Reception - The Best Way Forward...

[Guest]

Hi all,this is a rough idea of my day-

Well we do a topic every 6 weeks i.e. 2 per termLast term was plants and seasons and this term Transport and local enviroment.We change our home corner accordingly-garden centre etc

Our day starts off with 20 mns circle time which i find calms them down and settles them into learning.We may also do some Brain Gym.

Then each group is assigned to an area to start off with(this helps to cover specific learnings skills needed) -they can change to other areas if they wish-Im intending to make it much more child iniated next year!

We have something going on for each of the 6 learning areas and the circle time will have a different focus each day eg maths ,PSE etc

Then we have a short break and continue the areas(pictues of days activities on board)-teacher/child initiated

The afternoon is child initiated and includes outdoorplay,sand ,water,large cons,sensorial activities etc.Indoors can be finishing off chosen activities,individual reading,small group work...

Im sure there is lots more to say and i change things every year as i always feel that things can be improved.The main thing is that the children enjoy school and increase self-esteem-and I love it!!!

[Guest]

Have read this with interest, we are all covering the same curriculum yet so differently, in my setting we have a foundation stage unit, currently with 60 children and 5 adults, a high ratio I know but we value the early years, across the unit we have the following areas, making, painting, discovery, playdough, writing, literacy, numeracy, woodwork, book, ICT, construction, block, role play areas inside and an outside area, reasonably well resourced, we follow a highscope curriculum and have gained accreditation, in general our am and pm follow the same routine which is, welcome time, small group time(adult initiated), plan/do/review(child intiated) fruit time, large group time, phonics, in the PM we have assembly instead of phonics, and a daily reading session, instead of the welcome time we have in the morning, in the summer term large group time is first followed by small group time, with slightly more emphasis on lit/num but in the foundation stage all 6 areas of development are equal, and the lit/num strategies are not statutory.

 

During plan/do/review the children can work in whatever area they wish inside or outside if it is in the room then it is available, the children see the unit as a whole and they do not see one room as theirs, the adults all move around as well which also helps

 

hillbillie

[Helen]

Welcome to the site, Hillbillie

Thanks for explaining your setting. Can you tell us how the children do the planning part? Do you sit in small/large groups, or does each child get 1-1 adult attention? Ditto for the review section.

[Guest]

Hello

I am the head of a school in North Cumbria and I teach the Ry/Y1 class for 2 days per week. The school has a nursery which has an excellence Kitemark so the foundation Stage is well established. We are still trying to get to grips with the demands of KS1 and FS. We do a lot of changing the room and talk to our Nursery and Y2 teacher, the latter has the older part of the Y1!! so she battles with the demands of SATs as well. Next year we are looking at maturity levels in line with Fs profiling to try to make a closer match with needs and demands. We will keep you posted how it goes

Heather Park

[Susan]

After much deliberation, I'm beginning to think I need to retry our original approach to our FS provision.

It didn't work last time but if we tweak alittle perhaps we can be more successful. I don't like our 3 static classrooms and want us to much more integrated. Even joint planning isn't providing the continuity we'd like to see.

 

You all seem to be favouring High Scope as a route, so any quick easy reading you can point me to would be appreciated. Preferably online, as book shops don't seem to be well resourced. I'm meeting with my head to talk FS provision next year on 12 June.

 

Many thanks.

 

Susan

[Guest]

Hi Susan,

You can probably see from my post that certain elements of High scope are used but we also find that we need to have a mix of teacher initiated and child initiated activities ,always allowing for flexibility and responding to childrens needs.We try to promte independance and self esteem at all times.Nicola Calls book The Thinking Child is excellent and you may find some ideas to feed into your planning.

Re Outdoor play I feel that its a chance to encourage child initiated activities and to use real buckets ,spades ,pipes,blocks etc eg a gardening area,building child sized houses with chairs,sheets,cardboard boxes etc.Anyway good Luck and we all feel that we could improve things!

[Susan]

Hi Johnboy,

 

I've read The Thinking Child & agree its very useful. Inspiring even.

We're into acclerated learning within the school as a whole & we are trying to incorporate elements & techniques accordingly in Reception.

 

Our planning isn't the issue, we have a large 90 place Reception year with 9 staff, Teachers, NNEB, trainee NNEBs & LSAs. Keeping to planning seems to be open to interpretation, which is an issue as although we want to provide for the individual we also want to see equality of provision & opportubity in all 3 rooms. I'm planning to address that through careful moderation next year but wondered what everyone else thought?

 

I understand the principles of High Scope, having visited a setting where it is firmly established with an accreditted teacher but would like a laymans overview if that makes sense.

