fluffylamb Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 Hi all, Would love feedback on our reception timetable and set-up for first term. We're a 3-form entry school with am and pm nursery. The 3 main reception classes have the main resources for CLL, PSRN and KUW and we have a spare classroom for CD. I'm trying to get the balance of CI activities and adult-led/focused activities right. We have 3 reception classes with 6 adults. There are also 2 additional adults in Nursery and 2x p/t staff to cover PPA and family groups. Group learning is as playful as possible - I keep having to keep at the back of my mind that phonics isn't play, story time isn't play and adult-led singing isn't play! In free-flow, children can go outside (with activities set up in all areas of learning) or into 3 of the 4 rooms (we usually close KUW or PSRN). Different areas are always set up in rooms (with intended learning outcome) which children are used to (e.g. letter writing, role-play, bee-bots etc.) and then other activities need adult instructions if a child chooses the activity or the adult plays along. These tie in as much as possible to the 'connector' and the 'programme of skills' that we have set up. As we take children's interests as much as possible, we keep the programme of skills (which almost replaces the old topics) and base these around very loose connectors. Staff are timetabled in different areas in order to observe and move children on in their learning as much as possible in child-initiated learning. So in free-flow time, I could be in CLL Mon, PSRN/KUW Tue CD/Outside Wed Outside/CD Thu Obs time Fri In addition to adults observing, joining in play, modelling etc. there are ops for focus activities. We have 3 focus chn from each class each week and in addition, 6 chn from each class take part in a focus activity for CD, PD, CLL, PSRN/KUW. By the end of the 10 weeks, each child has been a 'focus child' and each group of chn have 'been seen' twice in each area of learning. Obviously, any 'wow' moments are captured on camera and post-it notes and fed back. All info is fed back into planning meetings each week and photos and post-it notes are collected each day. Groups mix for phonics - with 4 groups taking place each day (90 chn in total). Each group has extra adult support 2 or 3 times. Am sure I haven't explained this well, but any feedback would be great! Fluffy Lamb KGPSReception_Timetable_2010.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 Hi well i think your doing fab! thats a lot of children, classrooms and staff to organise! it makes my 17 kids this year look very insignificant! I like the way you organise your classrooms into different areas of learning, i would love the space to do something like this! your timetable is similar organisation to mine however your whole group sessions seem longer than mine. Am i reading this correct from 11.00-11.45 your children are sitting doing a long session (phonics and counting/ singing)? i think my class would find it very hard to focus for this length of time. also is your free choice time all adult led with activities set up or can chilldren access other resources and use as they want? i find that i am constantly changing my timetable and as the year progresses the needs for children change. just when you feel you have it right your timetabel needs to change again!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 In addition to adults observing, joining in play, modelling etc. there are ops for focus activities. We have 3 focus chn from each class each week and in addition, 6 chn from each class take part in a focus activity for CD, PD, CLL, PSRN/KUW. By the end of the 10 weeks, each child has been a 'focus child' and each group of chn have 'been seen' twice in each area of learning. Fluffy Lamb Hi Fluffy Lamb Your day is laid out pretty similar to mine and it works well for me, capitalising on the 'fresh' moments to have carpet time and whole class input and then breaking off into focus groups and child initiated. I am curious about the above statement and would love some clarification as I am in a 3 form entry reception year group and wandering whether we should be more fluid than we are between the 3 classes. I get the focus child bit, that works for me. When you say that 6 chdn from each class take part in a focus activity for CD, PD, CLL, PSRN/KUW - is this the same 6 children do a focus activity in all these areas that week? Or one of these areas? Also do you stick to doing focus activities with your class or does an adult run an activity and complete it with all reception children? Sorry I may be being a bit thick, I just couldn't get my head round it.... We have 3 classes but each teacher and NN completes activities with just their class. However during CI we incorporate all children. Phonics is the only thing that we combine the classes for, each adult taking an ability group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffylamb Posted August 17, 2010 Author Share Posted August 17, 2010 Hey Kab! Thank for responding - the phonics time (30 mins) isn't sitting for much of at all! Very hands-on and lots of movement inside and outside (listening walks, games with instruments, hunting for the sounds over an obstacle course - hunting for the sound and bringing it back - searching in the sand for the objects beginning with a 's' etc. The counting/singing etc is also often outside with jumping on number lines, getting into groups of 2/3/4 etc and throwing objects into hoops etc. We have 4 phonics groups for the 90 children and this allows 2 adults to be involved with each group 3 days each week. It means after the 'taught' bit, everything can be much more flexible. We are, admittedly, more limited when there is only 1 adult with the class, but it's still as 'playful' as possible! Hi Rufus! Imagine Red, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple groups with 6 chn in each group - am sure I can be more creative before term starts! 3 red chn will be the focus kids in week 1 and the other 3 will be focus kids in week 6 - the whole group (6) are observed in PSE - as it's so important - and the main 3 focus chn are observed in all 6 areas - as many child-initiated activities as possible. In week 1, yellow are focus in 1 adult-led activity in CLL, green in KUW/PSRN, blue in CD and purple in PD. The following week, everyone rotates and 3 yellow chn are focus chn. As staff only have to lead this 1 activity during the day, much more quality time is spent observing through playing alongside, modelling, interacting with children etc. The NNEBs have a further role to provide 'valuable experiences' - these are activities which need to be adult-led and are very beneficial if all children do join in during the week - e.g. making bread, taking letters to the post-box, using bee-bots for the first time, etc. Activities (which need explaining to the chn) which also have 'intended learning outcomes' are also set up but as children have it - they end up demonstrating different (but equally valuable learning) from the planned activities! In free-flow time, after the staff have led their activity, it is time to interact/observe with ALL chn in the area, making post-it notes of anything notable. All of this evidence is fed back regularly to teachers and then used in group planning meetings. So all staff look out for all chn - not just their own class. If teachers need more evidence for a group of chn - these chn may be called to a room with activities set up to see what happens and if it looks like the chn aren't responding, that's when the adult will start playing and modelling the activity with the chn and the 'prompts' will start to promote discussion. Hope this explains it a bit clearer. Fluffy Lamb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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