the session. We advise that you pack nappies, wipes, nappy cream if required, a change of clothes (multiple for toilet training little ones). We also ask that you send your child, each day, with a suitable coat and suitable footwear. We access the garden in all weathers, so hats and gloves are essential for the colder months and a sun hat and sun cream for sunnier days.
The Early Years Team:
o Miss L Hayes – Reception Class Teacher/ EYFS Lead
o Miss N Sugden – Reception High Level Teaching Assistant
o Miss R Gale – 1:1 Teaching Assistant
o Mrs L Cleminson – Nursery Teacher
o Mrs C Taylor – Nursery Teaching Assistant
o Miss S Smith – Nursery Teaching Assistant
o Mrs C Ridley – Lead Practitioner for Little Rainbows
o Miss H Longstaff – Little Rainbows Teaching Assistant (Wed, Thurs, Fri)
o Miss L Moor – Little Rainbows Teaching Assistant (Mon, Tues)
Little Rainbows
Mrs C Ridley – Little Rainbow’s Lead Teaching Assistant
I’m Mrs Ridley and I am the Lead Practitioner for Little Rainbows. I have a degree in Early Childhood Studies and have worked in early years since 2004, joining Woodhouse Community Primary School in 2022. I have a real passion for supporting and motivating children’s development and truly enjoy working in early years. I love being part of children’s early education, supporting them to learn and progress.
Miss H Longstaff – Little Rainbow’s Teaching Assistant
I’m Miss Longstaff. I’ve worked a Woodhouse Community Primary School, since September 2019. During my time here, I have worked with all ages in the EYFS unit and I am currently situated in the Little Rainbow Room. Here I am able to use my nurturing nature to really get to know our youngest children and love watching them thrive during their time in Little Rainbows.
Miss L Moor – Little Rainbow’s Teaching Assistant
Currently, we are able to work with eight 2 year old’s during each session (morning or afternoon).
Our sessions run:
- Morning session 8.45am- 11.45m (Mon – Fri term-time only)
- Afternoon session 12.15pm-3.15pm (Mon – Fri term-time only)
Children join us in ‘Little Rainbows’ when they are 2 years old. Lots of time is allocated to ensuring children become familiar with adults, peers and their environment. Children explore indoors/outdoors with the support of adults and engage in fun experiences linked to their current stage of development. Activities are carefully thought out to promotes Physical skills, Communication and Interaction and Personal, Social and Emotional skills.
Our youngest children share group time together. During these sessions, children develop listening and speaking skills through exposure to stories, media, songs and rhymes with props and puppets. Social skills and turn taking is also promoted within sessions.
Each day, children will take part in a focus activity, which is linked to the curriculum and children’s current interests. The outcomes from activities inform next steps which adults plan carefully to ensure all children are able to reach their potential.
Nursery
Mrs L Cleminson
Mrs E Cox – Nursery Teacher (Maternity)
I am thrilled to be teaching in our wonderful EYFS unit as the Nursery teacher. I began my career in teaching 13 years ago as a Reception teacher, and whilst I have since taught every year group in the primary age range, it is wonderful to be back in early years where every child’s learning journey begins. It is a pleasure and a privilege to support children on their first steps in education and to encourage and nurture their growth and development. I believe that establishing strong and effective relationships with parents and carers in integral to the children’s experience. I want us to promote your child’s curiosity and foster a love of learning from the very earliest age.
I am also the school SENCO and strive to ensure that needs are identified and supported at the earliest opportunity in order to promote excellent outcomes for all children
Miss C Taylor – Nursery Teaching Assistant
I am Mrs Taylor. I have been part of the EYFS unit at Woodhouse Community Primary School since November 2021. I have worked within the Early Years Provision for the over 10 years, supporting Armed Forces children at RAF Leeming. Since joining Woodhouse Community Primary School, I have worked within the Nursery aged provision supporting the Nursery Teacher and building relationship’s and learning through play with our little people. I have recently crossed over to work with Reception. I have a real passion for Early Years and I thoroughly enjoy watching children grow and learn through play-based interactions and an enriched curriculum.
Miss S Smith – Nursery Teaching Assistant
In Nursery children will be exposed to a wide range of stories, songs and rhymes. Nursery children will take part in small group activities that promote independence, turn taking, sharing and support children to build positive relationships with others. Exposure to books, rhymes, songs and talk will support children in developing their speaking, listening and understanding skills as well as their personal, social and emotional skills.
Lots of high-quality learning opportunities are planned for Nursery children within the indoor/outdoor classroom; through a play-based approach; where children can explore, be creative, take managed risks and learn from their experiences.
The indoor/outdoor classroom is well resourced with a range of high-quality resources and learning opportunities for children to take part in and enjoy; children’s interests are incorporated into activities and resources on offer to enhance the areas to ensure learning is promoted and continuous.
Nursery Admissions
You can view our Nursery Admission arrangements by visiting the School Admissions section of our website.
We offer part-time places depending on the age of your child and 30 hour placements for those who are eligible. Children in Nursery, learn through a mixture of short carpet sessions with focused intentions, self-directed play and planned small group interventions to support them in key areas. We welcome parents to share in their child’s learning at different points throughout the week, using an app called class dojo, where parents can share and join in their child’s learning journey.
Click on the link below to find out more about what your child will be learning in Nursery
Reception
Reception Staff
Miss L Hayes – Reception Class Teacher/ EYFS Lead
I am a qualified teacher with over 16 years of early years’ experience. My personal journey at Woodhouse Community Primary School began in 2016 when I joined the school as a Teaching Assistant. I have since worked on my own professional development to gain qualified teacher status (QTS) and I am now teaching Reception. During my time at the school I have been ‘Lead of Two Year Olds’ and worked within all early years classes. Early years is my passion and you would not find me anywhere else. Everyday is different and the children always know how to make you smile! I strive to give all children the very best start to their education journey. Watching the children grow and develop a positive ‘can do’ attitude makes me proud of everyday.
Miss N Sugden- Reception High level Teaching Assistant
Miss R Gale – 1:1 Teaching Assistant
Reception
In Reception, children will engage in a range of formal and play based experiences to support their knowledge and understanding of learning that has taken place. The children will have daily phonics sessions following the Little Wandle scheme. Children will be introduced to letters and sounds. Throughout phonics sessions, children will develop confidence in recalling letters, forming letters and matching letters to sounds as well as being exposed to a range of opportunities to promote reading skills. As children become more confident, they will be introduced to reading books that will be read both in school and at home.
In Literacy sessions, children will be exposed to high quality texts and given lots of opportunities to develop understanding of familiar stories, discuss plot points and characters. Literacy sessions, particularly at the beginning of Reception are led by ‘talk’ where children can express themselves and share thoughts and ideas. Impacting positively on speaking, listening, attention and understanding skills.
The children in Reception will take part in NELI, NELI is a research driven Communication and Language programme focused on developing children’s language skills.
The children will take part in daily maths sessions, that promote knowledge of numbers to 20 as well as shape and measurement. Across the year children will become confident in counting, identifying and recording numbers. The skills taught in maths sessions will then be practised through a range of fun and engaging activities within the classroom.
There will be half-termly topics incorporated into continuous and enhanced provision opportunities, which are further supported by adults to ensure children can reach their potential and learning ideas suggested by the children are followed. Activities will take place within the well-resourced areas within the indoor and outdoor classrooms. Children will also have opportunities to initiate their own learning through play; with adults ready to support children in carrying out and extending their learning opportunities.