 

Any other ideas?

 

Susan

[Guest]

Helen

 

we do our planning in groups of between 10 and 12 children, we try a variety of ways, we have telephones so they can talk to partners, building bricks with pictures on where they can build up the sequence of events they are going to do, we have a car mat with pictures on for them o use, they record their plans in a book, these are just some examples, the children do have to take turns and listen to each other, generally planning/review time last about 10 minutes

 

susan if you want to find out more about highscope then try the website

 

www.highscope.org

 

hillbillie

[Helen]

Many thanks, Hillbillie; I'll be very brave and give it a try soon!

[Guest Jacqui]

Very interesting, ongoing discusion about class and classroom organisation. However, this is a plea - I am a South African trained nursery and reception teacher and really battle with all the TLA's - claireudal what's "K+U" and "CLL" and "MD" and what are SMT's and IEP's? I'm supply teaching at the moment and have so enjoyed seeing what teachers do at different schools. I think it boils down to a happy teacher, means a happy class. This doesn't mean the teacher is laze fair ('scuse my French ... pronounciation). Truly "happy" is felt by the children and in the classroom. Then only can real learning take place. Well, that's what I think and I'm sticking to it Anyone feel like joining me in a discussion on Emotional Intelligence?

[Steve]

Why don't you start a topic off and see Jacqui? Sounds interesting to me!

 

Probably the best place for it would be 'Child Development General Issues'. Go to the front screen (by clicking on Foundation Stage Forum at the top of the page), then find the Child Development General Issues forum. Then just click 'New Topic' and kick off the topic with a question or whatever you would like to talk about. Then we'll all chip in!

 

Regards, Steve.

[Guest]

I am starting teaching Reception after the summer- I will be taking the reception children from a mixed age year R / 1 class for 3 mornings and one afternoon. I have been working in the pre-school section of a nursery after finishing my teacher training last year. The experience in nursery has been interesting as even with my 3 year olds I have been "asked" my the supervising teacher to do daily letter tracing and workbooks where the children, for example, colour circles and triangles different colours.

 

I am feeling a little confused right now as all your days seem so different! In my heart I feel learning within this age range should mainly be child-initiated and definately within a real-life context (eg counting of how many cups we need to match the number of children at snack time) The activities above within the nursery which i was asked to do seem to be neither (and pointless to the children) Please give me your views on this.

 

i am very lucky to have a head who is very supportive of play and has said to me not to worry about formal literacy and numeracy too much as the little ones get plenty of that during the mixed age class time. However when I said I was excited about doing lots of creative work with the year R's the class teacher of the mixed class pointed out to me that the children do more creative topic work in the afternoons, whereas mornings are spent mostly on literacy and numeracy.

 

Please advise!

 

 

Mharhi

[mundia]

Mharhi, you are rigt tobe concernd about waht you were asked to do in nursery. Time can be spent much better doing things other than tracing letters that probably dont mean much to the children anyway. It looks like you maight hve picked the short straw but I deliver numeracy and literacy (when I was in reception and was expected to) through games and creative activities anyway. It seems as you Head will support you on this. You can also do loads of role play. Do you meet with the other teacher to plan? Do you plan your litracy around Big books and your numeracy aroud themes? Is there a long term plan so you can see what has been done in previous years? Im sure youll enjoy it once you get settled- do letus know.

[Guest]

Thank you Mundia for your helpful reply. I was thinking along those lines as in doing lit and num in a creative way- things like handprinting and counting the fingers, bubble painting with bubles landing on powder paint, (counting the bubbles, talking about their shape). There is one teacher who takes the mixed class on Mon and Tues, then another teacher for Wed, Thurs and Fri. When I take the 20 Year R's the 10 Yr 1's come together from the Yr1/2 class to be with the Yr 1's from the R/ 1 class.

 

I met with the other teachers and the Yr 1/2 teacher and we talked about the topics for the next term- Ourselves for 4 weeks then a topic based on a story book for the next 6 weeks. One teacher told me they do a rolling plan over two years - do you know how this works- I am not used to mixed age classes.

 

I am in the hall and only have big school dinner tables so I suppose will keep tabletop activities to a minimum- I am thinking maybe a morning timetable like this-

 

9-9.20- Registration, toilet trip and move to hall

 

9.20-9.50- News time / picture story / phonics games to back up teaching earlier in the week/ shared writing

 

9.50-10- Action rhymes / drama / movement / literacy games

 

10-10.15- Snacktime

 

10.15-10.30 Playtime

 

10.30-10.50- Whole class numeracy (circle games, counting etc.)

