Whitehall Reception Classes

Parent’s Meeting

Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome to the Reception Classes! We would normally hold

this meeting in school so that you are able to meet the staff

and have a look around the school. However due to the

COVID-19 situation this will not be possible this year.

This presentation will provide you with all the necessary

information to prepare your child for school.

All dates and times may be subject to change. We will

inform you of the necessary changes.

You will be able to see our school in our virtual video

tour is on the school website.

Meet Our Staff Team

Mrs Gareja

Dragonflies Class Teacher &

Foundation Stage Phase Leader

Miss Patel

Butterflies Class Teacher Mrs Mistry

Ladybirds Class Teacher

Mrs Mussa

Dragonflies L3 Teaching

Assistant

Mrs Neilan

Butterflies L3 Teaching

Assistant

Mrs Mahomed

Ladybirds L3 Teaching

Assistant

Meet Our Staff Team

Mrs Cook

HLTA

Mrs Lambat

Teaching Assistant

Miss Furlong

Teaching Assistant

Start Day All of the following information will be

confirmed nearer the time.

• Term starts on Tuesday 1st September

2020 – To be confirmed

• Most of the children will normally start

full-time straight away

• School starts at 8.40am – To be confirmed

• School finishes at 3.00pm – To be confirmed

Attendance and Punctuality• It is important for you to be on time to bring your child to school

and pick them up at the end of the day. Children can become upset if they feel upset if they have missed the first part of the day with the others and equally they can be upset if they are the last ones left at the end of the day.

• If your child is absent for any reason please ring the School Office and leave a message explain the reason for the absence. If you do not notify us then you will receive a phone call from the School Office asking why your child is not at school.

• Please do not book holidays during term time! It will be difficult for your child to catch up with the learning if they miss time in school.

Milk and Fruit• Milk and fruit is given at snack time in the morning.

Please encourage your child to eat whole fruit. Allow them to peel their own satsumas and bananas.

• Milk is given up to their 5th birthday.

• Children all need to bring a bottle of water with them everyday – a sports cap bottle is better so the children can’t spill the water. Please label the bottle with their name.They need an additional bottle for their packed lunch.

• The children are encouraged to drink water throughout the day.

Lunch Time Options

• Hot School meals – vegetarian option, meat

option, and Halal option is provided. School meals

are free for all reception children.

• Packed Lunches – You may provide a healthy

packed lunch from home. Please do not send in items

that contain nuts.

• You may chooses different options on different days.

• Independence – please make sure that your child is

able to feed themselves. We will help them to cut their if

needed.

• Dinner ladies – each class will have their own dinner

lady.

Routines and Independence

• Dinner Time – encourage them to try

different food.

• Toileting – make sure they can wipe their

bottoms by themselves

• Putting coats on

• Changing clothes for PE

• Recognising and writing their names

• Good Manners - saying please & thank youIt is really important for your child’s confidence if they can do

things for themselves. Practice over the summer holidays. Allow

them time, don’t rush them.

The Curriculum

• The Foundation Stage Curriculum is taught through structured play based activities.

• The activities that are set up for the children have a learning objective around them.

• We will inform you of what we are learning each week so that you can reinforce the learning at home.

The 7 Areas of Learning

• The 3 Prime areas

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development• Physical Development• Communication and Language

4 Specific Areas• Literacy• Mathematics• Understanding of the World• Expressive Arts and Design

Assessment• Baseline Assessments – these are carried

out in the first few weeks of when your child starts.

• Learning Journey Folders – these are individual folders containing

assessments and achievements of the children throughout the year.

• Observations – teachers assess daily learning through

observations of independent learning. These are recorded on a secure

App on school iPads. Photos are taken of the child and added to their Learning

Journey. This is a folder of their learning which parents can look through and also add

to.

• Independent Learning – children need to demonstrate their learning

independently with limited support.

• Guided Activities – this is where the teachers TEACH

the children new skills and support the children.

• Super Stars – these are sent to parents to complete noting

down any new learning at home. These are added to the Learning Journey Folder.

Key person

• This is a statutory requirement in the Early Years

Foundation Stage.

