Guest Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Hi all, I just found out that I will be getting a group of nursery children (8 of the oldest ones) in my reception class after Easter and I've gone into the usual panic mode! I'm only just getting my head around teaching Reception (as it was all new and scary to me back in September!) and now I'm worried how to manage giving time appropriately to the nursery group as well. They will only be in mornings til 11.30am so I'm wondering how to: a. sort out my timetable- I have been doing predominantly literacy/ numeracy based activities in the mornings with topic stuff in the afternoons. b. how to manage going home/ wrappping up the morning for these children when the rest of the class have another half hour til lunch time etc... In my head it feels like it's going to be a big mess and was wondering if any of you clever people could put my mind at rest and help me see light at the end of the tunnel! I thought I was getting to the end of the tunnel with 1 term left to do in Reception before having a year under my belt but now this has stands in the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Presumably this means there's a nursery class at your school? If that's the case, I would get straight in there to have a chat with the nursery teacher. She (or he) will be able to let you know what she does between those times. I suspect the nursery teacher feels these children are ready for more focused input, some of the letters and sounds stuff at more of a reception level? It does sound rather unusual, though. Are there other mixed age classes in your school? It's quite common for YR and Y1 to mix, but I don't think I've ever heard YR and Nursery together before. What do the parents think? It kind of means they are starting statutory schooling two terms early, doesn't it? Also, as an NQT you have certain 'rights', ie. you shouldn't really be asked to do stuff which is beyond your experience or is particularly tough. Have a chat to your mentor as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 I hope someone will come along with experience of Foundation Stage Units, because they're the ones with the experience of managing nursery and reception children simultaneously What support staff do you have available? And how many children do you have in the class at the moment? I guess you're likely to want to offer much looser, less structured activities for the new nursery-aged children, particularly at first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 I hope someone will come along with experience of Foundation Stage Units, because they're the ones with the experience of managing nursery and reception children simultaneously What support staff do you have available? And how many children do you have in the class at the moment? I guess you're likely to want to offer much looser, less structured activities for the new nursery-aged children, particularly at first. Thats a very difficult term to do it, as we are a foundation stage unit, but currently managed across two seperate buildings, and it was far easier to integrate the sessions in September than it is now, because the reception children are spending longer times having built up to it at Letters and Sounds and adult initiated tasks etc, in prep for their transition to Yr 1, where as the nursery age children are not ready for that at all yet. Sorry not very helpful I know! I will watch this with interest as we should be working from 1 building ourselves from september, so will be interested to hear how others manage it. Clare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest heleng Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Our nursery and Reception share the same class space although we have 2 seperate carpet areas. Nursery runs from 9-11.30am and 12.45-3.15pm with 2 different sets of children whereas Reception runs from 8.50-12.15pm and 1.15-3.15pm. We still have three term intake and so this term the summer born children who are due to start with me full time after Easter have been coming across for 4 morning sessions and 4 afternoon sessions. My planning takes me quite a long time as I have to make sure I have a balance of all 6 areas of learning in the morning to include the morning nursery children, in the afternoon to include the afternoon nursery and I have to make sure I am not repeating too much for my full time children! Sounds quite complicated but I just have to think things through carefully. We tidy up with the nursery at about 11.10am. Then Nursery have story time/ circle time and the Reception chn come onto the Reception carpet. We talk about what they have been learning, what activities they have done, look at anything they may have made- this takes us to about 11.20am. Then we have a mad 2-3 mins where we dance and jump or sing etc. Then Reception have a second carpet session (adult input) and this means we are leaving the carpet to access the CI etc just after nursery have left- about 11.35-11.40am. But they still then have until 12.10pm before they need to tidy. You will need to look at your adult input to make sure you are giving the nursery children access to skills and knowledge relating to all 6 areas of learning so you will need to move your timetable around. I am assuming you have an assistant of some sort- NN/ LSA/ TA- so one of you would see the nursery out while the other has Reception? There is no reason why you can't reflect on the morning just before the nursery go so it finishes the session for them and gives Reception the chance to reflect on what they have just done. As you have only half an hour after the nursery go, and in reality more like 20-25 mins I would use that time when the nursery have gone to do some focused adult input, maybe circle time, numeracy, literacy, music etc- I would have the children moving around and interacting but focused, if you see what I mean. Although it is hard work and it means we effectively have a huge class ranging from 3-5 year olds it works for us, despite all the comings and goings. If I can help in any way, with specific questions then just shout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Can I ask why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Can I ask why? It's all a question of money at the end of the day. We have very low numbers, I only have 22 Reception and other classes around the same sort of numbers. We do however have a waiting list in Nursery so it's a case of 'bums on seats' or rather the carpet! It has happened in previous years but being new to Reception (but no where near an NQT SuzieC8, I'm just inexperienced in this age range) it still really scares the pants off of me as it's such an important term for the Reception which the nursery I imagine won't be anywhere near ready for- and neither should they be really. Thank you for all comments so far, really really useul to see what others think/ manage this sort of thing before I work out exactly what to do over the Easter holidays and how to plan?!! Any more ideas gratefully recieved! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 By the way, your description was especially useful Heleng. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 so will that group be in reception now for 4 terms? How will the ratios be worked as they are younger children? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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