 

10.50-11.30- Creative activities related to numeracy in groups while others have choosing time

 

11.35-11.45 Wash hands for lunch.

 

in the afternoon i work a child initiated play project will be taking place.

 

I am hoping to meet with the other teachers each week and discuss children's progress and planning.

 

I have just been watching the DfES video "Mathematical Activities for the Foundation Stage" which gave me some ideas for maths games, although I thought some things weren't particulary inspiring (any one else seen it?)

 

Also, just out of interest, do most people stick to the literacy strategy in rec, using its planning grids and schedule?

[Steve]

Hi Mharhi -

Just a quick interrupt to welcome you to the site, and to thank you for such an interesting post - I'm sure you'll get a lot of feedback on this issue!

 

I'll leave the detailed stuff for others more expert than me - Mundia for one. I'd just completely agree with her and add that your ideas seem far more on track than the alternatives you've encountered!

 

Welcom again - I look forward to this discussion progressing.

 

Regards, Steve.

[mundia]

What a performance if you have to teach in the Hall, presumably that means you cant leave equipment there, and have to pack everything away every day. What do you do about display as lots of the creative stuff you will be doing lends itself very well to displaying. I wonder how many other schools have classes going on in the hall.

We dont use literacy or numeracy planning for reception because our curriculum should be based on the foundation Curriculum. We use the stepping stones and ELG where appropriate. But I would use what you are familiar with or what the school uses until you get your head around the way you are working. Its much more important to oraganise your routine and your management than to worry about the paperwork. Once you are well settled, if you're unhappy with the planning format, then you can consider changing it from a better and more knowledgeable position.

I do wonder from you timetable if you have time for outside activities other than the 'playtime'. the children need that just as much and you can deliver numeracy outside if you have the facility.

Now I think you should be enjoying your holiday......... (im taking a break form decorating....)

[Guest]

Hi

I am the Director of High/Scope UK and glad to see that the approach has been of assistance for Foundation Stage practitioners.

We have a website with a resource list and order form that can be printed off if you are looking for further information.

I will give out the site information in the High/Scope Journal, perhaps some of the settings which are using the approach will get in touch and be able to offer some support. There are a number in the Midlands, Kent, Hampshire, Manchester, Doncaster and Newcastle.

I hope this will prove to be a good way to offer some practical support.

Regards

Joan Norris

[Helen]

Hello Joan, and welcome to the forum.

I am a novice regarding the High/Scope approach and am looking forward to finding out more and perhaps incorporating some of the ideas into my own pre-school. Good to have you on board

[Guest]

Hello

I've enjoyed reading the comments to this problem and encouraged that other people find it difficult to answer this problem about timetabling in Reception.

 

I have got a class of 30 Reception children who all start in the September term on a slightly staggered basis. I'm very lucky in that I have 2 TA's one full time and one who works part time. My school is an old victorian building so there is no visual access outside, but we have finally managed to grab an area for our outdoor activities.

 

This is how I am currently timetabling my class but not doubt it will be changed again!!

 

The children come into the classroom at 8.55 and sit down for register and changing their books, we operate a library system where the children change a self chosen book every day if they wish. We then spend roughly 20mins of Literacy looking at the text and some phonic work. the children then go on to various activities e.g. sand, water, roleplay, construction, creative area which they choose and some of the children are directed to work with an adult which will relate to the whole class session. One adult will go outside where various activities are set up and may be targetted by the adult outside or be free choose with an adult intervening where relevant and the other adult maybe in the role play area, or doing finemotor based activities etc.

 

At approximately 10.15 we stop for sentence time where we reorder a sentence and have our drink and snack. This year my class don't have a morning playtime. Then I may talk about another topic/ curriculum area that one of the adults continues during the next session. Lunch is at 12.05 and the children are back for 1.15.

 

1.15 We have assembly and 1.30 numeracy whole class session and again the children carry out various activities some of which are directed by an adult, both indoor and out doors.

 

We have playtime at 2.30 to 2.45 and then when they come in we have pleanaries and then if time a story, poetry or singing before going home at 3.15.

 

On a Friday I have hall time in the morning where I take the class in two halves according to ability and we get out the apparatus and the other children work with the TA's on areas that they found difficult during the previous four days and afterwards we have circle time and R.E.

So far this system seems to be working well but I'll let you know what OFSTED thinks when we have them before Christmas.

[Steve]

Hi Tinalouise -

Welcome to the forum and thanks for joining in with this, one of my three favourite conversations in the community!