• Your child will be allocated a ‘Key Person’ for the year. It

will be either the Teacher or the Teaching Assistant. This

person will ensure that assessments and the well being

of your child is fulfilled.

• Please note that ALL the staff members work with

ALL the children and it does not mean that they will

only be with your child. Parents are welcome to

speak to ANY members of staff in their class about

their child’s learning.

Literacy & MathsThere will be Literacy & Maths workshops forparents in the Autumn term. We will show you how you can supportyour child at home. We will decide how these are delivered nearer the time.

Reading books will be sent out when the children have settled and we have assessed them.

Your child will need to bring their books bags to school everyday. Please purchase one of the red school bags. DO NOT buy rucksacks to use as book bags as they are not big enough to fit large books.

Helping at home• Reading – please read a variety of books to your

child EVERDAY. Talk about the pictures, ask them

Questions about the story.

• Flashcards – we will send ‘sight

words’ home every week for your child to learn. Once

they can read them we will add more.

• Sounds – During the first half term we will focus on listening to sounds and oral

blending and segmenting. After half term we begin to introduce letters and sound with

the children.

• Talking – talking and having a conversation is SO important. Parents are

teaching them the rules of speaking and listening. Children will learn to express

themselves confidently.

• Counting & recognising numbers – use everyday activities to

introduce mathematical language and understanding.

Homework will be given every 2 weeks on different areas of

learning

PE• Please ensure that your child has a PE kit in school with everything labelled

• Black Shorts/Leggings• White T-shirt• Plimsolls• All kept in a named PE bag• NO JEWELLERY – EARINGS MUST BE TAKEN OUT. If your

child wears religious items that cannot be removed they will need to be taped down with Micro-pore tape or wear a wrist sweat band to cover it.

• The PE KIT stays in school and can be taken home at half trmto wash.

Outdoor Learning

• We will be taking the children out in all weather. • The children will need waterproof coats with hoods• They will also need wellingtons which can be left in school. PLEASE

LABEL EVERYTHING!

Being outdoors has a positive impact

on children’s sense of well-being and

helps all aspects of children’s

development. It offers opportunities for

doing things in different ways and on

different scales than when indoors.

Golden Rules and Code of ConductThese are the rules that the children will learn.

• Positive Behaviour – we praise positive behaviour using verbal praise, stars, stickers, house points, certificates and prizes.

• Community Assemblies – during the summer term we attend assemblies with Key Stage 1 where children are awarded certificates for achievement, effort and community.

• House Points – the children will be allocated a team – Oak, Sycamore, Chestnut and Birch.

• Class Rewards – children will earn stamps for achievement and effort. These build up to them winning prizes for the Golden Bag!

Sanctions and Warnings

• We have a traffic light system. ALL children start on GREEN.

• If children choose not to follow the rules then there are

consequences.

• The first time they will get a verbal warning.

• If they continue, then they will move from Green to AMBER and

have time out to think for a few minutes in the classroom.

If they still continue with the behaviour then they move to RED! This

is when they will have to have time out in another classroom OR go

and see a member of the Senior Managemeet Team!

• Every day is a new day! Sanctions usually do not carry on to

the next day.

Events & Trips

• Parties – we celebrate all the major festivals with parties. These will be

confirmed nearer the time.

• Trips – we take the children to the local Library, park and shops during the

term In the Summer we usually visit a farm. These will all be confirmed.

• Christmas Performance – we normally perform the Nativity

for parents. However, this will need to be confirmed this year.

• Fundraising events – we hold a variety of

Charity events throughout the year.

Nut Free School

• Please ensure any food you bring into school is

NUT FREE.

• There are children in school with severe nut

allergies

• Chocolate spread in packed

lunches must be NUT FREE

• Birthday treats – (Heroes are good!)

We have birthday books that the

children can buy for the class.

Follow our school Twitter account for updates

across the whole school and our school website.

Whitehallprisch

www.whitehallprimary.co.uk

Thank YouWe hope that this information has been useful. Please

download the information documents that are on this

page to help give you ideas of how to get your child

ready for school.