Ashdene Pre-School
Learning at Pre-School
"In play children learn at their highest level."
Learning at Pre-School
At Pre-School we follow the Early Year Foundation Stage (EYFS) which is the statutory framework for early year’s development.
There are seven areas of learning and development in the EYFS as follows:
Prime areas
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Personal, social and emotional development
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Communication and language
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Physical development
Specific areas
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Mathematics
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Literacy
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Expressive arts and design
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Understanding the world
Your child’s key person will observe and plan for your child in all seven areas of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure they are progressing towards the early learning goals.
Your key person will update an online learning book consisting of photographs of your child's achievements and learning. This will coincide with parent’s evenings / phone calls in which your key person can advise you on how to support your child’s learning at home.
Parents can log on to view their child's learning book at any time and we encourage parents to use this to tell us of any interests and learning that has happened at home. This information really helps us to plan meaningful activities and carry these interests forward.
The EYFS and useful resources for parents relating to development in the Early years called ‘what to expect when – a parents guide’ can be viewed at the following link: Foundation Years.
Typical Routine of the Day
8.45 am - Arriving at Pre-School
Children arrive at Pre-School and are encouraged to take off their coat, put their belongings away on their own pegs and the lunch trolley. They then find their name on the classroom door to post in the box, wash their hands and are ready to free play in their room with the staff.
9.00 am - The children are gathered to do a Morning welcome song, have a quick chat about how they are feeling or if they have anything they would like to share and then they do a wake up shake up activity.
9:10 am-The children can move freely, in their room and outside where there is a balance of planned adult activities and child initiated opportunities for children to engage in.
09.30 - 10.15 am Snack bar available
We operate a rolling snack system children can choose when they come to the snack table. Children are encouraged to wash their hands. The children have a choice between milk and water to drink and there is a healthy snack provided each day. Independence skills are always promoted at snack time and the children have opportunity to pour their own drinks, peel fruit and spread butter supported by a member of staff dedicated to sitting with the children at the table. During snack the adult encourages language by talking to the children and each day there is a new interesting talking point on the table.
10.30 - 10.45 am Key group time
The children go into their key groups for a planned activity with their key person based on an aspect of the EYFS.
11 am - Children who are in nappies are changed routinely at 11 am. Children who are toilet training are reminded throughout the day but all children are changed as and when needed.
Free Flow Play Continues
11.20 am - Tidy Up Time
The children are encouraged to tidy up the area where they have been playing.
11.30 am - Wash hands then Singing or Story Time.
The children can choose what they would like to sing or which story they would like.
11.45 am - Home time / Sit down for Lunch
Some of the children go home at the end of the morning session.
At certain times of the year we offer an opportunity for the children to go over to the school canteen to eat their lunch, they can have a hot school dinner or bring a packed lunch. After lunch there is a choice of activities for the children to engage in followed by small group stories.
The afternoon session runs in a similar way, please be aware we have mini sports who come in to do a sports class with the children on a Tuesday afternoon and Stretch and grow who come into do a fitness class with the children on a Thursday afternoon. In addition to this we are often out and about on Pre-School trips into the local area.