 

I hope you manage to inject some new energy into it - every now and then the conversation subsides for a while then someone kicks it back into life again. I keep wondering whether we should close it down and start new ones off when necessary, but if others are like you and me it's just good to follow it through, sometimes over a couple of evenings, and follow the stream of consciousness that makes it so interesting!

 

You dropped into your post that you're being OFSTEDed in December - best of luck with it, and I hope you will let us know how it goes.

 

Best wishes,

Steve.

[Guest Anne Jones]

Hi everyone,

This is my first response. I have been very interested in what you are all saying. It sounds like most of us are in the same boat. Lots of ideas but not sure how to go about things. I have been teaching for 10 years and have seen many changes. I think the foundation stage is the best so far and like many am having various difficulties in trying to get it right. I feel just like Susan, when I have been on courses we are now all together, with all settings - maintained and non - I find this frustating as most of the time we end up talking about happenings in nursery/playgroup. We have different problems in Reception class, I think, mine is partly to do with funding and the lack of understanding on behalf of most of the staff. I am in the process of working out outdoor play as soon we will move into a new building with access to an enclosed area, but not in sight of the class so me or my TA will have to be outside with so many children. I feel my day and the childrens is like a yo yo - we have 'free play' on coming in and the children register themselves by giving us their name flower, then I call everyone together to do a 'literacy' 10/15 minute time, when we can make suggestions as to what the children may like to do, then activities - some directed many not, with small groups of children. Then playtime outside. After play TA does phonics, then activities, then a story, lunch and if I'm lucky we do a number/numeracy stint before activities again. As well as this I use our new hall 4 times a week whilst TA does a circle time(2 a week at the moment) with half the class. I don't know about the children but the adults feel dizzy at the end of the day. I'm sorry I have gone on a bit. Hope this helps.

[mundia]

Hi Anne, just spotted yopur first post amongst this so welocme on board,hope you can learn and share lots here.

You seem to have yourself preetty clued up, I know what you mean about being dazed, especailly if you are preapering for a move. Does this mean having to pack up everything?

[Guest cat33]

I have enjoyed reading this page and take comfort that everyone else is finding it difficult to come to terms with what exactly the "Foundation Stage" means. We swung the pendulum towards the play based curriculum in a big way only to be told by OFSTED that we need to focus more on the "learning". Back to the drawing board. Also pressure from NLS and NNS made us reflect and start again. We now have quite a formal morning, with lit. and num. taught in all areas of the unit and a more informal afternoon. Guess how that feels? Almost back to what was good reception teaching!!

I feel that there will be more pressure to be more formal if SAT results suffer. I do feel that you have to be dedicated to work in early years and that is what keeps us going.

Upwards and onwards.

Chris

[mundia]

Chris, I wonder what your OFSTED team actually meant by focussing more on 'learning' Did that imply that the children weren't learning if they were 'playing'?

I do agree that we have to be so dedicated because of the things that pull us this way or that. Ive been determined not to let pressure from NNS and NLS affect us in Foundation too much, I stick by my priciples and so far they are paying off. But I havent always worked in a place where that is the case, so I do appreciate that it isnt always easy.

[Guest cat33]

Mundia, I am not sure exactly what was meant. Learning objectives I think. We should tell the children what they are learning! Plenary. I feel we just had someone who didnt quite know the ethos of a foundation stage. Gave me quite a jolt. As a staff, we decide that we wouldnt lose sight of what we were ding but have had to change it slightly.

Oh dear.

Chris

[mundia]

Shame, it sounds like you had a rough deal. Our last OFSTED inspector was brilliant and kept telling us how ondeful we were at meeting the children's current needs, even though our approach was possibly a bit more unusual from what they were used to seeing.

Are you happy with the way you are doing things now? At the end of the day, that is really important.

[Guest cat33]

Mundia, I feel a lot better having found this forum!! Somewhere to interact with others who are dealing with the changes of the foundation stage. We are feeling better now, I think it takes at least a term to recover after OFSTED. Hard to focus. Look forward to some Merry holly berries etc! Chris

[Susan]

Glad we're helping.

I think we're all benefitting from the contact.

Its keeping me sane at the moment!!

 

Susan

[mundia]

Me too. I think its very isolating working in foundation, whether in the state or private/voluntary sector. Sometimes you just need to know that you're not he only one having a particular battle or problem.

[Guest]

Really interesting to read this thread - it just goes to show that there are as many ways of orgainising a foundation stage day as there are foundation stage teachers - and thank goodness I say - individuality is not dead! I won't go into detail about our day - suffice to say - lots of planned structured play alongside child-led and child-initiated activities, with speaking and listening opportunites galore. Literacy and numeracy permeate everything we do and its like spinning a hundred plates at once, but much more fun!